THE CASE OF JOHN HEALING POWER OF AWARENESS just a normal guy, 40 years old, overworked/burnout married, nice wife, two daughters, nice house, friends depressed, low self-esteem, negative thoughts suicidal DRS. WILLEM FONTEIJN - GGZGROUP, NETHERLANDS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE & EXPO ON CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY - O CTOBER 18-20, 2018 EFFORTS OF JOHN SO FAR JOHN COMES TO MY OFFICE why am I suffering? what did I do wrong? failing in new behavior asking his mind to end suffering repeating old patterns over and over again trying to escape unpleasant thoughts and feelings WHY? using control EXPECTATION OF THE CLIENT NATURE OF SUFFERING SELF DESTRUCTIVE CONVICTIONS BODILY AND MENTAL PAIN DYSFUNCTIONAL EMOTIONS THE END OF SUFFERING 1
ASKING THE MIND TO END THE SUFFERING RESULTS IN LET S SHIFT TO MIND MIND CONTROL NATURE OF THE MIND (1) analyzing and clustering thoughts, emotions and bodily sensations conditioned filled with convictions evaluating the past and planning the future NATURE OF THE MIND (2) MIND IS VERY USEFUL FOR categorizing experiences seeking solutions for the individual coping with threat SOS complex of algorithms SOLVING PROBLEMS DEVELOPING SURVIVAL ROUTINES DEVELOPING CULTURAL COMFORT bound by logic 2
MIND IS NOT USEFUL FOR BUSY MIND MAKING AN END TO INDIVIDUAL SUFFERING MAKING LOVE analyzing the nature of suffering without finding a clue victimizing the individual making the same choices, experiencing the same feelings, thinking the same convictions BUSY JOHN analyzing the nature of his suffering without finding a clue victimizing John making the same choices, experiencing the same feelings, thinking the same convictions feeling desperate, thinking let s end this WHAT A SMELL IS FOR THE NOSE, IS A THOUGHT FOR THINKING. - BUDDHA THINKING MIND you are not your thoughts freezing is the natural response of a body that can t escape from a thought OBSERVE THE SPACE BETWEEN YOUR THOUGHTS, THEN OBSERVE THE OBSERVER. - HAMILTON BOUDREAUX 3
AWARENESS/CONSCIOUSNESS key ingredient for change in psychotherapy LET S SHIFT TO AWARENESS psychoanalysis brings unconscious conflict to consciousness CBT exploring and challenging dysfunctional hidden cognitive key convictions about self and the world unconditional positive regard (compassion) NATURE OF AWARENESS neutral observing here and now AWARENESS IS THE GREATEST AGENT FOR CHANGE. - ECKHART TOLLE compassionate transforming quality being present with the stream of experiences open for new experiences NATURE OF AWARENESS NO NO NO NO MIND BODY THING ONE 4
EASILY OVERLOOKED MIND AND AWARENESS mind is conditioned awareness is unconditioned mind minimizes threat and seeks comfort basic emotion of mind is fear basic emotion of awareness is love MIND AND AWARENESS M IND AWARENESS rigid flexible closed open anxiety and threat love and opportunity survival mode innovation mode conditioned unconditioned controlling observing doing being critisising accepting TO BELIEVE THAT I, AWARENESS, SHARE THE LIMITS AND THE DESTINY OF THE MIND AND BODY IS LIKE BELIEVING THAT THE SCREEN SHARES THE LIMITS AND DESTINY OF A CHARACTER IN A MOVIE. - RUPERT SPIRA PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC USE OF AWARENESS starts in the therapist s office therapist acts as a role model compassionate containing the emotions of client and therapist shift the attention to what is happening here and now focus at the bodily sensations ALL STIMULI HAVE THIS QUALITY: PLEASANT, UNPLEASANT, OR NEUTRAL. - N.N. 5
PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC USE OF AWARENESS PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC USE OF AWARENESS pleasant, unpleasant and neutral are the result of the interaction between you and the stimuli pleasant results in approach unpleasant results in escape neutral than you just go on add awareness to the process learn the client to stay present observe the stimuli and the tendency to approach and escape allow change to happen using the body as a mirror for thoughts focus on the bodily sensations and posture BODY PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC USE OF ATTENTION always present, here and now mirror of the mind body always reacts on stimuli approach or escape attention brings phenomena to awareness focused attention, absorbed attention, approach attention with mindfulness we train attention, neutral attention freeze (dissociating, closure) habitual posture reside in connective tissues NARROW AWARENESS BROAD AWARENESS ABSORPTION 6
PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC USE OF ATTENTION PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC USE OF ATTENTION focus on one aspect, the body body, thoughts and emotions mutually influence each other all the time, are cause for each other for instance depression negative thoughts, gloomy mood, passive behavior a body-mind system in balance redirecting your attention broaden your awareness allowing change to happen or actively change the posture of the body redirecting your attention allowing change to happen PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC SESSIONS WITH JOHN HOW IS JOHN? about 10 sessions during 6 months add awareness to what is happening notice your thoughts just let them come and observe the reactions in your body you are not your thoughts practice awareness in daily life allow change to happen great : no longer suffering accepting his life curious to new opportunities more in connection mindful CIRCLE OF AWARENESS NOTICING, NAMING AND CONTAINING KEY INGREDIENTS FOR BENEFICIAL CHANGE CONTAINING INSTEAD OF EXPLAINING 7
INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOTHERAPY INSIGHT MEDITATION PANIC THERE IS PANIC, WELCOME PANIC ATTENTION WANTS TO GO AWAY, WANTS TO ESCAPE BODY CAN T ESCAPE, FREEZES PANIC IS EVERYWHERE IN THE WHOLE BODY THIS MUST STOP, I HAVE TO GET AWAY, GO OUTSIDE BRING YOUR AWARENESS TO YOUR FEET ON THE GROUND CAN YOU FEEL YOUR FEET ON THE GROUND JUST KEEP YOUR ATTENTION WITH YOUR FEET ON THE GROUND WHAT DO YOU NOTICE? PRACTICE AWARENESS IN DAILY LIFE AND IMPROVE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE. - WILLEM FONTEIJN PANIC VANISHES, CALMS DOWN.. RESULTS QUALITY OF LIFE INTERACTION EFFECT. P = 0,091 WITH COVARIATE: P = 0,058 POWER = MEDIUM PUBLICATION JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE Nyklicek, Dijksma, Lenders, Fonteijn & Koolen (2012) 8
RESULTS: ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION TRANSFORMING QUALITY OF AWARENESS INTERACTION EFFECT P = 0,034 POWER = MEDIUM CONTROL COVARIATE: P = 0,046 POWER = MEDIUM MAIN EFFECT (TIME) WITH AND WITHOUT COVARIATE: P = 0.001 POWER = LARGE THE STORY OF ANNA ANNA IS A WOMAN IN HER MID- FORTIES. SHE JOINED A MINDFULNESS RETREAT AS PART OF HER MEDITATION PRACTICE. THE CIRCLE WAS PART OF THE PROGRAM. ANNA WAS EXCITED BY THE METHOD OF THE CIRCLE AND KEPT ON TELLING EVERYONE HOW GOOD THE TRAINER HAD BEEN ON HIS JOB AS WELL HOW NICE IT HAD BEEN FOR HER WHEN SHE FINALLY UNDERSTOOD THE PROCESS OF INSIGHT MEDIATION. EVERY TIME ANOTHER PARTICIPANT STEPPED INTO THE CIRCLE TO EXPLORE HIS OR HER ISSUES, ANNA W AS EAGER TO GIVE HER FEEDBACK ABOUT THE PSYCHOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE ISSUE RAISED. FINALLY SHE STEPPED INTO THE CIRCLE HERSELF AND WANTED TO EXPLORE HER OWN FEELINGS OF INFERIORITY. I STARTED BY SUGGESTING TO HER HOW SHE MIGHT EXPLORE HER FEELINGS OF INFERIORITY BY OBSERVING THE WAY SHE MOVED HER BODY. ANNA WORKED HARD. SHE W AS ABLE TO EXPRESS HER THOUGHTS AND WHILE DOING SO, EXPLAIN THEM TO THE TRAINERS. SHE REPLIED THAT THIS WAS ALL VERY HELPFUL IN UNDERSTANDING HER FEELINGS OF INFERIORITY. STILL, EVEN THOUGH ANNA STATED THAT SHE UNDERSTOOD IT MUCH BETTER, HER BODY SHOWED NO RELIEF. SHE KEPT ON W ALKING W ITH HER HEAD LOW AND SHOULDERS TENSE. WHEN I GAVE HER THIS OBSERVATION, SHE WAS SURPRISED AND CONFUSED. SHE TRIED TO CORRECT HER POSTURE AND A PAINFUL EXPRESSION CAME TO HER FACE. AT THE END OF THE GROUP SESSION THAT MORNING, WHILE I GAVE SOME FINAL REMARKS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PROGRAM, ANNA STARTED TO CRY AND SAID THAT IT HURT VERY M UCH. I ASKED HER TO STAY W HILE THE REST OF THE GROUP WENT FOR LUNCH. SITTING TOGETHER I ASKED ANNA TO OBSERVE THE PAIN AND KEEP HER FOCUS ON THE PAIN BY JUST OBSERVING THE PAIN HERE AND NOW. WE BOTH SAT THERE FOR ABOUT HALF AN HOUR AND REMAINED FULLY AWARE OF THE PAIN. ANNA KEPT ON SAYING HOW MUCH IT HURT AND I SUPPORTED HER BY INVITING HER TO STAY IN THE MOMENT AND ALLOW THE PAIN TO BE JUST AS IT IS. IN THIS STATE OF FULL PRESENCE AND AWARENESS A SHIFT OCCURRED. ANNA BECAME FULLY AWARE AND CLEAR MINDED. THIS STATE REMAINED FOR THE REST OF THE DAY AND LATER ANNA DESCRIBED THIS AS REAL BREAKTHROUGH AND RELIEF OF HER SUFFERING FROM AN ABUSIVE CHILDHOOD. CIRCLE OF AWARENESS USING THE BODY AS A MIRROR FOR THOUGHTS: A PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC APPROACH WILLEM FONTEIJN SPECIAL CONFERENCE DISCOUNT ORDER E-BOOK AT AMAZON: REGULAR PRICE: 9,99 SPECIAL PRICE: EUR 4,99 CONFERENCE DISCOUNT - 5 THANK YOU CONTACT ME AT WWW.CIRCLE-OF-AWARENESS.COM DRS. WILLEM FONTEIJN - GGZGROUP, NETHERLANDS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE & EXPO ON CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY - O CTOBER 18-20, 2018 9