SUMMARY OF SESSION 4: RECOGNIZING AVERSION
Difficult things are part and parcel of life itself. It is how we handle those things that make the difference
between whether they control our lives or we can relate to them more lightly. Becoming more aware of the
thoughts, feelings, and body sensations evoked by events gives us the possibility of freeing ourselves from
habitual, automatic ways of reacting, so that we can mindfully respond in more skillful ways.
In general, we react to experience in one of three ways:
1. With spacing out, or boredom, so that we switch out from the present moment and go off somewhere
else “in our heads.”
2. With wanting to hold on to things—not allowing ourselves to let go of experiences that we are having
right now, or wishing we were having experiences that we are not having right now.
3. With wanting it to go away, being angry—wanting to get rid of experiences that we are having now, or
avoiding future unwanted experiences.
As we will discuss further in the group, each of these ways of reacting can cause problems, particularly the
tendency to react to unpleasant feelings with aversion. For now, the main issue is to become more aware of our
experience, so that we have more possibilities around how we respond to life events.
Regularly practicing meditation gives us many opportunities to notice when we have drifted away from
awareness of the moment, to note with a friendly awareness whatever it was that took our attention away, and to
gently and firmly bring our attention back to our focus. At other times, deliberately using the breathing space
whenever we notice unpleasant emotions or a sense of “tightening” or “holding” in the body, provides an
opportunity to begin to respond rather than react.
STAYING PRESENT
Remember to use your body as a means to awareness. It can be as simple as staying mindful of your posture.
You are probably sitting as you read this. What are the sensations in your body at this moment? When you finish
reading and stand, feel the movements of standing, or of walking to the next activity. Be in your body as you
move, as you reach for something, as you turn. It is as simple as that. Sometimes, however, it is not so easy.
Patiently practice feeling what is there—and the body is always there—until it becomes second nature to know
even the smallest movements you make. If you are reaching for something, simply notice the reaching. You are
moving. Can you train yourself to be there, to feel it? Practice again and again, bringing your attention back to
your body. This basic effort, which, paradoxically, is a relaxing back into the moment, gives us the key to
expanding our awareness from times of formal meditation to living mindfully in the world. Do not
underestimate the power that comes to you from feeling the simple movements of your body throughout the
day.
Adapted from Segal Williams and Teasdale (2007). Copyright by the Guilford Press.
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THE THREE MINUTE BREATHING SPACE – RESPONSIVE/COPING
The Responsive/Coping Space is a powerful practice that assists us in building tolerance for negative affect. It is a
way of developing a different relationship to difficult emotions, enabling us to decenter or defuse so that we
have the possibility of a new response that may be more skillful than our habitual ways of reacting. Insight may
arise around whether the problem needs addressing and if so, how or whether it is enough to be with the
experience as it is. We also begin to learn that difficult emotions are manageable and need not be avoided.
So, taking a very definite posture, relaxed and dignified. The back is erect, but not stiff, letting the body express a
sense of being present and awake.
Now, closing your eyes, and turning your attention to the sensations of breathing for a moment or so..... and
then expanding to a sense of the body as a whole.
So now focusing on some troubling thought or situation, some worry or intense feeling. Remembering to bring
up the 10lb weight; not the 100lb weight. Then simply noticing what is arising in this moment. Becoming
conscious of what is going through your mind; what thoughts are around? As best you can, just noting and
acknowledging them as mental events...so we note them,
...and then we note the emotions that are around at the moment...in particular, turning toward any sense of
discomfort or unpleasant feelings. So, rather than try to push them away or shut them out, just notice them,
naming them.
Then noticing the sensations arising in the body, focusing your awareness on the part of the body where the
sensations are strongest, and if the sensations are particularly challenging perhaps using the breath as a vehicle
to assist in directing and maintaining your awareness to that part of the body, breathing into that part of the
body on the in breath, expanding and softening on the out breath. If strong sensations are present, becoming
aware of the physical resisting, holding, pushing away, tensing or bracing. Whatever is arising in awareness
perhaps saying to yourself – “It’s okay; let me feel this. It’s ok; it’s already here.”
...staying with the awareness of any thoughts, feelings or body sensations and your relationship to them perhaps breathing into them, accepting, letting them be
On the out breath continue in the opening and softening to these events. Perhaps on the out breath saying – “Ah,
that’s how it is right now.” Staying with these thoughts, feelings or sensations and your relationship to them as
long as they attract your attention;
Holding them all in this more open, spacious awareness, bring a gentle curiosity to your experience in this
moment...
And when you are ready, expanding your awareness to the entire body and then bringing this more spacious
attention into your next moments and allowing your eyes to open.
Adapted from Segal Williams and Teasdale (2007). Copyright by the Guilford Press.
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Wild Geese
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.
Tell me about your despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air, are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting –
over and over announcing your place in the family of things.
- Mary Oliver
Adapted from Segal Williams and Teasdale (2007). Copyright by the Guilford Press.
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HOME PRACTICE FOR THE WEEK FOLLOWING SESSION 4
1. Practice the Sitting Meditation (Breath, Body, Sounds and Thoughts) or Walking Meditation for 5 out of
the next 6 days and record your reactions.
2. 3-Minute Breathing Space—Regular: Practice three times a day, at the times that you have decided in
advance. Record below by circling each “3”.
3. 3-Minute Breathing Space— Responsive/Coping: Practice whenever you notice unpleasant feelings.
Record at least one time you do it by circling the “CR”.
4. Fill out the Halfway Point Check In.
Optional: You might like to check out the book –The Mindful Way through Depression (Williams, Teasdale
and Segal).
