I still haven't gotten around to writing about how clinic is in general, and I swear that it's on a list somewhere. I do want to share that information, because I think it's nice to have that available as a current or even prospective ND student.
Today however, I wanted to share some information about a good day in clinic.
This past couple weeks have been a little crazy and stressful. We're 6 months into clinic, and I'm not exactly where I'd like to be with respect to my skills. Sure, I've progressed and know A LOT more than I did 6 months ago. I'm getting better at connecting with patients, providing treatment and exams. But there is a lot more that I'd like to be doing better at, and there's also a bunch of assignments and things to work on right now, so it feels like my time is really limited. I've also noticed that often when people say "Hey Noah, how's it going?" I don't respond too well, usually saying "not well." Things have been getting me down and stressed, and that's not the type of person I usually am.
Anyway, within all the stress, I had a great experience with a patient today that really brought me up and improved my mood and motivation. So a patient of mine came in for a follow-up. They weren't feeling all that well and had considered cancelling, but decided that it was a good idea to come in. Already a good sign, knowing that I am able to provide a space and care that people feel comfortable coming to. The nice thing though, was learning that treatment we had initiated last visit had provided a positive shift for them, and this was based on my own research and clinical judgment. The visit continued and we had a good plan moving forward, and I'm excited to continue helping this person improve.
Sure, this does happen a fair bit in clinic, but it's always a nice reminder when this happens, that I've got the tools and skills to help people improve.
So amidst the chaos of everything else that happens in life, I enjoy taking a chance to step back and just notice what I have done, and what I can do. After all, it's why I got into this in the first place!
Showing posts with label Mindfulness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mindfulness. Show all posts
Friday, 4 November 2016
Sunday, 15 November 2015
Music, Energy, Passion
This was a pretty quiet week compared to last, with very few assignments or practicals going on. A rare and nice break to relax a little bit, kind of. I did some preceptoring on Wednesday with Dr. Jonathan Beatty, it was a pretty cool experience, though very tiring (had to be up at 6 to get there for 7:45, and I was there until 5:30). He's got a serious Naturopathic practice with a big focus on the nutrition and lifestyle aspect. His wife is actually a holistic nutritionist, and together they work patients through serious dietary protocols, and see amazing results with them. I'll be preceptoring with him several more times and am hoping to learn a lot from him.
Other than that, nothing too exciting this week, though I went to a really awesome concert on Thursday night with some friends, Parkway Drive. They're a really cool metal band from Australia, I've seen them a few times in Toronto, and they recently came out with a great new album and are touring North America in support of it. It's not the style of music for everyone, but it really highlights my love of music. There is something about live music that you just can't get anywhere else. The connection you feel with all the people around you, everyone knowing the words to the song, singing and screaming along, dancing together, and enjoying that same vibrational experience. The artist up on stage, passionately sharing the music they've created, and observing people having a great time because of what they made. The energy you feel is unreal, and it creates a perfect space for mindfulness. When you are at a good concert, there is nothing to worry about, no messages or emails to check, no facebook, there is only the music, the crowd, the band, and you.
I hope that everyone can have similar experiences like I've been so fortunate to experience with music. I think since I was 16, I may have been to over 50 concerts, and even as I get older, I'll continue to go and dance like a crazy person, because it is such an amazing space, there is so much positive energy, and I can't imagine what life would be like without. That being said, it doesn't necessarily have to be a live concert for you. It could be sitting in your room with headphones on, sitting in the car listening to the radio, singing in the shower, whatever you like best. Find your space where you can escape the world, and experience the energy of good music. There really is nothing like it.
Other than that, nothing too exciting this week, though I went to a really awesome concert on Thursday night with some friends, Parkway Drive. They're a really cool metal band from Australia, I've seen them a few times in Toronto, and they recently came out with a great new album and are touring North America in support of it. It's not the style of music for everyone, but it really highlights my love of music. There is something about live music that you just can't get anywhere else. The connection you feel with all the people around you, everyone knowing the words to the song, singing and screaming along, dancing together, and enjoying that same vibrational experience. The artist up on stage, passionately sharing the music they've created, and observing people having a great time because of what they made. The energy you feel is unreal, and it creates a perfect space for mindfulness. When you are at a good concert, there is nothing to worry about, no messages or emails to check, no facebook, there is only the music, the crowd, the band, and you.
