The Benefits of Mindful Meditation for Caregivers

Teri Sellers

The PebbleCreek Alzheimer’s Support Group is available to all residents who have a loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia. The group meets twice a month for a breakfast social and a support group meeting. Our goal is to provide support and information to families that are caring for a loved one with dementia.

Our special speaker on July 16 will be Cynthia Young, who will share with us the benefits of mindful meditation for caregivers.

Cynthia Young is a Certified Essential Feng Shui Practitioner and Meditation Instructor living in Surprise, Ariz. For the past 10 years, Cynthia has guided her own transformational journey and has helped others through the study of meditation and one-pointed awareness breath work. She believes there is an intense connection between self-worth and creating a supportive, non-chaotic environment. She helps people recognize nervous system dysregulation and the benefits of somatic healing. Her goal is to help people heal their spaces through attunement and understanding balance. Cynthia is a graduate of the Western School of Feng Shui. She has also earned certificates in non-violent communication practitioner training.

Mindfulness practice is a focus on the present moment. It is an exercise to simply allow you to get in touch with your own body in a deep and satisfying way. It requires that you sit or lie down, breathe, and gently acknowledge thoughts. When you are mindful, the breath slows down, heart rate slows, blood pressure decreases, stress decreases, digestive function improves, and the sense of tension in the body decreases. Connecting with our bodies and its sensations is the key to maintaining a regulated nervous system. Creating balance in our bodies is necessary for well-being. There is a divine connection between our bodies, our environment, and our perception of safety.

Our autonomic nervous system looks for context, choice, and connection in order to find safety and regulation. When one of these things is missing, a sense of unease develops and the nervous system prepares for protection. This is your body’s natural process. However, if this happens several times a day or week in our professions or home life, it can cause chronic illness. Our goal is to bring our nervous system to a regulated state. We will look at strategies for mindfulness and nervous system regulation including somatic exercises that can be accessed when managing dysregulation.

If you are not a member of our group, it is easy to join. You are not alone. I want to share helpful resources and information with you and add you to our email list. Our support group is an excellent way to learn more about the journey that is dementia and a wonderful way to meet others that are going through the same journey as you. Your information is always safe and confidential. The benefits are priceless. Please contact me, Teri Sellers, at 602-793-0299 or [email protected].