Health Journal Online

Tag: Mental Health

  • Wellness Washing and the Rise of Mandated Mindfulness

    Wellness Washing and the Rise of Mandated Mindfulness

    In June 2023 New York Mayor Eric Adams announced a new policy that would go into effect that fall. Every morning every public school student would engage in two to five minutes of mindful breathing unless they chose to opt out. At a time when the youth mental health crisis was a major news story, this seemed like a win. Research had suggested that mindfulness could have a beneficial impact on adolescent anxiety and depression. Now the more than one million students in NYC public schools would be getting a daily dose of it.

    Yet to those in the mindfulness world, the reaction was nuanced. While mindfulness can be a powerful tool, it is one that is typically taught by experienced practitioners. Asking overwhelmed teachers to add another lesson to their plate on a topic they might not have familiarity with had the potential to backfire. Programming that is implemented by burnt out educators going through the motions with bored students is not usually a recipe for success.

    Asking overwhelmed teachers to add another lesson to their plate on a topic they might not have familiarity with had the potential to backfire.

    Weighing Positives and Negatives

    As a PE teacher and Mindfulness Director at a PK-8 school in Massachusetts, I had my concerns from afar. I’m well aware of my own skills and limitations. If, for example, research revealed the benefits of singing, and there were a mandate to practice if for a few minutes at the start of every class, my lack of expertise would result in some seriously out of tune kiddos. There is a reason people are encouraged to teach to their strengths.

    Kimberly Daniels, a School Counselor and Mindfulness Director at The Greenwich Village School in Manhattan, saw the mandate as a positive step at first. Both Daniels and I worked with WholeSchool Mindfulness to integrate the position of Mindfulness Director at our respective schools. I wanted to get her take as someone who understands the benefits of bringing mindfulness to schools and as an expert on the thoughtful, research-backed implementation of these practices.

    “Initially, I was like, that’s actually really good,” said Daniels. “It’s being seen as something all schools should be doing. It’s a strange thing to mandate, but if it’s bringing awareness to all New York City public schools, that could be a good thing.”

    Asking More of Already-Overwhelmed Teachers

    The reaction among teachers, however, was more of a mixed bag. “I think a lot of teachers were rolling their eyes because it was one more thing they were being mandated to do,” said Daniels. 

    Once the program got underway, Daniels was able to be a thought partner with teachers at her school and provide resources and ideas. “When it first rolled out, I talked about it at a professional development session at my school,” recalled Daniels. “We were able to come up with different things that teachers could do in the classroom. A lot of teachers really loved the idea of mindful coloring.” However, her position is a rarity in the public school system, and other schools lacked the support of an educator trained in the discipline.

    Is There Needed Support?

    The other major issue was the overall lack of accountability and support from the Department of Education. It is one thing to announce a mandate and then provide training, resources, and professional development on the subject, as might happen with the introduction of a new math curriculum. It is quite another to issue a mandate without any plan for following through and supporting teachers.

    Such a mandate may serve more as a form of wellness washing: allowing the powers-that-be to gain positive press and check a box without actually creating effectual change. Is it a coincidence that Mayor Adams’ federal corruption investigation came to light only a few months after this announcement? In the end, this kind of empty mandate only serves to promote the interests of the administrators and politicians who can claim such initiatives as feathers in their cap while a generation of students becomes alienated by half-hearted wellness measures.

    Such a mandate may serve more as a form of wellness washing: allowing the powers-that-be to gain positive press and check a box without actually creating effectual change.

    Additionally, unsupported initiatives like these don’t take into account the potential pitfalls of mindfulness practice in environments not suited to it, such as unintended trauma responses. There is evidence that mindfulness practices can trigger trauma, and a classroom teacher who is forced to teach it might not have the requisite training or experience to recognize and respond to students who are in distress because of practice.

    In addition, if a teacher is not bought into mindfulness programming but has to introduce it anyways, they might do so in a way that stokes apathy in the practice rather than interest. As a basketball coach, I certainly wouldn’t want people who don’t have a passion for the game to be tasked with introducing to students, but that is precisely the case with mindfulness. Students who first encounter practice in a classroom setting where it is being rolled out without enthusiasm or knowledge might sour on it pretty quickly.

    What Now?

    So what would be a better approach? Daniels believes a much more lasting impact would come from the adoption of an Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum with a focus on mindfulness. An SEL curriculum includes programs and lessons designed to help students develop “soft” skills that are actually essential for healthy functioning in relationships and in the world—things like managing emotions, setting goals, showing empathy, building positive relationships, and making responsible decisions.

    “If you don’t have your own mindfulness practice and it’s not something you’ve ever been interested in, I think it can be daunting for teachers,” said Daniels. “But if it were an actual curriculum that you’re properly trained in, that would have way more of an impact than than two to five minutes of mindfulness per day.”

    Mindfulness is an incredible tool for stoking awareness. Yet it can’t be just a means of wellness washing, and requires the same pedagogical mastery as any other discipline, whether it be art, chemistry, or social studies. All of those disciplines are taught by educators trained in a specific philosophy or curriculum.

    Despite the potential benefits of mindfulness being more accessible and widely disseminated, the reach may not be worth the risk without follow up, support, and training for teachers. In the end, to be most effective, mindfulness practice must be implemented thoughtfully by those with experience in the discipline. In other words, we need to be mindful about mindfulness programming.



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  • Where To Start When There Is So Much Suffering

    Where To Start When There Is So Much Suffering

    Let’s face it: Things feel incredibly hard right now. Of course, there are always difficulties and challenges, but particularly at this moment, I find myself heartbroken, overwhelmed, and angry more often than usual. Maybe you can relate?

    Perhaps like you, I am at a loss for what to do to address the suffering around me at this time. There is heartbreak, struggle, anger, fear, and despair in our homes, communities, and on the news and social media. Though there are some things we can do and action we can take, often much of this suffering is beyond our capacity to control.

    Self-Compassion Works for Collective Pain, Too

    When it starts to feel like too much to bear, I find myself wondering how to be with it all. How to be with the heartbreak, the suffering, the difficulties inherent in life. In my experience and work, I have found that one of the most helpful ways to navigate these challenges is through self-compassion. 

