In this episode I "sit down with" my friend and colleague, Claire Weiner, LMSW. We discuss anxiety and she guides us through a simple, practical & transformative practice for being with difficult moments when they arise: The Three Minute Breathing Space. You can do this anywhere and as often as you like. Cut yourself some slack and take a few minutes to learn or revisit this practice that only takes... well...three minutes. **there are some minor audio disturbances due to the phone connection and feedback in this episode. I am hopeful this will not disrupt your listening experience too much. Thank for your patience as I figure out the nuances of production. ~Laura
Claire Weiner, LMSW, RYT-200 - BIO
Psychotherapist, Mindfulness Teacher; AACFM Leadership Team and Founding MemberClaire teaches: Mindfulness Meditation to cancer patients and their supporters.Claire has a mindfulness-based psychotherapy practice in downtown Ann Arbor. She has advanced training in Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy and taught MBCT groups at UM Department of Psychiatry. Claire provides individual, couples and group psychotherapy and has taught and supervised social work trainees and post-graduate fellows.
She was a founding member of the PsychOncology Clinic at the UM Cancer Center, seeing individuals and groups. She volunteers at the Cancer Support Community in Ann Arbor, where she teaches meditation. In 2013 Claire completed her Registered Yoga Teacher Training (RYT 200), furthering her understanding and appreciation of mind-body connections.
In her spare time, Claire enjoys choir, writing poetry, and traveling.
Ann Arbor Center for Mindfulness
Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy
The Three-Minute Breathing Space Practice
Step1. Pay attention to whatever is present- physical sensations, emotions, thoughts, without any need to change it.
Step 2. Pay attention to the breath in a very focused way.
Step 3. Pay attention to the whole body and any sensations that are present along with the breath.
You might visualize an hourglass with a wide opening for attention as the first step, a narrow opening or focus for the second step and a wide base for the third step.
Like any new skill, simply practice.
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: A New Approach to Preventing Relapse
by Segal, Williams & Teasdale