Suggested

Mindfulness Practices and Resources

Corinne Zupko, EdS, LPC, NCC, BCC

Long exhalations

To help you relax, bring your awareness to your breathing, and gently direct your
exhalation to be longer than your inhalation for 3-6 breaths. This activates the
parasympathetic nervous system, which helps create a sense of calmness. However
many seconds you breathe in for, see if you can exhale twice that amount. So if you
breathe in for 3 seconds, breathe out for 6 seconds, or if you breathe in for 4
seconds, breathe out for 8 seconds. The exact time doesnt matter just try to make
the exhalation a bit longer in order to create a sense of relaxation. To lengthen your
exhale, try puckering your lips, as if you are blowing into a pinwheel.

ALTERNATIVELY, practice relaxing sighs.

Begin by bringing awareness to the breath. Take a deep inhalation, and as you
exhale, make a gentle sigh sound ahhh Allow the breaths to be slow and
rhythmic, with each exhalation coming out of the mouth, as you make a gentle SIGH
sound. Do this at least three times. Noticing how you feel in the aftermath of the
experience.

The great thing about these breath practices is that you can do them anywhere. Eyes
open or closed, in the middle of the workday, even with other people around. You
can be as quiet as youd like, so you can take these relaxing breaths anywhere.










2015 Corinne Zupko, All Rights Reserved.
www.JerseyShoreMindfulness.com

For your personal use only. Please do not post or re-distribute online.

Counting Breaths Meditation

Background:
Rather than a traditional mindfulness of breath practice, it may be helpful to have clients
with attention issues focus on counting their breaths. Counting breaths can foster focus.
Clients can count inhalations, exhalations, or both. You can begin with having your client
count a small number of breaths (for instance, three breaths), and work up to a higher
number (for instance, ten breaths or 20 breaths). If at any point your client loses count,
simply instruct your client that they can start over without any self-judgment. The moment
they realize they lost count, they are already being mindful again!

Instructions (to read slowly):
If you are comfortable, allowing the eyes to close. Bringing awareness to the sensation of
each inhalation and exhalation. Noticing how you experience the breath in the body
noticing the rise and fall of the belly as you breathe, or noticing the sensation of the breath
at the tip of the nose. Bringing your awareness to the place in your body where it feels most
natural to focus on the breath (i.e., tip of the nose, or abdomen).

With each exhalation, we are going to count our breaths. So with this exhalation, saying to
yourself, one. With your next exhalation, saying to yourself, two, and so forth. Count up
to ten (or whatever number feels achievable). When you reach ten count back down to
one. If you lose count, simply start again at one without any judgment.

When you reach one, gently taking one more mindful breath in and out, and allowing the
eyes to open.

Process question:

- What did you notice while counting breaths?
- Where is it easiest for you to sense the breath in the body?
- If you lost count, how did you work with that? (Encourage the client to refrain
from any self-judgment. If they realized that they lost count, they were mindful
in realizing this!)

2015 Corinne Zupko, All Rights Reserved.
www.JerseyShoreMindfulness.com

For your personal use only. Please do not post or re-distribute online.

Mindful Breathing Exercise

Find a position in which you are comfortable. Gently allowing your eyes to close if you feel
comfortable doing so (or you may keep your eyes open).

Allowing your attention to fall on the sensation of your breathing. You may want to focus
on the sensation of the air coming in and out of your nose, or the sensation of your chest
expanding and contracting, or the feeling of your belly, rising and falling.

Allowing your awareness to stay with the rising and falling of the breath.

Your mind will wander, it probably already has. Each time your mind wanders, simply
notice that it wandered. Without judgment, bringing your awareness back to the sensation
of your breathing.

Continuing to focus on your breathing, bringing your attention back each time it wanders.

(optional) If you choose, you may expand your awareness to the feeling of your body as a
whole, noticing sensations as they arise and letting them be there. Bringing your mind back
to the sensation of your body each time it wanders.

