Deconstructing Mindfulness with Dr. Rebecca Williams

Memorable Moments:

• 4: 32 So being mindful means to stay, it’s to center yourself in the present moment, which a lot of us can do, if we really focus on it and we learn the skill.
• 5: 43 Mindfulness is a way to slow down the ability to react to craving. So if you have a craving for drugs or alcohol, for example, even during the pandemic, it’s been a little bit out of control, of course. We’ll talk about that I hope. You know mindfulness just tells you to be in the present moment, slow down, breathe.
• 9: 40 This is an ongoing practice of continually taking the negative thoughts that are agitating you, affecting you negatively and moving them through. Thoughts aren’t permanent. Feelings aren’t permanent.
• 16:00 In fact, addiction in the justice system is between 50 and 80% of folks who are incarcerated, have a substance abuse problem. So any clinician out there you’re going to be dealing with folks who’ve been in the justice system if you’re dealing with addiction. 
• 17: 46 Usually there’s softer emotions underneath that are being kind of protected, like feeling sad, hurt some of these softer emotions. Along with bringing it into the room, we also want you to bring patients into the room. My feeling is that stuck emotions really need your attention and they also need to have that kind of, that yin yang of self-compassion and patience.
• 22:20 A lapse is not a relapse. So if someone lapses to a substance I would recommend that they remind themselves that a lapse is a one-time, you know, falling off the wagon kind of thing, where you’d use a drug or alcohol, and then you realize, oh my god, let me get back on the horse. Let me, let me get back on track.
• 21:30 I would just want to convey to folks your listeners that call it a lapse, move into the lapse. If you have a lapse and get, go back to your wellness basket and return to the things that make you feel the strongest.

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This podcast is hosted by Allison Walsh and Dr. Angela Phillips. It is produced by Allison Walsh, Ashley Tate, and Nicole LaNeve. For more information or if you’re interested in being a guest on this podcast, please visit www.therecoveryvillage.com/dearmindyoumatter.