September 15, 2025 • 23 mins
Wellness for helping professionals
Meditation has moved from ancient wisdom traditions to the forefront of modern neuroscience, becoming a necessary component of holistic self-care for professional helpers. Scientific research confirms that regular meditation practice rewires the brain for greater resilience, sharper focus, and enhanced compassion—all critical elements for sustaining professional effectiveness and preventing burnout.
- Meditation increases gray matter density in brain areas crucial for learning, memory, and emotional regulation
- Regular practice reduces amygdala size, decreasing stress reactivity and improving our ability to respond thoughtfully
- Meditation activates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting better sleep, digestion, and overall recovery
- Enhanced attention and working memory translate to improved concentration during client sessions and better recall
- Even 2-5 minutes of daily meditation can begin rewiring neural pathways when practiced consistently
- Micro-meditations throughout the workday (three deep breaths before sessions, mindful transitions) reinforce benefits
- Non-judgmental awareness during meditation helps cultivate self-compassion and sustainable empathy
- Professional helpers need meditation not just as self-care but as maintenance for their most valuable tool—their brain
Visit juliemerrimanphd.com to sign up for my self-care challenge and get this podcast plus bonus self-care techniques delivered to your inbox. Please subscribe to help reach more professional helpers.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey y'all, I'm Dr Julie Merriman and welcome to
SoulJoy.
Today we're diving into apractice that has moved from
ancient wisdom traditions to theforefront of modern
neuroscience meditation.
We're exploring the scientificimperative of integrating a
regular meditation practice intothe lives of us professional
(00:23):
helpers, because this is a verynecessary component of holistic,
sustainable self-care, alsoknown as wellness.
All right, hello, hello,welcome.
I'm so glad you're here.
I have had such a fun day.
I got to be a guest on apodcast today.
(00:46):
I can't wait for y'all to hearthat.
If you have a chance to checkout the podcast.
Well, anyway, I'll drop a promoabout that and talk about that.
But it was fun.
I just wanted to share that.
I think it's really important,as professional helpers, for us
to find places to have fun andshare our knowledge, and it's
really important, asprofessional helpers, for us to
find places to have fun andshare our knowledge, and it's
(01:06):
just a great time.
So home chat, just right.
Quick, y'all know I think I'vetalked about our new puppy named
Clark.
We have a puppy named Lewis andwe have a puppy named Clark.
Get it Lewis and Clark theexplorers, because they do some
exploring.
And I got to cut mom's hairtoday.
I put myself through college asa hairdresser and it's so cute
(01:29):
how my mom still thinks I'm theonly one who can cut her hair 45
, 50 years later.
It's really cute, but I got tohang out with her and that was
fun.
So, okay, professional helpers,I take a moment to share about
home, because I just want toillustrate and normalize that we
need to find joy in all aspectsof our life right, work and
(01:50):
home, and just, you know thelittle things.
I want us to be able to stopand pause and appreciate the
little things, because thoselittle moments add up to the big
moments that equal our life.
So, professional helpers, thispodcast is for you, and I have
(02:11):
dedicated it to preventing andovercoming the occupational
hazards of this amazing careerthat we've chosen, and those
hazards are burnout, compassion,fatigue and vicarious trauma.
Are burnout, compassion,fatigue and vicarious trauma.
So, and if you want to knowmore about those, I highly
(02:32):
encourage you to hop over to mywebsite, wwwjuliemerrimanphdcom,
and pick up a copy of my bookIn Pursuit of Soul Joy.
I also have a pretty I thinkbadass blog over there and
there's some just there'svarious things.
I really encourage y'all tocheck out my website.
(02:53):
Okay, in our demanding roles ashelpers, professional helpers.
We're constantly giving,processing complex information
and navigating intense emotionallandscapes.
Y'all our minds, you knowthey're active, right, they're
going all the time.
Our empathy is engaged and ournervous systems are often on
(03:17):
high alert.
It's easy to dismiss practiceslike meditation as a nice to
have kind of thing or maybe aluxury we simply don't have time
for.
I know, over the years I've hadthe luxury I'll go ahead and
say that of participating inmeditation retreats.
(03:37):
I've gone out to California anddone it with Deepak Chopra, and
, oh, I went out to Connecticutand did a two-week silence, just
various things over the years.
It's good stuff.
