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Mindfulness Success Stories
Participants share how the program helped them.
Living in the Moment Raising four children, operating her own store for more than 20 years and volunteering as a librarian at a special needs school, Shelly Goldberg of Hellertown, Pa., thought it was normal to do 10 things at once. But since experiencing Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, she’s learned to focus on one task at a time and let go of her stresses.
The owner of Shelly’s Personalized Gifts in Hellertown used to be on “automatic pilot.” “When I came to the store, I’d turn on the radio and computer, make phone calls and coffee – all while waiting on customers. “I still do those things, but I’m also able to connect with my customers and give them my undivided attention,” Goldberg says.
Her journey with Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction began three years ago when an interest in meditation prompted her to sign up for a course. Through “body scanning,” she learned to relax her body beginning with her toes and slowly moving toward her head. “It’s hard to ignore sounds and movements around you, but this trains you to bring your brain back to what you’re doing.” Recognizing that her children are growing up in a fast-paced society, Goldberg encouraged her 17-year-old son, Brandon, to take a course, too. “He may not have practiced all the meditation exercises, but he knows what it feels like to focus and relax. Someday that will be valuable to him.”
Goldberg says she experienced an unexpected lifestyle change. She appreciates even the simplicity of taking a shower. “Before when I showered, my mind was already in the car on my way to work,” she says. “Now I actually focus on shampooing my hair. I enjoy every moment and really appreciate them.”
Since taking the course, she’s added two wingback chairs to her store, welcoming customers to sit down and relieve their stresses. “The same 24 hours are going to pass whether you react impulsively or really live in the moment. I’d rather be in the moment.”
A Birthday GiftWhen Roberta Hower, turned 40, she gave herself a birthday gift. “I enrolled in an exercise program for my body and the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program for my spirit,” she says. Now she uses a “mindfulness cue” – her door chimes – to remind her to stop and focus. “My daughters come and go all the time, so I get many reminders,” she says. “I now spend more time listening to my family and have become a better communicator.”
And as a nurse who evaluates people with hormonal disorders in the Diagnostic Care Center at Lehigh Valley Health Network, being present also helps her “pick up subtle clues that could affect diagnosis.” Hower is so enthusiastic, she gave a speech about mindfulness at the nursing society in which she was president. “I used to be nervous before presentations,” she says. “Now I can focus on my message instead of my nerves.”
Quiet the MindWhether she’s taking a walk, sitting in her car or talking with a patient, nurse Inge Meyer, L.P.N., knows her most important moment is here and now. She’s not getting overwhelmed with mind chatter about phone calls that need to be returned and grocery shopping or laundry that needs to be done.
“I’ve learned to be more mindful of my life and everyday interactions by just being in the moment,” says Meyer, who works at the Center for Healthy Aging at Lehigh Valley Hospital – 17th Street. “Having that mindset can get you through anything.”
Meyer has long used meditation as a psychological balm. But an eight-week program in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction has reinforced her coping skills, helping her better care for her patients and even her colleagues. “If somebody is really depressed or going through a difficult period, I take the time to be with them,” Meyer says. “We’ll do guided imagery, and I’ll teach them to breathe deeply and focus on the moment.”
“I still have to work at controlling my stress,” Meyer says, “but there’s no doubt in my mind these techniques work. I respond more from the heart. Just doing that changes the dynamics of my daily interactions.”
Aahhh, SanctuarySharon Strock, R.N., was going through an acrimonious divorce, adding stress to every day. “My mind was on everything but what I was doing,” says the acute coronary care nurse at Lehigh Valley Health Network. While driving, she would replay arguments in her head instead of paying attention to the road. She would stand in front of the microwave, annoyed because her dinner wasn’t cooking fast enough.
But the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program helped her “let go of the past and not obsess about the future,” she says. “I give total attention to my patients while I am with them and laugh when I obsess about ridiculous things.” Strock has been able to move forward in life – she purchased the Oriental rug she’s always wanted and a ranch home, “my personal sanctuary,” she says.