I hope that everyone can have similar experiences like I've been so fortunate to experience with music. I think since I was 16, I may have been to over 50 concerts, and even as I get older, I'll continue to go and dance like a crazy person, because it is such an amazing space, there is so much positive energy, and I can't imagine what life would be like without. That being said, it doesn't necessarily have to be a live concert for you. It could be sitting in your room with headphones on, sitting in the car listening to the radio, singing in the shower, whatever you like best. Find your space where you can escape the world, and experience the energy of good music. There really is nothing like it.
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| It must be so cool to be in a band like this, providing so many people with so much joy. |
Sunday, 1 November 2015
Midterm Review, Assignments, and Halloween
I'm really sorry, I know I was going to make Sundays regular, and then I went ahead and missed one! I know I said that midterms were not as big this year, but the 7+ assignments and practicals going on right after midterms, well those are. So all that was kind of on my mind post-midterms, and I unfortunately missed the post. Anyway, here's a quick midterm summary:
Nutrition - this was my first open book exam ever, and it was weird. I'm usually a really fast exam taker, but I was here writing up until the last minute. It was an interesting exam, asking you to think really critically about several different conditions, and use your textbook and notes to come up with effective treatment plans, diagnostics, and other stuff. It wasn't super hard, but it also wasn't an easy exam. You definitely need to know your stuff generally, and be prepared.
Men's and Women's Health - Pretty straightforward multiple choice exam. We went through a lot of conditions in detail, and it can get a little tough because there's a lot of similarities, especially with treatments. I think it went pretty well though, my biggest recommendation here is to know your basics. If you don't understand endocrinology and physiology, it's hard to differentiate your conditions. Also, having a nice group study session before the exam in the NSA lounge, and writing out our keynote symptoms for each condition on the blackboard, that works really well!
Physical Medicine - This was a weird exam of course, because it's more of a practical based topic, but we had a 100 question multiple choice exam. Weird right? Anyway, I had heard that a lot of people failed last year, so I was a little worried. Turns out the exam was a breeze! Now maybe it's because we were all pretty worried, and had an awesome group study session the night before, and got to know our stuff really well, or maybe...na that's probably it. There's a lot of information to know, but if you simplify and break it all down, it's not too bad. And also, as a practical based topic, I find it's really helpful to study using your hands a lot - go through the motions of each test and exam as you study them, talk about and really see why they do what they do.
So the big assignment that was on my mind this past week was our RCIA (Relevant Clinical Inquiry Assignment). This is basically a massive paper where you have to do a review on a clinically relevant topic to Naturopathic Medicine. It involves lots of research, tedious summary work, and some cool critical thinking about current treatment standards, and where your research fits in. It was a lot of work, and my paper ended up at about 19 pages (!!!), but it was a good experience. The really cool thing is that the professors are planning to compile all our reports and give it back to us as a resource, so we'll have some awesome summaries of hundreds of research papers on clinically relevant topics. Pretty cool right? I did mine on Mindfulness Based Therapies for improving sleep disturbance and insomnia. Long story short? It works pretty well, and that doesn't even take into account that it has some great results for anxiety, depression, stress, and lots of other conditions. Definitely something I want to incorporate into my practice in the future.
Anyway I'm off for the week, not like I have that much to do - oh just a health psych case formulation, practical male and female genitourinary exams, a homeopathy full case assignment, a marketing assignment, and a physical medicine practical. Should be an easy week right?
Oh ya and it was Halloween yesterday, my house is generally known on my street as one of the best - my brother sets up an awesome display with scary figures in the window, dark lights, spiders, zombies, the whole thing. And then my dad has a terrifying Frankenstein laugh, it's really funny how many kids get scared to knock on the door. Don't worry though, we always have good candy! And Halloween is supposed to be scary right?
