Introductory Articles by Chris Walsh
Mindfulness In Action Techniques
These techniques are useful for bring mindfulness into the activities of everyday life.Urge Surfing
In action technique for dealing with urges, cravings and addictions.Initial Problems Practising Mindfulness & Solutions
Why Mindfulness Instructors Need Their Own Regular Practice
The "Just Worrying" labelling Technique
It turns out that worrying is a quite destructive way of avoiding being mindful that feeds on itself. This technique helps break the vicious cycle.The Legend of Nasrudin
This article shows how, hundreds of years ago, the Sufis recognised the difficulties negotiating between the extremes of overly skeptical thinking and magical thinking.
THE “JUST WORRYING” LABELLING TECHNIQUE
As a preamble to discussing this technique with a client it is often helpful to differentiate worrying from constructive problem solving. Worrying involves repetitive circular thinking, which is associated with anxiety and produces no enactable practical outcomes.
This technique simply involves a person labelling worry as “just worrying” and then bringing their attention back to their breath or to simply change the subject of their thinking. Every time a person catches themselves worrying they just label it again and change the subject. It doesn't matter if a person does it 10 times in one minute or if they only realize they have been worrying after a period of 2 hours and then apply the technique. The important thing is that the person applies the technique when they realize they are worrying.
This technique involves no criticism or internal struggle, just simple non-judgemental labelling.Therefore it is important in this regard that the client does not change the label from “just worrying” to “don’t worry”.
This technique is very powerful and most people find that their worrying thoughts dissipate almost totally within a few days. Then they usually start worrying about a week later because they have forgotten about the technique through lack of need to use it. At that point a reminder of the technique usually suffices.
The same technique can be applied to other disturbing repetitive mental events using labels such as “just doubting” or “just criticizing”. This is subtly but significantly different to avoidance. It is not running away from the aversive mental stimulus. Rather it is the non-judgemental labelling which is encapsulated in the word “just”
Dr Christopher Walsh
806 Lygon St
North Carlton
Victoria 3054
Ph: 03 9347 4300
Fax: 03 9347 4355
Send email to: info@cwalsh.com.au
Mindfulness In Individual Cognitive Therapy
Taking advantage of the recent acceptance of mindfulness meditation by cognitive therapists, Chris presented this paper to the 28th National Conference for the Australian Association for Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy in April 2005.
Dr Chris Walsh: 806 Lygon St, North Carlton, Vic, 3054, Australia
Phone:+61 (0)3 9347 4300 Fax: +61 (0)3 9347 4355
E-mail: info@cwalsh.com.au
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