Mindfulness Archives - Page 2 of 5

Mindfulness Versus Antidepressants

New research finds a mindfulness-based stress reduction program is as effective as an antidepressant in treating anxiety disorders. For years, researchers have been touting the benefits of a meditation and mindfulness practice for anxiety and depression.

This is one of the first to compare mindfulness to using an antidepressant called Lexapro. Led by researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center, the findings have been published in JAMA Psychiatry November 9th.

“Our study provides evidence for clinicians, insurers and health care systems to recommend, include and provide reimbursement for mindfulness-based stress reduction as an effective treatment for anxiety disorders because mindfulness meditation currently is reimbursed by very few providers,” says Elizabeth Hoge, MD, director of the Anxiety Disorders Research Program and associate professor of psychiatry at Georgetown.

Anxiety can be highly distressing. They include generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder and fear of certain places or situations. Drugs that are currently prescribed can be very effective. Yet, many patients do not respond well to them or dislike the side effects (like nausea, sexual dysfunction and drowsiness.)

According to Georgetown University Medical Center, the clinicians recruited nearly 300 people between June 2018 and February 2020 from three hospitals in Boston, New York City and Washington, D.C., and randomly assigned people to either MBSR or the anti-depressant.

“It is important to note that although mindfulness meditation works, not everyone is willing to invest the time and effort to successfully complete all of the necessary sessions and do regular home practice, which enhances the effect,” Hoge said.

As you may know, I wrote a book called Inner Power Now about the benefits of practicing meditation, visualization, and mindfulness for children and adults. If you want to learn how to use the power of your mind and body to create your best life, book a complimentary “Inner Power Breakthrough” session with me. Learn how to relieve stress, anxiety, and pain to empower a better life. Book your FREE session today.

Wishing you peace!

Vicki

Vicki Atlas Israel is an Author, Speaker, Training Consultant, and Meditation Mindset Coach. #1 NYTimes Bestselling Author Jack Canfield, co-creator of “Chicken Soup for the Soul,” wrote the Foreword to Vicki’s book, “Inner Power NOW.” Vicki is passionate about helping high-achieving professionals, parents and children to stress less and add more joy. Contact us to book a complimentary Inner Power Breakthrough Session with Vicki.

Fall and Letting Go

Mindfulness, Mindset

Fall has always been my favorite time of year. The crisp cooler weather and the beauty of the leaves can also be a teacher. As we see the trees let go of their leaves, fall can also be a time of personal reflection.

We can take a lesson from nature on how to release and let go. With the change of each season comes a new way of approaching our days. There’s a slowness in fall that feels good to me. Sitting in nature is good for the soul. A few days ago, I had the pleasure of being in the leaves during their peak season. I invite you to go to a nearby park, like Des Peres Park featured in this image, and reflect about what this season has to teach.

Letting Go to Flow

This fall, I encourage you to try a few things to help you let go of what no longer serves.

1. Go through your belongings and give away whatever you aren’t using. If it’s not being used and it doesn’t make you happy, pass it along or recycle it. Clearing clutter feels so good because it opens up more space to allow in what will serve you better. As we see the trees let go of their leaves, fall can also be a time of personal reflection. We can take a lesson from nature on how to release and let go.

2. Sit with yourself and write down the answers to these questions: What am I proud of this year? What do I want to say goodbye to? What do I still want to complete before the year is over? The challenges and obstacles have brought new insight. This year I realized how much I was trying to wrestle with life, forcing outcomes, instead of allowing grace and something higher to help lead the vision. My need to control is not helping me relax into the flow of life.

Cycle of Renewal and Growth

During fall, the trees shed their leaves as part of the cycle of renewal. This is a universal principle – in order to grow, we must release something. This is true of our own bodies in ways we don’t even notice; we are constantly shedding old cells and creating new ones.

Many of us are able to compost the leaves and twigs we rake up at this time of year for fertilization. You have an inner garden that needs that same compost. We’ve all made mistakes and choices that we wish were different. That’s really what fall is all about. It’s letting go of what’s completed in our lives—or no longer serving us—and preparing for what’s ahead.

Take time this fall to slow down and make space in your life for nourishing and restoring yourself. Recognize what the present offers and create the foundations for an abundant life.