But I want you to consider if aconsistent meditation practice
isn't just about relaxation.
(03:59):
But what about if it wereliterally about rewiring your
brain so you could have greaterresilience, so you could have
sharper focus and enhancecompassion, which helps to
sustain your professionaleffectiveness?
The science y'all isincreasingly clear and I know
(04:19):
you've seen it, y'all are uberprofessionals, but the science
is clear.
Seen it, y'all are uberprofessionals, but the science
is clear Meditation is apowerful tool for optimizing
brain function and protectingour mental and emotional health.
So today we'll strip away anymysticism, you know any woo-woo
(04:39):
and focus on the tangible.
Focus on the tangible,evidence-based reasons why
meditation is no longer optionalfor you to be a thriving helper
.
We'll explore its impact onyour brain, on your body and on
your ability to show up fully inyour role as a professional
(05:00):
helper, and then I'm going tooffer practical, accessible
entry points for you to developyour own practice.
So let's ground ourselves inwhat I might mean by meditation
in this context.
So I'm primarily referring tomindfulness meditation, the
(05:22):
practice, you know, the practiceof intentionally bringing one's
attention to the present moment, observing thoughts, feelings
and bodily sensations withoutjudgment so important, zero
judgment, just curiosity.
Yeah, this is a mental trainingexercise.
(05:43):
It's really a lot like liftingweights.
You're training your mind, justlike you train your brain.
Okay, so the scientificcommunity has extensively
studied mindfulness and not onlymindfulness, but mindfulness in
relation to meditation, andthey've moved it well beyond
(06:05):
anecdotal claims.
So what exactly is happeningunder the hood when we meditate?
Okay, I've got several thingshere I've researched.
I want to share.
I think three or four, butlet's just roll with it.
So we've got brain structureand function and that's our
neuroplasticity.
So that's your gray matter.
(06:29):
Density.
Okay, research, notably by DrSarah Lazar and her team at
Harvard.
They've shown that regularmeditation literally increases
gray matter density in areas ofthe brain y'all that are crucial
for learning, memory, emotionalregulation let's underline that
(06:50):
one that's a big one for usprofessional helpers and
perspective taking.
These areas include yourhippocampus, you know, that's
your memory and learning, andparts of the prefrontal cortex
really important stuff that'syour executive functioning and
your decision making.
So amygdala shrinkage, let'stalk about that.
(07:12):
The amygdala is our brain'salarm center, red alert.
Your amygdala is responsiblefor the fight or flight or
freeze response.
Studies indicate that mediatorsoften show decreased gray
matter in the amygdala, leadingto reduced reactivity.
(07:37):
Okay, the gray matter hasshrunk so that reactivity is
going to be slower, it's goingto be reduced, is going to be
slower, it's going to be reduced, and this reactivity is reduced
to stress situations,no-transcript.
So we want to take care of thatamygdala, we want to be sure
(08:04):
that it's not oversized.
The shrinkage in thatparticular area would be
something that we want so thatwe're not so reactive.
Right, stress happens, we canhold a pause, we don't kick
directly into catastrophicthinking.
And then there's corticalthickening.
Some studies suggest thatmeditation can lead to
(08:28):
thickening of the prefrontalcortex and this is associated
with attention, concentrationand conscious decision-making.
So this is a good thing.
If we can get that enhanced,we're going to be better
decision-makers.
And this is a good thing.
If we can get that enhanced,we're going to be better
decision-makers.
And what do we do all day long?
I know for myself as atherapist, sitting with clients
(08:50):
all day long, we are makingdecisions all day long, and I
know doctors are, I know nursesare.
I mean that's what we do asprofessional helpers.
We are making constantdecisions daily.
So if meditation can help uswith our gray matter in a manner
that's going to help us withdecision making, help us with
(09:11):
concentration and help us bebetter helpers, it's worth
giving meditation a try.
Worth giving meditation a try.
Next, meditation helps withstress reduction and nervous
system regulation.
So here you're going toexperience reduced cortisol.
(09:32):
Meditation will help you lowerlevels of cortisol and y'all
know that's the primary stresshormone.
Chronic high cortisol levelsare detrimental to your physical
and mental health, as it is toour clients.
So I hope you're talking toyour clients about the benefits
of meditation.
(09:54):
So also we want to talk aboutparasympathetic activation.