    Of course, self-compassion is a powerful ally when we are personally experiencing a difficulty. But self-compassion is also a powerful internal resource we can draw on in response to the suffering of others. Even if it is someone we don’t know, our hearts are touched when others are struggling. That is why it is essential to start with ourselves so that we can respond from a place of love and care, rather than fear, despair, frustration, or anger.

    So, what is self-compassion? Imagine if a dear friend was struggling with something, and then consider how you would respond to them. Now, gently turn that care, warmth, and kindness toward yourself; that is self-compassion.

    In the research, self-compassion is shown to have many benefits, including increasing resilience and optimism as well as decreasing anxiety and depression. It helps us hold suffering, both our own and that of others, more spaciously and with tenderness and warmth. The ability to offer ourselves compassion helps buffer the emotional distress that can accompany the empathetic response.

    Though self-compassion doesn’t necessarily fix the problem, it does invite a deeper calm and clarity as we approach it, because we tend to make wiser choices when we feel cared for. Caring for ourselves, especially when things are hard, enhances our capacity to navigate those difficulties and is a skill that we can learn and access readily.

    Practices You Can Try Today

    These practices work to strengthen our awareness and compassion, which can  help us avoid the extremes of being either overwhelmed or numbing out.

    One For Me And One For You:

    Based on the giving and receiving compassion practice from the Mindful Self-Compassion Program, the “one for me and one for you” practice can be tremendously helpful when we are feeling overwhelmed by the suffering of others. With a little repetition, it can even be accessible in the moment when encountering someone who is struggling.

    Bring to mind someone, even a group of people, who you know are suffering. This could be someone you know personally or hear about on the news. Now, check in with yourself and see what would best support you in being with their struggles as much as possible. It could, for example, be patience, calm, strength, or acceptance. Bring your attention to your breath and consciously offer that to yourself on the inhale and gently release on the exhale.

    After a few rounds, and if it feels right for you, you may now consider what they most need—they may have even voiced this need. It may be the same thing you need or something different. Continue to take in for yourself what you need on the inhale and offer them what they need as you exhale. You can even let go of the specific words and simply say to yourself, “One for me, and one for you,” as you continue to focus on your breathing.

    Kind Touch:

    Offering yourself a tender and gentle touch is one of the easiest ways to access self-compassion. Try putting a hand on your heart, holding your own hand, gently touching your cheek, or rubbing your arms like a gentle self-hug. Though it may initially feel awkward, research shows the benefits of this practice. Just as we might reach out to hug a friend or gently touch the arm of someone in need, we can also offer this loving, caring touch to ourselves. This kind touch releases the chemicals that support comfort, care, and connection, giving our body the message that we are safe and cared for in the moment.

    Of Course…Honey Practice:

    This phrase integrates the three aspects of self-compassion—mindfulness, common humanity, and self-kindness—used in the Mindful Self-Compassion Program. When you are struggling with something, you can say to yourself, “Of course, this is hard, honey,” or “Of course, you are scared, honey,” or “Of course you feel sad (angry, overwhelmed…), honey.” Saying the words “of course” as part of this phrase acknowledges our common humanity, that anyone in our circumstances could feel this way. Feeling like this is simply part of being human. Naming the emotion is the mindfulness aspect of the phrase, and using the term ‘honey’ (or another term of endearment) is an expression of self-kindness. I often use this phrase, usually with my hand on my heart, and have found it to be invaluable, especially when caught in a moment of intense reactivity.

    Start Where You Are, and Go From There

    If you are feeling heartbreak, fear, outrage or anything else in response to the depth and breadth of suffering in the world (or in your own life), start right where you are. Take a moment to care for your own heart and mind before responding to the world, which so desperately needs our loving presence.



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  • The “About To” Moment: Teaching and Modeling Response vs. Reaction

    The “About To” Moment: Teaching and Modeling Response vs. Reaction

    Children learn largely by example. Susan Kaiser Greenland explains how the “about to” moment can foster awareness and compassion.

    Have you ever noticed a funny feeling in your body the split-second before doing something you later regret? Maybe the funny feeling is a tightening in your chest, or a flush of heat rushing to your face, or a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach. These funny feelings can take place in what Western meditation teacher Joseph Goldstein calls the “about to” moment. This moment is the split-second before you speak or act.

    We can train ourselves to identify when the “about to” moment is occurring in our lives, and notice the internal signals that accompany it. By paying attention to the physical sensations that sometimes accompany an “about to” moment, we have an opportunity to pause before acting and reflect on what we’re about to do or say. This is a chance to ask ourselves critical questions, like:

    • “Why choose to act in this way?”
    • “How does it make me feel?”
    • “Will what I’m about to do or say lead me and my family closer to, or further away from, genuine happiness?”

    Parenting in the “About To” Moment

    The “about to” moment has special relevance to parenting because it is also the place and time where we choose (whether consciously or not) what we teach our children by example. It is a chance to shift direction if we recognize that our automatic reaction to a stressful situation is not consistent with our image of the parent we hope to be, or the adults we hope our children will become. Character development is a life-long process, happening through repeated actions both large and small. One place it happens is during the countless “about to” moments in our lives.

    In 2018, several prestigious universities published a study about the effect of spanking on three-year-old children. They reported that three-year-olds who had been spanked by their mothers more than twice in the month prior to the time they were assessed by researchers had an increased risk for higher levels of child aggression at age five than children who had not been spanked.

    Even though this finding is consistent with a well-established body of academic literature on the topic, and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents refrain from spanking entirely, the reporting of this study has been somewhat controversial. In the comment section of several blogs about the research, some people have taken offense. Perhaps because many parents continue to spank their kids, even those as young as three. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, more than 90 per cent of families report having used spanking as a form of discipline.

    The “about to” moment, when a parent chooses to spank a child, is an opportunity for the parent to ask what he or she is trying to accomplish. Spanking is, at the very least, a stressful life experience for both parent and child, and it is well known that stressful life events can have a profound impact on brain development, especially in young children.