As always, here's a funny relevant picture for the week. See you next week!
Nutrition - this was my first open book exam ever, and it was weird. I'm usually a really fast exam taker, but I was here writing up until the last minute. It was an interesting exam, asking you to think really critically about several different conditions, and use your textbook and notes to come up with effective treatment plans, diagnostics, and other stuff. It wasn't super hard, but it also wasn't an easy exam. You definitely need to know your stuff generally, and be prepared.
Men's and Women's Health - Pretty straightforward multiple choice exam. We went through a lot of conditions in detail, and it can get a little tough because there's a lot of similarities, especially with treatments. I think it went pretty well though, my biggest recommendation here is to know your basics. If you don't understand endocrinology and physiology, it's hard to differentiate your conditions. Also, having a nice group study session before the exam in the NSA lounge, and writing out our keynote symptoms for each condition on the blackboard, that works really well!
Physical Medicine - This was a weird exam of course, because it's more of a practical based topic, but we had a 100 question multiple choice exam. Weird right? Anyway, I had heard that a lot of people failed last year, so I was a little worried. Turns out the exam was a breeze! Now maybe it's because we were all pretty worried, and had an awesome group study session the night before, and got to know our stuff really well, or maybe...na that's probably it. There's a lot of information to know, but if you simplify and break it all down, it's not too bad. And also, as a practical based topic, I find it's really helpful to study using your hands a lot - go through the motions of each test and exam as you study them, talk about and really see why they do what they do.
So the big assignment that was on my mind this past week was our RCIA (Relevant Clinical Inquiry Assignment). This is basically a massive paper where you have to do a review on a clinically relevant topic to Naturopathic Medicine. It involves lots of research, tedious summary work, and some cool critical thinking about current treatment standards, and where your research fits in. It was a lot of work, and my paper ended up at about 19 pages (!!!), but it was a good experience. The really cool thing is that the professors are planning to compile all our reports and give it back to us as a resource, so we'll have some awesome summaries of hundreds of research papers on clinically relevant topics. Pretty cool right? I did mine on Mindfulness Based Therapies for improving sleep disturbance and insomnia. Long story short? It works pretty well, and that doesn't even take into account that it has some great results for anxiety, depression, stress, and lots of other conditions. Definitely something I want to incorporate into my practice in the future.
Anyway I'm off for the week, not like I have that much to do - oh just a health psych case formulation, practical male and female genitourinary exams, a homeopathy full case assignment, a marketing assignment, and a physical medicine practical. Should be an easy week right?
Oh ya and it was Halloween yesterday, my house is generally known on my street as one of the best - my brother sets up an awesome display with scary figures in the window, dark lights, spiders, zombies, the whole thing. And then my dad has a terrifying Frankenstein laugh, it's really funny how many kids get scared to knock on the door. Don't worry though, we always have good candy! And Halloween is supposed to be scary right?
As always, here's a funny relevant picture for the week. See you next week!
Monday, 19 October 2015
Shortest Midterm Week Ever?
It's Monday, sorry I missed my usual Sunday post, but I'm here right away! It's a bit of a busy time right now with CCNM midterms. Again, I'm in third year, so this is going to be my fifth midterm period at CCNM! Time sure flies. This is a really odd one though, because for the first time, midterms are not the week of Thanksgiving (I may have mentioned that in my last post, if so, sorry, I forgot). So we have midterms over five days instead of four. However, third year is a little different than first and second; we have a lot more assignments, so we have less midterms. So right now, I've only got three midterms - I know, my undergrad self would be crying if I had three midterms in a week, but at CCNM, when you're used to five to six exams in four days, three exams in five days is really not so bad! Anyway I've got Nutrition on Tuesday, Men's and Women's Health on Thursday, and Physical Medicine on Friday. I'll try to debrief these exams a bit on my next Sunday post.
