Meditation

What is meditation?

Meditation is a mental exercise that involves relaxation, focus, and awareness. The practice is usually done individually, in a upright position, and with eyes closed or looking toward the ground.

What are the benefits of meditation?

Meditation is good for several things, and it’s different things to different people.  However, it is usually one of these three things that drive people to practice:

• Specific benefit: improving your health, wellbeing, performance, focus.
• Growth: emotional healing, self-knowledge, self-discipline.
• Spirituality: connecting with God, inner peace, and other spiritual goals (Dienstmann, 2022).

The following is a guided meditation that helps focus the mind and calm the body. When we are able to quiet thoughts and reduce the stress in the body it creates a space to re-set the nervous system. With a fresh mind and relaxed body we can meet our responsibilities more proficiently and efficiently

Jason Kniola, LMHC, LCAC, NCC

Jason is a graduate of Purdue University, West Lafayette, where he received his Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling.  Jason is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), Licensed Clinical Addictions Counselor (LCAC), and Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC).  In addition to these credentials, Jason underwent a 2-year training in Hakomi Body-Centered Psychotherapy (a Mindfulness-Based Technique) along with multiple mindfulness and meditation workshops and retreats.

Jason has been in the mental health field for over 20 years, with over 15 of those as a licensed therapist.  Throughout these years he has provided mental health services in a variety of settings, serving as Executive Director of Cary Home for Children in Lafayette, IN, providing counseling at counseling centers, consulting as Mental Health Director at Lake County Jail, providing supervision and instruction to masters counseling students and pre-licensed therapists, running residential and outpatient addictions groups, and conducting mindfulness and meditation workshops throughout Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan.  During this time, he has also counseled clients over 15 years of private practice.

These experiences have provided Jason the opportunity to see clients ranging from children and adolescents through adults in individual, family, and group settings.  He has worked alongside his clients as they deal with the complexities of life’s challenges, including attention and emotional or behavior issues in children, the struggles of identity and maturity of adolescence, and the myriad of issues facing adults, such as relationship and communication issues, addiction, anxiety, and depression.

In Jason’s approach to counseling, he meets clients where they are at, helping them to become more self-aware, identify what they want to work through and towards, and providing skills and support to not only help them meet their goals while in counseling but throughout their lives as they continue their journey of personal growth.  Jason aims to provide a grounded, mindful, and safe environment while giving honest and compassionate guidance as his clients pave their path to wellness.