What is mindfulness?

In DBT, mindfulness allows us to focus on the present moment without judgment. Mindfulness teaches to focus the mind on what we want to focus it on instead of our mind focusing on whatever it wants to focus on. Second, mindfulness teaches us to stay in the present moment, without judgment.

In DBT, mindfulness is composed of the “what” skills of observe, describe and participate, and the “how” skills of one-mindfully, non judgmentally and effectively.

As a beginner in mindfulness, you will undoubtedly notice yourself constantly being distracted from the focus you choose. This is a normal part of being human! Thus, the “how” skill of not judging is of utmost importance as it allows ourselves to return to planned focus again and again, with judging ourselves and while being loving and kind to ourselves.

As a therapist in the first session I am always teaching people to not judge. While this is a mindfulness skill, it’s also tremendously freeing so many of our are bound up in self judgement. With time, the individual experiences greater freedom as he or she stops judging themselves so harshly.