Nutrition is going to be a little strange, because it's actually an open book exam; to my knowledge, my first open book exam ever in seven years of post-secondary. We can bring in whatever we want, and for me that means the course textbook, the Gaby "Bible of Nutrition" (honestly this book is over 1300 pages, it has so much information!), and course notes. The exam is all short answer instead of multiple choice, so it'll be a little different, but I think it will be okay. Critically think instead of memorize. What a concept!
Men's and Women's Health is regular multiple choice, there's a fair amount of material, but I don't think it will be too bad. Lots of overlap with other courses, and stuff we have done in the past. There is a lot of therapeutics to know though...oh third year.
Finally Physical Medicine, it's going to be a little weird as a multiple choice exam. This is the type of course that you really see as more of a practical based thing, and the final will be just that. But for the midterm, we've got about 400+ pages worth of material, all sorts of physical exams and conditions and dermatomes and trigger points. So much information! But at least it's at the end of the week, so there's lots of time to prepare for it.
Anyway, on to something that is not just school. I've recently been doing lots of self-development, with books and podcasts being a big part of that. There's so many interesting and useful little tips you can learn, and I thought it would be nice to share some of those through my blogging. So for this week, I wanted to share a pretty cool one I learned today, called "block breathing." This is something I had learned in the past, but modified. Basically, you breathe in for 3-4s, hold your breath for 3-4s, breathe out for 3-4s, and hold again for 3-4s. While you do this, you can imagine drawing a square with your finger, or even actually draw one. Each side of the square is a portion of that breathing. This is a great exercise for helping draw you back to your breath, become more mindful, get into a parasympathetic state, and just relax. The simple things are always the best aren't they? The cool twist I learned today though, was to do block breathing while walking. Walking can be especially stressful if you are in a rush or in a big crowd of people. It's also something you have to do all the time, so why not use it as an opportunity to be more mindful and relaxed? So in this scenario, instead of using 3-4s for each side of the square, you can breathe in, hold and breathe out based on the number of steps you take. 4 steps is a pretty standard number, but depending how fast you walk, you can switch between 4-8 steps and have a pretty good rhythm.
So give that exercise a try next time you're out walking, and let me know how you feel. I'm off to study again, see you Sunday!
Nutrition is going to be a little strange, because it's actually an open book exam; to my knowledge, my first open book exam ever in seven years of post-secondary. We can bring in whatever we want, and for me that means the course textbook, the Gaby "Bible of Nutrition" (honestly this book is over 1300 pages, it has so much information!), and course notes. The exam is all short answer instead of multiple choice, so it'll be a little different, but I think it will be okay. Critically think instead of memorize. What a concept!
Men's and Women's Health is regular multiple choice, there's a fair amount of material, but I don't think it will be too bad. Lots of overlap with other courses, and stuff we have done in the past. There is a lot of therapeutics to know though...oh third year.
Finally Physical Medicine, it's going to be a little weird as a multiple choice exam. This is the type of course that you really see as more of a practical based thing, and the final will be just that. But for the midterm, we've got about 400+ pages worth of material, all sorts of physical exams and conditions and dermatomes and trigger points. So much information! But at least it's at the end of the week, so there's lots of time to prepare for it.
Anyway, on to something that is not just school. I've recently been doing lots of self-development, with books and podcasts being a big part of that. There's so many interesting and useful little tips you can learn, and I thought it would be nice to share some of those through my blogging. So for this week, I wanted to share a pretty cool one I learned today, called "block breathing." This is something I had learned in the past, but modified. Basically, you breathe in for 3-4s, hold your breath for 3-4s, breathe out for 3-4s, and hold again for 3-4s. While you do this, you can imagine drawing a square with your finger, or even actually draw one. Each side of the square is a portion of that breathing. This is a great exercise for helping draw you back to your breath, become more mindful, get into a parasympathetic state, and just relax. The simple things are always the best aren't they? The cool twist I learned today though, was to do block breathing while walking. Walking can be especially stressful if you are in a rush or in a big crowd of people. It's also something you have to do all the time, so why not use it as an opportunity to be more mindful and relaxed? So in this scenario, instead of using 3-4s for each side of the square, you can breathe in, hold and breathe out based on the number of steps you take. 4 steps is a pretty standard number, but depending how fast you walk, you can switch between 4-8 steps and have a pretty good rhythm.
