The document outlines a presentation on mindfulness training. It discusses defining mindfulness, the science behind mindfulness, and meditative practices. Some key points include: mindfulness involves paying attention to the present moment non-judgmentally; 8 weeks of mindfulness-based stress reduction can result in structural brain changes and improved immune response; formal practices include body scans and sitting meditation while informal practices occur during daily activities like eating and walking.

1. MINDFUL MENTAL TRAINING
PUBLIC PRESENTATION
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2. Session Outline
•Defining Mindfulness
•Science
•Practice
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3. The Science
•Mindfulness Research Monthly
https://goamra.org/
•Center for Investigating Healthy
Minds:
http://richardjdavidson.com/res
earch/
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4. 3 Themes Driving The Science
•Neuroplasticity
•Epigenetics
•Mind – Body interactions
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5. The Science
•After 8-weeks of MBSR
•Structural changes to the brain
•Correlation between improved
immune response to changes seen
in fMRI
•Down-regulation of pro-inflammation
gene expression
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6. • Paying attention, on purpose, in the present
moment, non-judgmentally.
• Mindful Awareness involves developing a deeper
capacity for understanding yourself, this includes
your automatic habitual reactions, and how these
reactions have on yourself and other people in
your life.
What is Mindfulness?
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7. •A religion, but a form of mental
rehearsal.
•Does not take a lot of time, but it
requires commitment and practice.
•Just focusing on our breath or yoga,
but the cultivation of present moment
awareness.
Mindfulness is not:
(Williams & Penman, 2011)
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8. Risks vs Benefits of Mindfulness
Risks
• Can be triggering for
untreated past trauma.
• Often not as effective with
more acute conditions (i.e.
mental health).
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Benefits
• Measures for anxiety and
depression all decrease with
sustained regular practice
• Reduce effects of chronic
pain and stress (i.e.
hypertension).
• Meditation shown to be
effective in relieving effects
drug and alcohol
dependence.
(Williams & Penman, 2011)

9. Meditative Practices
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Formal
•Body scan
•Sitting meditation
•Awareness of
breath
Informal
• Eating
• Walking
• Hearing
• Seeing

10. Can you think of something you do
during your day that is done
automatically?
Doing Mode vs. Being Mode
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11. •Problem solver, threat detector
•Used to automate life through
habits (ex. driving)
•Live most of our life “in our
head” most of the time.
Doing Mode
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12. •Over-use DOING mode in all
aspects of our lives
(relationships, emotions)
•Live life without much
awareness, merely EXISITING.
Danger of the Doing Mode
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13. •Mindful awareness arises when
we pay attention,
on Purpose In the Present
Moment.
Without Needless Defense or
Judgment.
Being Mode
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14. •To look at things as they ARE,
not what they SHOULD BE, or
what we WISH IT TO BE.
•View things through a lens of
compassion and unconditional
acceptance
Being Mode
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15. Practice: Awareness of Breath Meditation
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16. Inquiry
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17. Course text Mindfulness:
An eight-week plan in
finding peace in a frantic
world by Mark Williams
and Danny Penman.
Course Text
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18. • Williams M. & Penman D. (2011). Mindfulness: An
eight-week plan for finding peace in a frantic
world. New York: Rodale Books.
Reference
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19. Reference: Online Mindfulness
• Aikens K., Astin J., Pelletier K., Levanovich K., Baase C.,
Park Y., & Bodnar C. (2014). Mindfulness goes to work:
Impact of an online workplace intervention. Journal of
Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 56(7), 721-
731. DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000000209
• Krusche A., Cyhlarova E., & Williams M. (2013).
Mindfulness online: an evaluation of the feasibility of a
web-based mindfulness course for stress, anxiety and
depression. BMJ Open. DOI:10.1136/bmjopen-2013-
003498
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20. Neuroplasticity and Epigenetics
• Davidson R., Kabat-Zinn J., Schumacher J., Rosenkranz M.,
Muller D., Santorelli S., Urbanowski F., Harrington A., Bonus K.,
& Sheridan J. (2003). Alterations in brain and immune function
produced by mindfulness meditation. Psychosomatic Medicine,
65, 564-570. DOI: 10.1097/01.PSY.0000077505.67574.E3
• Kaliman, P., Álvarez-López, M. J., Cosín-Tomás, M.,
Rosenkranz, M. A., Lutz, A., & Davidson, R. J. (2014). Rapid
changes in histone deacetylases and inflammatory gene
expression in expert
meditators. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 40, 96–107. PMCID:
PMC4039194
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