    In their book Born for Love: Why Empathy is Essential, Dr. Bruce Perry and Maia Szalavitz explain that when early childhood experiences are nurturing and empathetic, a child’s nervous system will wire up one way. If early childhood experiences are stressful, harsh and frightening, the same child’s brain wires up in a different way. “About to” moments can make learning and later relationships easier or more challenging. I doubt that any parent, upon reflection, hopes that his or her actions will make it more difficult for kids to learn and get along with others at school or home.

    Self-Reflection, Compassion, and Modeling

    The “about to” moment is also an opportunity to reflect on the quality that one is reinforcing within oneself and modeling for one’s kids. For example, is striking out in response to behavior that we disagree with/disapprove of a quality that we want to strengthen in ourselves? Is it one we want to model for our child? Will teaching children that it’s OK to hit other people help them become their best selves? Help them have an easier time on the playground? Lead them toward genuine happiness?

    The choices that we make in our “about to” moments determine who we are and who we will become. They also let our kids know loud and clear what’s important to us. Making the choice to exercise restraint, empathy, compassion and even-handedness time and time again is how these qualities become habitual in both parent and child. For example, when our kids see us being kind to others, we’re both practicing kindness ourselves and modeling it for them. When they watch us exercise patience while waiting our turn in the grocery line or when stuck in traffic, we’re both modeling patience to our kids and practicing it ourselves. When we find nonviolent ways to address inappropriate behavior we’re both modeling nonviolence and practicing it ourselves.

    To borrow from Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Character is higher than intellect.” It is the choices we make in the “about to” moments—choices we make over and over again all day every day—that determine our character and set an example for our children to follow.

    For more, watch Susan Kaiser Greenland’s video, Teach your kids awareness with an apple!



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  • What Is Mindfulness? – Mindful

    What Is Mindfulness? – Mindful

    Summary

    What Is Mindfulness? The practice of being fully present and aware of your current experience—without overreacting or getting lost in thoughts.

    Core Concept: It’s an innate human ability that you can access and cultivate through practices like seated, walking, standing, or moving meditation.

    Benefits: Mindfulness enhances focus and performance, reduces stress, deepens self-insight, and fosters compassion toward oneself and others.

    Practical Insights:

    • Everyday Integration: Mindfulness can be applied through brief pauses and by merging it with activities such as yoga or sports.
    • Mind-Body Connection: Mindfulness meditation begins in the body; awareness of your physical posture and sensations is essential.

    Meditation Posture Tips:

    • Sit on a stable surface (chair, cushion, bench) ensuring your feet are grounded or legs comfortably crossed.
    • Keep your spine naturally curved, shoulders relaxed, and chin slightly dropped. Let your gaze be soft.
    • Focus on your breath and gently return your attention when distractions arise.

    What Is Mindfulness?

    Mindfulness. It’s a pretty straightforward word. It suggests that the mind is fully attending to what’s happening, to what you’re doing, to the space you’re moving through. That might seem trivial, except for the annoying fact that we so often veer from the matter at hand. Our mind takes flight, we lose touch with our body, and pretty soon we’re engrossed in obsessive thoughts about something that just happened or fretting about the future. And that makes us anxious.

    Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive.

    Yet no matter how far we drift away, mindfulness is right there to snap us back to where we are and what we’re doing and feeling. If you want to know what mindfulness is, it’s best to try it for a while. Since it’s hard to nail down in words, you will find slight variations in the meaning in books, websites, audio, and video.

    The Definition of Mindfulness

    Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.

    Mindfulness is a quality that every human being already possesses, it’s not something you have to conjure up, you just have to learn how to access it.

    The Types of Mindfulness Practice

    While mindfulness is innate, it can be cultivated through proven techniques. Here are some examples:

    1. Seated, walking, standing, and moving meditation (it’s also possible lying down but often leads to sleep);
    2. Short pauses we insert into everyday life;
    3. Merging meditation practice with other activities, such as yoga or sports.

    The Benefits of Mindfulness Practice:

    When we meditate it doesn’t help to fixate on the benefits, but rather to just do the practice, and yet there are benefits or no one would do it.

    When we’re mindful, we reduce stress, enhance performance, gain insight and awareness through observing our own mind, and increase our attention to others’ well-being.

    Mindfulness meditation gives us a time in our lives when we can suspend judgment and unleash our natural curiosity about the workings of the mind, approaching our experience with warmth and kindness—to ourselves and others.

    8 Facts About Mindfulness:

    1. Mindfulness is not obscure or exotic. It’s familiar to us because it’s what we already do, how we already are. It takes many shapes and goes by many names.
    2. Mindfulness is not a special added thing we do. We already have the capacity to be present, and it doesn’t require us to change who we are. But we can cultivate these innate qualities with simple practices that are scientifically demonstrated to benefit ourselves, our loved ones, our friends and neighbors, the people we work with, and the institutions and organizations we take part in
    3. You don’t need to change. Solutions that ask us to change who we are or become something we’re not have failed us over and over again. Mindfulness recognizes and cultivates the best of who we are as human beings.
    4. Mindfulness has the potential to become a transformative social phenomenon. Here’s why:
    5. Anyone can do it. Mindfulness practice cultivates universal human qualities and does not require anyone to change their beliefs. Everyone can benefit and it’s easy to learn.
    6. It’s a way of living.  Mindfulness is more than just a practice. It brings awareness and caring into everything we do—and it cuts down needless stress. Even a little mindfulness makes our lives better.
    7. It’s evidence based. We don’t have to take mindfulness on faith. Both science and experience demonstrate its positive benefits for our health, happiness, work, and relationships.
    8. It sparks innovation. As we deal with our world’s increasing complexity and uncertainty, mindfulness can lead us to effective, resilient, low-cost responses to seemingly intransigent problems.

    Mindfulness Is Not All in Your Head

    When we think about mindfulness and meditating (with a capital M), we can get hung up on thinking about our thoughts: we’re going to do something about what’s happening in our heads. It’s as if these bodies we have are just inconvenient sacks for our brains to lug around.

    Having it all remain in your head, though, lacks a feeling of good old gravity.

    Meditation begins and ends in the body. It involves taking the time to pay attention to where we are and what’s going on.

