Radio Disney Interview

April 26th, 2013 | Leave a comment »
Published by Dr. Yip

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Mindfulness Demystified

March 1st, 2013 | Leave a comment »
Published by Dr. Yip

According to Merriam Webster, the definitions for mindfulness are: 1) bearing in mind; 2) inclined to be aware. Neither of these truly captures the Eastern tradition of simply “to be”. The fact is that there is no one specific word in the English language that encapsulates the state of ‘moment-to-moment awareness of present events that is absent of judgment’. Sadly over the last few decades, the Western world has been inundated with the word “mindfulness” without a full understanding of its notion. This has caused much confusion of the true nature of the practice. Let’s demystify the concept of mindfulness to lessen the confusion and return to the Eastern root of its true meaning.

Mindfulness is not relaxation. In fact, to cultivate a state of mindfulness, you must be alert and focused in the present moment. Many mindfulness practices instruct you to refocus your attention onto the breath. However, this doesn’t mean to use breathing as a relaxation exercise. Breathing is simply a target to bring your awareness back to the present, since the present is where the breath occurs. Although you will “feel” more relaxed over time through mindfulness practice, the relaxation comes as a result of your focused attention versus merely your breaths. This brings us to the second point.
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Mind Training: Positive vs. Optimistic Thinking

January 1st, 2013 | Leave a comment »
Published by Dr. Yip

Welcome to the New Year. This is the time when many people make resolutions for self-improvement to achieve a new, improved ‘you’. Whether it is a new exercise regimen or a new diet craze that you must stick to 7 days a week, the truth is that most resolutions fail before February even begins. Many of us get stuck in unrealistic thoughts and beliefs that lead to disappointment, anxiety, and stress when our expectation doesn’t come to fruition. To fix this, I’d like to suggest a New Year resolution that involves mind training to foster healthy, realistic thoughts and emotions for many years to come… Not just for 2013. I call this “optimistic thinking”.

We’ve all heard the term positive thinking or positive affirmations. Many of you have even been advised to practice more of it. However, to attain healthy, realistic thoughts, positive thinking won’t get you there. Positive thinking is not the same as optimistic thinking. Let’s compare two scenarios of a positive versus an optimistic thinker to illustrate the difference.
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Have a relative or significant other with OCD?

December 28th, 2012 | Leave a comment »
Published by Dr. Yip

Anonymous Online Survey

Researchers at NYSPI/Columbia University, Yale University, and the University of Southern California are conducting an online survey to learn more about how a family member responds to a relative’s symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Participation is anonymous and typically takes about 30 minutes. The information gathered may contribute to a better understanding of the ways in which loved ones may best assist a person with OCD and may lead to improved services and delivery of care. Participation is limited to once per person.

For more information please go to this link:
www.surveymonkey.com/s/OCDFamilySurvey
or call 212-543-5938.

THE TAO – Mindful Living through Gratitude

October 30th, 2012 | Leave a comment »
Published by Dr. Yip

Life is both precious and painful at the same time. We rarely appreciate the beauty of our existence until we are faced with misfortune. Many of us take the simplest pleasures of life for granted until we must live without such luxuries. Whether it is your health, a loved one, or even something as mundane as having electricity, the ironic truth is that we do not truly know what we have until we lose it.

Though suffering is painful, it does not have to be a meaninglessly wasted casualty. You can either be better or bitter. The choice is yours. Suffering can lead to gratitude if you surrender to it. So, how do you surrender to pain and suffering? Through mindful living.

