WHATS ALL THE HYPE ABOUT MINDFULNESS?

I love all things mindful. Why? Because it saved my life.

I wasn't suicidal, more resigned to having a nothing life, a non life, a life without feeling wherever possible! I had suffered a traumatic experience, one which I couldn't move past. I don't know why, maybe it was one trauma too many, I just couldn't move on no matter how many times I told myself and others, 'I'm ok'...I clearly wasn't. I'd tried all sorts of counselling but I could not shake off this fear.

At the time of the trauma I was studying to become a counsellor. One of my placements was with a domestic violence organisation. I opted to counsel the male perpetrators. This was counselling like I had not seen before. It was challenging yet gentle and very very effective. It involved work around feeling into the body, being with the physical pain as well as reality checking thoughts and beliefs.

Before long, at supervision my trauma symptoms came out and as hard as I tried to not show any emotions I could no longer keep them in, I could no longer pretend I was ok. The supervisor worked through my fear, anger, grief and immense sadness in the hour we had left and instructed me to practice what he had taught me to use with the men.

I did this for the two weeks before seeing him again. Emotions rose their ugly heads, the pain was too much I told myself, I needed to stop, I hated my supervisor for 'making' me go through this! After two weeks the symptoms disappeared. I no longer had flash backs. I no longer looked behind me every two or three steps. I no longer felt scared of the memory of the traumatic event or indeed of the person that caused it. It..they... no longer had hold of me. I was free.

I am not saying this will happen to everyone but I do believe practicing mindfulness, attending meditation groups or seeing a mindfulness-based therapist could help alleviate destructive thoughts, feelings and behaviours.

Be happy, be mindful!