Mindfulness Off the Cushion

Season 2 Bonus - Dr Sears guides us through the process of working mindfully with chronic pain.

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What would you like to know about mindfulness or how it can help you with the issues you are facing? Record your question for our podcast team. If your message is selected, we will answer it on the podcast!

Ask us a question on our website at https://www.austinmindfulness.org/podcast

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Season 2 Special Guest Dr. Richard W. Sears, PsyD PhD MBA is a board-certified clinical psychologist, speaker, and consultant. He is a core faculty member of the PsyD Program in Clinical Psychology at Union Institute & University, where he is the Director of the Center for Clinical Mindfulness & Meditation. He is also Volunteer Associate Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences at the UC College of Medicine, Clinical Assistant Professor at Write State University School of Professional Psychology, and clinical/research faculty at the University of Cincinnati Center for Integrative Health and Wellness. He runs a private psychology practice in Cincinnati and conducts mindfulness groups at the Alliance Institute for Integrative Medicine.

On top of all that, Dr. Sears is a sixth degree black belt in To-Shin Do / Ninjitsu. He has studied and practiced mindfulness and the Eastern Wisdom traditions over 30 years, and was given a doctorate in Buddhist Studies from Buddha Dharma University. He received ordination in the Japanese Tendai lineage, Bodhisattva ordination and authority to teach kõans (inka) under Paul Wonji Lynch in the Zen lineage of Seung Sahn, and ordination in the Vietnamese Zen tradition of Thich Thien An under Suhita Dharma.

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Host Lance Vaughn, co-owner of Austin Mindfulness Center and self-described ‘mindfulness student.’ 

Co-host Claudio Barrientos, Certified Mindfulness Instructor at Austin Mindfulness Center.

Season 2 with Dr Richard Sears - Just like emotional pain, everyone will experience physical pain in their lives. Pain comes in myriad forms - aching, throbbing, tingling, pulsating, stabbing, radiating, cramping, burning  -  just to name a few. 

What is the difference between acute pain and chronic pain? Is pain really a signal, and if so, why do we need it? Why do some people quickly recover from pain, while others become more permanently afflicted? How can mindfulness help with chronic pain, from both a clinical and anecdotal perspective? 

In this episode of Mindfulness Off the Cushion, we’ll probe the complexities of chronic pain. Without minimizing the undeniable experience of pain, we'll also offer up some ways to cope.

Season 2 Special Guest Dr. Richard W. Sears, PsyD PhD MBA, core faculty of PsyD Program in Clinical Psychology at Union Institute & University and Director of The Center for Clinical Mindfulness and Meditation. 

Host Lance Vaughn, co-owner of Austin Mindfulness Center and self-described ‘mindfulness student.’ 

Co-host Claudio Barrientos, Certified Mindfulness Instructor at Austin Mindfulness Center.

Season 2 Bonus - Dr Sears guides you through the practice of making space for grief and loss. 

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What would you like to know about mindfulness or how it can help you with the issues you are facing? Record your question for our podcast team. If your message is selected, we will answer it on the podcast!

Ask us a question on our website at https://www.austinmindfulness.org/podcast

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Season 2 Special Guest Dr. Richard W. Sears, PsyD PhD MBA is a board-certified clinical psychologist, speaker, and consultant. He is a core faculty member of the PsyD Program in Clinical Psychology at Union Institute & University, where he is the Director of the Center for Clinical Mindfulness & Meditation. He is also Volunteer Associate Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences at the UC College of Medicine, Clinical Assistant Professor at Write State University School of Professional Psychology, and clinical/research faculty at the University of Cincinnati Center for Integrative Health and Wellness. He runs a private psychology practice in Cincinnati and conducts mindfulness groups at the Alliance Institute for Integrative Medicine.

