We hear a lot about mindfulness these days, but it’s not always clear how to actually incorporate it effectively into psychotherapy or in this case, addiction treatment. In this demonstration you’ll see an example of a mindfulness exercise that is specifically focused on helping clients experience their cravings while not acting on them. The facilitator, Devin Ashwood, uses the metaphor of “Urge Surfing”—riding through the waves of cravings—to give his group members an opportunity to observe their own internal urges, whether manifested as bodily sensations, thoughts, or emotions, and realize that, although uncomfortable, the urges were not intolerable.
Although this is demonstrated in a group setting, this technique can be applied in individual therapy; and while the focus here is on substance use, patients who experience other forms of addictions can also benefit from learning this simple tool for tolerating emotional and sometimes, physical discomfort in order to ultimately move beyond cravings.
