Mindful Happiness

Anthony Quintiliani, Ph.D, LADC

  • Home
  • Dr. Anthony Quintiliani
    • About
  • Mindful Happiness
  • Mindful Expressions Meditation CD
  • Contact

April 3, 2015 By Admin

Ten Breathing Techniques to Re-Deploy Attention

mindfulbreathing-mindfulhappinessA major part of suffering comes with the inability to shift unhelpful, negative focus on troubling thoughts and feelings.   This cognitive reality is common in all the major mental health problems people suffer from: anxiety, depression, trauma, substance abuse, and eating disorders. Due to the lack of “wise-mind” skills most people suffering from these conditions hope their medication/s will help (and sometimes they do), and they become experts in self-medicating with short-term reinforcement (substance use, eating, anger, cutting, mindless consuming, etc.).  The self-medication habit simply leads to more suffering; after short-term relief, not only is the original problem the same but now new problems develop (addictions, obesity, consequences of outbursts, escalating self-mutilation, debt, etc.).  Mindful use of the breath can counteract this stuck attention, and prevent it from becoming secondary suffering – suffering more because of my thoughts and feelings about suffering now.   Note that heavy smokers will have difficulty doing these breathing techniques.  Before engaging in breath retraining work, check with your client to see (1) if they have a respiratory or cardiac condition, (2) if they  suspect that past unresolved trauma may cause intense limbic reactivity, (3) if they are aware of having any polyvagal dysfunction, and (4) if they suspect that a prior brain injury has impacted their breathing process. Implementing breath retraining in such cases will require much greater care and awareness on the part of the helper, and may necessitate a medical consultation..

The techniques noted here may be helpful for relaxation or stimulation as well as diverting stuck attention on unhelpful thoughts and feelings.  Always remind your client that they can stop at any time they feel discomfort beyond their coping capacities. After each practice, process outcomes with the client. Periodically check in with the client to see if they wish to continue. It helps to do the same breathing technique the client is doing. Now to the ten techniques.

1) Mindful awareness only: In this practice paying close attention to the way the breath is right now without any evaluations of adjustments.  Just paying close attention to breath as it is now.  Continue the practice for about ten full breaths as they are.

2) Deep, Slow, Calm Inhalation: In this practice simply ask the client to breathe in a deep, slow, calm manner.  They need to pay close attention to the inbreathe only.  Continue to six deep, slow, calm inhalations.  For most people inhalation is a little energizing.

3) Deep, Slow, Calm Exhalations: Do the same breath, but this have the client pay complete attention to only the exhalation phase.  For most people exhalation is relaxing. Do six breaths.

4) Short Hold on Inhalation: Do breath technique number 2, but this time have the client hold for the count of four at the end of inhalation.  Do five breaths.

5) Short Hold on Exhalation: Do breath technique number 3, but this time have the client hold for the count of four at the end of the exhalation. Do five breaths.

6) Slightly Extend Exhalation: Do breath number 3 again, but this time have your client slightly extend their exhalations for the count of four.  Lungs should fill accordingly, so they can continue to extend their exhalations to the count of four but not beyond.  Do four breaths. Observe carefully, since clients who extend beyond the count may experience light-headedness – very uncomfortable. It will limit any interest they may have in learning breathing techniques.

7) Square Breathing: Have clients do deep, slow, calm breathing and at the same time imagine following (with attention) their breath by making a square going right from the top of the lungs , down the right side, going left across the lower belly, and moving up the left side of the lung. Slow this down a bit. Complete five breaths.

8) Basic Three-Part Breathing: Have your client focus attention on the feeling of air flowing in and out through the tips of their nostrils for three breaths. Then move attention to the feeling of air flowing into and out of the lungs for three breaths – usually “felt” in the chest. End with attention being focused on the lower belly as it moves when lungs fill with and empty out air for three breaths.  End with the client following the flow of air sensation in their body from nostrils, though lungs/chest, and ending in belly. Complete four breaths.  This is good interoception training; such training allows clients to expand their inner body awareness.  Such expansion is sometimes required in body based trauma work as well as the feelings of the anxious and depressed body.

