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Mindful presence shifts focus from painful memories to the safety of the current moment.

Practicing presence strengthens the brain's prefrontal cortex—boosting reflection and response.

Savoring simple, “in-between” moments helps encode joy and value into daily life.

Throughout my career as a psychotherapist, I’ve repeatedly heard the refrain “Who would I be without my (anxiety, depression, etc., fill in the blank)?” While clients express a need for change, they also have a deeply embedded fear of tearing down a well-crafted, life-long identity that is connected to their pain. This is more common than you might think.

For example, have you ever had memories of a trauma or past negative event replaying in your head like a favorite tune? We've all experienced this.

Fortunately, scientists have learned that present moment awareness shifts attention away from old triggers and past traumas. For example, a study conducted by the US. Department of Veteran Affairs concluded, "The relationship between lifetime trauma burden and various mental health issues of relevance to U.S. veterans may be mediated by mindfulness or the ability to pay attention to the present moment."

So how do we get present and stop those unfriendly songs from playing over and over in our heads?

I know, that sounds like one of those “how do you change a lightbulb” jokes, but it’s worth considering, and may not be as daunting as it sounds.

Present Moment Awareness Rewires the Brain

The experience of being present in the here and now is now being applied in various ways in the therapy world. Mindfulness-Based Exposure Therapy, for example, is being used with combat vets, who are taught to move their awareness away from rumination and back to the present moment, where they can recognize that they’re safe and respond to what’s happening right around them.

Here's the kicker: Whether you know it or not, learning to get in the present moment strengthens the brain's prefrontal cortex, or what I call the Reflect and Relate Module of the brain.

When you practice presence, you strengthen the circuitry of the........

© Psychology Today