A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook

by Bob Stahl, Elisha Goldstein, Jon Kabat-Zinn (Foreword by), Saki Santorelli (Afterword)

Overview

Stress and pain are nearly unavoidable in our daily lives; they are part of the human condition. This stress can often leave us feeling irritable, tense, overwhelmed, and burned-out. The key to maintaining balance is responding to stress not with frustration and self-criticism, but with mindful, nonjudgmental awareness of our bodies and minds. Impossible? Actually, it's easier than it seems.

In just weeks, you can learn mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), a clinically proven program for alleviating stress, anxiety, panic, depression, chronic pain, and a wide range of medical conditions. Taught in classes and clinics worldwide, this powerful approach shows you how to focus on the present moment in order to permanently change the way you handle stress. As you work through this book, you'll learn how to replace stress-promoting habits with mindful ones-a skill that will last a lifetime.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781572247086
Publisher:	New Harbinger Publications
Publication date:	03/01/2010
Series:	Workbook Series
Edition description:	Workbook
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	7.80(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Bob Stahl, Ph.D., founded and directs mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) programs in three medical centers in the San Francisco Bay Area. A longtime mindfulness practitioner, he has completed MBSR teacher certification at University of Massachusetts Medical Center and lived in a Buddhist monastery for more than eight years. Bob also serves as adjunct senior teacher for Oasis, the institute for mindfulness-based professional education at the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.



Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and cofounder of the Mindfulness Center for Psychotherapy and Psychiatry. He teaches MBSR and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) in West Los Angeles. He is author of the audio CD series Mindful Solutions, which deals with issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, addiction, adult ADHD, and success at work. He is also author of popular mindfulness and psychotherapy blogs on www.psychcentral.com and www.mentalhelp.net, and conducts workshops, radio interviews, and lectures on the therapeutic benefits of mindfulness.



Foreword writer Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., is author of numerous books, including Full Catastrophe Living; Wherever You Go, There You Are; and Coming to Our Senses.



Afterword writer Saki Santorelli, Ed.D., MA, is executive director of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and author of Heal Thyself.



Visit www.mbsrworkbook.com for more information.

Table of Contents

foreword ix

acknowledgments xiii

introduction 1

chapter 1 what is mindfulness? 15

chapter 2 mindfulness and the mind-body connection 17

chapter 3 how to practice mindfulness meditation 41

chapter 4 how mindfulness works with stress reduction 51

chapter 5 mindfulness of the body 65

chapter 6 deepening your practice 83

chapter 7 meditation for anxiety and stress 115

chapter 8 transforming fear through loving-kindness meditation 143

chapter 9 interpersonal mindfulness 157

chapter 10 the healthy path of mindful eating, exercise, rest, and connection 177

chapter 11 keeping up your practice 191

afterword 199

resources 201

references 209

index 215

What People are Saying About This

Daniel J. Siegel

"These illuminating insights and practical exercises can transform your life and even help you build a stronger brain . . . . The authors have provided a step-by-step approach to bringing [MBSR] into your daily life. Why not start now?"--(Daniel J. Siegel, MD, author of Mindsight and The Mindful Brain)

Jack Kornfield

"This is an excellent, systematic, helpful, and practical workbook. Doing these practices brings many blessings. They will reduce stress and truly transform your life."--(Jack Kornfield, Ph.D., author of The Wise Heart and A Path with Heart)

Interviews

Stahl resides in Santa Cruz, CA; Goldstein resides in West Los Angeles, CA.

Editorial Reviews

“This is an excellent, systematic, helpful, and practical workbook. Doing these practices brings many blessings. They will reduce your stress and truly transform your life.”
—Jack Kornfield, Ph.D., author of The Wise Heart, A Path with Heart, and After the Ecstasy, the Laundry

“The biggest challenge for any do-it-yourself course is to include exercises that people will actually want to stop and do. In this book, the exercises are skillfully introduced along with spaces that remind the reader, ‘This part is up to you to do now!’ I think readers will start practicing immediately with confidence that the program will show results.”
—Sylvia Boorstein, author of Happiness Is an Inside Job, It’s Easier than You Think, and That's Funny, You Don't Look Buddhist

“I found this workbook informative, helpful, and user-friendly. It is filled with pragmatic tools to keep the practitioner on track and would be beneficial to all who read it.”
—Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness, A Heart as Wide as the World, and Faith


