Why Mindfulness?

Around our office you will often find us talking about being mindful (or not being mindful) and saying things like “Be where your feet are” or “Do you think you are time traveling?”  Mindfulness, or being in the present moment, is an integral part of DBT and takes daily practice to reap the full benefits. We also frequently talk about keeping a nonjudgmental stance, an important feature of mindfulness and DBT skills. Current research indicates mindfulness may contribute to remaining non-judgmental. A recent study from the University of Michigan showed a decrease in age and racial bias in groups that underwent a 10 minute introduction to mindfulness as opposed to the control group. “Mindfulness reduced reliance on automatic associations,” which in turn led to less-biased thinking, the researchers conclude.So now we have another reason to keep up our practice!