The Power of Mindfulness

If you’ve ever been to therapy, listened to a podcast on mental health, or browsed a wellbeing blog, you’ve probably heard the word mindfulness again and again. It seems like us mental health professionals are always banging on about it! There is a good reason though, it really has lots of benefits for our wellbeing.

In this post, we’ll explore what mindfulness actually means, why therapists recommend it, some common myths, and a few simple ways you can start practising mindfulness in daily life.

What Is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment with curiosity and without judgement. This could be your thoughts, feelings, body sensations, or surroundings.

It doesn’t mean “emptying your mind” or forcing yourself to be calm.

While mindfulness meditation is one way of practising, you can practice mindfulness when doing everyday activities like eating, listening to music, or anything really!

What’s so good about mindfulness?

Mindfulness has the ability to help with our wellbeing in multifaceted ways. Dr Dan Siegel, a neuropsychiatrist who studies and uses mindfulness extensively in his teaching and practice, sums it up:

1. Integration of the Brain
   • Siegel sees mental health as being about integration — linking different parts of the brain so they can work together.
   • Mindfulness strengthens this integration, particularly between the emotional, survival-oriented lower brain and the rational, reflective prefrontal cortex.
   • This integration supports flexibility, emotional balance, empathy, and self-awareness.
2. Strengthening the Prefrontal Cortex
   • Mindfulness practices activate and strengthen the prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain behind your forehead).
   • This region helps with regulating emotions, decision-making, empathy, and insight.
   • Over time, mindfulness can actually change brain structure (neuroplasticity), making these skills more accessible (how cool is this?!)
3. Regulation of the Nervous System
   • Mindfulness helps calm the body’s stress response (fight, flight, freeze).
   • By paying attention to sensations with openness, the nervous system learns it doesn’t have to stay in high alert, which reduces anxiety and stress.
4. Improved Relationships
   • When people are more present and less reactive, they are able to make better connections with others.
   • Mindfulness supports empathy, compassion, and better communication.
5. The “Wheel of Awareness”
   • Siegel uses the metaphor of a wheel:
     • The hub = awareness itself.
     • The spokes = attention directed to different aspects of experience (thoughts, sensations, emotions, perceptions).
   • Practising mindfulness strengthens your ability to stay in the hub (present awareness), rather than getting lost in one spoke (like a thought spiral).
   • This creates a sense of stability and choice.
6. Cultivating Presence and Wellbeing
   • Siegel argues that mindfulness is not about controlling or fixing experience, but befriending it.
   • This stance of openness and curiosity supports resilience, lowers reactivity, and fosters a sense of meaning and connection.

Common Misconceptions About Mindfulness

Because mindfulness is so popular, it’s also widely misunderstood. A few myths I often hear are:

• “Mindfulness means stopping all thoughts.” In reality, it’s about noticing your thoughts, not silencing them.
• “Mindfulness is just relaxation.” While it can feel calming, the real aim is awareness and presence, not forcing yourself to feel a certain way.
• “You need to meditate for hours to be mindful.” Absolutely not! Even small moments of awareness count.

How to Practise Mindfulness in Everyday Life

You don’t need to start with a 30-minute meditation. Try adding mindfulness to ordinary moments. Here are some simple mindfulness exercises you can try:

• Take three slow breaths before opening an email.
• Notice the flavours and textures of the first bite of your meal.
• Start the day with 2 minutes of mindful breathing or stretching

Mindfulness is less about getting it “right” and more about gently bringing yourself back to the present, again and again. It’s true, it does take a

The Power of Mindfulness in Therapy and Beyond

So, why do therapists go on about mindfulness? It’s not just because it’s trendy, it’s because mindfulness is a powerful, evidence-based way of finding more compassion, calm and connection in our lives.

Whether you’re dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, or simply the overwhelm of everyday life, mindfulness offers a path back to yourself, one moment at a time.