Sarah Edelman, PhD. is an author, lecturer and a psychologist in private practice. She worked for many years as a research psychologist at the University of Technology Sydney, and has published several articles on the use of CBT with cancer patients. She also conducts workshops for mental health practitioners and employees in industry, and provides training for psychologists at the Black Dog Institute, Sydney. In 2002, Sarah published a book, now in its second edition, titled ‘Change your Thinking – positive and practical ways to overcome stress, negative emotions and self defeating behaviour using CBT, it was reprinted in 2006 ’

Sarh Edelman says CBT is not so much about changing personality, but adjusting cognition and belief with evidence. Many of our thinking patterns are established in childhood and can remain stubborn to change, but Sarah Edelman points out that our thoughts and beliefs are influenced for better or worse throughout our adult lives: influences include the social environment, culture, friends and partners. CBT's mantra is that dysfunctional beliefs can cause unnecessary emotional pain, but we can change those beliefs. In the case of anger, CBT entails the person writing down the advantages and disadvantages of staying angry. With panic attacks, Sarah Edelman encourages people to feel the physical sensations, and help them realise the sensations usually quickly pass. For the shy, Sarah Edelman gets people to rate social events from least feared to most, then go about attending such events, all the while challenging their fear that a social gathering will end in catastrophe.

CBT can alleviate every-day problems stemming from irrational beliefs, says Dr Melissa Green, a clinical research fellow with the Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science. These problems include frustration, anxiety, even road rage.

Dr Sarah Edelman's book Change Your Thinking (ABC Books, 2006) is a practical and reassuring guide to help overcome stress, negative emotions and self-defeating behaviour using CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy). It demonstrates how to dispute that nagging voice in your head and deal more rationally with feelings of anger, depression, frustration and anxiety.

Guided Meditation

Guided Meditation is a mental discipline by which one attempts to get beyond the conditioned, "thinking" mind into a deeper state of relaxation or awareness. Guided Meditation often involves turning attention to a single point of reference. It is recognized as a component of almost all religions, and has been practiced for over 5,000 years. Guided Meditation is also practiced outside religious traditions. Different meditative disciplines encompass a wide range of spiritual and/or psychophysical practices which may emphasize different goals -- from achievement of a higher state of consciousness, to greater focus, creativity or self-awareness, or simply a more relaxed and peaceful frame of mind. The word meditation originally comes from the Indo-European root med-, meaning "to measure." From the root med- are also derived the English words mete, medicine, modest, and moderate. It entered English as meditation through the Latin meditatio, which originally indicated every type of physical or intellectual exercise, then later evolved into the more specific meaning "contemplation."

Mindfulness is a technique in which a person becomes intentionally aware of their thoughts and actions in the present moment, non-judgmentally. It plays a central role in Buddhism, with Right Mindfulness being the seventh element of the Noble Eightfold Path, the sadhana of which is held in the tradition to engender 'insight' and 'wisdom' .

Mindfulness points to: Being aware of and paying attention to the moment in which we find ourselves. Our past is gone, our future is not yet here. So what exist between them is the present moment. If I can observe and not get caught up in my thoughts, it is all that I have. The here and now, the present is the link which holds what was and what will be. My past was a series of present moments which brought me to this present moment. My future should it happen will be a series of present moments effected by only present moment in which I am now living, being, doing, observing, being aware or unaware, and attentive or unattentive.

Right mindfulness involves bringing one's awareness back into the present moment. By residing more frequently in the present moment, practitioners begin to see both inner and outer aspects of reality. Inner reality may unfold as one sees that the mind is continually chattering with commentary or judgment. By noticing that the mind is continually making commentary, one has the ability to carefully notice those thoughts, and then decide if those thoughts have value. Those practicing mindfulness realize that "thoughts are just thoughts"; the thoughts themselves have little or no weight. One is free to release a thought ("let it go") when one realizes that the thought may not be concrete reality or absolute truth. Thus, one is free to observe life without getting caught in the commentary. Many "voices" or messages may speak to one within the "vocal" mind. It is important to be aware that the messages one hears during "thinking" may not be accurate or helpful, but rather may be translations of, or departures from truth.

However, mindfulness does not have to be constrained to a formal meditation session. Mindfulness is an activity that can be done at any time; it does not require sitting, or even focusing on the breath, but rather is done by bringing the mind to focus on what is happening in the present moment, while simply noticing the mind's usual "commentary". One can be mindful of the sensations in one's feet while walking, of the sound of the wind in the trees, or the feeling of soapy water while doing dishes. One can also be mindful of the mind's commentary: "I wish I didn't have to walk any further, I like the sound of the leaves rustling, I wish washing dishes wasn't so boring and the soap wasn't drying out my skin", etc. Once we have noticed the mind's running commentary, we have the freedom to release those judgments: "washing dishes: boring" may become "The warm water is in unison with the detergent and is currently washing away the plates grime, the sun is shining through the window and casting an ever greater shadow on the dish's white ceramics.". In this example, one may see that washing does not have to be judged "boring"; washing dishes is only a process of coordinating dishes with soap and water. Any activity done mindfully is a form of meditation, and mindfulness is possible practically all the time.

As one more closely observes inner reality, one finds that happiness is not exclusively a quality brought about by a change in outer circumstances, but rather by realizing happiness often starts with loosening and releasing attachment to thoughts, pre-dispositions, and "scripts"; thereby releasing "automatic" reactions toward pleasant and unpleasant situations or feelings.