Advertisement
I tell myself to breathe when I am distressed. Being conscious of my breath helps me center and ground myself, which dissipates my distress. When I am working with others, I am a psychotherapist, I often ask them to breathe. However, when I recently encouraged my daughter, who is 25 years old, to breathe she became distraught and told me to stop tell her to breathe. She said, “If I wasn’t breathing I would be dead”. I apologized and explained what breathing means to me and with a laugh said, “Please continue to breath”. Is a better way I could help people to listen to their breath without going into a instructive diatribe?
posted by:
|
Advertisement
Advertisement
-
Re: Breathe
Thu, March 27, 2008 - 9:44 AMSam, I assume that you have done this before, but since I find myself doing this a lot with people I work with, I will run my strategy with this quickly.
Breathe in.
Remember that everyone has to walk their on path. That is how it works and likely why the path is there in the first place.
Breathe out.
<<<you shouldn't have to breath in--it usually happens on its own>>>
Remember that this was likely covered in Psychotherapy 101. This is how it works and likely why they teach Psychotherapy 101 in the first place. Sit up straight.
Breathe out.
Remember that kids are spiritual teachers. This is how it works and likely why we have them in the first place. Try to relieve the stress that you have in your body--I hold my stress in my eyebrows and jaw--try to relax those areas.
Breathe out.
Remember that a bend in the road is not the end of the road. Pay attention to your out breathe.
Breathe out.
And once you have done this, and only after you have done this, say the first thought that comes into your mind. Remember that the first time that you try this does not count--but please let me know how the second time goes! Thanks, David S -
-
Re: Breathe
Thu, March 27, 2008 - 9:37 PMFun approach. I run a mediation program for the courts and do evaluations. I will try rendition of this exercise. -
-
Unsu...
Re: Breathe
Sun, May 18, 2008 - 3:57 PMbreath is life, & can be done anytime. No matter where i go, that moment I take to stop...breath in...breath out...breath in, breath out, it re-centers me. -
-
Re: Breathe
Sun, May 25, 2008 - 3:33 PMIt is so important to remember to stop breath and center! -
-
Re: Breathe
Sun, May 25, 2008 - 11:49 PMBeing conscious of one's breath *is* centering, I agree, and it also serves another important function in situations such as this. Often, when folks become upset, they tend not to inhale deeply. By deliberately stopping and taking slow, conscious, deliberate breaths, the body receives more oxygen--a calming factor, many claim, and extra oxygenated blood to the brain is surely a boon to mental focus.
When I breathe, I try to remain conscious of it as a representation of the constantly-changing nature of being. When we're upset, I think it's helpful to remember that things *do* change. Concentrating on the breath is a good way to connect with that realization.
-
-
-
-