    That approach can make it seem like floating—as though we don’t have to walk. We can just waft.

    But meditation begins and ends in the body. It involves taking the time to pay attention to where we are and what’s going on, and that starts with being aware of our body. That very act can be calming, since our body has internal rhythms that help it relax if we give it a chance.

    How to Sit for Meditation Practice

    Here’s a posture practice that can be used as the beginning stage of a period of meditation practice or simply as something to do for a minute, maybe to stabilize yourself and find a moment of relaxation before going back into the fray. If you have injuries or other physical difficulties, you can modify this to suit your situation.

    1. Take your seat. Whatever you’re sitting on—a chair, a meditation cushion, a park bench—find a spot that gives you a stable, solid seat, not perching or hanging back.
    2. Notice what your legs are doing. If on a cushion on the floor, cross your legs comfortably in front of you. (If you already do some kind of seated yoga posture, go ahead.) If on a chair, it’s good if the bottoms of your feet are touching the floor.
    3. Straighten—but don’t stiffen— your upper body. The spine has natural curvature. Let it be there. Your head and shoulders can comfortably rest on top of your vertebrae.
    4. Situate your upper arms parallel to your upper body. Then let your hands drop onto the tops of your legs. With your upper arms at your sides, your hands will land in the right spot. Too far forward will make you hunch. Too far back will make you stiff. You’re tuning the strings of your body—not too tight and not too loose.
    5. Drop your chin a little and let your gaze fall gently downward. You may let your eyelids lower. If you feel the need, you may lower them completely, but it’s not necessary to close your eyes when meditating. You can simply let what appears before your eyes be there without focusing on it.
    6. Be there for a few moments. Relax. Pay attention to your breath or the sensations in your body.
    7. Begin again. When your posture is established, feel your breath—or some say “follow” it—as it goes out and as it goes in. (Some versions of the practice put more emphasis on the outbreath, and for the inbreath you simply leave a spacious pause.) Inevitably, your attention will leave the breath and wander to other places. When you get around to noticing this—in a few seconds, a minute, five minutes—return your attention to the breath. Don’t bother judging yourself or obsessing over the content of the thoughts. Come back. You go away, you come back.
    8. That’s it. That’s the practice. It’s often been said that it’s very simple, but it’s not necessarily easy. The work is to just keep doing it. Results will accrue.

    Try This Beginner’s Mindfulness Meditation:

    A 5-Minute Breathing Meditation To Cultivate Mindfulness. This practice is designed to reduce stress, anxiety, and negative emotions, cool yourself down when your temper flares, and sharpen your concentration skills.

    Learn more About Mindfulness:

    Explore the science of mindfulness, learn how to meditate, and how to practice mindful movement, plus dispel some of the myths of mindfulness with Mindful’s Getting Started Guide.

    How to Practice Mindfulness 

    Becoming more aware of where you are and what you’re doing, without becoming overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around you.
    Read More 

    • Mindful Staff
    • December 12, 2018

    5 Simple Mindfulness Practices for Daily Life 

    Your day-to-day activities offer ample opportunities to call up mindfulness in any moment. These simple practices will breathe space into your daily routines.
    Read More 

    • Parneet Pal, Carley Hauck, Elisha Goldstein, Kyra Bobinet, and Cara Bradley
    • October 14, 2024



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  • Mental Health Interpreters Are at Risk of Burnout—But Mindfulness Could Help

    Mental Health Interpreters Are at Risk of Burnout—But Mindfulness Could Help

    The first time Adele Routliff tried communicating with her Deaf mother in public using sign language, her mother, she says, “put her hands on mine and placed [them] back in my lap. In other words, no, we don’t sign in public.” Her mother had grown up in a residential school for the Deaf where sign language was forbidden—enforced by physical punishment—and had internalized the idea that signing was only safe in private settings. Adele didn’t understand her mother’s resistance and so continued signing, even as her mother’s eyes grew wide with fear. “I didn’t understand it then,” she says. “But I know now it was shame.” 

    Now a certified American Sign Language-English interpreter, Adele actively works to raise awareness of deafness by bridging the communication gap and highlighting the importance of mental health in Deaf communities. Her lived experiences have motivated her in becoming a trained mental health interpreter, in providing mental health interpreting workshops for those looking to develop their skills, and in designing and implementing a curriculum for training new interpreters through Canadian Hearing Services.

    Historically, Deaf mental health has been overlooked, and it received minimal attention until the past decade. Dr. Cathy Chovaz—director of the Centre for Deaf Education and Accessibility Forum (CDEAF) and an associate professor of psychology at King’s University College (Western University)—provides mental health care to Deaf individuals. She has led research that suggests that Deaf people face heightened risks of depression and anxiety, compounded by significant barriers and poorer outcomes within the justice system, mainstream education, and healthcare settings. Dr. Chovaz’ research shows that many healthcare professionals aren’t trained to recognize mental health conditions in Deaf patients. As a result, Deaf individuals are often misdiagnosed or go undiagnosed, even though they face unique challenges that put them at higher risk, such as limited early access to sign language, communication barriers within their families, neurological conditions linked to certain causes of deafness, and experiences of trauma or abuse.

    The Challenges of Mental-Health Interpreting

    Considering the challenges faced by Deaf individuals, it’s not surprising that sign language interpreters working in medical and mental health settings also face heightened risks.

    Sign language interpreting requires the interpreter to use their face and their body to communicate, both with the Deaf person and to the hearing person, an experience that can be emotionally and physically taxing. Sign language interpreters also have to remember that their job is to relay every word exactly as it’s signed—no matter how uncomfortable it makes them. One mental health interpreter, who wishes to remain anonymous—we’ll call her Jane—shared how challenging this can be: “There have been times I felt like I needed to wash my mouth out with soap,” referring to the language she had to interpret. “You almost want to say, ‘It’s not me, it’s them.’”

    You walk into the most intimate moments in people’s lives as an interpreter. I’ve been at births, I’ve been at deaths, I’ve been at funerals. I’ve been there when families have blown up.