On top of all that, Dr. Sears is a sixth degree black belt in To-Shin Do / Ninjitsu. He has studied and practiced mindfulness and the Eastern Wisdom traditions over 30 years, and was given a doctorate in Buddhist Studies from Buddha Dharma University. He received ordination in the Japanese Tendai lineage, Bodhisattva ordination and authority to teach kõans (inka) under Paul Wonji Lynch in the Zen lineage of Seung Sahn, and ordination in the Vietnamese Zen tradition of Thich Thien An under Suhita Dharma.

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Host Lance Vaughn, co-owner of Austin Mindfulness Center and self-described ‘mindfulness student.’ 

Co-host Claudio Barrientos, Certified Mindfulness Instructor at Austin Mindfulness Center.

Season 2 with Dr Richard Sears -“Nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” 

While most of us probably wish Benjamin Franklin’s infamous phrase weren’t true, avoiding it won’t make it any less honest. So, in this episode of Mindfulness Off the Cushion, we’ll take some time to gently - yet honestly - explore the deeply human experience of grief and loss, rooted in ways in which mindfulness can help us through. 

In a twist of fate that hits home even more deeply than usual for our team, Dr. Sears lost his mother just recently, before recording this podcast. From this place of honesty and lived experience, we hope we can offer something tender and useful to you in your own journey through life and loss. Mindfulness is not meant to be practiced only when we feel good. As Dr. Sears simply puts it, sometimes reality hurts. We would not be human without this factor of pain, of loss. 

But here’s the tiny, golden nugget: by paying attention to the reality of our experience, and the thoughts and feelings that arise with it, we can learn to honor the grief. We can learn to honor the sadness. In honoring our sadness, we can better come to recognize the reality that loss can occur at any minute. In so doing, we can also come to even more deeply treasure the people who matter to us, right now. 

Join us, as we navigate how to make space for sadness - without letting it overwhelm us.

Season 2 Special Guest Dr. Richard W. Sears, PsyD PhD MBA, core faculty of PsyD Program in Clinical Psychology at Union Institute & University and Director of The Center for Clinical Mindfulness and Meditation. 

Host Lance Vaughn, co-owner of Austin Mindfulness Center and self-described ‘mindfulness student.’ 

Co-host Claudio Barrientos, Certified Mindfulness Instructor at Austin Mindfulness Center.

Season 2 Bonus - Dr Sears guides you through the contemplative practice of noticing the early signs of depression. 

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What would you like to know about mindfulness or how it can help you with the issues you are facing? Record your question for our podcast team. If your message is selected, we will answer it on the podcast!

Ask us a question on our website at https://www.austinmindfulness.org/podcast

--

Season 2 Special Guest Dr. Richard W. Sears, PsyD PhD MBA is a board-certified clinical psychologist, speaker, and consultant. He is a core faculty member of the PsyD Program in Clinical Psychology at Union Institute & University, where he is the Director of the Center for Clinical Mindfulness & Meditation. He is also Volunteer Associate Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences at the UC College of Medicine, Clinical Assistant Professor at Write State University School of Professional Psychology, and clinical/research faculty at the University of Cincinnati Center for Integrative Health and Wellness. He runs a private psychology practice in Cincinnati and conducts mindfulness groups at the Alliance Institute for Integrative Medicine.

On top of all that, Dr. Sears is a sixth degree black belt in To-Shin Do / Ninjitsu. He has studied and practiced mindfulness and the Eastern Wisdom traditions over 30 years, and was given a doctorate in Buddhist Studies from Buddha Dharma University. He received ordination in the Japanese Tendai lineage, Bodhisattva ordination and authority to teach kõans (inka) under Paul Wonji Lynch in the Zen lineage of Seung Sahn, and ordination in the Vietnamese Zen tradition of Thich Thien An under Suhita Dharma.

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Host Lance Vaughn, co-owner of Austin Mindfulness Center and self-described ‘mindfulness student.’ 

Co-host Claudio Barrientos, Certified Mindfulness Instructor at Austin Mindfulness Center.

Season 2 with Dr Richard Sears - In this episode of Mindfulness Off the Cushion, Dr. Sears joins us to discuss an important topic that will touch many of us in our lifetimes - depression. Depressive disorders are second only to anxiety disorders as the most common form of mental disorder experienced worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least one out of every eight people will live with a mental health disorder, with anxiety and depression being the most prevalent. 

