Mindfulness-based psychotherapy is the most popular new treatment approach in the last decade—and for good reason. Mindfulness practices hold great promise not only for our own personal development, but also as remarkably powerful tools to augment virtually every form of psychotherapy. Mindfulness is not, however, a one-size-fits-all remedy. Practices need to be tailored to fit the needs of particular individuals—and this workshop will show you how. Once you understand the components of mindfulness practices and how they work to alleviate psychological distress, you’ll be able to creatively adapt them to meet the needs of diverse people and conditions. You’ll learn how to use mindfulness practices to help resolve anxiety, depression, stress-related medical disorders, and even interpersonal conflict, gaining practical knowledge and skills that will take your practice of mindfulness-based psychotherapy to the next level.
Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychology, Harvard Medical School; Author, The Mindful Solution
Western science is beginning to validate the ancient yoga prescription for maintaining optimal mental health. We’ll explore this timeless wisdom with attention to current research, learning evidence-based aspects of Yoga appropriate for a clinical setting. These include body sensing, sound, breath, imagery, meditation, and affirmations that arise from the client’s authentic experience of self. And we’ll practice ways you can introduce yogic techniques in the treatment room—neither mat nor touch necessary! You’ll learn evidence-based yogic strategies to help clients focus, relax, and have greater access to feeling states. These practices can provide an alternative or adjunct treatment for clients who are not responding to medication or have received only so much relief from cognitive restructuring strategies.
In the process of learning yogic techniques that foster the therapeutic alliance and increase client self-acceptance and self-efficacy, you will be practicing tools for self-care. Discover for yourself the physiological changes occurring in the body-mind during yoga practice that produce the immediate “feel good” affect, and experience the shift in your own outlook as we practice simple exercises that can change your life and the lives of your clients.
This workshop is designed for all level of Yoga practitioners, including beginners.
Founder, LifeForce Healing Institute; Author, Yoga for Depression and Yoga Skills for Therapists; International Yoga Teacher.
This is a look at prison as a cultural system that exerts a powerful shaping influence on the lives of prisoners, who live in a gladiator world that enforces a masking of emotions and rewards public performances of bravery and physical strength. Ironically, men are sent to prison for the commission of those very behaviors that become essential to their survival behind prison walls.
We will look at the prisoners’ stories and learn the power and potential for personal transformation behind prison walls. Why does prison, a place of danger and deprivation, carry the potential for such deep inner work? Why does the practice of mindfulness take root deep inside a maximum-security prison? All of this will be discussed in the context of the model of the hero’s journey, described so well by Joseph Campbell.
Founder/Director, Freedom Behind Bars, Foundation, Inc.
Fate and destiny are the two agreements the soul must make and the core issues we struggle with throughout our lives. If a person doesn’t accept and face their fate in life, they may never find their deep resources, their inner medicine, and their natural gifts. If a person doesn’t risk their destiny, they will never know who they are intended to be. This dynamic presentation offers an exploration of identity and meaning, of purpose and passion, and wisdom and healing.
Founder/Director, Mosaic Multicultural Foundation; Author of numerous books including Fate and Destiny: The Two Agreements of the Soul
Fate and destiny are the two agreements the soul must make and the core issues we struggle with throughout our lives. If a person doesn’t accept and face their fate in life, they may never find their deep resources, their inner medicine, and their natural gifts. If a person doesn’t risk their destiny, they will never know who they are intended to be. This dynamic presentation offers an exploration of identity and meaning, of purpose and passion, and wisdom and healing.
Founder/Director, Mosaic Multicultural Foundation; Author of numerous books including Fate and Destiny: The Two Agreements of the Soul
Based on Dr. Shapiro’s recent book, The Art and Science of Mindfulness: Integrating Mindfulness into Psychotherapy and the Helping Professions, the workshop offers scientific research and meditative practices for therapists interested in awakening the mind and opening the heart. Drawing on current research in psychology, medicine and cognitive neuroscience, we will investigate the effects of mindfulness meditation on decreasing pathology and increasing positive psychological and physiological states. Further, we will explore the mechanisms of action through which mindfulness meditation has its transformation effects.