Now this shifts the autonomicnervous system from sympathetic
fight or flight freeze dominanceto parasympathetic rest and
digest dominance.
So this means better sleep,better digestion and overall
(10:16):
recovery Very important, andoverall recovery, very important
.
And then we have improvedemotional regulation.
So see, by practicing observingthoughts and feelings without
immediate reaction, we're justwatching and letting them go.
(10:37):
We're not judging, we're justbeing curious.
This helps meditators todevelop a greater capacity to
respond thoughtfully todifficult emotions rather than
being overwhelmed by them.
All good stuff, right.
And have you heard the pricetag on this?
Thus far, I'm seeing a biggoose egg.
It's free, okay.
So the next thing we want tolook at from meditation, you're
(11:01):
going to experience enhancedattention, focus and working
memory.
So enhanced attention, enhancedfocus and enhanced working
memory.
By continually bringing thewandering mind back to the
present moment, we strengthenneural pathways which are
(11:24):
associated with your focus andsustained attention.
This directly translates toimproved concentration during
your client sessions, betterrecall of important details and
reduced distractibility in abusy work environment.
Plus, y'all think aboutteaching this to our clients.
(11:47):
This is a gift to give them,and those of you that might work
with kiddos what a great way tohelp them train their brain at
an early age.
It's just, I mean, it's awin-win, okay.
So how do these scientificbenefits directly translate to
the daily experience andeffectiveness of you, a
(12:09):
professional helper?
Okay, you're gonna haveexperience.
Elevating client care, see, withincreased focus, improved
emotional regulation andenhanced empathy stemming from a
calmer amygdala, you can bemore fully present for your
clients.
You're going to listen moredeeply, you're going to be able
(12:31):
to pick up on subtle clues andyou're going to respond with
greater clarity and compassion.
Respond with greater clarityand compassion.
And then let's look atmeditation through the lens of
burnout prevention.
My, that's my jam.
So meditation, y'all.
It's a powerful antidote tochronic stress and emotional
(12:55):
exhaustion, right, see, byregulating your nervous system
(13:19):
and reducing your reactivity,you're going to build an
internal buffer against theconstant demands of your role,
because they are constant andthey can be very demanding.
So this meditation is just anatural prevention of burnout.
Also, you need to considersharper clinical judgment,
because we're talking aboutdecision making, right?
Better attention with improvedexecutive functioning means
clearer thinking and you're moreeffective in your problem
solving and there's a greaterability for you to make sound,
ethical decisions, especially incomplex or ambiguous situations
(13:45):
Enter a therapy room.
Ambiguous, that's, I mean.
As professional helpers, weface ambiguity constantly.
There's lots of ambiguousthings, so we really need to
have a sharp frontal cortexthat's going to help us with our
clinical judgment.
And you also want to think aboutincreased resilience.
(14:08):
Your ability to bounce backfrom difficult situations
happens better after youmeditate.
See challenging outcomes, or,let's say, professional setbacks
.
See challenging outcomes, or,let's say, professional setbacks
.
Those are significantlyenhanced.
Well, your ability to deal withthose let's say that is
(14:30):
significantly enhanced whenyou're resilient, and that
resiliency comes from meditating.
You're less likely to ruminateand more able to be adept, so
you're going to be more presentwhen you get home, right.
You're going to be more presenton your weekends.
You're going to be more presentwith each client.
(14:53):
And finally, I want to talk toyou about sustainable compassion
.
I'm a big, big, big proponentof self-compassion.
We give lots of compassion tothose that we serve.
But, yeah, when your own innerresources are replenished and
your nervous system is actuallyregulated, your capacity for
(15:15):
genuine, non-enmeshed compassionfor others becomes more
enduring.
It is the star on top of yourChristmas tree.
It is brilliant.
And because you're meditatingon a regular basis, you're
building neural pathways.
You are more available Foryourself, for your clients, for
(15:40):
your loved ones.
Okay, I really think y'all thisevidence is compelling.
But you know how do youactually integrate this into an
already packed schedule, right,I know y'all are busy.
I know y'all are busy, busy,busy.
So how do you go about gettingthis integrated?
(16:00):
Okay, see the good news, youdon't need to do this for hours
a day.
Consistency trumps duration.
So start small, be consistent.
