Emily Irwin on Mindfulness

“One of the things that’s really difficult with loss is staying self-regulated, and being able to take care of ourselves and knowing what it takes to take care of ourselves. And mindfulness can have a really big impact on self-regulation.”

— Emily Irwin

I had such a great discussion with Emily Irwin for this episode. Emily is a therapist and a mindfulness expert based here in Seattle. It seems that mindfulness is all around us these days, so I thought it would be interesting to explore how it might be useful for us as widowed parents, as well as for our kids and teenagers.

Emily and I covered a lot of ground in this discussion:

• What is mindfulness, and what it is not;

• Some common myths and misconceptions about mindfulness;

• How mindfulness can be beneficial for widowed parents and their kids/teens;

• Ideas for practicing gratitude, such as a gratitude jar or the gratitude toss;

• Considerations for trauma-sensitive mindfulness;

• What is neuroplasticity, and how it is something that benefits us through our entire lives, not just when we’re young;

• How some early research shows that mindfulness has the potential to help improve teens’ resilience to stress; and

• Tips for practicing self-compassion, and why it’s so important.

I hope you enjoy my discussion with Emily Irwin.

Links & resources for this episode

• Mindful Schools

• Hoberman Sphere

• YouTube: Soul Pancake gratitude letters

• YouTube: Mindfulness is a Superpower

• 10% Happier with Dan Harris Podcast

• University of Washington’s Center for Child and Family Well-Being

• University of Massachusetts Medical School’s Center for Mindfulness

• UCLA Mindfulness Awareness Research Center

• Susan Kaiser Greenland - website and Mindful Games activity cards

• Episode 11 with Lane Pease

• Episode 13 with Dr. Lisa Damour

• Widowed Parent Podcast discussion group

  Books discussed

• 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works--A True Story, by Dan Harris

• Alphabreaths: The ABCs of Mindful Breathing, by Christopher Willard and Daniel Rechtschaffen

• Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body, by Daniel Goleman and Richard Davidson

• The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk

• Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankyl

• Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics: A 10% Happier How-to Book, by Dan Harris

• Mindful Games: Sharing Mindfulness and Meditation with Children, Teens, and Families, by Susan Kaiser Greenland

• The Self-Compassion Workbook for Teens, by Dr. Karen Bluth

• Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness, by David Treleaven

• Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls, by Dr. Lisa Damour

• Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood, by Dr. Lisa Damour

• Books by Shawn Achor

• Books by Dr. Dan Siegel

  Where to find Emily

• Psychology Today profile

• Facebook: @margaroad

• email: contact@margaroad.com

More links for listeners

• Download: Kids & Grief: What You Need to Know

• Article: I’m a Widowed Mom: Here Are My 3 Tips for COVID-19 Widows

• Book: Widowed Parents Unite: 52 Tips to Get Through the First Year, from One Widowed Parent to Another

Thank you sponsors & partners:

Help Texts - Grief support text messaging service. Tips and support delivered all year long, personalized based on your loss. Listeners get $10 off: https://helptexts.com/jennylisk

BetterHelp - Talk with a licensed, professional therapist online. Get 10% off your first month: betterhelp.com/widowedparent

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