So give that exercise a try next time you're out walking, and let me know how you feel. I'm off to study again, see you Sunday!
 |
| Remember to breathe properly! Breathe with your diaphragm and not your chest to get the best airflow, and better relaxation. This is as easy as putting you hand on your stomach while breathing - ensure it pushes out while breathing in, and comes in when you breathe out. Enjoy! |
Monday, 17 November 2014
Feeling Judged
Seems crazy I haven't posted in so long, and now this is my fourth post in a week! Anyway I was in homeopathy today and we had a practical working on case taking. This was fun because unlike health psych (where we have one person interviewing a standardized patient and everyone just watches), we all got a chance to interview each other. I definitely see the value in health psych, but this was great to get some more experience, and especially in a bit of a less threatening environment.
So while getting feedback on my turn as the doctor, my partner (who played the patient) mentioned that I made a good use of silence. Silence is an incredibly useful tool for a doctor as an interviewer, especially when it comes to mental/emotional things, because it provides patients with the time to think over what they've said and decide if they want to share more with you. This of course doesn't happen if the doctor goes through rapid fire questions and doesn't provide that silence (though of course rapid fire can be important when ruling out red flags for emergent conditions like a heart attack!). Anyway one of the things my partner mentioned was that she was empathizing with me and thinking that I felt like some of the silences lasted a really long time, but that for her it actually didn't feel that long.
I think this is really important to understand because it leads in to what I want to talk about, and that is the a feeling that you are being judged by others. This is something that I feel constantly and I'm sure many others do. You're hanging out in a group of people not saying anything, you're giving a presentation, whatever. You feel like other people and judging you, and as a result you get stuck in your head and don't feel so good. Basically the feeling I want to get across in this post is that in order to get out of this pattern, it can be helpful to be aware that in general, people aren't really judging you. They don't really care that much about the little things you think you are doing that may be embarrassing, because in reality, they are sitting there thinking the same things about themselves. People are incredibly self-conscious and other-focused, worried about what others think of them. As a result, you don't really need to worry about others, because they aren't so worried about you.
I understand of course that this is much easier said than done, and I know it is something that I am really going to start working on now and know it will be a struggle, but this again is of course where mindfulness really comes in. Be aware of your thoughts and feelings, try to understand where they come from, but ensure that there is no judgement. You will see that you can bring more confidence and a more relaxed disposition to your life.
- So if you're feeling too much in your head, what can you do? Push your feet into the ground a little bit and even try to grip the floor with your toes. This action reminds you that are not just in your head, you are in fact touching the ground, here, in this moment.
So while getting feedback on my turn as the doctor, my partner (who played the patient) mentioned that I made a good use of silence. Silence is an incredibly useful tool for a doctor as an interviewer, especially when it comes to mental/emotional things, because it provides patients with the time to think over what they've said and decide if they want to share more with you. This of course doesn't happen if the doctor goes through rapid fire questions and doesn't provide that silence (though of course rapid fire can be important when ruling out red flags for emergent conditions like a heart attack!). Anyway one of the things my partner mentioned was that she was empathizing with me and thinking that I felt like some of the silences lasted a really long time, but that for her it actually didn't feel that long.
I think this is really important to understand because it leads in to what I want to talk about, and that is the a feeling that you are being judged by others. This is something that I feel constantly and I'm sure many others do. You're hanging out in a group of people not saying anything, you're giving a presentation, whatever. You feel like other people and judging you, and as a result you get stuck in your head and don't feel so good. Basically the feeling I want to get across in this post is that in order to get out of this pattern, it can be helpful to be aware that in general, people aren't really judging you. They don't really care that much about the little things you think you are doing that may be embarrassing, because in reality, they are sitting there thinking the same things about themselves. People are incredibly self-conscious and other-focused, worried about what others think of them. As a result, you don't really need to worry about others, because they aren't so worried about you.