Be Brave – Co-Create Your Best Future

If you need help releasing and letting go of what no longer serves to build a better future, take advantage of my complimentary Inner Power Breakthrough Session. You’ll create a clear vision, uncover hidden challenges, and leave the session feeling renewed and inspired.

Wishing you peace!

Vicki

Forest Bathing and Building Resilience

Mindfulness, Mindset

Feeling overwhelmed by the news of hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and the economy? There are plenty of things to stress about. Where can you find resilience and why is resilience important? Resilience is needed to process and overcome hardship. Those lacking resilience may get easily overwhelmed, and may turn to unhealthy coping skills. Resilient people tap into their strengths and support systems to overcome challenges and work through problems.

The following list offers some ways to activate your brain to the release of feel-good hormones. These self-care practices are grounded in neuroscience. They will help you go from feeling overwhelmed to feeling calmer.

Take some time to be in nature, whether it’s a walk or an outing to a park. Research shows that the chemicals produced by trees and plants can have a healing effect. Japanese call it “Forest Bathing.” A new study from the University of Nottingham finds “Forest Bathing” can boost immunity and help keep your heart and lungs healthy.
Gratitude is one of the best ways to destress. Close your eyes and call up an image of someone for whom you are grateful. Take a moment to immerse yourself in the feeling of receiving what they bring you, even putting your hand on your heart. Stay with it until you feel the gratitude and appreciation.
Stop and connect to your breath and your five senses. This grounds you in the present moment and breaks the chatter and worry in your brain. Spend two minutes breathing deeply and slowly. As you stop to take a breath, take in what you see and hear, taste and touch.
When you need a break from the negative chatter, put on uplifting music or movie and become present to really hearing and seeing the movie. This helps ground yourself.
Add movement like taking a walk to shake off uncomfortable emotions or get up a dance with fun music. Get out of your head and into your body helps eliminate fear and worry.
Take a moment to find the awe and wonder in your day. Looking up at the night sky is an easy one. Or imagine the joy of a young child exploring her world.

These joy boosters will help you balance out negative news and to build resilience. Make time to add a few to lift your spirits.

Wishing you and your family the best!

Vicki

Visualize to Create Your Future

Mindfulness, Mindset, Visualize Guided Imagery

How do you visualize to create a new future? Through imagination, the great athletes do this to visualize their future and win the gold . So do successful entrepreneurs. You can too! Guided Imagery and visualization are a powerful combination to practice.

Over the past 30 years, numerous studies have found that the power of the mind can influence almost every major system of the body–from breathing and heart rate to digestion and immune response. Guided imagery is a tool for focusing your imagination on behaviors or events you’d like to have occur in your life. These can be for better health, more prosperity, better relationships, or for more peace and calm.

Psychologist and Best-Selling Author Gay Hendricks, Ph.D., believes that visualization is one of the most powerful tools for change. “Many people are propelled by events of the past, but visualization is an act of projecting the present into the future,” says Hendricks. “Visualization changes the dynamics of personal change by pulling the person toward a visualized healthier future.”

“Visualization is the human beings vehicle to the future – good, bad or indifferent. It’s strictly in our control.”Earl Nightingale

Using all of your senses, you picture and feel a detailed movie in your mind of what you would most like to experience in your life. What do you see? What do you feel? What do you hear? What does it smell like? The practice of Guided Imagery is based on the idea that your body and mind are connected. By providing positive pictures, creative imagery and self-suggestion, visualization can change emotions that affect the body. Research shows the brain acts on these suggestions and does not know if the imagery is real or in your mind.

For myself, I have experienced a great reduction in stress and better sleep since I’ve been practicing Guided Imagery. My clients also notice real change. One person who felt anxiety and major agitation at work now sees the world differently, and things that used to bother her, no longer does. And her road rage has vanished, as well.

Author and Chiropractor Dr. Joe Dispenza has seen the results from participants in his Advanced Guided Meditation Workshops—some even experiencing spontaneous remission from serious conditions. He is now conducting studies with Neuroscientists that show the impact of Advanced Meditation in brain scans and energy changes at his week-long events.