Number one start small, beconsistent.
Begin with five minutes a day,two minutes a day, just begin,
(16:25):
and you can use guidedmeditations.
Y'all there's great apps outthere.
There's Calm, there's Headspace, there's Insight Timer all
great resources.
Youtube has some greatresources.
You place it strategically, themeditation.
You place it strategically inyour day and you know how your
biorhythm goes.
(16:45):
For me, it's going to be firstthing in the morning, but maybe
you need to do over a lunchbreak, or maybe in between
clients.
I do that sometimes.
I'll do a body scan betweenclients just to refresh myself
for that next person coming in,or maybe you do it before your
last task of the day.
Wherever you do it, place itstrategically and, for goodness
(17:08):
sake, do it.
And a scientific tip regularityhelps with brain changes, so
you don't do it once every nowand again.
You put it on your calendar andyou do it regular.
Second, I want to talk to youabout integrating micro
(17:29):
meditations throughout your day.
So, as I said, I do a full bodyscan in between clients.
So this is what I'm talkingabout here the pre-client pause
before each session.
Simply take three deep breaths,ground your feet on the floor,
tap them, tap them, tap them andbring your attention fully to
(17:51):
the present moment.
You can practice mindfultransitions when walking between
appointments or to your car,consciously notice your breath
and sensations in your body, andI would invite you to go into a
full body scan with that.
And if you go back to seasonone, episode one or two, I take
(18:11):
you through full body scans.
I think they're great.
You're checking your chakrasystems from the root all the
way up to your crown.
It's relaxing and it's veryinformative.
I have my clients do on aregular basis because I think
it's very, very important.
Next, let's discuss mindfulbreathing breaks.
(18:32):
Instead of checking your phoneduring a short break, simply
close your eyes and focus onyour breath for one minute.
Easy peasy, right Scientifictip.
These short bursts ofmindfulness reinforce neural
(18:53):
pathways and break cycles ofreactivity.
All good stuff.
Next, let's talk about embracingnon-judgment.
I think as therapists, asprofessional helpers, we're
doing this, but are you doing itfor yourself?
I know you do it for yourclients and patients.
Are you doing it for you?
Your mind is going to wanderand that's not a failure.
(19:18):
When you're meditating, yourmind is going to wander and
we're not going to judge thatit's not a failure.
When you're meditating, yourmind is going to wander and
we're not going to judge thatit's not a failure.
That's why it's called apractice right.
Every time your mind wanders,you just gently bring your
attention back, withoutcriticizing yourself, just
noticing and offering compassionand continuing the practice.
(19:41):
And offering compassion andcontinuing the practice.
The scientific tip here is thatthis non-judgmental attitude is
key to reducing that amygdalaactivity and fostering
self-compassion.
And next, let's talk aboutconnecting meditation to your,
(20:01):
why you want to remind yourselfthat this isn't just self-care.
It's so much more.
It's the veritable foundationthat your life is built on
self-care, aka wellness.
This time to meditate is adirect investment in your
professional competence and yourability to serve others
(20:23):
effectively, your ability tofall in love with your life,
your ability to fall in lovewith your practice, your ability
to be present for those youlove.
The scientific tip here is thatintention can prime the brain
for desired outcomes.
It's pretty powerful.
(20:45):
So, y'all, integrating ameditation practice is no longer
just about personal wellnesschoice for helping professionals
.
It's a scientifically supportedstrategy for enhancing
cognitive function, which we useon a regular basis, regulating
your emotions, which, come on,we get triggered.
(21:06):
I mean we've got to beemotionally regulated to even
interface, to be professionalhelpers, and it helps build
resilience and sustaining thevery capacities that make you,
me, us, effective in ourdemanding roles.
Y'all think of it as anessential maintenance for your
(21:29):
most valuable professional tool,right?
Are you going to want to see asurgeon with a dull instrument?
No, and your clients don't wantto see you with a dull
instrument.
So we've got to keep our brainssharp.
It's our most valuableprofessional tool because we are
(21:50):
the person of the therapist, weare the person of the
professional helper.
Your own brain and nervoussystem are your most valuable
tools.
Even a few minutes a day canbegin to rewire your brain,
making you more present, moreeffective and a more resilient
(22:12):
helper for the long haul.
Okay, that's all for thisepisode of Soul Joy.
