Good Evening,
A week ago I was interviewed by a Trainee Counselling Psychologist who works for the NHS Mental Health and teaches mindfulness for the purpose of the following research:

The research aims to find out what is the impact of mindfulness training on people with OCD. The objectives are to understand your experience of the mindfulness part of your treatment for OCD and what effect this has had on you and the symptoms of OCD.

Being interviewed allowed me to deeply reflect on how much I use mindful awareness in my day to day living in terms of being in touch with the Impartial Spectator (the Observer Self) and how conversely I choose not to be mindfully aware.
I have experimented with mindfulness meditation over the years and struggled to focus. Why is this so difficult for me and indeed some of my clients? Well thanks to the interview and the great investigative skills of Miya Bond (interviewer) I was able to articulate it in a way that never occurred to me before. In my experience; quietness, boredom and reflecting are triggers for my OCD. I believe, deep understanding, insight and acceptance of the obsession has to be developed before observation can take place. I am so good at refocusing my intrusive thoughts and not focusing on them that mindfulness meditation brings in a conflict that has the opposite effect of calm and tranquillity.
 Generally now a days I'm not obsessing when I practice mindfulness but my thoughts are so busy and random it's exhausting and I go from this crazy pinball machine to sleep. I am naturally a very proactive person. I enjoy doing! Giving myself something to focus on helps. Bringing myself back to the here and now if I'm ruminating helps. Strengthening my impartial spectator helps me to shift focus on constructive thoughts and behaviours. But mindfulness meditation for me isn't something I use to support my well being.
I would be very interested in your feedback on this subject.

If you would also like to take part in the research, please contact:
Miya Bond
Trainee Counselling Psychologist
Mob: 07979 260384
Email: miya2.bond@live.uwe.ac.uk