Q & A with Psychotherapist Denette Mann 

Q:  You recently taught a class on Restorative Meditation at SMU - Continuing and Professional Education.

      What type of feedback did you receive from the adult students as to their reasons for taking this class?

A:  Most felt they needed to learn how to take better care of themselves. They had stressful lives and wanted to experience something completely different from their everyday experiences. 

Q.  As a working professional, how have you kept abreast of the positive impact of meditation on human lives?

A.   I’ve seen incredible differences in my own life through a meditation practice. Because of my intense interest I have traveled around the U.S. taking courses from the best including Jon Kabat-Zinn, Saki Santorelli, Kristen Neff and Christopher     Germer and Bonnie Badenoch. I’ve also seen the positive impact meditation has on the therapeutic work with my clients. Meditation, when practiced outside of sessions, speeds up the process of change.

Q.   We often hear about meditation discussed with mindfulness.  Please give us a quick synopsis on the meaning of each word.   Is one a prerequisite to achieving the other?

A.   Mindfulness is having an awareness of your life as you are living it as opposed to the more common experience of being in your head worrying about something in the future or past or planning or reminiscing. Mindfulness allows you to enjoy the moment of experience as you are having it.  Meditation is a discipline by which you can train your mind to be in the moment, to be mindful.

Q. Explain how you put some of these practices into your own life?

A.  I have a regular, personal meditation practice. I choose whatever form of meditation I think I need in the moment such as loving compassion meditation, walking meditation, breath meditation, self-compassion meditation among others. I read    books to increase my awareness and understanding of how to live a more full life through mindfulness. And I incorporate it in my private practice with clients who are interested in including it as part of their therapy. 

For more education on this topic, please consider joining Denette for a complimentary documentary screening.  

THE CONNECTION: Mind & Body will be shown on Tuesday, November 4th at 7:00 pm, Studio Movie Grill located at Royal & Central Expressway.

Questions?  Would you like to attend this event ?   View the movie trailer below and RSVP to Diane Feffer at 972-670-7078 or Diane@DianeMarketing.com