Try A Little Mindfulness In Your Daily Life
How Meditation and Mindfulness Support Anxiety, Depression, and Emotional Healing: A Holistic Psychotherapy Perspective
Many of my clients in New York City come to therapy and wellness coaching seeking relief from persistent symptoms of anxiety, depression, addiction, disordered eating, and emotional overwhelm. Increasingly, they are drawn to holistic practices like meditation and mindfulness—natural tools that help regulate the nervous system, improve mood, and promote emotional resilience.
Motivated by both personal curiosity and promising research, these clients are looking for therapeutic strategies that support healing without relying solely on medication. For individuals seeking integrative, non-pharmaceutical options, meditation and mindfulness practices can be powerful complements to psychotherapy.
The Science Behind Mindfulness and Mental Health
Over the past decade, peer-reviewed studies and neuroscience research have shown that consistent mindfulness and meditation practices lead to positive changes in brain function and structure. These changes include:
Decreased activity in the amygdala (the brain’s fear center)
Increased gray matter in areas related to emotional regulation
Improved connectivity in regions associated with focus and executive functioning
Reductions in cortisol levels and blood pressure
Enhanced immune system response and resilience to stress
For clients struggling with panic disorder, generalized anxiety, or mild to moderate depression, mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to reduce emotional reactivity, increase present-moment awareness, and support behavioral change.
A Therapist’s View: Why Mindfulness Belongs in Mental Health Care
As a psychotherapist trained in both traditional and integrative modalities, I have long encouraged interested clients to incorporate mindfulness, meditation, and body-based practices into their healing process. Especially for those who prefer a non-medication route, a multi-modal treatment approach can include:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to address distorted thought patterns
EMDR therapy to reprocess trauma and reduce emotional triggers
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) to prevent relapse in depression
Breathwork, guided imagery, and nervous system regulation tools
Expressive and insight-oriented psychotherapy for deeper emotional awareness
Clients often discover that slowing down, tuning in, and becoming curious about their inner world offers profound relief—especially when integrated with skilled psychotherapeutic support.
What Beginners Get Wrong About Meditation—and Why It’s Okay
One of the most common misconceptions about meditation is the belief that you must “empty your mind” or feel calm right away. The truth is, our minds are naturally busy, and part of mindfulness is learning to observe rather than control our thoughts.
The practice is not about doing it perfectly—it's about showing up, noticing what's happening, and building your ability to stay present even when the mind is active. Over time, you become less reactive to your thoughts and more grounded in your body. This has a ripple effect on your emotional state, relationships, and daily decision-making.
A Simple Mindfulness Practice to Begin With
Not sure where to start? Here’s a gentle way to integrate mindfulness into your daily routine—no cushion or studio required.
Try this while making your bed:
Notice your thoughts.
Observe your body as it moves—how do the sheets feel? What muscles are engaged?
Notice your breath. Is it shallow or deep?
Are you rushing? Can you slow down?
Are you criticizing yourself or checking out? Just notice that.
Stay with the task, moment by moment.
This small practice is the essence of mindfulness: being present with what is, without trying to rush past or change it. With repetition, you’ll begin to cultivate more ease, more clarity, and more emotional tolerance—not just while making the bed, but in moments of stress, conflict, or vulnerability.
How Mindfulness Helps Disrupt Negative Thought Patterns
Through mindfulness, we begin to identify patterns of negative self-talk, such as “I’m not enough,” “I’ll never get better,” or “Something is wrong with me.” Instead of becoming fused with these thoughts, mindfulness teaches us to observe them with compassionate detachment.
As your awareness grows, you’ll begin to make intentional choices about which thoughts to follow—and which to let pass. This can be especially powerful for clients working to recover from:
Anxiety and panic
Depression and burnout
Addictions and compulsive behaviors
Eating disorders and body image struggles
Chronic stress or trauma-related symptoms
The Holistic Impact of Meditation on Mental and Physical Health
Mindfulness and meditation don’t just impact mood—they support total body wellness. Regular practice is associated with:
Lower cortisol and reduced systemic inflammation
Decreased symptoms of insomnia, fatigue, and brain fog
Improved heart rate variability and nervous system resilience
Enhanced emotional regulation and interpersonal connection
Greater ability to pause and respond rather than react impulsively
When combined with nutrition, movement, nervous system support, psychotherapy, and connection, mindfulness can be a central part of your emotional and physical healing plan.
Helpful Tools and Resources to Support Your Practice
If you’ve tried meditating on your own but found it difficult to stick with, there are plenty of guided resources that make it easier to develop a regular practice. These include:
Mindfulness apps for specific concerns:
Anxiety and panic attacks
Insomnia and sleep disorders
Addiction recovery
PTSD and trauma support
Eating disorders and body image
Cancer, pain management, and chronic illness
Recommended apps: Insight Timer, Calm, Headspace, 10% Happier, UCLA Mindful
Consider seeking out guided meditations tailored to your condition, lifestyle, or belief system. Mindfulness can be secular or spiritual—it’s about what helps you connect to your experience more authentically.
Integrative Therapy and Mindfulness in New York City
At Holistic Psychotherapy & Wellness NY, I work with clients who are interested in a whole-person approach to emotional health—one that addresses the mind, body, and nervous system. Whether you're navigating anxiety, trauma, disordered eating, or life transitions, our work together can include meditation, breathwork, somatic therapy, and evidence-based talk therapy.
If you're curious about how to integrate mindfulness into your life—or if you're ready to explore therapy that goes beyond symptom management and into deeper healing—I invite you to reach out.
About Holistic Psychotherapy & Wellness Manhattan
Kimberly Seelbrede, LCSW is a New York State licensed Psychotherapist, EMDR Practitioner and Couple Therapist with a private practice in New York City, Montana and virtually. As a wellness psychotherapist and holistic consultant, she has received advanced, extensive training in Trauma Therapy, Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Somatic Experiencing (SE), and Nutrition & Integrative Medicine For Mental Health. She is passionate about honoring the exquisite interplay of the mind-body connection. Kimberly Seelbrede specializes in anxiety & mood disorders, trauma and women’s mental health. She brings over 20 years of counseling, coaching, and healing experience to her holistic practice and transformational work.
In addition to online therapy for anxiety, depression, trauma and relationship struggles, Holistic Psychotherapy & Wellness offers a wide variety of online services to fit the needs of busy professionals. New Yorkers often lead fast-paced and complex lives, which makes work-life balance and managing career, family and social obligations a challenge. Psychotherapy and wellness practices provide the support to help clients cultivate resources, resilience and enhanced emotional health, as well as uncover conflicts and obstacles that may interfere with having the life they desire.
Women’s Mental Health Perimenopause & Menopause
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