I want to invite you to hopover to my website,
wwwjuliemerrymanphdcom and signup for my self-care challenge.
I think it's just a great thingto have, and if you're not
(22:37):
already getting this podcast andmy bonus self-care technique in
your inbox, please sign up toget this podcast in your inbox.
I want to thank you for tuningin and for your dedication to
both your own well-being and thewell-being of those you serve.
And you know, until next time.
(22:58):
I want you to take a moment tobreathe, ground yourself and
experience the quiet power ofthe present moment.
Okay, as I said, subscribe tomy email list.
Please subscribe to thispodcast so I can reach more.
And until next time, take careof you.
Hey y'all, I'm Dr Julie Merriman and welcome to
SoulJoy.
Today we're diving into apractice that has moved from
ancient wisdom traditions to theforefront of modern
neuroscience meditation.
We're exploring the scientificimperative of integrating a
regular meditation practice intothe lives of us professional
(00:23):
helpers, because this is a verynecessary component of holistic,
sustainable self-care, alsoknown as wellness.
All right, hello, hello,welcome.
I'm so glad you're here.
I have had such a fun day.
I got to be a guest on apodcast today.
(00:46):
I can't wait for y'all to hearthat.
If you have a chance to checkout the podcast.
Well, anyway, I'll drop a promoabout that and talk about that.
But it was fun.
I just wanted to share that.
I think it's really important,as professional helpers, for us
to find places to have fun andshare our knowledge, and it's
really important, asprofessional helpers, for us to
find places to have fun andshare our knowledge, and it's
(01:06):
just a great time.
So home chat, just right.
Quick, y'all know I think I'vetalked about our new puppy named
Clark.
We have a puppy named Lewis andwe have a puppy named Clark.
Get it Lewis and Clark theexplorers, because they do some
exploring.
And I got to cut mom's hairtoday.
I put myself through college asa hairdresser and it's so cute
(01:29):
how my mom still thinks I'm theonly one who can cut her hair 45
, 50 years later.
It's really cute, but I got tohang out with her and that was
fun.
So, okay, professional helpers,I take a moment to share about
home, because I just want toillustrate and normalize that we
need to find joy in all aspectsof our life right, work and
(01:50):
home, and just, you know thelittle things.
I want us to be able to stopand pause and appreciate the
little things, because thoselittle moments add up to the big
moments that equal our life.
So, professional helpers, thispodcast is for you, and I have
(02:11):
dedicated it to preventing andovercoming the occupational
hazards of this amazing careerthat we've chosen, and those
hazards are burnout, compassion,fatigue and vicarious trauma.
Are burnout, compassion,fatigue and vicarious trauma.
So, and if you want to knowmore about those, I highly
(02:32):
encourage you to hop over to mywebsite, wwwjuliemerrimanphdcom,
and pick up a copy of my bookIn Pursuit of Soul Joy.
I also have a pretty I thinkbadass blog over there and
there's some just there'svarious things.
I really encourage y'all tocheck out my website.
(02:53):
Okay, in our demanding roles ashelpers, professional helpers.
We're constantly giving,processing complex information
and navigating intense emotionallandscapes.
Y'all our minds, you knowthey're active, right, they're
going all the time.
Our empathy is engaged and ournervous systems are often on
(03:17):
high alert.
It's easy to dismiss practiceslike meditation as a nice to
have kind of thing or maybe aluxury we simply don't have time
for.
I know, over the years I've hadthe luxury I'll go ahead and
say that of participating inmeditation retreats.
(03:37):
I've gone out to California anddone it with Deepak Chopra, and
, oh, I went out to Connecticutand did a two-week silence, just
various things over the years.
It's good stuff.
But I want you to consider if aconsistent meditation practice
isn't just about relaxation.
(03:59):
But what about if it wereliterally about rewiring your
brain so you could have greaterresilience, so you could have
sharper focus and enhancecompassion, which helps to
sustain your professionaleffectiveness?
The science y'all isincreasingly clear and I know
(04:19):
you've seen it, y'all are uberprofessionals, but the science
is clear.
Seen it, y'all are uberprofessionals, but the science
is clear Meditation is apowerful tool for optimizing
brain function and protectingour mental and emotional health.
So today we'll strip away anymysticism, you know any woo-woo
(04:39):
and focus on the tangible.