    Jane explained that while interpreters are trained to remain impartial, it’s hard not to have a natural human reaction to some of the distressing things they hear in medical and mental health settings. “You’re told you’re just there to convey the language—to maintain professionalism, set boundaries, and be mindful of how you come across,” she said. This is especially crucial in high-stress or emotionally charged situations, which interpreters often find themselves navigating. As Adele said, “You walk into the most intimate moments in people’s lives as an interpreter. I’ve been at births, I’ve been at deaths, I’ve been at funerals. I’ve been there when families have blown up.”

    The Health Risks of Helping People Be Heard

    Medical interpreters who work with hearing people play a critical role in helping patients with limited English access and navigate the healthcare system, but the job can bring with it significant emotional strain. They often find themselves in high-stress situations: delivering difficult news, bridging cultural gaps, and facilitating conversations between doctors, patients, and families. Research shows that interpreters, especially those working with cancer patients and children, experience high levels of stress and struggle to manage their own mental health while supporting others. 

    Research shows that interpreters, especially those working with cancer patients and children, experience high levels of stress and struggle to manage their own mental health while supporting others.

    And this emotional burden isn’t unique to spoken language interpreters—it also extends to sign language interpreters, who face their own distinct challenges in medical settings. Although research findings are mixed, recent studies indicate that regular exposure to emotionally charged or traumatic content significantly increases sign language interpreters’ vulnerability to vicarious trauma and secondary traumatic stress, with poor mental health outcomes reported in as many as 83% of interpreters. Jane shared with me a particularly stressful assignment: “I recognized I was no longer able to manage my emotions and it was affecting my ability to interpret in a neutral manner. So I had to take a step back.”

    Mindful Skills May Help Sign Language Interpreters

    Those working in emotionally charged settings, particularly medical and mental health contexts, could benefit from preventive measures. One promising approach is the use of mindfulness practices. While it is an understudied area, some research suggests that mindfulness can help interpreters manage work-related stress. A recent study adapted Mindful Practice® in Medicine (MPIM)—an evidence-based mindfulness program created by two physicians to improve coping skills and combat burnout—for medical interpreters.

    The findings showed that the program effectively reduced distress in both spoken and sign language medical interpreters. The study also found that most participants valued the opportunity to share their stressors in an open and understanding environment with fellow medical interpreters. This sense of community not only helped them become more empathetic listeners but also provided a supportive space to debrief and develop mindful strategies for managing the challenges of their work.

    Incorporating mindfulness-based practices into interpreter training programs and providing ongoing professional development can help interpreters better handle emotionally charged situations, enhance self-awareness and emotional regulation, build resilience to burnout, and, like Jane, recognize when an assignment exceeds their capacity. Jane, though not formally trained in mindfulness practices, shared that using mindfulness has helped her. Even something as simple as parking her car further away from her workplace, requiring a longer walk, was helpful to her in processing her day. Similarly, Adele has gained the ability to check in with herself and know what her limits are. While both have been lucky enough to find mindfulness in their own lives, the industry could benefit from offering interpreters formal mindfulness training, which could significantly reduce the stress of challenging interpretation work.



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  • 13 Life Lessons From Women Leading the Mindfulness Movement

    13 Life Lessons From Women Leading the Mindfulness Movement

    Earlier this year, the Mindful editorial team had the joy of interviewing 10 women leading the charge to make the world a more kind, connected place for our 2025 edition of the Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement feature article. With each conversation, we were inspired by these women’s stories, heartened by their dedication to true compassion, and puzzled over how we were going to fit so much wisdom into such short profiles. Spoiler alert: Despite our best efforts, a lot of great stuff ended up having to be cut. Here, we’re sharing some of their wise words and life lessons that didn’t make it into the feature, but deserve to be shared. 

    To learn more about The Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement: 2025, check out the feature article here, and guided meditations by the women here. 

    13 Quotes About Life From Women Leading the Mindfulness Movement

    1. “Oftentimes being the only woman in the room, working in the video game industry, I could really just drop into the moment because I do an open-eye meditation. No one knows what I’m doing. I can choose to not react to how I might be feeling in that moment in a way that could be self-destructive. And sometimes not speaking up can be self-destructive. So it’s really just learning how to insert that pause, and then make the choice that’s the right one for me in that moment.” – Nanea Reeves 

    2. “I didn’t start a mindfulness practice because I was interested in Zen Buddhism or enlightenment. I started a mindfulness practice because, to put it bluntly, I had this holy s*** moment of realizing that something had been running my life that I didn’t even know was running it.” – Caverly Morgan

    “It’s been awesome to honor the space that belongs to my son, because that piece of me has never left me. The love resides, and we occupy the same space.”

    Brenda K. Mitchell

    3. “I lost a son to gun violence, and there is an understanding that there will never be a new norm for you. Normal is not something that I look for. It will never happen. But what I did learn to do [through mindful practices] was to create a new narrative for myself that allowed space to be happy. It’s been awesome to honor the space that belongs to my son, because that piece of me has never left me. The love resides, and we occupy the same space.” – Brenda K. Mitchell

    4. “What I sometimes say these days is that the highest teaching of all is to relax the bum. Because if you like, you just try it right now. If you relax your bum, it’s very hard to be mentally and physically agitated with a soft bum. The other thing about that that makes it the highest teaching is it’s good humored, because that’s another thing about mindfulness: the more I practice it, the more I realize it’s innately associated with lightheartedness, which I find really interesting because we can think mindfulness would make you a very serious, kind of earnest person.” – Vidyamala Burch

    5. “Soul is not a noun, it’s a verb. Soul is experience—of inner aliveness, of being touched and moved and this depth of experience and this real sense of interconnectedness.” – Shelly Harrell

    6. “That was a really huge realization for me, that strength is kind of like a skill, like riding a bike or learning to drive a car or learning the steps of a dance, like you can actually learn it and then get competent at it and then it can become like second nature. When I heard that, for me it was like a beacon of hope.” – Melli O’Brien

    7. “There’s so much craving. Like when my husband [who has dementia] can speak a whole sentence, I go, ‘Oh wow, good!’ and then when he forgets and gets frustrated in expressing himself, my heart sinks. So all of this is happening and I’m very glad that I’ve got this practice of knowing that all this is human, and going, Can I create space to watch it come and go?” – S. Helen Ma

    8. “My late husband was a beautiful meditator, and very traditional. And I feel like our life together informed what I’m building now in a way that, you know, part of his energy is still continuing.” – Nanea Reeves

    9. “When the inner critic speaks, we meet that voice with an unconditionally loving reassurance. And it’s really important to acknowledge that reassurances are just a voice that says the opposite of the inner critic. So it’s not responding to the voice that says, You’re not smart enough with another voice that says, You’re the smartest person in the room! An unconditionally loving reassurance says, I love you no matter what. You’re going to have days where you feel like you nailed it and you’re going to have days where you feel like you flopped. And I’m here and worthy, no matter what. That’s where the real healing is.”  – Caverly Morgan

    “If you want to see me in my fullness, it’s not just on your terms or what makes you comfortable to only see part of me or some fragment of me, but to see the whole me.”

