The Wheel of Awareness is a visual metaphor for the way the mind works and a tool to expand the container of consciousness. The Wheel can be used to reduce stress, improve cardiovascular and immune system functioning, and slow the aging process. It incorporates the three pillars of mental training: focused attention, open awareness, and kind intention. This session will demonstrate how to incorporate it into therapy to cultivate more meaning and connection in clients’ lives. You’ll explore:

• What the results of a study of the Wheel of Awareness involving thousands of people can tell us about how to help clients bring more awareness into the process of change
• The four parts of the Wheel: the five senses; the interior signals of the body; the mental activities of feelings, thoughts, and memories; and our relational self
• How recognizing the principles of chaos and rigidity can help us guide clients toward learning to savor the experience of life in a more balanced and fulfilling way

Daniel Siegel, MD, is a clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine, founding codirector of the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center, and the executive director of the Mindsight Institute. His latest book is Mind: A Journey to the Heart of Being Human.