When everyone recognizes beauty as beautiful, there is already ugliness;
When everyone recognizes goodness as good, there is already evil.
–Lao Tzu

The origins of “mindfulness” have its roots in Eastern thought. The Chinese term it “Taoism”. The Japanese term it “Zen”. Some have associated it with the practice of yoga, and others have associated it with the religion of Buddhism. However, Tao in its purest sense is not religion or philosophy; nor is it psychology or a type of science. Simply put, Tao is a way and view of life. Mindfulness is part of that way of life to reduce suffering.
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Finding Willpower – Autograph Magazine

October 25th, 2012 | Leave a comment »
Published by Dr. Yip

We have trillions of neurons in our brain, and certain neurons that join together to form our thoughts and actions, explains Dr. Jenny C. Yip, clinical psychologist, anxiety/OCD expert, executive director of the Renewed Freedom Center, and clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine. When we have similar thoughts continuously, we strengthen that team of neurons. Eventually, neurons get used to their synaptic firings as a team and our reactions become automatic… If you tell yourself unconsciously or otherwise, ‘I can’t do that, so why try,’ that set of neurons is going to be activated. Eventually, that reaction will get stronger and you will truly believe you won’t be able to do it, explains Yip. But that doesn’t mean that you’re damned or stuck for life. You can rewire groups of neurons or produce new pathways.

CBT for Stress & Anxiety – Health Magazine

October 24th, 2012 | Leave a comment »
Published by Dr. Yip

When we feel anxiety, our thoughts are rarely in the present, says Jenny C. Yip, PsyD, a cognitive behavioral therapist in Los Angeles. We are either ruminating about past mistakes or worrying about future consequences. Zooming in on what you can see, hear, taste, smell, or feel shifts your mind to the present. The more you practice this, the better equipped you’ll be when anxiety strikes, and the quicker you’ll calm down. Try this four-step exercise…

Mindfulness Training Strategies

October 1st, 2012 | Leave a comment »
Published by Dr. Yip

Anxiety, worry, and fear along with all its uncertainties keep you either in the past or the future, and have a domino effect. One negative thought typically triggers another and another and yet another. And more often than not, these negative thoughts consist of cognitive distortions in various forms. Before you realize it, your mind is spiraling into a tornado of irrational thoughts. Because mindfulness requires you to be in the present, it allows you the opportunity to quickly identify these negative thoughts. Imagine having the ability to stop a distorted thought in its track before it spirals out of control. Being aware of these mental connections allows you to interrupt negative thought cycles. The goal is to identify the cognitive distortions and revalue them to represent reality accurately. So when you are feeling anxious, instead of getting caught up in those negative thoughts of the past or future, just stay with the present moment. Rather than giving more meaning to the distorted thought than it is worth or appraising the unnecessary emotion with more value than it is worth, focus on the now to let time pass and habituation occur.
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Red Pill or Blue Pill? What You Don’t Know May Hurt You!

September 3rd, 2012 | Leave a comment »
Published by Dr. Yip

If you are one of the millions of people who have seen the Matrix, then you would remember that Neo was given a choice to take either the red pill – which would open his eyes to reality, or the blue pill – which would keep him living behind rose-colored lenses. What would you have chosen? To live in eternal ignorance or in constant awareness? Let’s weigh the pros and cons.

Living in ignorance may protect you from much of the ugliness of the world. You won’t have to know reality for what it truly is. You can avoid experiencing worry and anxiety. In essence, you would be fearless, because you won’t know any better. However, this also means that you won’t be aware of all the potential dangers that may harm you. Take young toddlers for example. They are blank slates with very few experiences of their environments. In other words, they are innocent yet ignorant. Toddlers who have yet to experience a burning stove will not know that touching it will hurt. They do not have the awareness until they experience the limitations of reality. Thus, ignorance may be more harmful than blissful.

On the other hand, living in awareness will inform you of all the sufferings in the world. You will know reality for what it truly is, which may trigger worry and fear. You will experience discomfort and anxiety, because you are mindful of the limitations that exist. However, you will also have the awareness to take appropriate action when necessary to minimize potential harm. Take your health for example. We all know that healthy foods + exercise = healthy lives. Although this awareness may trigger anxiety and guilt for some of you, for others, learning what constitutes healthy food and exercise gives you direction to take appropriate action.
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