ind Management Psychology is a new program that provides you with simple and practical tools to gain an improved influence with your mind. With this influence the relationship you have with your mind may change (for the better!). Some calmness, clarity and improved inner well-being can be accessed through a simple, natural and non-esoteric process.

Together with counselling and therapy this program lays a new foundation and can help with many common psychological conditions as well as assist with improved life planning and some much needed contentment:ABI, alcohol, anger management, anxiety, crises management, depression, divorce, drugs, employment, gambling, grief & loss, family relations, mindfulness, PTSD, relationships, separations, stress, trauma, TBI, teenage problems and more………….

Over 4 weeks we teach micro skills to help develop some control and improve the way you manage your mind. Through a minimal daily practise things will change. You don’t have to go anywhere, buy a CD, download anything, wear an Ipod, read a book or become someone you’re not. Nor do you have to do some weird behaviour that you find abnoxious and is just notyou. But you do to have to be curious about your life and experiment a little. If this program is for you, you will spend at least 2 minutes a day by yourself without distraction doing the exercises presented in the 4 week program. These exercises are very simple, natural and easy to master, in fact each of the exercises can be mastered in under a minute. You will truly be surprised.

My name is Nial Wotherspoon and I am a Psychologist, Counsellor and Occupational Therapist with over 3 decades of clinical experience based in Melbourne, Australia. On these pages I would like to share with you some of what I have learned about the power of the human mind over the past thirty years ….. and how this power can be used to lead a happier, more fulfilled life. The mind is absolutely the most powerful shaper both of our lives providing enormous satisfaction, joy and happiness yet at times can produce much hardship and suffering. It’s both friend and foe. Why is this?

It seems there are almost two sorts of minds: The first one can be highly charged, critical and continually going at an extremely fast pace, always stressed and wanting things to be different from the way they are; the second sort of mind is more intuitive, calmer and circumspect, able to reflect. At Mind Management Psychology we aim to cultivate the second sort. Without developing and practising some micro-skills the presentations and re-presentations in the highly charged mind can be relentless adding to the hardship and suffering. Mind Management Psychology has therefore developed a four week program aimed at teaching in a way which allows for participants to go at their own pace in a confidential, safe and secure environment.

You design and adapt the program to to fit you, no-one else needs to know, it’s what absolutely resonates with your core self, what you think is a problem is a problem, what you think is a strength is a strength,  a weakness a weakness and what it is that you would like to change is encouraged to be  accessed ‘by your intuitive mind’  in the program. There are no limits on what you can access. This program provides a tight and  secure framework for ‘you’ tailoring your needs directly and efficiently to ‘you’; so ‘you’ get ALL the benefits!

By focusing on mind management principles and teaching specific mind management skills this unique meditation program will allow you over 4 weekly sessions: (with an active daily practice of 2 minutes each day over 4 weeks) to begin something quite extroadinary:

To not just quiten the busy mind but over time…

1. To appreciate your brain and its amazing neuroplasticity
   
2. To train it with some very simple and effective exercises
   
3. To understand the counterproductive role that multi-tasking has on concentration
   
4. To better understand the nature of all minds
   
5. To know your anchor and become ‘friends’ with this
   
6. To improve your problem solving abilities especially  when ‘things go wrong’
   
7. To enable you to be calmer, less anxious and more relaxed
   
8. To reduce depressive symptoms
   
9. To be less angry and reactive
   
10. To deal with unwanted thoughts more effectively and enhance clearer thinking
    
11. To develop improved decision making
    
12. To have improved focus and concentration
    
13. To change channels from channel more to channel less
    
14. To manage stress better
    
15. To be generally happier and more content
    
16. To learn where you actually live
    
17. To separate thoughts from feelings
    
18. To have a circuit breaker in place counteracting ‘automatic’ behaviours
    
19. To improve awareness of being in the ‘present’
    
20. To live both exactly the same yet  differently
    

Flexible to run either ‘individually’ or on a ‘group’ basis, depending on individual circumstances and prospective participants. 