Professor of Counseling Psychology at Santa Clara University; Co-author, The Art & Science of Mindfulness, 2009
This workshop will delve into the potential ways of integrating mindfulness and meditation into psychotherapy and the helping professions. Through didactic presentation, meditation practices, clinical case examples, and small group activities we will explore specific pathways of applying mindfulness personally and professionally to cultivate greater health, wellbeing and freedom.
Professor of Counseling Psychology at Santa Clara University; Co-author, The Art & Science of Mindfulness, 2009
Incorporating integrative medicine approaches into clinical practice can present significant challenges. Clinicians are faced with an avalanche of new research data and typically have only limited time and resources to discuss and review integrative healthcare approaches with patients. This workshop provides a very practical model for providing integrative mental healthcare and a review of recent important scientific findings that support this holistic approach.
Chief of Integrative Medicine, Sierra Tucson; Dr. Duffy was Professor of Psychiatry at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, and the University of Texas; developed innovative contemplative approaches to health and healing.
This is a look at prison as a cultural system that exerts a powerful shaping influence on the lives of prisoners, who live in a gladiator world that enforces a masking of emotions and rewards public performances of bravery and physical strength. Ironically, men are sent to prison for the commission of those very behaviors that become essential to their survival behind prison walls. We will look at the prisoners’ stories and learn the power and potential for personal transformation behind prison walls. Why does prison, a place of danger and deprivation, carry the potential for such deep inner work? Why does the practice of mindfulness take root deep inside a maximum-security prison? All of this will be discussed in the context of the model of the hero’s journey, described so well by Joseph Campbell.
This workshop will discuss the controversies around the effectiveness of psychotropic medication versus placebo, how we came to embrace such a narrow approach to the treatment of psychiatric illness, and will present the emerging neuroscientific data about the benefits of a broader and more integrative approach to psychiatric treatment. He will specifically discuss the neurobiological benefits of various somatic, experiential, psychotherapeutic, coaching, and complementary/alternative approaches for the treatment of major depression.
Medical Director, Sierra Tucson, Tucson, AZ, Board; Certified Psychiatrist & Addictionologist
Over the past few years, new insights into trauma’s impact on body, brain and relationship have spawned a range of new approaches to treatment. Many of these modalities can be considered fundamental shifts from earlier therapeutic paradigms.
We will examine how neuroscience research has elucidated how, in the course of development, children learn to regulate their arousal systems and to focus on what is most relevant. We then will examine how trauma, abuse and neglect derail these processes and affect brain development. Since traumatic imprints are stored in subcortical brain areas and are largely divorced from verbal recall, a central focus needs to be to the somatic experiencing of trauma-related sensations and affects. These deep imprints are the engines for continuing maladaptive behaviors.
Fixation on the trauma and learned helplessness require interventions aimed at restoring active mastery and the capacity to attend to the here-and-now.
With the aid of videotaped demonstrations and experiential demonstrations of affect regulation techniques, we will examine the role of body oriented therapies, neurofeedback, yoga, theater, IFS and EMDR in resolving the traumatic past and discuss the integration of these approaches during different stages of treatment.
Dr. van der Kolk has been the Medical Director of the The Trauma Center in Boston for the past 25 years and is Professor of Psychiatry at Boston University Medical School. He has published well over 100 peer reviewed scientific articles on various aspects of trauma, and the author of Traumatic Stress, Guilford Press.
Over the past few years, new insights into trauma’s impact on body, brain and relationship have spawned a range of new approaches to treatment. Many of these modalities can be considered fundamental shifts from earlier therapeutic paradigms.
We will examine how neuroscience research has elucidated how, in the course of development, children learn to regulate their arousal systems and to focus on what is most relevant. We then will examine how trauma, abuse and neglect derail these processes and affect brain development. Since traumatic imprints are stored in subcortical brain areas and are largely divorced from verbal recall, a central focus needs to be to the somatic experiencing of trauma-related sensations and affects. These deep imprints are the engines for continuing maladaptive behaviors.