While the term depression is often used somewhat loosely, it's important to distinguish the differences between experiencing clinical depression versus a temporary low mood or feeling of sadness. Depression is also markedly different from grief and loss, which we’ll explore in a different episode. In this episode, we’ll discuss some of those key differences as well as ways in which depression can affect us not just emotionally, but mentally and physically as well. In addition, we’ll cover how mindfulness-based modalities can help those of us who suffer from depression.

Depression is a treatable condition. It's our goal to provide you with practical, research-based options to help you cope.

Season 2 Special Guest Dr. Richard W. Sears, PsyD PhD MBA, core faculty of PsyD Program in Clinical Psychology at Union Institute & University and Director of The Center for Clinical Mindfulness and Meditation.

Host Lance Vaughn, co-owner of Austin Mindfulness Center and self-described ‘mindfulness student.’ 

Co-host Claudio Barrientos, Certified Mindfulness Instructor at Austin Mindfulness Center.

Season 2 Bonus - Dr Sears guides you through the contemplative practice of bringing compassion to our anxiety and forging a new, healthier relationship with ourselves. 

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What would you like to know about mindfulness or how it can help you with the issues you are facing? Record your question for our podcast team. If your message is selected, we will answer it on the podcast!

Ask us a question on our website at https://www.austinmindfulness.org/podcast

--

Season 2 Special Guest Dr. Richard W. Sears, PsyD PhD MBA is a board-certified clinical psychologist, speaker, and consultant. He is a core faculty member of the PsyD Program in Clinical Psychology at Union Institute & University, where he is the Director of the Center for Clinical Mindfulness & Meditation. He is also Volunteer Associate Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences at the UC College of Medicine, Clinical Assistant Professor at Write State University School of Professional Psychology, and clinical/research faculty at the University of Cincinnati Center for Integrative Health and Wellness. He runs a private psychology practice in Cincinnati and conducts mindfulness groups at the Alliance Institute for Integrative Medicine.

On top of all that, Dr. Sears is a sixth degree black belt in To-Shin Do / Ninjitsu. He has studied and practiced mindfulness and the Eastern Wisdom traditions over 30 years, and was given a doctorate in Buddhist Studies from Buddha Dharma University. He received ordination in the Japanese Tendai lineage, Bodhisattva ordination and authority to teach kõans (inka) under Paul Wonji Lynch in the Zen lineage of Seung Sahn, and ordination in the Vietnamese Zen tradition of Thich Thien An under Suhita Dharma.

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Host Lance Vaughn, co-owner of Austin Mindfulness Center and self-described ‘mindfulness student.’ 

Co-host Claudio Barrientos, Certified Mindfulness Instructor at Austin Mindfulness Center.

Season 2 with Dr Richard Sears - In our previous episode of Mindfulness Off the Cushion, we briefly touched on the topic of anxiety as it relates to the many possible symptoms and outcomes of burnout. Anxiety, which is recognized as a chronic illness when diagnosed as a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), deserves its own podcast episode. In this episode, we’ll devote our time together to attempt to define anxiety, identifying three main components: the physical, emotional, and mental. 

We’ll also explore the benefits and potential pitfalls of using mindfulness to conquer anxiety, tips for dealing with anxiety’s cousin, procrastination, and how to treat anxiety like an old friend.

Season 2 Special Guest Dr. Richard W. Sears, PsyD PhD MBA, core faculty of PsyD Program in Clinical Psychology at Union Institute & University and Director of The Center for Clinical Mindfulness and Meditation.

Host Lance Vaughn, co-owner of Austin Mindfulness Center and self-described ‘mindfulness student.’ 

Co-host Claudio Barrientos, Certified Mindfulness Instructor at Austin Mindfulness Center.

Season 2 Bonus - Dr Sears guides you through the contemplative practice of bringing awareness to how we're feeling and what might be stressing us out.

