Mind-Body Skills Groups
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Mind-Body Skills Group?
Mind-Body Skills Groups offer a powerful and effective combination of research based healing therapies to help participants deal with life changes, stress, and illness in an intimate and supportive group setting. The groups are small, usually 7-9 people, which allows for a deeper level of connection, sharing, and support.
All of the groups meet at a set day and time for 8 weeks, 2-hours each week, which provides an opportunity for participants to begin to integrate the mind-body skills into their lives, with the support of the group to help them work through any difficulties along the way.
What skills are taught in a Mind-Body Skills Group?
Mind-Body skills groups are highly experiential and integrate techniques such as Meditation, Guided Imagery, Autogenic training, Breath Work, Movement, Journal Writing, Drawing and other approaches into a supportive group environment.
What if I already practice some mind-body skills, like imagery or meditation? Would a group still be
helpful for me?
Yes! Even if you have worked with Meditation or Imagery or another mind-body skill, a group can still be extremely helpful. Groups offer a supportive atmosphere and an exploration of many mind-body approaches, which often add a deeper dimension to an existing practice, or a desire to incorporate a new skill into that practice.
Also, the group is designed not only to teach mind-body skills, but also to help participants develop a deeper level of awareness in everyday experiences and, as a result, an increased ability to cope with the emotional, physical and psychological challenges that face us in our daily lives.
Who usually joins a Mind-Body Skills group?
Everyone can benefit from a Mind-Body Skills Group. As a result, groups are comprised of adults of all ages and all types of backgrounds. The common theme is that all participants are seeking support in making changes in their lives, whether the desire is to decrease stress, increase coping ability, decrease pain (physical or emotional), enhance immune function, manage anxiety or depression more effectively, or any
number of other concerns.
Qigong
What is Qigong?
Qigong is an ancient Chinese health care system that integrates physical postures, breathing techniques and focused intention.
The word Qigong (Chi Kung) is made up of two Chinese words. Qi is pronounced chee and is usually translated to mean the life force or vital-energy that flows through all things in the universe.
The second word, Gong, pronounced gung, means accomplishment, or skill that is cultivated through steady practice. Together, Qigong (Chi Kung) means cultivating energy, it is a system practiced for health maintenance, healing and increasing vitality.
The gentle, rhythmic movements of Qigong reduce stress, build stamina, increase vitality, and enhance the immune system. It has also been found to improve cardiovascular, respiratory, circulatory, lymphatic and digestive functions.
Those who maintain a consistent practice of Qigong find that it helps one regain a youthful vitality, maintain health even into old age and helps speed recovery from illness. Western scientific research confirms that Qigong reduces hypertension and the incidence of falling in the aged population. One of the more important long-term effects is that Qigong reestablishes the body/mind/soul connection.
People do Qigong to maintain health, heal their bodies, calm their minds, and reconnect with their spirit.
When these three aspects of our being are integrated, it encourages a positive outlook on life and helps eliminate harmful attitudes and behaviors. It also creates a balanced life style, which brings greater harmony, stability, and enjoyment
Qigong’s great appeal is that everyone can benefit, regardless of ability, age, belief system or life circumstances. Anyone can enrich their lives by adding Qigong to their daily routine.
I suggest you start with the Eight Brocades which can easily be done at home each morning and will go a long way to improve your health, vitality and overall sense of well- being.
What are the Eight Brocades? – The Eight Brocades are a set of qigong exercises that originated in China and have been practiced throughout the world for thousands of years. Each movement focuses on a different meridian to improve the flow of qi throughout the body. If practiced routinely, this practice will improve your health significantly. Please give it a try for at least 90 days and you will be amazed at the benefits you will experience.