Introduction to Practicing the Pause

Welcome to Practicing the Pause, a self-care community of practice brought to you by the University of Wisconsin – Madison Division of Extension Community Educators.

Practicing the Pause is a weekly, 30-minute virtual space to practice a variety of techniques to calm your mind and body, decrease stress, and increase self-awareness and resiliency. We’ll practice holding space while also practicing skills such as deep breathing, guided imagery, gentle stretching, etc.

We will gather every Thursday morning, from 8:30-9:00 AM. You are free to join us when you are able.

Register here: https://forms.gle/KCTXh3swYhJc8Ue37

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Research on mindfulness:

Popular Press Articles & Resources on Mindfulness 

1. How to Meditate: A thorough guide to mindfulness and meditation from the New York Times. Includes articles on the science behind mindfulness and meditation,  formal and informal exercises, guides to mindful eating and walking meditations, guided meditation soundtracks, apps, and tips to help make mindfulness a habit. 
2. Meditation App for Healers: The Cleveland Clinic has a free app that you can download from iTunes that has guided meditations specifically designed for healers. There is a Loving Kindness Meditation that is specifically focused on healers + patients that may be particularly useful for incorporating mindfulness in patient care. 
3. Easing Doctor Burnout With Mindfulness: A New York Times article in which a doctor discusses the importance of mindfulness for easing burnout and improving patient care. 
4. The Year of Conquering Negative Thinking: A New York Times Article on the role of mindfulness in helping to conquer negative thinking. 
5. Infusing Mindfulness Into Daily Life: A New York Times collection on how to be mindful: at your desk, on your phone, while washing dishes, while drinking coffee etc. 
6. Free guided meditations: UCLA has a selection of free guided meditations offered in both English and Spanish. 
7. Mindfulness in the age of complexity: A Harvard Business Review article on applying mindfulness in our modern world. 
8. A doctor puts his mind to mindfulness: A Washington Post article in which a doctor discusses integrating mindfulness and meditation into medicine and patient care. 

Scientific Articles on Mindfulness 

1. Krasner et al. (2009) Association of an Educational Program in Mindful Communication With Burnout, Empathy, and Attitudes Among Primary Care Physicians 
2. MacLaughlin et al. (2011) Stress Biomarkers in Medical Students Participating in a Mind Body Medicine Skills Program 
3. Teper et al. (2013) Inside the Mindful Mind How Mindfulness Enhances Emotion Regulation Through Improvements in Executive Control 
4. Self-care of Physicians Caring for Patients