To begin seeing your own positive change, download one of my favorite gratitude meditations below. When you are in gratitude, you eliminate stress and anger in that moment. Or, book an Inner Power Breakthrough Session to learn how you can use the power of visualization in your own life.

Wishing you peace!

Vicki

Mindfulness for Teachers and Students

Mindfulness, Mindset

Before the school year begins, teachers in the St. Louis Public School District will learn mindfulness and stress relief for wellbeing. Since the pandemic, our teachers have been especially challenged. Their wellbeing is vitally important. The more they know–the more they will share with their students. All will be learning breathing techniques and practices for calm and focus.

As a Mindset and Meditation Coach, and Certified in Guided Imagery and Stress Management, I’m excited to be collaborating with St. Louis Public School Administrators to train their teachers. We will be helping all build emotional resilience to be more successful in learning and in life.

Teachers need a high dose of self-care as they experience one of the most stressful jobs. When they can take better care of their wellbeing, the students will benefit instead of nerves and patience spiraling out-of-control.

This is where meditation, guided imagery, and mindfulness may help. Research shows that when we practice meditation and guided imagery, it can lower rates of anxiety and depression, and may help with sleep. It can also help with schoolwork and focus, as well as building stronger relationships.

Studies show when we calm the mind and body through yoga, meditation, and other mind-body practices, the brain develops new neural pathways that enhances the creative areas, and shuts down the reptilian “Fight or Flight” part of the brain that’s stuck in fear.

Other school leaders throughout the country have also discovered that mindfulness and meditation may be a better way to handle detention and conflict.

From pediatric studies around the globe, children’s anxiety and depression rates may have doubled since the start of COVID-19. Help our teachers and students succeed in life and build emotional resilience! If you’re a teacher or parent or influencer, let your school leadership know about our training services on emotional resilience.

Wishing you peace!

Vicki

Vicki Atlas Israel is the author of “Inner Power Now”, a Certified Guided Imagery Practitioner and Meditation Coach. #1 New York Times bestselling author Jack Canfield, who co-created “Chicken Soup for the Soul,” wrote the foreword to Vicki’s book. Atlas is passionate about bringing more peace and healing to children and adults.

Are You Connected to Your Inner Guide?

Mindfulness, Mindset

Have you reached out to your Inner Guide lately? It’s the part of you who is eternal, unlimited, and knows your potential. Your wiser self is forever patient and enlightened. It understands your life and knows it could help, if you would simply call. It may be especially helpful with the cloak of darkness that many of us feel these days.

The heart is where we connect to our soul and higher self. Remember that your higher self is the part of you, who wants only your highest good. But many of us feel disconnected from our inner power. Due to stress, depression, illness, or just the busyness of life, we feel out of touch.

How Do We Connect to Our Inner Guide?

Remember this. When you are feeling stressed, you are away from spirit. When you are feeling calm and centered, you are more connected to your wiser, higher self.

It’s helpful to remember that we are resilient. Practicing meditation and guided imagery will help you better cope with life on life’s terms with more ease, while being open and connected to something higher. You also will open up to the more compassionate and creative parts of your brain.

My book Inner Power NOW helps us connect to that light source within to feel more empowered. I have included a few chapters for teens, because there’s a huge need to help them with anxiety and stress. As you may know, teens face enormous pressure these days. Especially now, with what they have experienced in the last 30 months, they need tools to quiet their minds and find a safe space within.

Stress Relief for Teens and Adults

Teens and young adults will gain enormous strength from connecting to their Inner Guide that will help them when times are tough. When we go within through meditation or Guided Imagery, we lower the stress hormone cortisol. That’s a physical change and in terms of our mind. Meditation and guided imagery will help teens to become more aware of their thoughts, as well. They can witness a worry thought, without getting caught up in the fear.

If you would like to learn more about connecting to your higher guidance, schedule a complimentary Inner Power Breakthrough session with me. You will come away with knowing the three to five things that may be holding you back and the one thing to move forward.

With gratitude,

Vicki

Vicki Atlas Israel is an Author, Certified Guided Imagery Practitioner, Meditation Mindset Coach. Atlas is passionate about bringing more peace and healing to children and adults. She’s helping high-achieving professionals, parents and children with stress relief. Awaken to your best life with love, hope, and healing. Schedule your complimentary Inner Power Breakthrough session.