9) Mantra Breathing: Use either a brief ancient mantra or simply make one up that may help your client.  Your client may want to make up their own self-help mantra. Do deep, slow, calm breathing – but on the inhalation begin to say a private speech mantra like “I am good,” or “I can do this,” or “impermanence ends suffering,” or “over-attachment causes suffering.” or anything the client thinks may be helpful to them.  Continue the subvocal statement to the exhalation. Complete five mantra breaths.

10) Excitation Breath: For some depressed and/or fatigued clients a brief experience with stimulating, excitation breath may be helpful.  Do not do this if your client has a history of hyper-ventilation, respiratory or cardiac problems.  Complete three to four to five breaths, then check in to see if continuation is warranted.  Do very rapid, shallow breathing. See if it helps with mood.  Do not do more than two sets of breaths.

Hopefully your clients may benefit from learning ways to shift their stuck attention on problematic negative thoughts and feeling – and at the same time enjoy the many benefit of variation in breath.  Remember to consult medically if you have any information suggesting this should occur.

By Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, VermontChiYinYang_EleanorRLiebmanCenter

Author of Mindful Happiness

CLICK HERE to Order!

Mindful Happiness cover designs.indd

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: BREATHING TECHNIQUES, DR ANTHONY QUINTILIANI, MINDFUL BREATHING

Twitter

Mindful Happiness -Currently in Production

Mindful Happiness Posts

Showing Deep Love & Respect Loved Ones Lost This is a very brief post about love and respect for “lost loved ones” – those special people who have left their human body and mind behind. Two Rituals 1) Loving Kindness Meditation for Lost Loved Ones After breathing slowly and deeply for a few minutes in silence, […]

Human Beings Have Trouble BEING Human – Some Sound Advice from Dr Anthony Quintiliani The world today appears to be even more destructive than ever before in human history.  However, historians and violence researchers inform us that we as average persons are safer today than we were in the past.  Finger-tip access to world-wide media […]

Common Barriers to Meditation Practice Dan Harris, an ABC news anchor, has just published a book on Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics. In his book Harris notes several common barriers to regular meditation practice, and what to do about them.  Since I have been meditating since the early 1980’s I have added additional suggestions. Here are the barriers […]

Liberation of the True Self Socrates is reported to have noted that “the secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old but on building the new.” In Buddhism there are clear relationships between “no-self” and the force of impermanence, that reality that ensures constant change and thus personal […]

Henry David Thoreau  & Walking Meditation Henry David Thoreau is, perhaps, the most individualistic of the American Transcendentalists. He asked us to consider what we have learned that is useful as we travel our own “stream of life.” He cautions us not to regret when we die that we “had not lived.” He advised us to […]

Concentration, Contentment, and Loving Kindness I have written various entries on concentration meditations in prior posts.  Yes, concentration meditation is beyond pure mindfulness meditation.  Here I will present briefly two other forms of meditation that are quite intentional and also beyond mindfulness: contentment and loving kindness meditations. Let’s begin with intentional meditation of contentment. Contentment […]

Enhancing Hope in Psychotherapy The enhancement of personal hope is a key part of successful psychotherapy practice. Some view this requirement as a foundational aspect of the therapeutic alliance; others do not hold the same view.  In the case of serious co-occurring disorders, especially trauma and substance misuse, initiating, developing, and sustaining a hopeful future-view […]

Vipassana Meditation:  Impermanence Although standard vipassana meditation practice leading to insight about the true nature of reality does not recommend what I am about to do, I plan to do it anyway. This meditation center is all about innovation in practice and generalization regarding the benefits of meditation for both regular meditators and novices.  Below […]

What is Mindfulness  – The Nature of Mindfulness This is an expanded second post on the nature of mindfulness.  This post will begin with secular understandings, and end with basic spiritual path information.  Generally mindfulness is a wide-ranging process with a special noticing quality.  It focuses the power of attention leading to improved concentration.  Mindfulness […]

Trauma Informed Care – The Absolute Basics This post aims at providing a very basic introduction to Trauma Informed Care.  Advanced versions of this information are available from the author.  So what is Trauma Informed Care (hereafter TIC)?  Below I have listed rationales of need and core characteristics of TIC in organizations. Why We Need […]

