A contemplative approach to restoring inner steadiness
In addition to depth-oriented psychotherapy, I incorporate mindfulness-based practices and iRest (c) (Integrative Restoration) meditation into the therapeutic process when it makes sense.
iRest is a research-informed meditation practice that supports deep relaxation, nervous system regulation, and greater awareness of one’s internal experience. Developed from the tradition of yoga nidra, iRest has been adapted for use in healthcare, trauma recovery, and psychological treatment.
For many people navigating burnout, chronic stress, or trauma, iRest offers a gentle way to reconnect with the body and mind while cultivating a deeper sense of internal stability.
Rather than requiring effort or concentration, the practice invites a gradual process of awareness, acceptance, and integration.
Mindfulness Meditation & iRest
Creating Space to Slow Down
When stress, burnout, trauma, or prolonged responsibility have been building for a long time, the mind and body often stay in a constant state of activation. Many people become so focused on functioning, performing, and getting through the day that they lose connection with rest, reflection, and a sense of internal steadiness.
Mindfulness-based work helps create space to slow down.
Rather than trying to force change, mindfulness invites greater awareness of what is happening internally—your thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, nervous system responses, and the patterns that often operate automatically in the background.
This awareness can become the beginning of meaningful change.
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
— Anonymous, (Attributed to the philosophy of Viktor E. Frankl by Stephen R. Covey)What Mindfulness Meditation Can Help With
Mindfulness meditation can support:
Burnout and chronic stress
Anxiety and nervous system dysregulation
Trauma recovery and emotional overwhelm
Difficulty slowing down or resting
Sleep disruption and mental overactivation
Emotional reactivity in relationships
Self-criticism and perfectionism
Reconnection with values, clarity, and internal balance
Mindfulness is not about “clearing your mind” or doing it perfectly. It is about learning how to relate differently to your internal experience with more awareness, flexibility, and compassion.
My Approach to Mindfulness in Therapy
I integrate mindfulness in a way that feels practical, grounded, and clinically meaningful—not as performance, but as a way of building greater awareness and regulation.
For some people, this may involve brief in-session grounding practices, breath awareness, body awareness, or learning to notice patterns of activation and protection in real time.
For others, it may involve deeper restorative practices such as iRest meditation.
Mindfulness is woven into therapy as part of understanding how your nervous system responds to stress and how you can begin to reconnect with a steadier internal anchor.
What Is iRest (Integrative Restoration)?
Integrative Restoration (iRest) (C) is a research-based, trauma-informed meditation practice designed to support deep rest, nervous system regulation, and emotional healing.
Originally developed by Dr. Richard Miller, psychologist and founder, iRest helps people learn how to meet difficult thoughts, emotions, sensations, and life experiences with greater awareness rather than resistance.
It is often used with individuals experiencing trauma, insomnia, chronic stress, anxiety, grief, burnout, and nervous system exhaustion.
Unlike traditional meditation practices that may feel intimidating or overly structured, iRest is accessible and adaptable. It does not require you to “empty your mind” or achieve a certain state. Instead, it helps you learn how to be present with what is here while cultivating a deeper sense of steadiness and restoration.
Many people describe iRest as a way of finally learning how to rest—physically, emotionally, and mentally.
How iRest Supports Therapy
iRest can help you:
Recognize patterns of tension, activation, and emotional protection
Build greater capacity to stay present with difficult emotions
Reduce chronic stress and nervous system overload
Improve sleep and restorative rest
Strengthen self-awareness and self-compassion
Reconnect with a sense of groundedness and internal safety
For people who have spent years living in survival mode, this work can be deeply meaningful. It creates space not just for symptom relief, but for a different relationship with yourself.
A Collaborative, Reflective Process
Mindfulness and iRest are not separate from therapy—they are part of the larger work of helping you understand yourself more clearly.
As insight deepens and nervous system awareness grows, many people find they begin to feel less driven by old patterns of pressure and more connected to clarity, values, and a sustainable way forward.
This is often where real change begins.
Getting Started
If you are feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, emotionally overextended, or disconnected from yourself, mindfulness-based therapy may offer a different pace—one that allows for reflection, restoration, and deeper change.
You are welcome to schedule a complimentary consultation to discuss whether this approach may be a good fit for your needs.