Clients who struggle with PTSD, depression, and other stress-related conditions may have a tough time staying engaged in the consulting room. No matter how lively your approach may be, their minds are likely to wander.
According to Elisha Goldstein, author of the bestseller The Now Effect: How This Moment Can Change the Rest of Your Life, keeping clients focused on the present moment in therapy is crucial to your success as a therapist. That’s why Elisha recommends a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) approach.
Elisha’s MBSR repertoire is filled with creative meditative exercises, like the body scan, that help clients reconnect to their bodies and also train their brain in mindfulness. Watch this video clip to hear Elisha explain the “mindful check-in”—a meditative breathing exercise to help clients self-regulate. It’s an easy technique that only takes a few minutes and can be immediately incorporated into your work with unfocused clients.
Rich Simon
Richard Simon, PhD, founded Psychotherapy Networker and served as the editor for more than 40 years. He received every major magazine industry honor, including the National Magazine Award. Rich passed away November 2020, and we honor his memory and contributions to the field every day.
Elisha Goldstein
Elisha Goldstein, PhD, is founder of the Mindful Living Collective, the world’s go-to resource and community for learning how to apply mindfulness to consistently follow through on the things that matter most to you. He is also co-founder of The Center for Mindful Living in West Los Angeles and creator of the 6-month coaching program, A Course in Mindful Living (Next Course begins Jan. 2020). Dr. Goldstein is also a psychologist, speaker and author who has published numerous articles, chapters, and blogs, including Uncovering Happiness: Overcoming Depression with Mindfulness and Self-Compassion, The Now Effect: How This Moment Can Change the Rest of Your Life (10th Anniversary Edition), foreword by Jon Kabat-Zinn and MBSR Every Day. He travels globally training therapists, educators, leaders, military and others in the progressive integration of mindfulness to achieve mental and emotional healing. He has his private practice in West Los Angeles, California.