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What would you like to know about mindfulness or how it can help you with the issues you are facing? Record your question for our podcast team. If your message is selected, we will answer it on the podcast!

Ask us a question on our website at https://www.austinmindfulness.org/podcast

--

Season 2 Special Guest Dr. Richard W. Sears, PsyD PhD MBA is a board-certified clinical psychologist, speaker, and consultant. He is a core faculty member of the PsyD Program in Clinical Psychology at Union Institute & University, where he is the Director of the Center for Clinical Mindfulness & Meditation. He is also Volunteer Associate Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences at the UC College of Medicine, Clinical Assistant Professor at Write State University School of Professional Psychology, and clinical/research faculty at the University of Cincinnati Center for Integrative Health and Wellness. He runs a private psychology practice in Cincinnati and conducts mindfulness groups at the Alliance Institute for Integrative Medicine.

On top of all that, Dr. Sears is a sixth degree black belt in To-Shin Do / Ninjitsu. He has studied and practiced mindfulness and the Eastern Wisdom traditions over 30 years, and was given a doctorate in Buddhist Studies from Buddha Dharma University. He received ordination in the Japanese Tendai lineage, Bodhisattva ordination and authority to teach kõans (inka) under Paul Wonji Lynch in the Zen lineage of Seung Sahn, and ordination in the Vietnamese Zen tradition of Thich Thien An under Suhita Dharma.

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Host Lance Vaughn, co-owner of Austin Mindfulness Center and self-described ‘mindfulness student.’ 

Co-host Claudio Barrientos, Certified Mindfulness Instructor at Austin Mindfulness Center.

Season 2 with Dr Richard Sears - In this episode of Mindfulness Off the Cushion, we discuss something all of us experience, and most of us want to experience less: stress. 

What is the relationship between stress and burnout? Is there a difference? In what way is stress a form of energy? How much is too much?

We’ll cover these questions and more, while also exploring major symptoms of stress and burnout, how mindfulness can help with stress management, and what effective stress management might look like for you. We’ve packed a lot into this brief episode and it's our hope that it will help you get a jumpstart on easing more gracefully through your own daily struggles. 

Season 2 Special Guest Dr. Richard W. Sears, PsyD PhD MBA, core faculty of PsyD Program in Clinical Psychology at Union Institute & University and Director of The Center for Clinical Mindfulness and Meditation. 

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What would you like to know about mindfulness or how it can help you with the issues you are facing? Record your question for our podcast team. If your message is selected, we will answer it on the podcast!

Ask us a question on our website at https://www.austinmindfulness.org/podcast

--

Season 2 Special Guest Dr. Richard W. Sears, PsyD PhD MBA is a board-certified clinical psychologist, speaker, and consultant. He is a core faculty member of the PsyD Program in Clinical Psychology at Union Institute & University, where he is the Director of the Center for Clinical Mindfulness & Meditation. He is also Volunteer Associate Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences at the UC College of Medicine, Clinical Assistant Professor at Write State University School of Professional Psychology, and clinical/research faculty at the University of Cincinnati Center for Integrative Health and Wellness. He runs a private psychology practice in Cincinnati and conducts mindfulness groups at the Alliance Institute for Integrative Medicine.

On top of all that, Dr. Sears is a sixth degree black belt in To-Shin Do / Ninjitsu. He has studied and practiced mindfulness and the Eastern Wisdom traditions over 30 years, and was given a doctorate in Buddhist Studies from Buddha Dharma University. He received ordination in the Japanese Tendai lineage, Bodhisattva ordination and authority to teach kõans (inka) under Paul Wonji Lynch in the Zen lineage of Seung Sahn, and ordination in the Vietnamese Zen tradition of Thich Thien An under Suhita Dharma.

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Host Lance Vaughn, co-owner of Austin Mindfulness Center and self-described ‘mindfulness student.’ 

Co-host Claudio Barrientos, Certified Mindfulness Instructor at Austin Mindfulness Center.