Mindfulness is simply the awareness that arises when we get off auto-pilot and pay attention to the present moment. It's about paying attention in a particular way - with kindness towards ourself, allowing whatever is arising in the present moment to be the way it is. Dropping our resistance and judgment can allow the mud to settle and bring us clarity about what's called for next. As meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg says, "Mindfulness isn't difficult, we just need to remember to do it." Check out this brief animation narrated by Salzberg that beautifully describes how mindfulness empowers us.

In therapy, I can teach you practices that help cultivate this type of mindful awareness. 

In 2015, my colleague, Leila Nabors, and I founded the Alabama Institute for Mindfulness. Our mission is to promote mindfulness among people experiencing the impact of stress on their daily life and health, helping them develop resilience and a sense of well-being. AIM faculty teach the 8-week Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction class (MBSR) several times each year, as well as offering other classes and retreats. MBSR is an evidence-based program developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1979.