Is Your Mindfulness Practice Actually Working? with Denise Dempsey

Denise Dempsey, a Clinical hypnotherapist and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction teacher. She's spent decades teaching people how to stay clear and grounded under real pressure. She’s also the author of Mindfulness Meditations for Stress, 100 Simple Ways to Ease Tension and Find Peace. In this episode: Denise shares how a stressful season in her life, plus a cassette tape from her mother-in-law, led her down the path to becoming a mindfulness teacher and clinical hypnotherapist. She explains that mindfulness is not about clearing your mind or becoming a zombie. It is really about paying attention, sometimes narrow like a laser and sometimes wide like a searchlight. She talks about how mindfulness includes the whole body, not just the thoughts in your head, which gives you a bigger resource to work with when life feels like a lot. Denise shares a simple trick for busy days. Even a tiny pause to check in with yourself can help you feel like you have more time and more options. She explains how she keeps her energy up as a business owner by choosing short bursts of breathing instead of always sinking into deep rest, especially when there is work to get back to. Denise talks about the power of setting a daily intention and limiting yourself to just a few priorities so you are not pulled in fifteen directions at once. She leads a short guided meditation right in the episode, walking listeners through breath and body awareness they can use anytime they need a reset. She shares one of her favorite mindfulness misconceptions to clear up. Your mind is always going to produce thoughts, and that is normal, not a sign you are doing it wrong. Denise closes with a reminder that self-compassion is a huge part of mindfulness, and being gentle with yourself in stressful moments can truly change everything. Contacting Denise Dempsey: www.stressreductionprograms.com To receive her newsletter and free meditations, click here On Socials: https://www.instagram.com/denisegdempsey/ Blogpost: https://therelaxationlounge.info/is-your-mindfulness-practice-actually-working/   You Don't Have to Do This AloneThere are free tools waiting for you at https://therelaxationlounge.info/start-here  to help you create the calm we all deserve, along with a community of women walking right alongside you. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice and does not replace care from your doctor, therapist, or other healthcare provider. Please talk to a qualified professional about your specific health needs. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.