Transcript Mind-Body Treatment

Mindfulness:
Your Ticket to Emotional Well-being
Physiology of Stress
The stress system has two modes of operation. The fast mode involves the
corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)-driven sympathetic and
behavioural 'fight–flight' response, which is mediated by the CRH1
receptor (CRHR1). CRHR1 also activates the hypothalamic–pituitary–
adrenal (HPA) axis. The HPA axis involves CRH and vasopressin (AVP), which
are produced in the parvocellular neurons of the hypothalamic
paraventricular nucleus (PVN); these neurons secrete the peptides into the
portal vessel system to activate the synthesis of pro-opiomelanocortin
(POMC) in the anterior pituitary, which is processed to corticotropin
(ACTH), opioid and melanocortin peptides, among others. ACTH stimulates
the adrenal cortex to secrete cortisol (in humans) and corticosterone (in
humans, rats and mice). Several afferent pathways activate the CRH
neurons in the PVN; these include limbic pathways that are activated by
psychological stressors, and ascending brain-stem pathways that convey
visceral and sensory stimuli.
Mind-Body Treatment
• Mind-body treatment approaches
typically focus on the powerful ways in
which emotional, mental, social,
spiritual, and behavioral factors can
directly affect physical and mental
health.
• Mind-body treatment fundamentally
respects and enhances each person’s
capacity for self-knowledge and selfcare, and it emphasizes techniques that
are grounded in this orientation.
• In the mind-body tradition, illness and
dysfunction are viewed as an
opportunity for personal growth and
transformation.
• Somatic awareness and mindfulness are two
key themes in the emerging science of mindbody interactions.
• Somatic awareness is defined as the ability to
perceive, interpret, and act on the basis of
one’s own internal bodily sensations and it
can be a powerful tool in maintaining health
and facilitating recovery from illness and
dysfunction (Bakal, 1999).
• Mindfulness is a way of paying attention that
originated in Eastern meditation practice. It is
usually described as “paying attention in a
particular way: on purpose, in the present
moment, and non-judgmentally” (Kabat-Zinn,
1994).
• Mindfulness represents alterations in how we
construct (somatic) awareness. These
transformations emerge from an experiential
training for developing skills in monitoring and
perceiving internals states of the body and
external states of the world.
Mind-Body Bridging
•
Is based on the premise that every individual is fully
connected to a wellspring of healing, goodness, power,
and wisdom.
•
However, we all have a system in our bodies, the
Identity System, that cuts one off from his source and
causes the offender to react with anger, attempts to
control others, and at times with violence.
•
When the Identity System is rested there is a dramatic
positive shift in all their functioning and the offender
“Lets Go” and moves forward.
Identity System
• The Identity-System is a holistic system of the mindbody that functions by constructing and
maintaining a thought picture of how we and the
world should be at any given moment.
• These thoughts are called Identity-System
Requirements (e.g., I should feel rested when I
awake in the morning. My wife should always be in
a good mood. My partner should make me
breakfast on my birthday, etc.).
Identity System
• When the Requirements are frustrated, the
Identity-System works in a way that creates mental
commotion, clutters the mind, tenses the body, and
contracts awareness.
• Mind-Body Bridging is a simple technique for
resting the Identity System which in turn resolves
the fight or flight state (deactivates the default
network)
Identity System Mechanics
To Do List
• Please think about all the things you need to do or
want to do in the next few days.
• Now dwell on the To Do List and experience your
body sensations.
• It is not your To Do List that is creating your body
tension, it is your Identity System that takes your
wonderful list and clutters your mind and fills your
body with tension.
Bridging your To Do List
• Try to keep your To Do List on your mind and listen to the
background sounds.
• Continue to tune in to those sounds for a few moments
and note what happens to your body sensations.
• When you Come to Your Senses the Identity System
automatically rests and you are Bridging.
Two Modes of Awareness
• Self Referential Awareness
– Default Network
• Comprehensive
Awareness
– Executive Function
Network
Boly et al (2008) Human Brain Mapping. 29:868-874
Proposed Mechanism of Action of MindBody Bridging
• ON/Off Switch
• The Identity System activates the
Default Network and deactivates the
Executive Network
• Mind-Body Bridging deactivates the
Default Network and activates the
Executive Network
Which Vessel Are You In?
Natural Functioning
Identity-System
Life’s
Problems
Source-Fed
Wellspring
Life’s Problems
Deactivating the Identity System
When using Mind-Body Bridging
people experience:
• Reality oriented thoughts
• Expansion of awareness
• Relaxed body
• Unimpaired mental and physical
functioning
There are two wings of
Mind-Body Bridging
1. Bridging Awareness Practices
2. Befriending the Identity System
Identifying and defusing requirements
Bridging Awareness Practices
“Come to Your Senses”
Bridgingforlife.com
Derrik Tollefson, [email protected]
Utah State University- Uintah Basin