I understand of course that this is much easier said than done, and I know it is something that I am really going to start working on now and know it will be a struggle, but this again is of course where mindfulness really comes in. Be aware of your thoughts and feelings, try to understand where they come from, but ensure that there is no judgement. You will see that you can bring more confidence and a more relaxed disposition to your life.
- So if you're feeling too much in your head, what can you do? Push your feet into the ground a little bit and even try to grip the floor with your toes. This action reminds you that are not just in your head, you are in fact touching the ground, here, in this moment.
Tuesday, 5 November 2013
Taking care of yourself (Yoga, exercise, the clinic)
Today was day two of the Yogathon that the NMSA (naturopathic medical student association) is running this week. This marathon involves Yoga from 7:30-8:30am every morning of this week. Though you don't have to do it all, I decided to challenge myself and do it, along with support from a couple friends who are also doing it. It's relaxing and really good for you (especially all the stretching is good for my chronic neck problems), and not to mention there's a prize draw for anyone who goes to all 5 days. Since I'm talking about this, I want to quickly share the nonprofit charity one of the yoga teachers is part of called Share The Love Yoga. You can read about it, but it's a pretty cool organization focused on providing affordable and accessible yoga, which we know is an amazing form of exercise, meditation and just great for taking care of yourself in general.
After Homeopathy today (another loaded class --> learned about posology and miasms today, as well as going over a case we did in class), I had my usual clinic appointment (I go almost every Tuesday). It has been really great going to the clinic so often while here. It's something I never really did before, but it's great to have this opportunity to take care of myself and keep on checking in on how I am doing. Not to mention it is a useful opportunity to get more time observing what naturopathic care is like but from the patient point of view. Anyway today was interesting because we actually did more of a homeopathic intake (most of my treatment has been acupuncture, massage and spinal manipulations for the neck pain). It was very different to what I'm used to, but I'm interested in seeing where it goes with my intern finding a good remedy for me. It was also a nice experience just talking about a lot of random stuff. It was very relaxing in a different way, and felt good to express myself in a completely non-judgemental and safe environment. I also ended up having a little bit of acupuncture. Today was interesting because it was the first time I wasn't on my back on the treatment table (I was sitting in a chair just answering questions), so I actually saw the needles for the first time. They aren't really that scary or anything, and don't really hurt that bad, in fact the one he put in my forehead hurt the least, and that was the one I was most worried about.
Finally after my appointment I had the first meeting of the Dragon Boat Club! (super excited!) We're not going to be doing any paddle practices until at least Februrary, but it was good to meet some of the people interested in it and start working out together. We ran outside for around 20 minutes, and then did some working out in the gym. Wow have I gotten out of shape! This is definitely going to be a good experience to get back in shape, and I'm really excited about getting out there, especially in the summer when the races come.
Savasana, my favourite yoga pose because it is pure relaxation (not to mention final savasana means the hard work is over!)
After Homeopathy today (another loaded class --> learned about posology and miasms today, as well as going over a case we did in class), I had my usual clinic appointment (I go almost every Tuesday). It has been really great going to the clinic so often while here. It's something I never really did before, but it's great to have this opportunity to take care of myself and keep on checking in on how I am doing. Not to mention it is a useful opportunity to get more time observing what naturopathic care is like but from the patient point of view. Anyway today was interesting because we actually did more of a homeopathic intake (most of my treatment has been acupuncture, massage and spinal manipulations for the neck pain). It was very different to what I'm used to, but I'm interested in seeing where it goes with my intern finding a good remedy for me. It was also a nice experience just talking about a lot of random stuff. It was very relaxing in a different way, and felt good to express myself in a completely non-judgemental and safe environment. I also ended up having a little bit of acupuncture. Today was interesting because it was the first time I wasn't on my back on the treatment table (I was sitting in a chair just answering questions), so I actually saw the needles for the first time. They aren't really that scary or anything, and don't really hurt that bad, in fact the one he put in my forehead hurt the least, and that was the one I was most worried about.
