This was submitted by Wan-Fang Hung

At the beginning of experiencing mindfulness, Therapist will give a short verbal instruction of the processes that will include: Taking a Breath, Notice Surrounding, Body Check, Label and Rate Emotion, Notice Thoughts, Notice Urges.

In order to make a space calm and comfortable, Therapist. will lead an experience of 10 times of “Humming”. Therapist will use “Singing Bowl” to indicate  each start time of “Humming”. Client will be asked to sit on the floor with a comfortable posture and close their eyes. Furthermore, Client will be able to focus on his/her breath through the “Humming” experience.

Taking a Breath

After experiencing “Humming”, Client will lie on the floor with both hands on the belly and closing eyes. Therapist will play the music “Kissing the Rain” by Yiruma while processing the breath experience. This music provides clear structure and music phrase. Therapist will use verbal instructions to guide the “Taking a Breath” (Breath in and out) with the music phrase. Client will learn the knowledge of “the air come and go” through feeling the expansions of belly. Therapist will take a moment of silence after the music ends.

Notice Surrounding

For the awaking, Therapist will play the music “Bolero” by M. Ravel. Therapist will also give a verbal instruction of physical stretches as the following steps: (a) feel the ground, (b) feel and move fingers/toes, (c) wave writs/ankles, (d) wave whole arms and legs, (e) feel shoulders, (f) turn heads, and (g) open eyes. Therapist will inform Clients to feel free to stand up, walk around and do a free stretch. Clients will also be encouraged to notice the environment (walls, doors, colors, decorations) and to interact with each other till the end of music. After the notice environment, Therapist will ask Clients to be seated and take a moment of calm and break before starting the “Body Check”.

Body Check

Therapist will lead a physical stretch with the music “Serenade to Spring” by Secret Garden. The clear music phrase and structure makes it easy for the Client to follow the instructions. Therapist will ask Client to notice the tensions of body parts, such as headaches, shoulder tension, and/or any painful feelings.

Label and Rate Emotion

Therapist will then have Client label and rate his/her emotion on a scale of 1-5.

Notice Thoughts

Therapist will provide the “Singing Bowls” in the center of the room. Client will be encouraged to play the Singing Bowls when he/she notice his/her thoughts and feelings. The sounds of Singing Bowls will be clinch-ring-surround-decrease-disappear. It is like our thoughts: come (clinch) – stay (ring) – overwhelm (surround) – fly away (decrease) – forget/relief/let it go (disappear). Therapist will inform Client that it is the same that “thoughts/ feelings and sounds will all come and go”.

Notice Urges

Therapist will provide Client drum(s) and ask client to tap the drum while he/she notice(s) urges comes to his or her awareness. Therapist will inform Client that the urges, just as the sounds of the drum, will come (tap) and go (sounds decrease and disappear). Client will be asked to repeat experiencing till he/she gains the idea of “Urges come and go”.

Thank you Wan-Fang Hung.  I enjoyed this very much!- Deborah Spiegel MT-BC

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