Applied Skills: Meditation in Psychotherapy Practice

Meditation is a term that originated from Buddhism. It is a discipline used by many psychologists and counsellors for its therapeutic benefits. Meditation has recently gained popularity in North America as a mental health improvement strategy, but the spiritual component is often overlooked. Not only is this a missed opportunity to deepen the healing benefits of the discipline, but it also leaves novice practitioners and well-intentioned mental health professionals at risk for creating damaging situations. For example, if certain people do meditation wrong, they may suffer potential risks, such as cardiopalmus or hallucinations.

In this workshop, Minzhou Sun will provide an overview, which will combine traditional meditation philosophy, psychotherapy techniques, and neurological perspective, to help participants easily apply meditation in their practice. This will not only to increase meditation safety, but also improve the overall effectiveness of the practice.

Workshop Outline

Chapter 1

The relationship between Meditation and Buddhism: the discovering of the true self

The importance and influence of Buddhism in psychology and psychotherapy.
The meaning of Xing and its nature in Buddhism.
Why is discovering your true self the core of Buddhism? How do we interpret it in our world?
1. Is life materialist or not?
2. Is life mortal or immortal?
3. What can be learned from the understanding of life in Buddhism?
4. Are human beings the outcome of our material world or spiritual beings?

Chapter 2

Meditation and raising self-awareness. How do we start the journey to discovering ourselves? How do we understand the term “Observe, Think and Reflect” in psychotherapy practice?

Feelings versus Awareness
1. Is your life motivated more from your own willingness or out of reluctance? Do you make your daily decisions more rationally or irrationally?
2. How do we feel we interact with the world we are in?
  - How do feelings affect our judgement of ourselves?
    - To achieve serenity through self-reflection
    - Question: Is having low self-esteem the same as having low self-confidence?
3. How do we break negative psychological cycles beyond our feelings?
  - “Observe, Think and Practice” in Buddhism
    - Observe, Comprehend, Listen
    - Think, Analyze, and make sense of it
    - Practice all the above in our daily lives
    - Exercise: How to discipline yourself in using your mobile phone less
  - Seeking inner peace
    - How to maintain a positive mindset for longer time?
    - From neurological view, why it is difficult to sit in peace
    - Practice three steps to reduce stress when overwhelmed with extreme emotions

Chapter 3

Meditation and sitting in peace

The significance of Meditation in Buddhism
1. Why is Meditation not a must?
2. How to gradually to progress to sit in peace for longer time.
3. The interpretation of Meditation in “The Book of Living and Dying”
4. The benefits of practicing Meditation correctly
The risks of practicing Meditation incorrectly
1. What are the negative side effects of Mindful Meditation? What causes these effects and how can we avoid them?
2. Who needs to be more cautious about practicing Meditation?
3. Why Guided Meditation is more likely to have potential risks? What types of Guided Meditation are better for us to practice in the long run?
4. How do we cope with the negative side effects of Meditation?

Negative side effects: Palpitation, panic attacks, dizziness, nausea, and hallucinations

What you will gain from this lecture:

Learn basic concepts in Buddhism
Learn how to combine the wisdom of Buddhism with a knowledge of Psychology and apply it in therapy practices
Enhance your understanding of both yourself and others; help you and your clients improve their sense of self
Establish correct and safe practices of Meditation; use it to relieve stress for both you and your clients; increase the ability to focus
Enhance psychotherapy skills dealing with overwhelming situations

About the instructor:

Minzhou Sun is a full-time psychotherapist and has over 10 years of meditation experience. She has over 8000 hours of therapy practice and has helped hundreds of clients from a large range of cultural and gender diversities. She works with individuals, couples, and families. Minzhou has also been interviewed by mainstream media outlets, including CBC, about mental health. Minzhou is always passionate to share her thoughts about mental health with others and help increase awareness of mental wellness.

Minzhou’s certification:

Registered Professional Counsellor （RPC）
Master Practitioner in Clinical Counselling (MPCC)

The length of the workshop: 2.5 hours

Date: Oct. 29, 2022

Time (Atlantic): 2pm-4:40pm

Price:

Individual price: $80 CAD +tax/person
Group price (3 individuals or more): $70 CAD +tax/ person
Early bird: register before Oct 15th, 2022
- Individual price: $70 CAD +tax/person
- Group price (3 individuals or more): $60 CAD +tax/ person

Notes: No tax for non-Canadian residences.

Pay method:

E-transfer: transfer to sunminzhou@gmail.com
Credit cards: visa card, master card, call in to make the payments. Phone number: +1 902-907-5466
Paypal: please e-mail us back to tell us you will pay through PayPal, we will send you a request link.