Finally after my appointment I had the first meeting of the Dragon Boat Club! (super excited!) We're not going to be doing any paddle practices until at least Februrary, but it was good to meet some of the people interested in it and start working out together. We ran outside for around 20 minutes, and then did some working out in the gym. Wow have I gotten out of shape! This is definitely going to be a good experience to get back in shape, and I'm really excited about getting out there, especially in the summer when the races come.
Thursday, 26 September 2013
Mindfulness
Health psychology was a really great class today, talking a lot about empathy and how to effectively communicate with patients, and people in general to ensure that they feel heard and that what they say matters. Before the full lecture though, we talked again about mindfulness and being in the present moment. To solidify this talk, Dr. Creech took us through a guided meditation in class, and then gave us a break to go outside and enjoy the sun. The whole experience has given me more understanding of how important mindfulness really is. We spend so much of our day thinking about the past and the future (even as I write this I'm worrying about work I have to do later tonight), and yet the present has so much importance. Past and future are important, but it is really the present where we actually exist. A smart guy once said, "life moves pretty fast; if you don't stop to look around once in a while, you might miss something."
Through our discussions about mindfulness, I've also come to realize how important it is when it comes to speaking with patients, and also with our friends and families, really anyone we speak to. Think about the last time you spoke with someone, anyone. Were you completely in the present moment while you listened to them, or did your mind drift off at times onto things what happened that morning or what you need to do later that day or even right after you finish talking? It can be very difficult to stay present because our minds have so much information, how could they not wander? However, exercises like meditation and practicing mindfulness have the ability to get you focused on what is happening right now, and with practice comes to ability to remain present when you need to. This is something I plan to work on myself as I go through the program at CCNM, because my hope is that when I am in the room with patients in the future, I can forget about everything else in my life at the time, be mindful and present, and provide the patient with what they need. Hopefully this will also transfer to my social life as well, because though patients are obviously important, the important people in my life deserve the same attention as well.
For those of you who would like to work on their own mindfulness, I suggest trying a short guided meditation such as this one. It is important with meditation to be in a quiet room where you can be comfortable, get in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Focus on breathing in through your nose and out through the nose because this engages the parasympathetic nervous system which will help you remain relaxed. Just focus on breathing in slowly, taking a pause, and then breathing out slowly, and repeat. As you focus on your breath and the sensations of your body, past and future dissipate from your mind, and the practice of mindfulness really begins. It is difficult and takes a lot of practice (I'm nowhere near where I'd like to be yet), but the benefits are well worth it.
(if animals really are like this, it must be nice to be so present with little worries)
Through our discussions about mindfulness, I've also come to realize how important it is when it comes to speaking with patients, and also with our friends and families, really anyone we speak to. Think about the last time you spoke with someone, anyone. Were you completely in the present moment while you listened to them, or did your mind drift off at times onto things what happened that morning or what you need to do later that day or even right after you finish talking? It can be very difficult to stay present because our minds have so much information, how could they not wander? However, exercises like meditation and practicing mindfulness have the ability to get you focused on what is happening right now, and with practice comes to ability to remain present when you need to. This is something I plan to work on myself as I go through the program at CCNM, because my hope is that when I am in the room with patients in the future, I can forget about everything else in my life at the time, be mindful and present, and provide the patient with what they need. Hopefully this will also transfer to my social life as well, because though patients are obviously important, the important people in my life deserve the same attention as well.
For those of you who would like to work on their own mindfulness, I suggest trying a short guided meditation such as this one. It is important with meditation to be in a quiet room where you can be comfortable, get in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Focus on breathing in through your nose and out through the nose because this engages the parasympathetic nervous system which will help you remain relaxed. Just focus on breathing in slowly, taking a pause, and then breathing out slowly, and repeat. As you focus on your breath and the sensations of your body, past and future dissipate from your mind, and the practice of mindfulness really begins. It is difficult and takes a lot of practice (I'm nowhere near where I'd like to be yet), but the benefits are well worth it.
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