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Differentiation and Mindfulness

This document discusses three mind states - emotional mind, rational mind, and wise mind. Emotional mind is driven by emotions, rational mind is logical and solution-focused but can lack compassion, and wise mind is a balance of the two in perfect harmony with the present moment. It also discusses differentiation, which is the ability to separate thinking from feeling in relationships and situations. Mindfulness is about accepting emotions without feeling obligated to react to them. The goal is wise mind through differentiation and mindfulness - observing emotions without feeling the need to change them.

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74 views

Differentiation and Mindfulness

This document discusses three mind states - emotional mind, rational mind, and wise mind. Emotional mind is driven by emotions, rational mind is logical and solution-focused but can lack compassion, and wise mind is a balance of the two in perfect harmony with the present moment. It also discusses differentiation, which is the ability to separate thinking from feeling in relationships and situations. Mindfulness is about accepting emotions without feeling obligated to react to them. The goal is wise mind through differentiation and mindfulness - observing emotions without feeling the need to change them.

Uploaded by

Psykey - Unlock Psychology
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Worksheet 02

Differentiation and Mindfulness

Name: Date:

Emotional Mind
Emotional Mind occurs when people are driven by emotion. It is usually a result of the fight or
flight response being triggered but it can also be a response to overwhelming emotional states.
In the space below, list some ways that you or others might engage in Emotional Mind:

Rational Mind
Rational Mind occurs when people are driven by reason. It is a logical, solution-focused
approach to problem-solving that can sometimes lack compassion or warmth.
In the space below, list some ways that you or others might engage in Rational Mind:

Wise Mind
Wise Mind occurs when Emotional Mind and Rational Mind are in perfect balance. It is a state
of being that is devoid of worries about the past or the future. It is a shift from doing mode to
being mode, at one with the present moment.
In the space below, list some ways that you or others might engage in Emotional Mind:
Differentiation
Differentiation is the ability to separate thinking from feeling in a given relationship or situation.
When a person lacks the ability to separate their emotions from their thoughts, that person is
said to be undifferentiated. The process of differentiation involves learning to free yourself from
emotional dependence and codependence on your family and/or romantic relationships as
well. Differentiation involves taking responsibility for your own emotional well-being, and
allowing others to be responsible for their own emotional well-being. A fully differentiated
person can remain emotionally attached to the family without feeling responsible for the
feelings of other family members.
In the space below, list some occasions in which you were able to exercise differentiation. That
is, list some times when you have been able to set appropriate boundaries with others to avoid
being responsible for their emotional states, or some times when you have managed to avoid
the temptation of holding others responsible for your own emotional states.
Mindfulness
The mindful skill of acceptance allows us to experience emotions without feeling obligated to
react to them. This is done by noting the emotion and then letting go of the thought processes
that the emotion generates. This isn’t done by telling yourself not to think about it. Telling
yourself not to think about it is thinking about it.
Instead, mindfulness allows us to experience emotions in being mode.
When we experience unpleasant emotions there is a natural tendency to want to do something
to try to fix them, when in reality it is not necessary to do anything. Instead, we can just be
there with the emotions without trying to fix them, or trying to make them go away, or trying to
stop thinking about them. Trying is doing, and mindfulness is being.
You have probably already had times in your own life where you have allowed yourself to
experience what you were feeling without trying to do anything about it. If so, list a few of these
experiences in the space below.
Acceptance
The goal of acceptance in differentiation isn’t to become a totally rational
person, devoid of emotion. Instead, the goal is to practice Wise Mind. Wise
mind is the balance of emotional mind and rational mind, in perfect harmony.
Think about your answers to the Differentiation section on page 2 of this
worksheet. In what ways were you able to separate thinking from feeling in
your responses?
Now think about your answers to the Mindfulness section on page 3 of this
worksheet. In your responses on this section, in what ways were you able to
let go of the temptation to do something to “fix” unpleasant emotions? How
were you able to simply experience those emotions in the moment?
Acceptance is the ability to observe and describe your emotions in the
present moment without feeling it is necessary to do anything about them. In
the space below, list some times in which you were able to separate your
thinking from your feeling and to realize that you didn’t have to try to change
anything about the way you were feeling. In other words, list some times and
situations in which you were able to accept your emotional states.

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