Getting started with mindfulness
To inform us about the practical aspects of mindfulness and how it could help with ADHD, psychotherapist and mindfulness coach Stacey Camacho provided us with comprehensive insights as well as helpful resources.
Disclaimer: the information contained on this website does not constitute medical advice. If you have concerns about your own health or the health of someone else, you should speak to your doctor.
Does mindfulness require lots of focus and practice?
I believe that mindfulness does not require lots of focus and practice. It does require discipline and consistency just like any other skill. For instance, to train the muscle of the heart medical experts usually suggest 30 minutes of cardio exercise at least 5 days a week. Well, studies have shown that to train the mind one needs 20 minutes of mindfulness practice daily. So, it’s quite similar.
Can mindfulness be fit into a daily routine?
Mindfulness can be practiced during mundane activities, for example eating (Mindfulness of eating), walking (Mindfulness of walking), or just like physical exercise, scheduling two 10-minute sessions per day am and pm. I curtail mindfulness practice to a client’s specific needs and lifestyle. Children love to go to classes and love to do it before bed. Some in the car to school, and some love family mindfulness activities.
Is there a mindfulness exercise that could be beneficial for someone with ADHD?
The Body Scan Meditation during movement (e.g. walking) or stillness (e.g. lying down) is a very effective mindfulness practice for someone struggling with inattentiveness and hyperactivity. It is a component of the successful mindfulness programs used in research. It involves paying full attention to each part of the body including bodily sensations such as the heart rate with openness, warmth, and acceptance (bare attention without judgment). The practice results in a feeling of calm and relaxation in the body, a clearer mind and increases the ability to focus.
The website www.mindful.org is a great resource, and you can find an example of a body scan meditation here.
Are there any other good resources for mindfulness?
There is so much info out there, so people need to be careful. Especially if they have a diagnosis of some kind, they must seek advice from a mental health professional. If they go to someone to learn mindfulness, I highly suggest making sure they are qualified in the practice and have a personal practice.
Here are some research/science-based resources:
UCLA MARC’s MAPs for ADHD program
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts
Mind up curriculum developed by Goldie Hawn’s foundation Hawn foundation
APP: Mindspace
Google search: inside yourself program for organizations aka mindfulness at work
Mindful Parenting resources by Dr. Daniel Siegel
Anything on YouTube, online courses, workshops or books by Daniel Siegel, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Tara Brach, and Rick Hanson.