At-Home Practice
Starting an at-home practice is easy for families, teens, and adults. They key is to keep it small and consistent.
How To Start a Family Mindfulness Practice at Home
Increasingly, children and their parents are practicing mindfulness together, often to address the symptoms of ADHD, stress, or depression. In this video, Dr. Gehart shares tips for parents wanting to get started.
Tips for Starting a Mindfulness Practice for Busy People
The primary obstacle any of us face in starting a mindfulness practice is finding the time. In this video, Dr. Gehart shares some tips for teens and adults who want to add mindfulness to their daily routine: keep it short but frequent.
Instructions for Mindfulness Breath Meditation
- Focus on breath while quieting mind
- When distracted (external and internal), refocus with compassion and acceptance
- Refocusing is what children’s brains need
- How to refocus: use a mantra, counting, peace in/peace out, watch thoughts float away
- Do 5-7 times per week, in small doses
Meditation Apps
Many people find using an app helpful for regular practice. Insight Timer is a leading meditation app for many reasons:
- Download for free at: www.insighttimer.com, Apple App Store or Google Play; it can be used on computer, phones or tablets.
- Access thousands of free guided meditations
- No in-app purchases or other costs (a feature loved by parents)
- Use timer with custom gongs and chimes
- Keep track of the time you spend practicing mindfulness
There is a “Kids & Teens” section that you can access using the app. From the listening library page on the app, scroll down to “get help with…” and select "Kids & Teens.”
Check it out here: https://insighttimer.com
Check it out here: www.headspace.com