All participants will be tested before and after the program and given feedback on any changes in their results. Confidential sessions are firstly conducted individually where an assessment for suitability is performed including testing. During the first session mind management micro skills for week one are introduced. All participants are required to practice the program for the four week period and make their own assessment of any benefits.

Week 1: Individual Psychological Assessment including biographical and demographical information, four  assessments are to be completed:  Novaco Anger Inventory (short form); Beck Depression Inventory (BDI); Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) and Thought Control Questionaire taking approximately 20 minutes. There is a focus on the nature of change, neuroplasticity and how it can be best cultivated by not forcing it; the issuing of a new invitation for the mind is emphasized. Some discussion around the mind and mindfulness are encouraged especially the definition ‘of non judgemental moment to moment awareness’ and the difficulties associated. Introduction of micro skill 1 focusing on breath counting in a calm and relaxed manner is practiced once the individual participant gives an indication of some physical manifestation of the relaxation response (e.g. tingling fingers, some numbness/heaviness in hands etc.). Time for questions focusing on alleviating any concerns which may be raised and the voluntary nature of the program. While the daily benefits of practice are emphasized it is also understood participants may withdraw at any time. Individual participants are strongly encouraged to make their own assessment of the program as they complete each week, not to do too much beyond 2 minutes at a time daily and keep the practice as a personal solo activity. Consent Statement regarding University Of Melbourne analysing ‘de-identified’ results is read and signed.

Week 2: The first group session comprising all participants who have completed week 1. Feedback from the 1st week’s practice is encouraged, any concerns clarifications, problems with not having time, forgetting to practice, etc. are all welcomed in a validating and non-judgemental manner. There is re-emphasis on the week 1 skill to make sure all participants are correctly doing the breath counting exercise in the same way.  The 3 Breath model of meditation is introduced as being a seamless extension of the breath counting from session 1. The group then practices from direction (in a calm and relaxed manner) the week 1 breath counting exercise together with the week 2/3 breath model as outlined by the facilitator.

Week 3: The second group session comprising all participants who have completed week 2. Feedback from the 2nd week’s practice is encouraged, any concerns clarifications, problems with not having time, forgetting to practice, etc. are all welcomed in a validating and non-judgemental manner. There is re-emphasis on the week 1 and 2 micro- skills to ensure all participants are correctly doing the breath counting exercise and 3 breath model of meditation similarly. The 3 Breath model of problems/issues/suffering/unhappiness/ is now introduced as being a seamless extension of the 3 breath model of meditation from session 2. The group then practices from direction (in a calm and relaxed manner) the week 1 breath counting exercise together with the week 2/3 breath model and then the 3 breath model of problems as outlined by the facilitator.

Week 4: The third group session comprising all participants who have completed week 3. Feedback from the 3rd week’s practice is encouraged, any concerns clarifications, problems with not having time, forgetting to practice, etc. are all welcomed in a validating and non-judgemental manner. There is re-emphasis on the week 1, 2 and 3 micro-skills to ensure all participants are correctly doing the breath counting exercise, the 3 breath model of meditation and now the 3 breath model of problems/issues/suffering/unhappiness similarly. The 3 Breath model of self-improvement is now introduced as being a seamless extension of the 3 breath model of problems… from session 3. The group then practices from direction (in a calm and relaxed manner) the week 1 breath counting exercise together with the week 2/3 breath model of meditation and then the week 3/3 breath model of problems…..and now the week 4/3 breath model of self-improvement (personal quality)  as outlined by the facilitator.

Week 5: The fourth group session comprising all participants who have completed week 4. Feedback from the 4th week’s practice is encouraged, any concerns clarifications, problems with not having time, forgetting to practice, etc. are all welcomed in a validating and non-judgemental manner. The questionnaires from week1 are completed at T2 for evaluation. Participants are thanked for their involvement and co-operation in the 4 week program and encouraged to continue if beneficial. Initial indications from a cursory view of the questionaires can be made and communicated to participants’ if they express interest. Further individual follow-up appointments can be made with those interested.

For further information: ph. 61 3 93893761