There is no question that during our lifetime we will inevitably experience times of crisis and ultimately loss. Many of us feel powerless over the anxiety and confusion that arises during these times. In this interview, Ronald Alexander explains that we are actually not powerless over the impact of crisis; we can transform during these times to find more strength, more awareness, and more creativity in our lives through the practice of mindfulness.

Ronald provides us with a three-part process for creating more mindfulness in our lives, to support us in managing change, loss, and crisis. He discusses how mindfulness training is similar to Christian contemplation, and where Eastern and Western psychological and wisdom traditions meet. He explains how meditation enhances creativity, and recommends that we gather around us a wisdom council of support.

Ronald Alexander, Ph.S. is a psychotherapist, leadership consultant and clinical trainer. He is the director of the Open Mind Training Institute in Santa Monica, an organization that offers personal and professional training programs on integrative mind/body therapies that combine the wisdom teachings of the East with positive psychology and creative thinking. He’s a pioneer in the fields of somatic psychotherapy, holistic psychology, and leadership coaching, and a long time extension faculty member of the UCLA departments of Humanities, Social Science and Entertainment, as well as an adjunct faculty member at Pepperdine University. He’s the author of Wise Mind, Open Mind, Finding Purpose, and Meaning in Times of Crisis, Loss and Change.