Mindfulness Spotlight

Spring 2024 | Wellness & Resources Feature

Local family physician Dr. Cynthia Neil is passionate about mindfulness! - both in her own personal experience, & in sharing these tools with patients to support well-being & resilience.

With a wide range of practice spanning three decades, she currently facilitates Kootenay Boundary’s Mindfulness Skills Group - a free 8-week program focused on learning & cultivating mindfulness as a practical tool for stress reduction.

As a researched-backed tool mindfulness is shown to have plenty of health benefits – from helping to reduce anxiety, improve sleep, focus & more. It can be a helpful skill to add to our well-being toolbox!

Curious but not sure where to start? We reached out to Dr. Cynthia to share some of her favorite tips & resources.

Mindfulness is a practice that invites us to shift our focus to the present moment. It involves observing our thoughts, feelings, & sensations in a non-judgmental way – noticing them without trying to change or fix them.

“Anyone can benefit from mindfulness”, encourages Dr. Cynthia.

It can help us to slow down and become more aware of what’s happening inside & around us.

“It’s a skill that can be learned & strengthened. It can be especially helpful when we’re facing challenges like illness, pain, anxiety, or depression.”

"With gentle practice, we can learn to pay attention to our experiences in the present moment, with more kindness & curiosity toward ourselves", she shares.

One of Dr. Cynthia’s favorite simple mindfulness practices is the STOP technique. It’s one that she uses herself & shares often. STOP stands for Stop, Take a breath, Observe, and Proceed.

S: Stop. Whatever you’re doing. Just pause momentarily. This first step allows us to pay attention to sensations in our bodies. Stopping whatever I’m doing, I adjust my posture and allow my shoulders to lower from my ears & soften my brow.

T: Take a breath. First, release all the air from your lungs deeply, & a refreshing inhale follows. This breath helps to trigger our body into the parasympathetic system, where our bodies have an opportunity to rest and heal.

O: Observe. Just notice what is going on. What is happening inside you, & outside of you? Where has your mind gone? What do you feel?

P: Proceed. When you're ready, continue doing what you were doing. Or don’t: You might use the information gained during this check-in to change course.

Start small: Try taking just a few minutes to focus on your breath or use the STOP technique to help bring your attention to the present moment.

Be gentle & patient with yourself: Mindfulness is a skill worth learning. Give yourself credit along the way.

Nurture the habit: Mindfulness is a bit like exercise or learning any new skill – small steady steps work great! To help grow a daily routine try attaching a few minutes of mindfulness to something you do each day already like brushing your teeth in the morning.

Do what works best for you: There are lots of different ways to practice mindfulness. What’s the best approach? – the one that works for you. For some it’s helpful to focus on the breath, for others taking a few moments to focus on the senses or doing some gentle mindfulness movement like a walk or stretch. (Bonus Tip! The free resources below can be a great place to start exploring.)

Free resources are a great way to support your journey! Guided mindfulness exercises & meditations can be a really helpful tool - especially when we're starting out. Many resources are available free & online.

Here's a few to explore...

Dr. Cynthia offers a library of free guided mindfulness meditations on her blog.

Check out this great round-up of free mindfulness apps from mindful.org.

Kootenay Boundary's Mindfulness Skills Group an MSP funded eight-week program focussed on learning & applying mindfulness as a tool to cope with stress & increase everyday well-being. It's currently offered on an ongoing seasonal basis for KB residents by referral from your family doc, nurse practitioner or walk-in clinic team.

Dr. Cynthia Neil is a Kootenay Boundary family physician with a wide range of practice, including family & emergency medicine, spanning three decades. She’s passionate about mindfulness, both in her own personal experience, & in sharing these tools with patients to support health, well-being & resilience.

Dr. Neil facilitates Kootenay Boundary's Mindfulness Skills Group an MSP funded eight-week program focussed on learning & applying mindfulness as a tool to cope with stress & increase everyday well-being.

Find out more about Mindfulness Skills Group >

Stayed tuned to @kbdivision for upcoming sessions.