    Shelly Harrell

    10. “Someone actually told me my blackness was not invited into the meditation space. Like I should detach from that, that that would be a better thing to do, that we all should just not even see race, so to speak. That is not the message that is going to make mindfulness inclusive to a diverse population whose real lived experience says, This is what’s happening. If you want to see me in my fullness, it’s not just on your terms or what makes you comfortable to only see part of me or some fragment of me, but to see the whole me.” – Shelly Harrell

    11. “I was so broken, and the trauma changed everything about me. I didn’t want to see another mother go through that. But I’m so grateful to become this new person that I am. I’m still thriving, and I’m still learning. I’m happily on a mindfulness meditation journey and sharing that healing journey with other people.” – Brenda K. Mitchell

    12. “The reason I started this work, and the reason I continue this work, is thinking back to when I was a 25-year-old young woman lying in a hospital bed and being told there wasn’t anything medically that could be done to help me. My back was damaged in such ways that there was no medical solution and I had to figure it all out for myself, how to create a good life with this body. For, you know, a lot of that time it has been very lonely and difficult so I’ve always thought, If I can help one person have an easier time of it, then that is my life’s work. The fact is, it’s now hundreds of thousands of people who have learned this superpower where any given moment you have this choice: Do you crank your pain up or do you dial it down? It’s so accessible. It’s just amazing.” – Vidyamala Burch

    13. “Dance became a place, particularly when I started choreographing, that was a refuge. It was a place where I could connect deeply to my body and allow my body to be a mode of expression. It was a place I could come home to. I very much began to experience my body as home. Coming home to my somatic experience was part of what dance did. Coming home but also allowing expression of whatever that inner experience was, it came out through movement and so movement became meditation.” – Shelly Harrell



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  • Decluttering—Outside and Inside – Mindful

    Decluttering—Outside and Inside – Mindful

    Sorting through and letting go of physical objects we no longer need teaches us about all the things we’re holding onto. As Barry Boyce realizes, it can also help us find kinder, wiser ways of decluttering our mind.

    Every Friday for the past two months, together with a couple of friends I’ve enlisted, I’ve been spending half the day going through stuff and sending it away—either to donation bins, friends, recycling, or the landfill. Don’t get me wrong. This is not a Marie Kondo-type thing. I’ve got a long way to go before my place would reach the pinnacle of utter simplicity she asks us to aspire to.

    I’m also not a hoarder, though. I’m just a middle-of-the-pack accumulator of stuff who has lived in the same place for 35 years, where we’ve raised some children, had some home offices, and indulged my predilection for kitchen gadgetry.

    I’ve done several purges before, but this one I’ve been putting off for far too long, surrounded by nests of stuff beckoning to me: What’s going to happen to me when you’re gone. When I told some friends about it, they put me on to Margareta Magnusson’s book with the gruesome title The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter. Yikes. I could not bring myself to label what I was doing as Swedish Death Cleaning. That’s just a little too on the nose.

    I also learned from friends who blazed this path before me that there’s lots of stuff nobody, including my children, wants. They don’t want the furniture I inherited from my parents (too old fashioned and no room for it anyway in the smaller-footprint places they live in), and their lifestyle has little to do with heirloom china, silver, and crystal. An article in Forbes confirmed that I’m far from alone. Apparently, says the magazine, all my furniture is lumped under the category of “brown pieces,” and nobody wants old brown pieces.

    This time around, though, I haven’t even gotten to the furniture: I was drowning in shelves and shelves of books, ancient records, mementos and souvenirs, old clothes and shoes, orphaned pieces of hardware, toys and games, and small mountains of obsolete electronics and mysterious cords and connectors. At times, when I wasn’t pulling my hair out trying to decide what to keep and what to discard (thank heaven for having friends there to break me out of that trance), I could crack a smile and remember George Carlin’s bit on stuff:

    A house is just a pile of stuff with a cover on it. You can see that when you’re taking off in an airplane. You look down, you see everybody’s got a little pile of stuff. All the little piles of stuff … That’s what your house is, a place to keep your stuff while you go out and get…more stuff!

    In the middle of all this something surprising happened. Something kind of wonderful. I started to see past the stuff, to understand that objects take on meaning we cling to, but when that meaning is stripped away it becomes what it is: simply stuff. It’s the Buddhist principle of emptiness, which isn’t about a gaping black void, but rather about how the things of our world are empty of the deep meaning we attach to them. That old sweatshirt I loved so much is now nothing more than a rag

    Then, there’s the stuff of the mind, and that’s where the wonderful part comes in. Just as our worldly abode collects clutter, so too does our mental abode. It fills up with old ideas and viewpoints, grudges, regrets, hates and loves, opinions and mythologies, and memories of things we’ve done wrong that we sweep under the rug. Stuff we may not have looked at in a long time. But make no mistake: It’s there and it can guide our behavior.

    It can be just as valuable, and probably more so, to do some “Swedish Death Cleaning” with the clutter in our mind. As I started to embrace this fact—not for the first time in my life but more so this time—I began to appreciate the lightening and freedom that can come from going through my old mental stuff and doing some aerating and discarding. Every spiritual tradition has some form of going through your stuff, often called confession or atonement, and twelve-step programs ask one to make a “searching and fearless moral inventory.” 