“This fine book is about the unburdening of the mind and the release of our inherent wisdom. It breaks the hard sternum of our resistance and opens the lotus of the heart. The method that ends our madness.”
—Stephen Levine, author of Who Dies?, A Year to Live, and Unattended Sorrow


“For anyone drawn to a path of mindfulness, this workbook will provide a clear and accessible companion. Authors Bob Stahl and Elisha Goldstein expertly guide readers through a rich assortment of mindfulness practices and reflections, providing invaluable tools for handling stress and living life with presence and heart.”
—Tara Brach, Ph.D., author of Radical Acceptance


“We are such a stressed society that many of us are stressed about how stressed we are. Books abound that give us more information. But A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook takes a far more helpful approach. It takes you by the hand and leads you step by step. If you want your life to have greater balance and peace, if you want to live with less stress and more joy, I can't recommend this beautiful offering highly enough.”
—John Robbins, author of Healthy at 100, Diet for a New America, and Reclaiming Our Health


“This book is an excellent guide to the life-changing practice of mindfulness. In these pages, you will find the missing piece, the hidden truth, and the open secret. Mindfulness saved my life and transformed my world. This workbook offers the key to health, happiness and freedom. Read it, work it, practice it, and be free.”
—Noah Levine, MA, author of Dharma Punx and Against the Stream


“What a delight it has been too review this beautifully written, deeply important book that offers readers a path toward a new life balance. For those interested in knowing more about what it is that has excited so many in the fields of medicine, psychology, neuroscience, and education, this book is a mind-opening volume that will clarify the key concepts of mindful meditation. Those who simply want to find ways to reduce stress and anxiety will find it to be an extraordinary aid. Those in a program of mindfulness-based stress reduction will find this book an invaluable addition to their training. A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook adds depth to the practice of mindfulness for everyone, from beginning practitioners to experienced teachers of mindfulness stress reduction classes.”
—Marion Solomon, Ph.D., director of training at the Lifespan Learning Institute and author of Love and War in Intimate Relationships

From the Publisher

In this second edition, Stahl and Goldstein cover the basics of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and so much more. Thoughtful exercises as well as guided audio practices offer a healing and compassionate path toward greater self-awareness, wisdom, and connectedness to the depth and richness of the present moment. With commitment, practice, and this book, you can learn to live a less stressful and more meaningful life. I highly recommend it.”
—Michael A. Tompkins, PhD, ABPP, codirector of the San Francisco Bay Area Center for Cognitive Therapy; assistant clinical professor in the department of clinical psychology at the University of California, Berkeley; and author of Anxiety and Avoidance

Michael A. Tompkins

Together with straightforward exercises, reflections, and inspiring stories, the authors have beautifully composed a book to help you explore and learn one of the most important skills of human life: being present to it. We cannot control all stressors of life, but this book can teach you how to engage with them differently, creating more freedom, awareness, and choice.”
—Daniel Ek, MS, clinical psychologist, mindfulness teacher, and coauthor of The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Stress Reduction

Daniel Ek

A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook is a seminal work that does three things very well: It recognizes that the human condition makes stress inevitable. It teaches time-proven methods of traditional mindfulness for stress reduction. And finally, it presents the latest evidence-based refinements for relieving stress.”
—Patrick Fanning, coauthor of The Daily Relaxer and Mind and Emotions

Patrick Fanning

A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook presents a clear and insightful road map for those looking to manage and ease their distress. Whether you have years of experience with mindfulness or this will be your first introduction, Stahl and Goldstein do a masterful job of providing an easy-to-implement plan that has significant depth. I look forward to recommending this book to anyone interested in learning more about how mindfulness can help reduce stress and other emotional challenges.”
—Jonathan Barkin, PsyD, partner at the San Francisco Bay Area Center for Cognitive Therapy; assistant clinical professor at the University of California, Berkeley; and coauthor of The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook for Teens

Jonathan Barkin

When I struggle with anxious thoughts, and worry holds my body hostage, the most powerful tools in my mindfulness practice are found right here in this book. Who knew that following my breath moment by moment and noticing each thought, feeling, and sensation that arises without labeling it good or bad could radically transform my life for the better? It sounds so simple, but it actually takes hard work and practice. That is why this book is essential and effective for anyone who is looking for relief from life’s daily uncertainty and stress. The techniques can be found here and now.”
—Wendy Millstine, NC, coauthor of the Five Good Minutes® series, Daily Meditations for Calming Your Anxious Mind, and Calming the Rush of Panic

Wendy Millstine