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A presentation on Mentalization Skills for Families
Some features of good mentalizing 1. Is curious / inquisitive about own and other people’s perspectives (‘safe uncertainty’ – Mason) 2. Being flexible – not stuck in one point of view 3. Can be playful – using humour to engage (vs avoid) 4. Can solve problems using give and take between different people’s views 5. Can differentiate one’s own experience from that of others 6. Conveys ‘ownership’ of own behaviour 7. Uses ‘grounded imagination’ Read the entire document (PDF) No related posts.
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Teaching Mindfulness to Children
Mindfulness, which features focused awareness training, is increasing in popularity among mental health professionals. Mindfulness training emphasizes focused attention to internal and external experiences in the present moment of time, without judgment. While mindfulness interventions have been used in treatments for stress, chronic pain, anxiety, depression, borderline personality disorder, eating disorders, and addiction, researchers suggest that this type of training also can be beneficial in everyday life. Most research and writing on mindfulness training has been about adults. In this paper, the authors argue for adapting mindfulness techniques for work with children. The authors propose that training in mindfulness has the potential to enhance children’s attention and focus, and improve memory,…
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Borderline Emotional Anaphylactic Reaction: Mindfulness and Acceptance
A mere critical stinging comment can just as easily send a person suffering Borderline Personality Disorder into “emotional anaphylactic shock.” … from an insightful blog post by Sonia Neale. Here is the text of the post: Borderline Emotional Anaphylactic Reaction: Mindfulness and Acceptance By SONIA NEALE Sometimes, the smallest things in life can cause the greatest pain and physical reaction. A bee’s sting is almost invisible to the naked eye and yet can easily kill someone when they have an allergic reaction. A mere critical stinging comment can just as easily send a person suffering Borderline Personality Disorder into “emotional anaphylactic shock.” When a person has a life-threatening reaction to…
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Simon Baron-Cohen discusses empathy and the science of evil
Simon Baron-Cohen has been giving interviews about his new book The Science of Evil: On Empathy and the Origins of Cruelty in which he discusses “mind-blindness” in autism and the lack of empathy in other disorders, including BPD. Here is the text of the interview he gave to Time magazine. I have added emphasis on the part that I find most “telling” about BPD. I have to disagree though that people with BPD have zero empathy. They can behave that way at times, but people with BPD can exhibit a lot of empathy and compassion when their motivation is not IAAHF, pain avoidance or threat reaction. When their emotions become…
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DBT Mindfulness – The how and the what
Thanks to truerecovery.org for an excellent summary of the skill of core mindfulness from DBT: States of Mind Reasonable Mind — This is when we’re viewing things logically and rationally. We consider thing analytically, and with calm, but without necessarily factoring in how we feel about things. Emotion Mind — In this state, we view things emotionally. Our preference and desires. We tend to be more easily swayed in this state, and are more likely to reach for dysfunctional behaviors and coping mechanisms. Wise Mind — This is our goal in Mindfulness. In this state, we consider things logically and rationally, while factoring in our likes, dislikes and desires; our…
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Dr. Richard Davidson Decides to Study – get this – Happiness
Article about Dr. Richard Davidson and the brain science of happiness… Scientist inspired by Dalai Lama studies happiness MADISON, Wis. – After hearing about his cutting-edge research on the brain and emotions through mutual friends, the Dalai Lama invited Richard Davidson to his home in India in 1992 to pose a question. Scientists often study depression, anxiety and fear, but why not devote your work to the causes of positive human qualities like happiness and compassion? the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader asked. “I couldn’t give him a good answer,” recalled Davidson, a University of Wisconsin-Madison neuroscientist. Since then, Davidson has become a partner in the Dalai Lama’s attempts to build…