MINDFUL WAY THROUGH DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY
Day/Time: Wednesdays, 6:30 – 8:30 pm, 10 weeks, starting February 6, 2019
Class Size: 5-7 participants
Cost: $60/session for 10 sessions, includes book & full-day retreat on March 16, 2019
Insurance: Documentation provided to file for out-of-network reimbursement
Status: Accepting participants for February 6, 2019 now
Information: Email sunyata@stldbt.com
Adults and teens 18+ years are invited to participate in the 10-week Mindful Way through Depression and Anxiety. This class combines the power of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness meditation to reduce the risk of recurrent major depression, decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety and teach participants to managing racing negative thoughts.
Previous participants in The Mindful Way have reported huge impacts on their depression and anxiety symptoms following this course. Stated improvements include:
Being able to “notice when things are going sideways” and then being able to do something about it to bring oneself back
Learning about “who I am” and finding self-acceptance
Becoming more aware of depressive and anxiety patterns which leads to better management of those symptoms
Better understanding of thoughts and feelings
Living in the moment more which leads to a vastly improved quality of life
WHO IS AT RISK?
Major depression will affect approximately one in five people in their lifetimes. At least 50% of those who recover from a first episode of depression will have one or more additional episodes in their lifetime. About 80% of those who have had two episodes will have another recurrence.
Anxiety disorders affect 18% of the U.S. population. People with an anxiety disorder are three to five times more likely to go to the doctor and six times more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders than those who do not suffer from anxiety disorders.
WHO WILL BENEFIT?
Those who have suffered from recurrent depression or have mild depression currently
Those who have been advised to remain on antidepressant medication for the rest of their life to prevent a recurrence
Those plagued by anxiety
Those interested in learning a new way of relating to unwanted thoughts and feelings
Those who want to learn powerful new tools to manage thoughts, emotions and pain
HOW WILL YOU BENEFIT?
Many factors affect who is at risk for developing clinically significant levels of depression and/or anxiety. These include genetics, biology, environmental factors and cognitive habits such as racing negative thoughts. Of these, ruminating on negative thoughts is the only factor at risk individuals can effectively change with intention and practice. Negative thought patterns include:
~ intrusive negative thoughts
~ racing thoughts
~ assuming the worst
~ worry thoughts
~ obsessing about the past
~ judging yourself and others
~ excessive guilt
~ thinking you’re not good enough, not lovable, not worthy
~ focusing on what should be instead of what is
~ seeing the negatives in your life rather than the positives
ABOUT THE CLASS
This proven approach combines the powerful benefits of guided meditation and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). As part of the class, you will:
Attend one 2 -hour class per week for 10 weeks plus an all-day Saturday retreat between the 6th & 7th classes
Complete homework – estimated 30-40 minutes per day, 6 days/week – mindfulness meditation, reading, thought records and a depression relapse plan
Participants will be required to read The Mindful Way Through Depression: Freeing Yourself From Chronic Unhappiness by Mark Williams, John Teasdale, Zindel Segal and Jon Kabat-Zinn.
Each class will begin with guided meditation and review of homework. Learning will largely be experiential mindfulness and meditation exercises with discussion.
GROUP LEADER
Sunyata Kopriva McPherson, MSW, LCSW has been practicing meditation since adolescents. She is now a dedicated student of Vajrayana Buddhism with the Venerable Khandro Rinpoche. Throughout her maturation she studied and practiced many different types of Buddhism, meditation, and contemplative prayer. Sunyata incorporates meditation and mindfulness techniques into her work as a trauma clinician with children, adolescents, and adults. As a trained yoga teacher, Sunyata is also skilled in incorporating the body into her therapeutic services.
To learn more, email sunyata@stldbt.com.
Mindfulnes Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is a research-based therapy that combines mindfulness meditation with elements of cognitive therapy. Starting in 2000, MBCT was developed and tested as a treatment for recurrent depression. Now MBCT is being tested as a treatment for a variety of disorders and symptoms, including moderate to severe depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, psychosis and suicidality.
REGISTRATION FORMS
To register, please download and complete the MBCT Registration Form and the Depression and Anxiety History Form. You can send these to sunyata@stldbt.com prior to your first class date.