Topic Tuesday // Mindfulness and CBT for carers // 21 March, 7 - 9pm AEDT

@snowlee127wrote: " think personally, that's when mindfulness practice became important, to be able to go 'hmm, thats interesting, I am having this reaction. Maybe I need to train my mind a bit more'. "

exactly. That is precisely how I experienced it. it was chipping away and determination to change the thinking and reprogram myself through the navigation process into the calmer waters that did it. It certainly was not an instant quick fix.

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@Tookyspookims wrote:

@snowlee127 in which context is "acceptance" spoken of. Is that deemed of a passive or proactive nature. ie does it mean understanding to accept or passive acceptance?

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My thoughts on this is that acceptance also takes some effort in reshaping our thoughts. I don't think it means passively accepting poor behaviour or anything, but acknowledging the things we cannot change, and looking to the things we can change (e.g., our own behviours and beliefs).

Looking forward to hearing @snowlee127 thoughts on this one.

@Shaz51 It is an interesting concept-balance', isn't it? The Yin and Yang of life and the balance of emotions. Balance used to be considered as a culture concept. It is only till recently; it is picked up by many psychology practices. Finding the right 'balance' for you is more like a journey than it is a practice, balance at the different time may mean different things to us. I found it really beautiful when carer said 'the caring journey is often about discovering themselves'

@Tanoozle

you wrote --So far I'm finding it great as I'm learning ways to cope ( such as with CBT) but also i get to check in with someone, specifically a trained professional, who is external to my life and day to day caring role

with me I have had to find my own way to cope day to day @snowlee127

Acknowledging that sometimes there are things we can't change no matter what, is really difficult to do. There is often that feeling of "if I had done this differently ....".

Spot on, Cherry. I think @Former-Member asked a very good question and it is a shared concern by many carers. The idea of "am I being too passive about life, about my loved one, about the treatment and recovery?" is a constant stressor for many carers. Mindfulness is about accepting now. Only that we 'live' now that we can 'live' future. CBT is about accepting the past and then identify what can be done, if nothing can be done, then accepting the situation. It sounds like an easy concept, but I have heard carer telling me, the difference it made by often simply 'accepting' that our loved one has an illness.

@mindbootcamp Sure!! And have more custom designed online course for carers! Love to exchange more knowledge and experience with you!

'the caring journey is often about discovering themselves'-- sooo true @snowlee127

I have learnt soo much and have grown so much over time , But I am still learning and discovering more about myself

Shame I have been doing it my myself , Until I found the "SANE" forum which has helped me soooo much in the last 2 years of joining