The Taste of LifeReturning to hospital nursing after 10 years, Mary Beth Lang, R.N., was anxious about doing her job well. “Many things needed to be done at once, and there was so much new technology,” she says. After taking the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program, Lang makes time to prioritize her tasks. When she attends to a patient, “I don’t worry about what I have to do next,” she says. When her unit introduces new technology, “I calmly focus on each procedure. Before I would have lost sleep over it.”
Her new way of thinking also has propelled her to lose 18 pounds. “In the course we practiced savoring a single raisin. I thought it was hokey, but then I recalled my pattern of inhaling food,” she says. “Now I focus on what to eat, so I choose blueberries and nectarines over chocolate cake – and I have time to enjoy each bite.”
Sounds of RelaxationA mother of two children and teacher of support staff in at Lehigh Valley Health Network, nurse Sandra Blackledge, R.N., struggled with balance. “I was impatient with my kids and stressed over projects at work,” she says. “So while my students practiced exercises, I would lose focus and become distracted by other responsibilities.”
But then she began practicing meditation, using a CD from Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program to help her focus. “I now focus solely on my students. I’m better at picking up on non-verbal cues that allow me to identify and correct their learning problems right away,” Blackledge says. She’s even passing on the mindfulness lessons, meditating with her 5-year-old daughter to help her fall asleep each night.
“I was pampered.”Life was moving too quickly for Mary Lynch, R.N. “I felt like I was being pulled in a million directions," she says. She needed a way to cope with life’s craziness and she found it in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program.
The eight-week program, led by psychiatrist Susan Wiley, M.D., and psychologist Joanne Cohen-Katz, Ph.D., teaches yoga and meditation, and how to live in the present and become aware of your feelings and needs. “I felt like I was being pampered because the course was taught with such great support, kindness and encouragement,” she says.
Lynch now “thinks things through instead of relying on knee-jerk reactions,” she says, adding that the skills came in good use when she was recently disappointed by a friend. “I’m better able to view situations from both sides and be more compassionate.”
Two years after taking her initial class, she still practices deep breathing techniques to help her stay focused and shares what she learned with her patients. “This program is a gift,” she says, “and I’d like everyone to receive the same gift.”
She Found Calm in ChaosWhenever a traffic jam made her late for an appointment, the stress level of certified diabetes educator Eileen Komar, R.N., would skyrocket. By taking Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, she learned how to meditate, do yoga and deal with uncomfortable situations. “Now, I live in the moment and don’t worry about things I have no control over, like traffic,” Komar says.
She also found support in fellow classmates, who would share their stories during each meeting. “I realized everyone has problems - no one is perfect.” Since taking the classes, Komar’s blood pressure dropped from 140/90 to a perfect 120/80. She also lost 15 pounds by eliminating stress-induced snacking (the course taught her how to eat mindfully and savor each bite, therefore becoming full sooner). “I used to worry and become tearful,” she says, “but now I have new methods to deal with stress.”
“I Am Worthy”The stress in nurse Anita Ambler’s, R.N., life was snowballing into a serious problem. She was miserable at work, and at home, her mood was even worse. Her built-up tension began affecting her health to the point where she would have to lie down. “I’m too young to feel like this,” Ambler thought.
That’s when Ambler’s doctor suggested Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. “I thought the class would be a waste of my time,” Ambler remembers. “But when I began learning new mindfulness techniques, I decided I was worthy of giving myself this time.”
Now, Ambler lives in the moment. She practices mindfulness walking. She slows down, concentrates on each step and takes a break from thinking about what she has to do next. “I practice mindfulness breathing, too,” she says. “I take deep breaths and connect with myself before I start the day.”
Finding time for herself totally changed Ambler’s perspective on life. “The world opened up for me,” she says. “Now, I notice the beauty around me.” Professionally, the change has been equally meaningful. “I’m more compassionate with my patients, and I’ve learned to do things in a more loving, accepting way.”
This page last updated 10/24/08 12:21 PM
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A Birthday Gift
The Taste of Life
Sounds of Relaxation
She Found Calm in Chaos