Focus on the tangible,evidence-based reasons why
meditation is no longer optionalfor you to be a thriving helper
.
We'll explore its impact onyour brain, on your body and on
your ability to show up fully inyour role as a professional
(05:00):
helper, and then I'm going tooffer practical, accessible
entry points for you to developyour own practice.
So let's ground ourselves inwhat I might mean by meditation
in this context.
So I'm primarily referring tomindfulness meditation, the
(05:22):
practice, you know, the practiceof intentionally bringing one's
attention to the present moment, observing thoughts, feelings
and bodily sensations withoutjudgment so important, zero
judgment, just curiosity.
Yeah, this is a mental trainingexercise.
(05:43):
It's really a lot like liftingweights.
You're training your mind, justlike you train your brain.
Okay, so the scientificcommunity has extensively
studied mindfulness and not onlymindfulness, but mindfulness in
relation to meditation, andthey've moved it well beyond
(06:05):
anecdotal claims.
So what exactly is happeningunder the hood when we meditate?
Okay, I've got several thingshere I've researched.
I want to share.
I think three or four, butlet's just roll with it.
So we've got brain structureand function and that's our
neuroplasticity.
So that's your gray matter.
(06:29):
Density.
Okay, research, notably by DrSarah Lazar and her team at
Harvard.
They've shown that regularmeditation literally increases
gray matter density in areas ofthe brain y'all that are crucial
for learning, memory, emotionalregulation let's underline that
(06:50):
one that's a big one for usprofessional helpers and
perspective taking.
These areas include yourhippocampus, you know, that's
your memory and learning, andparts of the prefrontal cortex
really important stuff that'syour executive functioning and
your decision making.
So amygdala shrinkage, let'stalk about that.
(07:12):
The amygdala is our brain'salarm center, red alert.
Your amygdala is responsiblefor the fight or flight or
freeze response.
Studies indicate that mediatorsoften show decreased gray
matter in the amygdala, leadingto reduced reactivity.
(07:37):
Okay, the gray matter hasshrunk so that reactivity is
going to be slower, it's goingto be reduced, is going to be
slower, it's going to be reduced, and this reactivity is reduced
to stress situations,no-transcript.
So we want to take care of thatamygdala, we want to be sure
(08:04):
that it's not oversized.
The shrinkage in thatparticular area would be
something that we want so thatwe're not so reactive.
Right, stress happens, we canhold a pause, we don't kick
directly into catastrophicthinking.
And then there's corticalthickening.
Some studies suggest thatmeditation can lead to
(08:28):
thickening of the prefrontalcortex and this is associated
with attention, concentrationand conscious decision-making.
So this is a good thing.
If we can get that enhanced,we're going to be better
decision-makers.
And this is a good thing.
If we can get that enhanced,we're going to be better
decision-makers.
And what do we do all day long?
I know for myself as atherapist, sitting with clients
(08:50):
all day long, we are makingdecisions all day long, and I
know doctors are, I know nursesare.
I mean that's what we do asprofessional helpers.
We are making constantdecisions daily.
So if meditation can help uswith our gray matter in a manner
that's going to help us withdecision making, help us with
(09:11):
concentration and help us bebetter helpers, it's worth
giving meditation a try.
Worth giving meditation a try.
Next, meditation helps withstress reduction and nervous
system regulation.
So here you're going toexperience reduced cortisol.
(09:32):
Meditation will help you lowerlevels of cortisol and y'all
know that's the primary stresshormone.
Chronic high cortisol levelsare detrimental to your physical
and mental health, as it is toour clients.
So I hope you're talking toyour clients about the benefits
of meditation.
(09:54):
So also we want to talk aboutparasympathetic activation.
Now this shifts the autonomicnervous system from sympathetic
fight or flight freeze dominanceto parasympathetic rest and
digest dominance.
So this means better sleep,better digestion and overall
(10:16):
recovery Very important, andoverall recovery, very important
.
And then we have improvedemotional regulation.
So see, by practicing observingthoughts and feelings without
immediate reaction, we're justwatching and letting them go.
(10:37):
We're not judging, we're justbeing curious.
This helps meditators todevelop a greater capacity to
respond thoughtfully todifficult emotions rather than
being overwhelmed by them.
All good stuff, right.
And have you heard the pricetag on this?