(optional) If you choose, you may expand your awareness to hearing. Noticing sounds
around you not trying to listen, but instead being open and receptive to whatever sound
waves are landing on your ears. Each time your mind wanders, bringing your awareness
back to your ears and simply listening to the sounds around you.

Taking a few more mindful breaths

Whenever you are ready allowing your eyes to open.


2015 Corinne Zupko, All Rights Reserved.
www.JerseyShoreMindfulness.com

For your personal use only. Please do not post or re-distribute online.

Body Scan Exercise

Settling into a comfortable position (sitting or lying down), and if you would like, allowing
your eyes to close. Allowing your mind to focus on the sensation of the full duration of each
in-breath and the full duration of each out-breath.

Taking a few moments to sense your body as a whole. Feeling the chair supporting you,
your clothes on your skin, your feet on the floor.

Slowly, bringing your attention to your left foot. As you bring your attention here, noticing
any sensations in the foot. Noticing the sensation of it in your shoe, and on the floor.
Noticing any internal sensation, like your pulse or body heat. Noticing any external
sensation, like the air temperature, or clothing that touches this part of the body.

Being present to any sensations in the foot.

If your mind wanders, gently bringing it back to whatever part of the body we are focusing
on.

When you are ready to move on, mindfully breathing in, and then on the out-breath, shifting
your awareness to the next part of the body.

(Time permitting, you may focus on as many of these areas as you want, or you may
condense some areas. For example, you may focus on the lower right leg, then the right
knee, then the right thigh, then the right hip. To save time, you may just say, focus on the
left leg as a whole.)

Continue this process with the rest of the body (simply repeat the script above with a new
body part).

(Here are some suggestions) Start:
Right toes, sole, heel, top of foot, ankle, lower leg, right knee, right thigh, right hip.
Left toes, sole, heel, top of foot, ankle, lower leg, left knee, left thigh, left hip.
Pelvis, lower abdomen, lower back, solar plexus, upper back, chest, shoulders.
Right fingers, right hand, right forearm, right elbow, right upper arm
Left fingers, left hand, left forearm, left elbow, left upper arm.
Neck, jaw, cheeks, face, back of head, top of head.

Bringing your attention back to the feeling of your body as a whole. Focusing on the
sensation of breathing, feeling each in-breath and each out-breath.

Slowly, beginning to move your toes and fingers, and your legs and arms. Slowly opening
your eyes when you are ready and taking in objects in your visual field. Noticing color,
texture, light and shadow. Allowing yourself to begin to stretch and move however it feels
comfortable for you. Whenever you are ready, sitting in an upright position, and allowing
our practice to conclude.

2015 Corinne Zupko, All Rights Reserved.
www.JerseyShoreMindfulness.com

For your personal use only. Please do not post or re-distribute online.

Recommended Books:
Biegel, G. (2010). The Stress reduction workbook for teens: mindfulness skills to help
you deal with stress. Oakland, CA: Instant Help.

Greenland, S.K. (2010). The Mindful Child: How to help your kid manage stress and
become happier, kinder, and more compassionate. New York: Free Press.

Gunaratana, B.H. (2002). Mindfulness in plain English. Boston: Wisdom Publications.

Siegel, R. (2010). The mindfulness solution: Everyday practices for everyday problems.
New York: Guilford Press.

Zylowska, L. (2012). The Mindfulness Prescription for Adult ADHD: An 8-step program
for strengthening attention, managing emotions, and achieving your goals. Boston:
Trumpeter.

*Any books by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Jack Kornfield, Tara Brach, Thich Nhat Hanh

Recommended websites:
www.headspace.com (Learn to meditate online)
http://www.soundstrue.com/store/ (They offer an MBSR online course)
www.umassmed.edu/cfm (Mindfulness-based professional trainings)
www.mindful.org (Online magazine and resources)
www.stressedteens.com (Mindfulness for teens)
www.mindfulness-solution.com (Dr. Ron Siegels site)
http://www.mindfulexperience.org/ (Mindfulness Research Guide)

Take 5 Meditation CD:
www.Take5MeditationCD.com (Five 5-minute meditations)

For your personal use only. Please do not post or re-distribute online.