MBE in Clinical Practice Session 1 Discussion

Session 1: Mindful Awareness
1.1 Ways I Engage in Doing Mode

Name: Katie LaPlant
Date: 6/30/18
Think about the ways in which you slip into Doing Mode throughout your day. Doing Mode involves solving problems, figuring things out, and participating in day-to-day activities. List a few of the ways you engage in Doing Mode below:

1. going to the gym
2. driving to work
3. going to the grocery store
4. driving my kids to their sports
5. writing


1.2 Ways to Engage in Being Mode
Name: Katie LaPlant
Date: 6/30/18
One of the most basic ways to engage in Being Mode is to simply start paying attention to the sensations you experience in the world around you. One thing you can always focus on is your breath. This is because your breath is always with you. Try this now by taking a few deep breaths and noticing the sensations. What did you feel in your body? Did you notice any smells in the air? Were you able to taste anything on the air as you exhaled? What does your breathing sound like?
Leaving Doing Mode and entering Being Mode can be as simple as paying attention to what your senses are telling you. Think about some ways you can engage all of your senses and write them in the appropriate sections below. For example, for “smell,” you might write, “Light a scented candle.”

SMELL
1. Make a pot of coffee
2. put on a scented lotion
3. use essential oil in diffuser
4. light a scented candle
5. peppermint tea or candy

TASTE
1. peppermint tea or candy
2. suck on a lollipop
3. drink a cup of dark roast coffee
4. eat something sweet, salty, pungent or bitter
5. sour patch kids

TOUCH
1. pet my dog
2. soft blanket
3. smooth stone
4.
5.

HEARING
1. birds singing
2. wind blowing
3. rain falling
4. fan
5. music

SIGHT
1. mountains
2. trees
3. river
4. chipmunk
5. birds

1.5 Observing and Describing Nature

Name: Katie LaPlant
Date: 6/30/18
Weather permitting, find an outdoor space where you may practice this exercise relatively undisturbed. It can be a park, a woodland area, or your own back yard. If the weather is too bad outside, you may practice this activity indoors with a houseplant.
Before you begin, rate your current stress level using the scale below. Make a slash mark in the appropriate place on the line below:

CURRENT STRESS LEVEL
4-5

ACTIVITY
1.If you can do this activity outdoors, select a tree, bush, or other flora in the environment to observe and describe. This should be located in a place where you may sit comfortably next to it while you perform the exercise. If you are doing this indoors with a houseplant, place the plant in front of you while you sit comfortably in a chair or on the floor. If you are wearing any tight clothing you may wish to loosen it.

2.Once you are comfortably seated near the plant, begin by taking a few deep breaths. Bring your thoughts to the activity at hand, letting other thoughts gently float away, like a fallen leaf drifting downstream.

3.When you are feeling grounded and centered, begin the activity by observing and describing the plant you have chosen. Imagine yourself as an artist about to paint a picture of this plant. How many leaves do you see? How many branches? In how many directions do the branches twist and turn? How many different colors do you see? How do the light and the shadow fall on your plant?

4.Observe and describe the plant to yourself in this manner for at least 20 minutes. If you have a watch or a cell phone with a timer you may wish to set it to let you know when your time is done. If you prefer, you can just do the exercise until you think 20 minutes have passed. The observing and describing are more important than the amount of time you spend doing it. Then answer to the question, “How long should I do this?” is, “As long as necessary.”

5.When you have finished the exercise, rate yourself again on anxiety and stress using the scale below.

CURRENT STRESS LEVEL
1

Loved this activity!!


1.10 The Power of Intention
Name: Katie LaPlant
Date: 6/30/18
“We don’t attract what we want. We attract what we are.” -- Dr. Wayne Dyer

The Hua Hu Ching, by Lao Tzu, says, “Those who want to know the truth of the universe should practice the four cardinal virtues. The first is reverence for all of life. This manifests as unconditional love and respect for oneself and all other beings. The second is natural sincerity. This manifests as honesty, simplicity and faithfulness. The third is gentleness, which manifests as kindness, consideration for others and sensitivity to spiritual truth. The fourth is supportiveness. This manifests as service to others without expectation of reward.”

What do you want to accomplish in your life? It has been said that if you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there. Living a life of intention means knowing where you want to go with your life and what you would like to do with your life. Imagine you are lying on your deathbed, looking back on your life. What are the things you’d like to be remembered for? What are the things that you’d regret not accomplishing? If your life were to be summed up in a few paragraphs in a “Who’s Who” at some future date, what would your entry say? What would your loved ones say about you and remember about you after you’re gone? Think about these questions. Take all the time you need before answering.

My intention (purpose) for this life is: To be a light in dark places of the world. To love as best as I can. To help others to feel that love and want to have that same kind of love for others.


In order to live a purposeful life, or a life of intention, we must live our values. The final skill of Mindfulness-Based Ecotherapy (MBE) is living in True Self. The way to live in True Self is to know who and what we are, and to use that knowledge to set our intentions and purpose. The first step lies in creating a roadmap. Looking back on your answers to the question on the previous page, think about which values and traits you have that might help you to accomplish your goals. Write these traits in the spaces provided below.

I demonstrate my reverence for all of life by manifesting unconditional love and respect for myself and all other beings in the following ways: I have a very disciplined self-care practice. I have learned to be self-aware recognizing my own stress and where things may be out of balance. I make time for things I enjoy, especially being out in nature. I am an extoverted introvert so I make time to go inward daily and take time for myself to be with God so that I am spiriutally grounded each day. I go to the gym and prepare healthy meals in advance so that I am fueled properly. I carry a water bottle around so that I am hydrated. I model this to my husband and children and they see that I am a much happier and loving person to be around when I take care of myself. I practice the serenity prayer and acceptance prayer on a regular basis and actually wear it around my neck as a reminder that I must unconditionally love by accepting all things as they are in this moment.


I demonstrate my natural sincerity by manifesting honesty, simplicity and faithfulness in the following ways: I am vulnerable with others and I practice humility daily by taking ownership and daily inventory of my own self and actions. I submit to God daily knowing that His ways are far greater and better than my own.


I demonstrate my gentleness by manifesting kindness, consideration for others and sensitivity to spiritual truth in the following ways: I check in with people who are on my heart asking how they are. I offer help where I feel called to help. I do not engage in arguments. If I do need to express something to someone that may trigger them, I do it in a loving way being completely aware of their feelings in how they are perceiving or receiving my message.



I demonstrate supportiveness by manifesting service to others without expectation of reward in the following ways: Today I will be delivering meals to a friend in the hospital. I take time to check in with others and offer assistance where I can. I am an empath by nature and I have good sense when someone needs something. I offer the assistance when I can and if I feel called to do so. I do however, have boundaries today as I know that boundaries are a must. I live my life surrendered to God and connected daily. This helps me to discern where I am needed and wanted instead of what I think I should or should not be doing. I am a therapist and I offer support in many ways to clients. I use my teaching and counseling gifts in my personal life but again with boundaries. I practice “prayerful listening” and teach youth at my church as well as help others to connect in small groups.