Thus far, I'm seeing a biggoose egg.
It's free, okay.
So the next thing we want tolook at from meditation, you're
(11:01):
going to experience enhancedattention, focus and working
memory.
So enhanced attention, enhancedfocus and enhanced working
memory.
By continually bringing thewandering mind back to the
present moment, we strengthenneural pathways which are
(11:24):
associated with your focus andsustained attention.
This directly translates toimproved concentration during
your client sessions, betterrecall of important details and
reduced distractibility in abusy work environment.
Plus, y'all think aboutteaching this to our clients.
(11:47):
This is a gift to give them,and those of you that might work
with kiddos what a great way tohelp them train their brain at
an early age.
It's just, I mean, it's awin-win, okay.
So how do these scientificbenefits directly translate to
the daily experience andeffectiveness of you, a
(12:09):
professional helper?
Okay, you're gonna haveexperience.
Elevating client care, see, withincreased focus, improved
emotional regulation andenhanced empathy stemming from a
calmer amygdala, you can bemore fully present for your
clients.
You're going to listen moredeeply, you're going to be able
(12:31):
to pick up on subtle clues andyou're going to respond with
greater clarity and compassion.
Respond with greater clarityand compassion.
And then let's look atmeditation through the lens of
burnout prevention.
My, that's my jam.
So meditation, y'all.
It's a powerful antidote tochronic stress and emotional
(12:55):
exhaustion, right, see, byregulating your nervous system
(13:19):
and reducing your reactivity,you're going to build an
internal buffer against theconstant demands of your role,
because they are constant andthey can be very demanding.
So this meditation is just anatural prevention of burnout.
Also, you need to considersharper clinical judgment,
because we're talking aboutdecision making, right?
Better attention with improvedexecutive functioning means
clearer thinking and you're moreeffective in your problem
solving and there's a greaterability for you to make sound,
ethical decisions, especially incomplex or ambiguous situations
(13:45):
Enter a therapy room.
Ambiguous, that's, I mean.
As professional helpers, weface ambiguity constantly.
There's lots of ambiguousthings, so we really need to
have a sharp frontal cortexthat's going to help us with our
clinical judgment.
And you also want to think aboutincreased resilience.
(14:08):
Your ability to bounce backfrom difficult situations
happens better after youmeditate.
See challenging outcomes, or,let's say, professional setbacks
.
See challenging outcomes, or,let's say, professional setbacks
.
Those are significantlyenhanced.
Well, your ability to deal withthose let's say that is
(14:30):
significantly enhanced whenyou're resilient, and that
resiliency comes from meditating.
You're less likely to ruminateand more able to be adept, so
you're going to be more presentwhen you get home, right.
You're going to be more presenton your weekends.
You're going to be more presentwith each client.
(14:53):
And finally, I want to talk toyou about sustainable compassion
.
I'm a big, big, big proponentof self-compassion.
We give lots of compassion tothose that we serve.
But, yeah, when your own innerresources are replenished and
your nervous system is actuallyregulated, your capacity for
(15:15):
genuine, non-enmeshed compassionfor others becomes more
enduring.
It is the star on top of yourChristmas tree.
It is brilliant.
And because you're meditatingon a regular basis, you're
building neural pathways.
You are more available Foryourself, for your clients, for
(15:40):
your loved ones.
Okay, I really think y'all thisevidence is compelling.
But you know how do youactually integrate this into an
already packed schedule, right,I know y'all are busy.
I know y'all are busy, busy,busy.
So how do you go about gettingthis integrated?
(16:00):
Okay, see the good news, youdon't need to do this for hours
a day.
Consistency trumps duration.
So start small, be consistent.
Number one start small, beconsistent.
Begin with five minutes a day,two minutes a day, just begin,
(16:25):
and you can use guidedmeditations.
Y'all there's great apps outthere.
There's Calm, there's Headspace, there's Insight Timer all
great resources.
Youtube has some greatresources.
You place it strategically, themeditation.
You place it strategically inyour day and you know how your
biorhythm goes.
(16:45):
For me, it's going to be firstthing in the morning, but maybe
you need to do over a lunchbreak, or maybe in between
clients.
I do that sometimes.
I'll do a body scan betweenclients just to refresh myself
for that next person coming in,or maybe you do it before your
last task of the day.
