Janice Shigemi, Registered Psychologist

Mindfulness is not a new practice, but it may be a new notion for many.  As a psychological concept mindfulness refers to maintaining a calm awareness about one's body, mind and emotions.  Although the roots of mindfulness are borrowed from Buddhist practice it is often taught and practiced independently of any religion.  Mindfulness has influenced therapeutic practices in the fields of psychology and psychiatry for decades and research has shown it to be effective in treating depression, anxiety, and stress. 

 

Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk who bought mindfulness to the attention of Westerners in the 1960's.  Jon Kabat-Zinn, an American doctor, later developed Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings on mindfulness into a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction course that is now taught throughout the western world.