Engaging mindfulness and compassion during a period of crisis by Anna Woo

Engaging mindfulness and compassion during a period of crisis

by Anna Woo, RP

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, I found myself experiencing suffering. Overwhelmed by anxiety and worry about the state of the world, I felt sad, lethargic, and lacked motivation. I recognized this to be a state I shared with my clients.

I personally find the practice of mindfulness — being, rather than doing, and accepting and allowing what is — to be of benefit during times of distress. Two approaches inform my mindfulness-based practice. I would like to share these with you, offering my thoughts with regard to their benefit in reducing stress and anxiety clients may be experiencing concerning COVID-19.

Based upon Jonn Kabat-Zinn’s mindfulnessbased stress reduction programs, Zindel Segal, Mark Williams, and John Teasdale helped develop Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) (Segal et al., 2012). We can teach mindfulness to our clients through both our presence and instruction (Woods et al., 2019). Having an embodied presence means that, through meditation practice, we have an understanding of the causes of our suffering and acceptance of their presence.

Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), meanwhile, helps clients deepen their sense of compassion, defined as a sensitivity to suffering — one’s own as well as that of others — with a motivation and commitment to alleviate the suffering (Kolts et al, 2018). COVID-19 put both practices to the test. During meditation, my attention was frequently pulled away by overwhelming thoughts. My embodied presence was difficult to sustain as I experienced difficulty accepting my problems. Tears flowed when I explored the heaviness in my chest, a feeling I identified as sadness. I stayed up late at night watching television and dragged myself through each day with low energy and little motivation to engage in activities.

Recognizing that a depressive mood was setting in, I tried to engage in behavioural activation as I suggest to my clients. I sought to restore my motivation and self-compassion. In CFT six qualities of compassion are developed: sensitivity, sympathy, distress tolerance, empathy, nonjudgment, and care for well being. These are developed through the training of skills, including mindfulness, which promote selfcompassion, allowing one to engage with and alleviate distress (Irons & Beaumont, 2017).

Now during my own meditation practice I connected to my compassionate self. In particular, I brought to mind three core qualities of compassion: wisdom, courage/ strength, and the motivation and commitment to be helpful (Irons & Beaumont, 2017). I allowed these qualities of compassion to expand and grow within me with each breath.

For clients, I offer the following instructions to the responsive breathing space script (MBCT). After the exploration and allowing for intense sensation in the body, continue as follows:

And now to further assist you with this difficulty, this challenging problem, I’d like to invite you to connect to your compassionate self. Perhaps placing a hand on your chest or your heart or your belly. Bringing to mind the qualities of compassion such as wisdom (pause), strength, courage (pause), commitment and motivation to work with this difficulty (pause). And as you breathe, allow these qualities of compassion to grow and expand within you.

For a longer practice, it can be helpful to expand on these qualities in your instructions, as follows:

Wisdom: Your compassionate self is wise. It knows that life can be hard and that suffering is a part of life.

Strength/courage: Your compassionate self is strong and courageous and is able to face difficulties that arise in life.

Motivation: Your compassionate self is caring and motivated to work with your suffering. (Irons & Beaumont, 2017)

On a personal level, I have found this more direct attention to my compassionate self to be helpful. However, my compassionate self was not always feeling so courageous, as it is a work in progress. I can share with you another meditation script to help develop courage:

Coming into an alert yet comfortable position. Noticing the position of your feet, grounded to the floor, sit bones supporting your spine and back, chest is open and head is in line with your belly. Allowing your eyes to close if this is available to you.

Bringing your attention to the sensations of breathing. Noticing the rising and falling of the belly for a moment. Then expanding attention to include the whole body. Now intentionally slowing down your breathing and moving into soothing rhythm breathing. Breathing in for a count of 3, 4 or 5, slight pause, then exhaling for a count of 3, 4 or 5. Continuing at your own pace.

In this exercise, we are going to further develop our sense of courage—one of the qualities of compassion.

First let’s imagine the strength in courage, bring to mind the image of a mountain. The base is wide, rooted deep in the ground. It stands erect, strong, rising high into the sky. Now imagining you are the mountain. Your feet are rooted deep in the ground. Stable. Secure. Your body/spine is strong having endured the passing of the years, the changing of the seasons. Noticing now, how it feels to have this quality of strength in your body and mind.

Next, bring to mind a time when it took courage for you to speak out. Perhaps you were in a meeting and you really wanted to communicate something, or say something to a friend, family member, coworker, stranger. Noticing how this feels in your body. Noticing what is going through your mind—thoughts, emotions. Maybe recalling how hard this was for you, yet you were able to find the courage to speak.

Next bring to mind a time when it took courage for you to act. Perhaps you were trying to swim, ride a bike, do a new exercise, run, drive a car. Noticing how this feels in your body and in your mind. Noticing the thoughts, emotions. You may even be aware of fear or resistance arising. Yes this was really hard, yet somehow your courage allowed you to work through the fears and resistance to act. Even if it was in just some small way.

Noticing these qualities of strength and courage that are within you; a part of your self compassion. Feeling the qualities of strength and courage and taking a moment to let them sink in. Accessible and available any time needed, as part of your compassionate self.

Managing anxiety, sadness and stress during these trying times will continue to be a challenge. For myself, I am hopeful that practices in mindfulness-based interventions and self compassion will continue to be beneficial in alleviating our suffering.

References

Irons, C. & Beaumont, E. (2017). The compassionate mind workbook. a step-by-step guide to developing your compassionate self. London: Robinson.

Kolts, R., Bell, T., Bennett-Levy, J., and Irons, C. (2018). Experiencing compassion focused therapy from the inside out: A self-practice/ self-reflection workbook for therapists. The Guildford Press.

Segal, Z.V., Williams, J.M.G., and Teasdale, J.D. (2013). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression (2nd ed). The Guilford Press.

Woods, S.L., Rockman, P, and Collins, E. (2019). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy: Embodied presence and inquiry in practice. Context Press. Anna Woo is a Registered Psychotherapist and Writer. She has been working as a therapist for over 18 years and is currently working at a psychotherapy clinic in Toronto, Ontario. In 2017, she completed certification in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) though the Centre for Mindfulness Studies and the University of Toronto Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. She has been training in Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) since 2018. Anna enjoys facilitating the MBCT group program and providing individual therapy to adults.

Anna has published fiction and nonfiction works. She completed the Creative Writing program through the Humber School for Writers and is currently shifting her career to make more time for writing.