Wherever you do it, place itstrategically and, for goodness
(17:08):
sake, do it.
And a scientific tip regularityhelps with brain changes, so
you don't do it once every nowand again.
You put it on your calendar andyou do it regular.
Second, I want to talk to youabout integrating micro
(17:29):
meditations throughout your day.
So, as I said, I do a full bodyscan in between clients.
So this is what I'm talkingabout here the pre-client pause
before each session.
Simply take three deep breaths,ground your feet on the floor,
tap them, tap them, tap them andbring your attention fully to
(17:51):
the present moment.
You can practice mindfultransitions when walking between
appointments or to your car,consciously notice your breath
and sensations in your body, andI would invite you to go into a
full body scan with that.
And if you go back to seasonone, episode one or two, I take
(18:11):
you through full body scans.
I think they're great.
You're checking your chakrasystems from the root all the
way up to your crown.
It's relaxing and it's veryinformative.
I have my clients do on aregular basis because I think
it's very, very important.
Next, let's discuss mindfulbreathing breaks.
(18:32):
Instead of checking your phoneduring a short break, simply
close your eyes and focus onyour breath for one minute.
Easy peasy, right Scientifictip.
These short bursts ofmindfulness reinforce neural
(18:53):
pathways and break cycles ofreactivity.
All good stuff.
Next, let's talk about embracingnon-judgment.
I think as therapists, asprofessional helpers, we're
doing this, but are you doing itfor yourself?
I know you do it for yourclients and patients.
Are you doing it for you?
Your mind is going to wanderand that's not a failure.
(19:18):
When you're meditating, yourmind is going to wander and
we're not going to judge thatit's not a failure.
When you're meditating, yourmind is going to wander and
we're not going to judge thatit's not a failure.
That's why it's called apractice right.
Every time your mind wanders,you just gently bring your
attention back, withoutcriticizing yourself, just
noticing and offering compassionand continuing the practice.
(19:41):
And offering compassion andcontinuing the practice.
The scientific tip here is thatthis non-judgmental attitude is
key to reducing that amygdalaactivity and fostering
self-compassion.
And next, let's talk aboutconnecting meditation to your,
(20:01):
why you want to remind yourselfthat this isn't just self-care.
It's so much more.
It's the veritable foundationthat your life is built on
self-care, aka wellness.
This time to meditate is adirect investment in your
professional competence and yourability to serve others
(20:23):
effectively, your ability tofall in love with your life,
your ability to fall in lovewith your practice, your ability
to be present for those youlove.
The scientific tip here is thatintention can prime the brain
for desired outcomes.
It's pretty powerful.
(20:45):
So, y'all, integrating ameditation practice is no longer
just about personal wellnesschoice for helping professionals
.
It's a scientifically supportedstrategy for enhancing
cognitive function, which we useon a regular basis, regulating
your emotions, which, come on,we get triggered.
(21:06):
I mean we've got to beemotionally regulated to even
interface, to be professionalhelpers, and it helps build
resilience and sustaining thevery capacities that make you,
me, us, effective in ourdemanding roles.
Y'all think of it as anessential maintenance for your
(21:29):
most valuable professional tool,right?
Are you going to want to see asurgeon with a dull instrument?
No, and your clients don't wantto see you with a dull
instrument.
So we've got to keep our brainssharp.
It's our most valuableprofessional tool because we are
(21:50):
the person of the therapist, weare the person of the
professional helper.
Your own brain and nervoussystem are your most valuable
tools.
Even a few minutes a day canbegin to rewire your brain,
making you more present, moreeffective and a more resilient
(22:12):
helper for the long haul.
Okay, that's all for thisepisode of Soul Joy.
I want to invite you to hopover to my website,
wwwjuliemerrymanphdcom and signup for my self-care challenge.
I think it's just a great thingto have, and if you're not
(22:37):
already getting this podcast andmy bonus self-care technique in
your inbox, please sign up toget this podcast in your inbox.
I want to thank you for tuningin and for your dedication to
both your own well-being and thewell-being of those you serve.
And you know, until next time.
(22:58):
I want you to take a moment tobreathe, ground yourself and
experience the quiet power ofthe present moment.
Okay, as I said, subscribe tomy email list.
Please subscribe to thispodcast so I can reach more.
And until next time, take careof you.
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