Michael Mongno, Ph.D., founder of Present Centered Therapies in Manhattan, describes mindfulness as the cultivation of attending to only the present moment, by being solely focused on and aware of only what is currently happening. “This is a conscious awareness of our thoughts and feelings, our sense sensations and tuning into our environment without any evaluation or judgement—a complete and compassionate acceptance of whatever is occurring now,” he explains.

Some of the key benefits of mindfulness include stress reduction, improved focus and concentration, emotional regulation, enhanced self-awareness, increased resilience, and better sleep. Studies also suggest that a regular mindfulness practice can lower blood pressure and be effective in reducing chronic pain.

Dr. Mongno, an integrative psychotherapist and staunch advocate of mindful-based interventions, enjoys enlightening others on the myriad health benefits of a consistent mindfulness practice.

Why is mindfulness so helpful for people with mental health conditions like anxiety and depression?

Anxiety and depression can keep your mind centered in the past or future. Mindfulness forces the mind into the present moment which is always fresh and new and where there are no evaluative judgements and antecedent or future wanderings. Mindfulness has a calming energy, by simply acknowledging “what is” in a gentle and nurturing way.

Could you briefly explain how mindfulness can change the brain and body and why that's significant?

Practicing mindfulness meditation consistently over time has been shown to produce pronounced changes in the brain's gray matter and connections within its various regions that positively affect your brain chemistry and therefore your mood. This calming of the sympathetic nervous system allows for an energizing response that strengthens parts of the brain responsible for attention and learning, thus creating a positive feedback loop for increased self-awareness. There are cognitive gains as well, in that mindfulness meditation decreases rumination by disengaging from perseverative cognitive activities thus increasing one's attention through expanded working memory. This offers one of the greatest benefits to the individual, that being the self-regulation of one's emotions and states.

How can mindfulness benefit a person's sexual health and relationships?

For some, expressing yourself sexually can come laden with judgment and conditions wired in from our families or culture, or even past traumas that may still carry shame. Finding ways to discover our own pleasure and our body’s innate erotic potential takes both curiosity as well as courage. By mindfully staying in the present moment, sex can become a mutual discovery of what feels good and satisfying, thus becoming more dynamic and pro-active. 

Many people struggle when starting a mindfulness practice, finding that their mind wanders, etc. How can a person overcome this?

In any kind of meditation, the mind is apt to wander, such is the nature of the mind. Our goal is to tether the mind to something other than itself. There are several means to help focus the mind—such as a mantra, chant or an image—but the bare-bones method is to simply follow the breath. But not just follow it. We should mindfully focus on the actual experience of breathing, meaning to really "feel" each breath coming in and flowing through the nostrils, the expansion of the lungs, and the gentle rising of the chest. Of course, what will inevitably happen is that the mind will naturally drift away from this very mindful, visceral experience and begin thinking of an array of things. When this happens, simply say “thinking” and bring your attention back to the breath. Over time, the thoughts will slow down, and space will begin to develop between the thoughts, and in that space, peace and transcendence lie.

What are some ways people can practice mindfulness in their daily lives?

One of the basics of mindfulness is to focus on your senses in any given moment, from moment to moment. So, by bringing awareness to what we’re seeing, hearing, touching or tasting is to live mindfully. Try this with everyday things like washing your hands, brushing your teeth, showering, or waiting patiently in line. We can practice slowly chewing our food, which allows us to really savor it. Basically, we can give ourselves more opportunities in the day to slow down and “smell the roses.”  And one of the most important things to be mindful of is our speech—not only how we talk to ourselves, but also how we speak to others. We want to be conscious of what we’re saying and the way we deliver our messages, as well as being compassionate in our responses, rather than reactive.

Michael T. Mongno, MSC, MFT, Ph.D., LP, has an office conveniently located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan near the Lincoln Center, at 100 W. 67 Street, Ste. #2NE, Between Columbus Ave. and Broadway. For more information, visit PresentCenteredTherapies.com.