Fixation on the trauma and learned helplessness require interventions aimed at restoring active mastery and the capacity to attend to the here-and-now.
With the aid of videotaped demonstrations and experiential demonstrations of affect regulation techniques, we will examine the role of body oriented therapies, neurofeedback, yoga, theater, IFS and EMDR in resolving the traumatic past and discuss the integration of these approaches during different stages of treatment.
Dr. van der Kolk has been the Medical Director of the The Trauma Center in Boston for the past 25 years and is Professor of Psychiatry at Boston University Medical School. He has published well over 100 peer reviewed scientific articles on various aspects of trauma, and the author of Traumatic Stress, Guilford Press.
There are great benefits to bringing together the spirit and intelligence of contemplative trainings in mindfulness, presence and compassion with the many skillful approaches of Western psychology. We will learn how these complementary psychologies can be artfully combined to foster healing of the body and mind, tend the heart, deepen therapeutic work and enhance long term positive transformation.
Founder/Director, Spirit Rock Meditation Center; Author of numerous books, including The Wise Heart
The focus of traditional western psychology and medicine has been on pathology, its diagnosis and it’s healing. Modern neuroscience and the trainings of eastern psychology have come together to demonstrate that beyond healing illness there is a profound human capacity for well being and freedom. Using practices, examples and teachings we will explore this very real territory of growing in well being, for ourselves and those we treat.
Founder/Director, Spirit Rock Meditation Center; Author of numerous books, including The Wise Heart
Founder/Director, Spirit Rock Meditation Center; Author of numerous books, including The Wise Heart
With more than 60% of American adults reporting regular struggles with sleep, the impact of sleep loss on health, mental health and productivity is simply staggering. Deep, refreshing sleep is a cornerstone of well-being and even spiritual practice. Because sleep is essentially a consciousness issue, understanding and effectively managing it calls an integration of scientific and spiritual approaches. Based on such a perspective, this presentation provides an introduction to understanding and managing insomnia in adults.
Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine; Director, Circadian Health Associates
What is required to create an alternative future? The task of equipping and motivating patients to make changes that could create life-altering value is a compelling challenge for every mental health professional. What has adult learning and motivation theory, behavioral science research, and the neurosciences discovered about how to most effectively engage patients in the service of their physical and emotional health? Using videos, sample graphics, and powerful questions, Dr. Robert Johnson, a Board-Certified Psychiatrist, Addictionologist, Certified Executive Coach, and Medical Director of Sierra Tucson will provide a clear and useful blueprint for how to facilitate authentic and resilient change.
Medical Director, Sierra Tucson, Tucson, AZ, Board; Certified Psychiatrist & Addictionologist
Dreaming is a most critical but overlooked endogenous healing process. Beyond playing a key role in memory formation, healthy dreaming regulates mood and subtly reshapes our sense of self. That is, if we let it. Unfortunately, we are at least as dream deprived as we are sleep deprived. So many aspects of modern lifestyle directly suppress REM sleep/dreaming. This presentation reconsiders dreaming in the light of archetypal, cognitive behavioral, and sleep neuroscience views to reveal a new paradigm of dreaming as an elemental healing process.
Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine; Director, Circadian Health Associates
What is the secret to lasting happiness? See scenes from the award winning documentary Project Happiness, where youth from 3 countries explore this question and interview Dr. Richard Davidson, George Lucas and the Dalai Lama along the way. Then learn practical tools to empower youth to create greater happiness within themselves and the world.Drawing from positive psychology, mindfulness and neuroscience, explore effective practices from the curriculum now used in 43 states and 37 countries, The brain can change and happiness is a skill set that can be cultivated. Explore the patterns that impact one’s happiness, tools for resilience, and proven ways to increase well-being regardless of external circumstances.
Founder of Project Happiness, co-author of the Project Happiness Handbook, and producer of the Project Happiness Documentary.