    Just as our worldly abode collects clutter, so too does our mental abode. It fills up with old ideas and viewpoints, grudges, regrets, hates and loves, opinions and mythologies, and memories of things we’ve done wrong that we sweep under the rug. Stuff we may not have looked at in a long time.

    Just how we approach the old mental stuff we’re holding is critically important, though.

    For the icky and even ugly stuff we unearth, it’s so easy to beat ourselves up about it, which we falsely think will help matters. In fact, though, we need to forgive first, because if we don’t, the aggression we wield blocks out the light we need to shine on what we’ve done and how we’ve been holding it. If we get past the knee-jerk aggressive response, we may be able to see what we can learn from the past, repair anything that may be reparable, and then send that old mental stuff to the recycling bin.

    Decluttering the place where you live can bring spaciousness into your home. Decluttering what’s clogging up your mind lets space into every corner of your life.



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  • Mental Health Mastery: Tips and Tricks for a Sound Mind

    Mental Health Mastery: Tips and Tricks for a Sound Mind

    In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily life, often neglecting the most essential aspect of our overall well-being: our mental health. With the constant pressures of work, relationships, and social media, it’s no wonder anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues are on the rise. But what if you could take control of your mental well-being, cultivating a sense of calm, clarity, and confidence that stays with you no matter what life throws your way?

    In “Mental Health Mastery: Tips and Tricks for a Sound Mind,” you’ll discover the ultimate guide to improving your mental health, packed with actionable tips, expert advice, and proven strategies to help you master your mind and unlock a happier, healthier you. Are you tired of feeling stuck in a rut, unable to shake off the blues and find your footing? Do you dream of having a sound mind that’s resilient, focused, and at peace?

    Well, you’re in luck because achieving mental health mastery is within your reach. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about being proactive, dedicated, and patient. In this ultimate guide, we’ll delve into mental wellness, exploring tips, tricks, and strategies to help you cultivate a healthy, happy mind.

    Understanding Mental Health

    Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of mental health mastery, it’s essential to understand what mental health is and why it’s so crucial. Mental health refers to our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and behave, influencing our relationships, decision-making skills, and overall quality of life.

    Mental health is not just the absence of mental illness; it’s a positive state of being where we can cope with life’s challenges, build strong relationships, and find meaning and purpose.

    The Importance of Mental Health

    So, why is mental health so important? Here are a few compelling reasons:

    ReasonWhy It Matters
    Physical HealthMental health directly impacts physical health. Poor mental health can lead to chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity.
    ProductivityGood mental health boosts productivity, creativity, and problem-solving skills, making you more effective in your personal and professional life.
    RelationshipsGood mental health boosts productivity, creativity, and problem-solving skills, making you more effective personally and professionally.
    ResilienceA sound mind helps you cope with adversity, adapt to change, and bounce back from setbacks.

    Building a Strong Foundation

    Now that we’ve established the importance of mental health let’s focus on building a solid foundation for mental well-being.

    Self-Awareness

    Self-awareness is recognizing and understanding your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. It’s the first step towards mental health mastery. Here are a few ways to cultivate self-awareness:

    TechniqueHow It Works
    Mindfulness MeditationRegular mindfulness meditation practice helps you tune into your thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations, increasing self-awareness.
    JournalingRegular mindfulness meditation helps you tune into your thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations, increasing self-awareness.
    TherapyWorking with a therapist can help you explore your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, gaining a deeper understanding of yourself and your motivations.

    Setting Boundaries

    Setting healthy boundaries is essential for maintaining good mental health. It helps prioritize your needs, protect your energy, and build stronger relationships. Here are a few tips for setting effective boundaries:

    BoundaryHow to Set It
    Time ManagementLearn to say no to commitments that drain your energy and say yes to those that nourish your mind, body, and soul.
    Emotional DistanceEstablish emotional distance from toxic people, situations, or relationships that negatively impact your mental health.
    Digital DetoxSet boundaries around your digital usage, taking regular breaks from social media, email, and other stimulating activities.
    Mental Health Mastery: Tips and Tricks for a Sound Mind

    Managing Stress and Anxiety

    Stress and anxiety are two common mental health challenges that can derail even the best-laid plans. Here are some strategies to help you manage stress and anxiety:

    Deep Breathing Exercises

    Deep breathing exercises can calm your mind, reduce stress, and promote relaxation. Here’s a simple technique you can try:

    StepInstructions
    1. Find a Comfortable PositionSit comfortably with your back straight, or lie down on your back.
    2. Close Your EyesClose your eyes and take a deep breath in through your nose, filling your lungs completely.
    3. Hold Your BreathClose your eyes and take a deep breath in through your nose, filling your lungs.
    4. Exhale SlowlyHold your breath briefly, feeling your chest rise and fall.
    5. RepeatRepeat the cycle for 5査 minutes, focusing on your breath.

    Progressive Muscle Relaxation

    Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is a technique that helps you release physical tension, promoting relaxation and reducing anxiety. Here’s how to do it:

    Muscle GroupInstructions
    Neck and ShouldersTense your neck and shoulder muscles, holding for 5 seconds. Release and feel the relaxation spread through your body.
    Arms and HandsTense your arm and hand muscles, holding for 5 seconds. Release and feel the relaxation spread through your body.
    Chest and AbdomenTense your chest and abdominal muscles, holding for 5 seconds. Release and feel the relaxation spread through your body.
    Legs and FeetTense your leg and foot muscles, holding for 5 seconds. Release and feel the relaxation spread through your body.

    Cultivating Positive Habits

    Positive habits can profoundly impact your mental health, helping you build resilience, confidence, and a growth mindset. Here are a few habits to consider:

    Gratitude Practice

    Practicing gratitude helps you focus on the positive aspects of your life, cultivating a sense of appreciation and contentment. Here’s how to do it:

    TechniqueInstructions
    Daily ReflectionTake a few minutes each day to reflect on the things you’re grateful for.
    Gratitude JournalTake a few minutes each day to reflect on what you’re grateful for.
    Share Your GratitudeExpress your gratitude to others, whether it’s through a kind word, a text message, or a small gift.

