Mindfulness So Easy A Kid Could Do It
Today we’re going to talk a lot about coming together as a family and the work that it takes to do that. We discuss the tools, the effort, and the time you have to put in. And our amazing guest today, Ashley Graber, is the perfect person to discuss this with.
Ashley is a licensed marriage and family therapist, as well as a meditation and mindfulness educator for both adults and children. She says, “If you come to my practice you’re going to meditate, but we may just not call it that.” She adjusts to the needs and language of her patients to adapt her therapy for every member of the family. She started and runs the Mindfulness for Families program at the Centre for Mindful Living and also teaches on the guided meditation app, Evenflow.
We talk about all things family today with Ashley. She discusses topics from navigating dysfunctional families in therapy to how anyone at any age can begin meditation. She talks about why her Mindfulness for Families program is greatly needed, how to begin mindfulness with your children (or by yourself, as an adult), why it is so important to have the language to describe and understand your emotions (especially from a young age — but you’re never too late to learn), her recommendations for when you make reactionary mistakes in parenting, and her tools and tips for practicing mindfulness exercise on your own and with your children.
Topics Discussed:
[1:50] About our topic and guest for today.
[2:15] Our own experiences growing up and how different our upbringing was and how we’ve come together; how we’re working on giving our children the tools to understand and deal with their emotions.
[9:00] Relationship tip of the week, in honor of our therapist, Mark, who recently passed.
[15:56] The conversation portion of the podcast.
[16:25] Our guest, Ashley, introduces herself and the work she does.
[17:14] Why Ashley feels her Mindfulness for Families program is greatly needed.
[18:25] Has Ashley noticed if there’s a specific age for children to start to be less present and have more anxiety or fears, and should start meditation?
[26:00] Some of the tools that Ashley uses to make meditation really accessible for children.
[36:56] Why it is so important to have the language to describe and understand your emotions, especially from a young age.
[47:02] How Ashley navigates dysfunctional families in therapy and the importance of mindfulness and awareness in parenting.
[51:00] What Ashley recommends when you make reactionary mistakes in parenting: reflecting without making excuses and giving space.
[54:19] A few mindfulness exercises Ashley recommends for both adults and children in families.
[58:26] The best advice Ashley has ever received.
[59:39] Ashley’s proudest moment.
[1:00:50] Ashley’s hardest moment to-date.
[1:04:33] Ashley’s self-care rituals.
[1:08:56] What ignites Ashley and drives her passion?
[1:10:53] About Ashley’s guided meditation app, Evenflow.
Relationship Tip of the Week
“It’s not about the details,” that’s one of the best lessons our therapist, who recently passed away, has taught us. What’s under the details of an argument? For example, sometimes it’s not about whether or not your significant other did the dishes, but it’s really about feeling used, hurt, and taken advantage of because you’re always the one doing them. When you get to the true core of the issue, you realize you’re both fighting on the same side — if you get into the “why” instead of the details. If you can do that in your relationship in your communication with your partner, you will increase your intimacy and connect more.
Mentioned in this Episode:
IGNTD Relationship Intro Course
Mindfulness for Families (at The Centre for Mindful Living)
The Feeling Wheel
Palo Santo
AshleyGraberTherapy.com
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