Therapies

  • Warrior Mind Training – Mindfulness Based Mind Fitness (MMFT)

Description:
The Warrior Mind Training program was developed for the United States military in conjunction with Vietnam-era Veterans, who have practiced this style of mental training for over 40 years, and with professionals in the medical field, including doctorates of neuroscience.

This training is based on mind focusing techniques that have been utilized by warriors for thousands of years to maintain focus during battle and to reintegrate themselves into society after the battle is over. By combining these powerful mind focusing techniques (similar to meditation) with the healing properties of music, warriors can strengthen and battleproof their minds.

However, there still seems to be a keen awareness of it’s potential.  See the Feb. 2013 Washington Post Article Mindfulness Meditation Could Ease PTSD.  Now, known as Mindfulness Based Mind Fitness (pronounced M-fit) it focuses on mindfulness skills and stress resilience skills.

Who it may help:
MMFT has two separate missions for active military and veterans:

1) Mindfulness skills: It cultivates mindfulness skills with specific exercises to build attentional control and concentration.  MMFT also provides body-based self-regulation skills training for coping with the physiological and psychological effects of extreme or prolonged stress

2) Resilience Skills: MMFT also provides body-based self-regulation skills training for coping with the physiological and psychological effects of extreme or prolonged stress.  Resilience is the ability to function effectively during stressful experiences and to bounce back after such experiences.  To create resilience, an individual needs to have a stressful experience that deliberately pushes him outside of his comfort zone and then teach the body and mind to recover effectively from that experience.  In the process, his body and mind learn to tolerate and function effectively amidst more stress than before.  These body-based stress resilience skills make MMFT distinct from other basic mindfulness-based approaches.

There are many options available by using the search engine to explore types of “mindfulness meditation” that may seem most appropriate for you.  The primary components are a quiet practice of “sitting”, noticing the “breath” and teaching self regulation of the mind body responses.  A helpful beginning is Dr. Jack Kornfields audio series “A Beginner’s Guide to Meditation”.  It is affordable, easy to follow and offers some balancing techniques that may be helpful in dealing with stress.

Where to find Warrior Mind Training Therapy practitioners:
The Mind Fitness Training Institute has a comprehensive website that identifies where “mind training” is available on some bases (which are listed separately by branch of service on the web site) and vet centers, or are offered in separate training sessions nation wide (http://www.mind-fitness-training.org/.)

Will insurance cover Warrior Mind Training/Mindfulness Meditation Therapy:
There are some behavioral health therapists that recognize the value of mindfulness mediation in reducing stress and incorporate it into their practice.

At this time, we are unaware of specific insurance coverage for this type of intervention, although there are many affordable options that can be explored via search engines.

Note: VFU provides this comprehensive view of healing techniques for your convenience, but does not endorse nor recommend any specific technique. VFU does not guarantee results or outcomes from any of the materials listed on this website.

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