    Morning Routine

    A morning routine can help you start your day positively, setting the tone for a productive and fulfilling day. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

    ActivityBenefits
    MeditationReduces stress, increases focus, and boosts mood.
    ExerciseReleases endorphins, increases energy, and improves mood.
    JournalingClarifies thoughts, sets goals, and improves mental clarity.
    Mental Health Mastery: Tips and Tricks for a Sound Mind

    Seeking Help

    Finally, it’s essential to recognize that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Whether you’re struggling with mental health issues or need guidance, don’t be afraid to reach out to:

    ResourceHow It Can Help
    TherapistProvides personalized guidance, support, and strategies for managing mental health.
    Support GroupOffers a safe space to share experiences, connect with others, and find community.
    HotlinesProvides immediate support, guidance, and resources for those in crisis.

    Remember, mental health mastery is a journey, not a destination. It requires patience, dedication, and a willingness to learn and grow. By following these tips, tricks, and strategies, you’ll be well on your way to cultivating a sound mind, one that’s resilient, focused, and at peace.

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  • Calming the Chaos: Top Ways to Reduce Stress and Anxiety

    Calming the Chaos: Top Ways to Reduce Stress and Anxiety

    In today’s fast-paced world, getting caught up in the whirlwind of responsibilities, deadlines, and demands is easy, leaving many of us feeling overwhelmed and stuck in a cycle of stress and anxiety. But what if there were simple yet powerful ways to calm the chaos and regain control over your mental well-being? From mindfulness exercises to boundaries-setting and self-care rituals to stress-reducing supplements, there are many effective strategies that can help quiet the mind and soothe the body, allowing you to live a more balanced, peaceful, and fulfilling life.

    What’s the one thing lurking in the shadows, waiting to pounce and ruin your day? Stress and anxiety! It’s like that one unwanted guest who won’t leave, no matter how often you politely ask them to vacate the premises. But what if we told you there are ways to calm the chaos and show stress and anxiety? Who’s the boss? Buckle up, folks, because we’ll dive into the top ways to reduce stress and anxiety!

    Calming the Chaos: Top Ways to Reduce Stress and Anxiety

    Understanding Stress and Anxiety

    Before we dive into the solutions, it’s essential to understand what stress and anxiety are. Stress is your body’s natural response to a perceived threat or situation, while anxiety is persistent worry, nervousness, or fear. Both can be overwhelming, causing physical symptoms like a racing heart, sweaty palms, and a mind racing like a Formula 1 car.

    The Physical Toll of Stress and Anxiety

    The physical effects of stress and anxiety can be devastating. Chronic stress can lead to:

    Physical SymptomEffect on the Body
    Rapid HeartbeatIncreases blood pressure, putting a strain on the cardiovascular system
    Sweaty PalmsDecreases cognitive function, making it harder to focus
    InsomniaDisrupts sleep patterns, leading to fatigue and mood swings
    Digestive IssuesAffects digestion, leading to stomach problems and weight gain

    The Emotional Toll of Stress and Anxiety

    But it’s not just the physical symptoms that are concerning; stress and anxiety can also take a toll on your emotional well-being. Chronic stress can lead to:

    Emotional SymptomEffect on Mental Health
    IrritabilityIncreases feelings of anger and frustration
    Mood SwingsLeads to depression, anxiety, and mood disorders
    Lack of MotivationDecreases self-esteem and confidence
    Social WithdrawalIncreases feelings of loneliness and isolation

    Top Ways to Reduce Stress and Anxiety

    Now that we’ve covered the what and why, it’s time to get to the good stuff – the top ways to reduce stress and anxiety!

    1. Mindfulness Meditation

    Mindfulness meditation is about being present in the moment, focusing on your breath, and calming your mind. Regular mindfulness practice has been shown to:

    • Reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
    • Improve sleep quality
    • Boost mood and focus

    Try incorporating a 10-minute mindfulness meditation session into your daily routine to see the benefits for yourself!

    2. Exercise and Physical Activity

    Exercise is a natural stress reliever! Physical activity releases endorphins, which are chemicals that improve your mood and reduce stress levels. Try:

    • Yoga: A gentle, low-impact exercise that combines physical movement with mindfulness and breathing techniques
    • Walking: A simple yet effective way to clear your mind and get those endorphins pumping
    • Swimming: A low-impact exercise that’s easy on the joints and great for cardiovascular health

    3. Journaling and Creative Expression

    Journaling is an excellent way to process your thoughts and emotions, getting them out of your head and onto paper. Try:

    • Writing down your thoughts and feelings before bed to clear your mind and improve sleep quality
    • Drawing or painting to express yourself creatively and tap into your emotions
    • Writing gratitude lists to focus on the positive aspects of your life

    4. Social Connection and Support

    Social connection is vital for our emotional well-being. Reach out to friends family, or join a support group to:

    • Talk through your feelings and emotions with someone who understands
    • Get a fresh perspective on your situation
    • Feel less alone and more connected to others

    5. Time Management and Prioritization

    Poor time management can exacerbate stress and anxiety. Try:

    • Prioritizing tasks based on importance and deadlines
    • Breaking down large tasks into smaller, manageable chunks
    • Scheduling regular breaks to avoid burnout

    6. Healthy Eating and Nutrition

    A healthy diet can do wonders for your mental health. Focus on:

    • Eating a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins
    • Avoiding processed and sugary foods that can exacerbate anxiety
    • Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day

    7. Seeking Professional Help

    If you’re struggling with stress and anxiety, don’t be afraid to seek professional help. A mental health professional can:

    • Provide a safe and non-judgmental space to discuss your feelings
    • Offer coping strategies and techniques tailored to your specific needs
    • Help you develop a personalized plan to manage stress and anxiety
    Calming the Chaos: Top Ways to Reduce Stress and Anxiety

    Conclusion

    Stress and anxiety might be unwelcome guests, but with these top ways to reduce stress and anxiety, you can show them who’s boss! Remember, taking care of your mental health is crucial, and it’s okay to ask for help when you need it. So, take a deep breath, grab a cup of tea (or two or three…), and start calming the chaos today!

    Learn How To Calm Your Mind