Adapted from Segal Williams and Teasdale (2007). Copyright by the Guilford Press.
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HOME PRACTICE RECORD FORM—SESSION 4
Record each time you practice. Make a note of anything that comes up, for discussing next week.
Day/date
Practice*
SM / W
Comments
3 3 3
RC
SM / W
3 3 3
RC
SM / W
3 3 3
RC
SM / W
3 3 3
RC
SM / W
3 3 3
RC
SM / W
3 3 3
RC
* Practices to record: Sitting Meditation(SM), Walking Meditation (W), 3-Minute Breathing Space (3), Responsive/Coping
Breathing Space (RC).
Adapted from Segal Williams and Teasdale (2007). Copyright by the Guilford Press.
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DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA FOR MAJOR DEPRESSIVE EPISODE
Just as when diagnosing the flu or an ear infection, psychiatrist or psychologist assessing depression look for
number of symptoms that occur at roughly the same time and do not resolve on their own. In the case of major
depression, the time frame for a diagnosis is a minimum of two weeks to a month of a person:
o Feeling sad most of the day, or
o Having lost interest in activities the previously enjoyed
It is also important that these changes reduce the person’s ability to work or function normally.
If the above are all present, then 5 of the following symptoms are sufficient to complete the diagnosis:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Significant weight loss or weight gain
An increase or decrease in appetite
Difficulty falling asleep, waking up early or sleeping during the day
Feeling slowed down or agitated throughout the day
Feeling exhausted
Feeling worthless or excessively guilty over past actions
Finding it hard to concentrate or being indecisive
Repeatedly thinking about dying or suicide
Adapted from Segal Williams and Teasdale (2007). Copyright by the Guilford Press.
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AUTOMATIC ANXIOUS THOUGHTS
Listed below are a variety of thoughts that pop into people’s heads. Please read each thought and indicate the
three that are most common for you.
o I worry about my behaviour.
o I think I’m a failure.
o When I look at my future, I think more about the negative things that could happen to me than the
positive things.
o If I have physical symptoms I tend to think of the worst possible outcome.
o I have thoughts of becoming seriously ill.
o I worry about having or getting cancer or a heart attack.
o I worry about saying or doing the wrong things when I am with people I do not know.
o I worry that my ability does not correspond to others.
o I worry that I cannot control my thoughts as well as I would like.
o I worry that people do not like me.
o I take disappointments so hard that I can not get them out of my head. I am easily embarrassed.
o When I suffer from minor illnesses, such as a rash, I think that it is more serious than it actually is.
o Unpleasant thoughts enter my head against my will.
o I worry about my failures and my weaknesses.
o I worry about not being able to handle problems in life as well as others seem to do.
o I worry about death.
o I worry about making a fool of myself.
o I think I miss things in life because I worry so much.
o I have repetitive thoughts such as counting or repeating phrases.
o I worry about my health.
Adapted from Segal Williams and Teasdale (2007). Copyright by the Guilford Press.
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AUTOMATIC DEPRESSIVE THOUGHTS
Listed below are a variety of thoughts that pop into people’s heads. Please read each thought and indicate the
three that are most common for you.
o I feel like I'm up against the world.
o I hate myself.
o I'm no good.
o I'm worthless.
o Why can't I ever succeed?
o I wish I could just disappear.
o No one understands me.
o What's the matter with me?
o I've let people down.
o I'm a loser.
o I don't think I can go on.
o My life is a mess.
o I wish I were a better person.
o I'm a failure.
o I'm so weak.
o I'll never make it.
o My life's not going the way I want it to.
o I feel so helpless.
o I'm so disappointed in myself.
o Nothing feels good anymore.
o Something has to change.
o I can't stand this anymore.
o There must be something wrong with me.
o I can't get started.
o My future is bleak.
o What's wrong with me?
o It's just not worth it.
o I wish I were somewhere else.
o I can't finish anything
o I can't get things together.
Adapted from Segal Williams and Teasdale (2007). Copyright by the Guilford Press.
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HALFWAY POINT CHECK-IN (1/3)
Name: _______________________________
How is your practice/program going?
What are the challenges you encounter?
Adapted from Segal Williams and Teasdale (2007). Copyright by the Guilford Press.
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HALFWAY POINT CHECK-IN (1/3 cont.)
What is working well?
What’s getting in the way?
Anything else you want the facilitators to know?
Adapted from Segal Williams and Teasdale (2007). Copyright by the Guilford Press.
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HALFWAY POINT CHECK-IN (2/3)
Adapted from Segal Williams and Teasdale (2007). Copyright by the Guilford Press.
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The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale
HALFWAY POINT CHECK-IN (3/3)
Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by the
following problems?
Not
at all
Several
Days
1
More
than half
the days
2
Nearly
every
day
3
1. Feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge
0
2. Not being able to stop or control worrying
0
1
2
3
3. Worrying too much about different things
0
1
2
3
4. Trouble relaxing
0
1
2
3
5. Being so restless that it is hard to sit still
0
1
2
3
6. Becoming easily annoyed or irritable
0
1
2
3
7. Feeling afraid as if something awful might happen
0
1
2
3
Total Score:
=
Add Columns
_______+ _______+_______
If you checked off any problems, how difficult have these problems made it for you to do your
work, take care of things at home, or get along with other people?
Not at all
Somewhat difficult
______
______
Very difficult
______
Extremely Difficult
______
Interpreting the Score:
Total Score
≥10
Interpretation
5
10
Possible diagnosis of GAD; confirm by
further evaluation
Mild Anxiety
Moderate anxiety
15
Severe anxiety
Adapted from Segal Williams and Teasdale (2007). Copyright by the Guilford Press.
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