This deck is intended to help professionals approach the day with a fresh, compassionate and empowered perspective. Our aim is to help therapists stay attuned and empathic towards even the most challenging clients, let go of emotional residue and countertransference between sessions, and finish each day with a sense of satisfaction. You might select a card at random at any given time, or work from a specific category (like “Caring for the Self” or “Regaining Balance”) for a period of time. Cards may also be useful prompts for supervision and staff meetings, as well as in clinical practice-oriented coursework. Above all, use the cards to enhance and refresh your clinical work.

While most of these practices encourage a sitting posture, some are intended for use during your day, either while standing or in motion. Do what feels most comfortable for you, and adapt the practices to your needs. For sitting practices in particular, we recommend an upright and sustainable posture, sitting with a sense of dignity, allowing your gaze to soften and lower in front of you, or your eyes to gently close. Your hands can just rest in your lap or at your sides, and if you are sitting, you can focus on feeling both feet firmly on the floor beneath you. After each practice, and especially in practices where your eyes have been closed, you might want to gently open your eyes, and allow yourself to wiggle your toes and fingers a bit before bringing your awareness outward to the rest of your senses.

Organizing Your Mindfulness Practices

The topic groupings are designed to give you guidance in the nuances of cultivating your own mindfulness skills … in order to maximize your ability to reduce burnout, increase compassion, and enhance presence.

• Caring for the Self
• Regaining Balance
• Enjoying the Work
• Empathic Attunement
• Compassion for Self and Others
• Countertransference: Managing Triggers