Mindfulness, Stress, & Emotion Ask The Expert

Original Air Date December 16, 2020 | 7:00 PM


Mark Bertin MD

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Mindfulness and Emotion Handouts 

Just as ADHD is more than many people realize, so is mindfulness.  ADHD is a wide-ranging disorder that undermines executive function, causes stress, and potentially impacts near every aspect of daily life.   Mindfulness is a long-term practice that allows us to better stay focused and settled under stress, teaches cognitive flexibility, and encompasses both compassion and ethics.   It does not mean sitting still and is more than time spent on an engaging hobby.  The concept of ‘nonjudgmental awareness’ means training ourselves to see our experience with clarity and determination.

Mindfulness is a lifelong practice that has been shown, like physical exercise, to train traits needed to manage life skillfully.  While the word ‘mindful’ has been appropriated in many ways, the underlying intention runs deep.   Studies suggest brain-based changes in focused attention (even if you have ADHD), stress management, emotional regulation, and even compassion.  Mindfulness develops various cognitive traits through direct practice over time, and through those changes supports all aspects of ADHD care.

Learning Objectives:

  • To recognize the impact of ADHD and executive function on stress and emotion
  • To explain the importance of flexible problem solving and persistence in ADHD care
  • To review the benefits of stress management on ADHD care
  • To describe mindfulness as an extensive and ongoing three-part practice building practical traits for managing everyday life
  • To introduce mindfulness practices that demonstrate focus and staying settled, working with habits, and compassion

Speaker Bio:
Dr. Bertin is a developmental pediatrician and author of How Children Thrive, Mindful Parenting for ADHD and The Family ADHD Solution, which integrate mindfulness into the rest of evidence-based pediatric care.  He is a contributing author for the book Teaching Mindfulness Skills to Kids and Teens.  Dr. Bertin is on faculty at New York Medical College and the Windward Teacher Training Institute, and on the advisory boards for the non-profits Common Sense Media and Reach Out and Read.  He is a regular contributor to Mindful Magazine, and his blog is available through Mindful.org and Psychology Today.  For more information, please visit his website at www.developmentaldoctor.com.