MINDFULNESS PRACTICE IN PSYCHOTHERAPY PRACTICE

Abstract

The article examines the relevance of mindfulness as a modern direction of working with consciousness, its possibilities in overcoming the consequences of various kinds of stress. The historical origins of the method of self-awareness, its connection with the practices of mindfulness meditation, vipassana, and yoga are considered. The main idea in practice is the idea of filling the moment with meaning and awareness. The works of John-Kabat Zinn and the difference between mindfulness and religious practices are mentioned. Such component practices as breathing, self-compassion, social component through compassion are considered. The article notes the difference between mindfulness and relaxation, as one of the means of self-soothing. It is emphasized that through the practice of mindfulness, a person does not deny or hide from pain or strong emotions, but learns to accept them without added meanings, as they are. The article provides a neurophysiological rationale for mindfulness’s practice. Scientific studies show that regular meditation practice has a very specific effect on neurophysiological processes. During meditation, there is an increase in activity and the formation of new neural connections in the middle of the prefrontal cortex of the brain, which is responsible for the functions of emotional regulation, planning, conscious choice, and empathy. The processes of regulation of body functions are activated; special communication (reciprocity), which is an important ability of social intelligence; emotional balance and flexibility of responses, empathy, insight function, conscious regulation of perceived danger, and intuition based on the prefrontal cortex’s ability to process information. This data was confirmed by an increase in the activity of the prefrontal cortex. The good consequences of the practice were improvement of attention control, flexibility of emotional regulation, change of self-awareness. The application of self-awareness practices in psychotherapy practice, namely mindfulness-oriented cognitive therapy (MO-CBT), is considered. One of the important effects of the practice is the ability to recognize the moments of turning on triggers and preventing falling into the circle of rumination.