Mindfulness-Based Emotion Regulation The following emotional regulation practices (also called emotional balance skills) have been supported by over 2500 years of mindfulness training and current psychological research on human emotions.  These practices/skills are to be practiced before they are needed, and directly applied when they are needed.  Here is the list. 1) Practice noticing and […]

The Nine Bow Ritual for Those You Respect Deeply The Nine Bow Ritual is a simple practice of deep respect.  Think of a person, living or not, for whom you have very strong positive feelings.  If you select a person no longer living, you may be surprised at the emotional impact of this ritual. If […]

Counseling/Psychotherapy with Self-Compassion Please begin by ending all conversations, and PLEASE shut-off your phones and/or laptops.  Simply be for a moment in the quietude of your inner self. Please close your eyes if you wish to do so. Contemplate the sacred nature of your profession – saving lives, reducing suffering, being a constant object, practicing […]

Interoception and Your Inner Self-Helper Interoception (sometimes called neuroception) is a sensory experience, in which you feel sensations in your body (viscera, heart, throat, etc.) that may be warning signs of limbic surveillance or inner continuity of your inner self-helper – that part of you and your brain that hopes to help you in whatever […]

Essential Knowledge for Clinical Supervisors This post will include information and skills dealing with research on role induction practices, quality of clinical supervision, psychodynamics of alliance, and progress measurement.  Since the information and skills for all these topics is complex, I will do my best to keep it as clear as possible. This information aims […]

Pursuit of Happiness – Mindful Happiness Gilbert, a professor of Psychology at Harvard University and the author of Stumbling on Happiness, implies that we make mind-errors in our search for happiness.  Happiness is a core human emotion, most often activated into consciousness via the midbrain reward centers and dopamine activation. Perhaps our hardwired brains are made to […]

Self-Medication:  Is Your Hand-Held Device a  Dopamine Device?   Mindfulness Activities: Here is a simple activity that may inform you about your personal level of addiction to your digital/electronic devices. Simply click the link below to download the PDF Worksheet;   answer each question according to your personal opinions.  Dr-Anthony-Quintiliani_HandHeldDeviceActivity Be sure to complete the meditation activity […]

Being Mindful Of  Dr. Wayne W. Dyer Recently I receive a heart-felt tribute dedicated to Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, who died recently.  The tribute originated from Louise Hay, a long-time associate, colleague and publisher of Wayne Dyer.  To those of us who inhabit the spaciousness of the spiritual world, perhaps, no other person in recent […]

Mindful Solidarity with Standing Rock Sioux Earth Protectors The Standing Rock Sioux earth protectors are fighting earth destruction, environmental degradation, oil profiteering, and corporate greed.  Yes, I suppose finding huge reserves of crude helps many people become employed in the Dakotas. This is important. But other earth-wise activity (more solar for example) would be far […]

Loving Kindness Meditation – More Thoughts Some less experienced meditators complain about how easily the mind’s wandering thoughts distract them from paying attention and deepening concentration.  This is a very common problem in meditation practice, and not always just for novices.  Here is a solution for you to try.  In Loving Kindness Meditation, you focus […]

Mindful Happiness Tags

WISE MIND MEDITATION TRAUMA SELF MEDICATION BRAIN ADDICTION CLINICAL SUPERVISION MBSR MINDFUL COMPASSION MINDFUL TRAINING SELF ANTHONY QUINTILIANI SELF COMPASSION VIPASSANA MEDITATION ACTIVITIES MINDFULNESS VERMONT EMPTINESS BREATHING ENLIGHTENMENT MINDFULNESS TRAINING SELF ESTEEM TRAINING MINDFUL HAPPINESS EXERCISES SUFFERING MINDFUL MEDITATION WALKING MEDITATION BUDDHISM DR ANTHONY QUINTILIANI HAPPINESS SELF CARE THERAPY. COVID-19 ELEANOR R LIEBMAN CENTER JOURNALING PSYCHOTHERAPY ACTIVITY CONSCIOUSNESS THICH NHAT HANH PRACTICES VIPASSANA MEDITATION PRACTICE PRACTICE

Mindful Categories

Mindful Happiness Pages

  • About
  • Contact
  • Dr. Anthony Quintiliani
  • Mindful Expressions Meditation CD
  • Mindful Happiness
  • Site Map

Copyright © 2023 · Mindful Happiness