The term mindfulness has entered the zeitgeist and taken on a wide range of meanings. But what does it actually mean, and how does it show up in therapeutic work? For Louisa Bradford, LCSW, mindfulness is a two-part practice: paying attention to your present experience without casting judgment. While simple in essence, mindfulness isn’t always easy—especially at first.
Many clients enter therapy after years of learning to avoid or intellectualize “negative” emotions. As Louisa says, “You can spend all day rationalizing your feelings, explaining them away, or minimizing them. And that can work for a while, but that’s not getting at the root of what’s going on.” Mindfulness shifts that dynamic. By slowing down and noticing emotions as they arise, clients begin to connect to what’s actually happening inside rather than distancing from it, creating space for clarity and self-compassion, and for needs that may have gone unmet for too long.
In session, Louisa often begins with a simple invitation to slow down and scan the body, noticing any sensations that arise—tightness in the chest, warmth in the hands, or a softening in the jaw. How do you feel in your body right now? From there, she helps her client explore the possible connections between these sensations and the emotions that ebb and flow beneath them. This awareness naturally leads to deeper questions: What need might this emotion be pointing to? And is there a way to respond to that need in this moment?
Enter self-compassion. To practice mindfulness is to release judgment around what you feel, and that nonjudgmental stance becomes the foundation for compassion toward yourself. As Louisa shares, “There’s a relationship between self-compassion and self-worth. Mindfulness fosters self-compassion, which helps you connect to the innate self-worth you already have.”
As Louisa practices it, mindfulness is not a quick fix or a perfect formula—it’s an ongoing, relational process. Healing rarely moves in a straight line, and mindfulness creates space to show up exactly as you are. “However you show up to session is perfect,” she says. Louisa finds deep joy in this work and considers it an honor to accompany clients as they reconnect with parts of themselves they thought were lost or unreachable, bringing in glimmers of humor and connection along the way. It’s meaningful work, and wonderfully complex.
Mindfulness can be especially supportive when navigating anxiety, depression, stress, overwhelming emotions, trauma, or self-critical thoughts. If you’re interested in working with Louisa or another CTC clinician who integrates mindfulness into their therapeutic approach, we invite you to get started.