Mindfulness-Informed Therapy
Slow down, notice what's happening, and choose your response.
What mindfulness-informed therapy means
Mindfulness in therapy isn't relaxation, and it isn't a wellness program. It's the trained ability to notice what's happening — in your body, your mind, the moment — soon enough to do something with it. That skill sits underneath a lot of other work, which is why it shows up across DBT, trauma treatment, and substance use work.
Present-moment awareness
Mindfulness sounds simple in theory, but practicing it can be surprisingly difficult. It means learning to notice what is happening right now — including thoughts, emotions, sensations, and circumstances — without immediately trying to change, avoid, or judge them. Accepting the reality of the present moment doesn't mean giving up on change. It means starting with what is actually happening, so we can respond more effectively rather than reacting automatically or getting pulled into the past or the future.
Noticing without judgment
The reflex to label a feeling as bad or a thought as stupid is part of what keeps it stuck. Noticing without judgment means describing what's there — an urge, a tightness, a familiar thought — without immediately making it mean something. That gap is where choice lives.
Responding, not reacting
The point isn't to feel calm. The point is to respond on purpose rather than being pulled along. Sometimes that looks like doing something different. Sometimes it looks like doing nothing and letting the urge pass. Either way, it's a choice you made, not one that made itself.
What the work looks like
A clear structure, at a pace that is workable
- 01
Build awareness
We start by learning to notice what is happening — in your thoughts, emotions, body, and environment — without immediately reacting to it or trying to make it different. From there, we can begin to understand what you are experiencing and consider how you want to respond.
- 02
Learn a short practice
Brief, specific exercises: observing, describing, one-thing-at-a-time, breath anchoring, urge surfing.
- 03
Practice in session
We do it together first, so it's familiar before you need it under pressure.
- 04
Use it in real life
We attach practice to moments that already happen in your day and troubleshoot what gets in the way.
Common questions
Questions people ask first
- Is this the same as meditation?
- No. The practices used here are brief and specific, usually under five minutes, and chosen for a particular problem — not for long sitting sessions.
- Is mindfulness religious?
- The practices are secular and skills-based, drawn from clinical applications like DBT. They don't require any spiritual belief.
- What if I can't clear my mind?
- Nobody can, and that isn't the goal. Noticing that your attention wandered and bringing it back is the skill itself — the wandering is the training, not a failure.
- Is this a relaxation technique?
- Not exactly. Relaxation aims to change how you feel. Mindfulness trains where your attention goes and how you relate to what's already there — which is sometimes calming and sometimes just makes a hard moment more workable.
Also offered
Other ways we might work together
Many people arrive with more than one concern. These areas often overlap in treatment.
DBT Individual Therapy
Individual therapy that draws on DBT skills and strategies. This is DBT-informed care, not comprehensive DBT.
Prolonged Exposure for PTSD
A structured, evidence-based trauma treatment that gradually reduces the grip of avoidance and fear.
Substance Use Disorders
Therapy for alcohol and drug use that starts with understanding, not judgment. Treatment can focus on abstinence, harm reduction, or making a change that is realistic and sustainable.
Teens, Young Adults & Families
Support for teens and young adults navigating emotional, behavioral, academic, or life transitions—and for parents who aren't sure what to do next.
Qualified Supervision
Florida qualified supervision for registered interns working toward licensure, plus clinical consultation.