Nice coverage of our work on how to maximise benefits and minimise harms related to meditation 🧘 @contemplateuom.bsky.social

📢 New paper alert A new longitudinal study by @nicbowles.bsky.social and @ntvandam.bsky.social of over 1,000 meditators found that meditating 35–65 minutes a day delivered meaningful improvements in well-being, while 50–80 minutes daily was needed for significant gains in mental health.

🔎 Is it normal to feel worse before you feel better in meditation or therapy? In a new article for Psyche, A/Prof Nicholas Van Dam, Director of the Contemplative Studies Centre, explores the fine line between discomfort, distress, and harm in mental health and contemplative practices.

👋 Hello Bluesky! We’re the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, from #UniMelb. We'll be sharing updates from our research community, highlighting staff & student achievements, and connecting with those advancing psychological science across disciplines. We can't wait to join the conversation!

Meaningful change often requires some discomfort, but it doesn’t necessitate that we experience lasting distress. So, when are we being pushed outside our comfort zone and when are we potentially just getting worse? ➡️ Read here: go.unimelb.edu.au/8e6p #Psychotherapy #Meditation

'Free your attention' was hosted at the Brunswick Ballroom by the Sophia Club in partnership with the Contemplative Studies Centre. 🔗🎧 Now you can listen to this conversation on ABC Radio National's Big Ideas: go.unimelb.edu.au/gq6p #ContemplativeStudies #Mindfulness #DigitalWellbeing

New article 🚨: Is it normal to feel worse before you feel better in meditation or therapy? I explore discomfort, distress, and harm in mental health and contemplative practices. Meaningful change often requires some discomfort, but not lasting distress. psyche.co/ideas/in-the...

What kinds of people are drawn to meditation? Excited to share the first paper from my PhD (w/ @ntvandam.bsky.social and Luke Smillie) now out in Mindfulness (doi.org/10.1007/s126...) Across 2 samples, we examined personality predictors of meditation and related constructs (1/3)

🧘‍♀️Meditation is often recommended for mental health, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. @ntvandam.bsky.social and Dr. Julieta Galante from the Centre recently shared insights with Liam Mannix at The Age about why some people find meditation challenging and what to do instead.

‼️ New research ‼️ from our group: unexpected or difficult experiences are the rule rather than the exception in #meditation. Potential to help also means potential to harm. For this reason, we need to take this powerful practice seriously and ensure practices are evidence-based & tradition-informed.

Managing about 15 min, ~4-5 days/wk of meditation 🧘 (day 26). I’m finding it harder to remind myself to practice than last time I did a year-long challenge; the benefits are notable but the struggle is real. Ppl need different practices at different times in their lives.

🌍✨ Big news from the United Nations! On 6 December, the General Assembly proclaimed 21 December as World Meditation Day, highlighting the role meditation plays in fostering mental and physical health, and reaffirming the universal right to the highest standard of well-being.

Here is a good beginning to a Contemplative Research Starter Pack. Suggestions welcome. I'll try to keep it updated as more people migrate over to the blue sky 🙏 #contemplativeresearch #contemplativescience #mindfulness #meditation #yoga #breathwork #psychedelics go.bsky.app/StDaiA6

After 2 weeks of near-daily meditation 🧘 (11/14 days), I have been experientially reminded of 2 things: 1) it’s hard work!, 2) my general level of anxiety/agitation are quite different when I don’t practice.

We hosted this inspiring event now featured on ABC Radio National on Big Ideas 🌏💡 Professor Emerita Rhonda V. Magee and @mariamtokhi.bsky.social joined @natashamitchell.bsky.social for a conversation on empathy that will empower you to hear and care for others even in times of division and conflict.

Hi #Bluesky 👋 We’re the Contemplative Studies Centre at the University of Melbourne. We envision a future where empirically underpinned knowledge gained from contemplative wisdom, research, education, dialogue and practice empowers individuals and societies to thrive. Thrilled to connect! 🌟

In the process of migrating my tweets, I was also reminded of my daily meditation challenge from a few years ago. Starting again - day 2! Will scale up to 20min/day, 5-6 days/week, for at least 1 yr.

If my feed looks super-active, it’s b/c I’m using @blueark.app to port over old tweets. Fun to see how good the bad place used to be. #AcademicSky

Here’s my Scholar Goggler

We strongly suggest that academic publishers and other platforms that host research rapidly implement a Share to Bluesky button for their articles. Here's how: docs.bsky.app/docs/advance... #AcademicSky #HigherEd #Altmetrics

🧘‍♂️📊 Exciting findings from our latest research developing and validating the Inventory of Meditation Experiences (IME)! 🧠🌟 @ntvandam go.unimelb.edu.au/7ob8

thought I’d repost: I’m a clinical psychologist at University of Melbourne. I’m interested in how people use #mindfulness, #meditation, and related practices to promote wellbeing and reduce mental health problems. Also, #anxiety, #depression, psychometrics, decision-making #PsychSciSky

🚨 New paper alert! 🚨 Thrilled to share our latest study on the prevalence and 20-year trends in 🧘🏿 #Meditation, #Yoga and #GuidedImagery/#ProgressiveRelaxation use by 🇺🇸 US adults, just published in Nature @SciReports https://dir.lat/KgxtT9#Meditation#Yoga#GuidedImagery#ProgressiveRelaxationx)

🚨job alert 🚨 Only ~1 week left to apply to work with us @ContemplateUoM as a post-doc or fellow in #mindfulness & #mentalhealth @Psychunimelb https://jobs.unimelb.edu.au/en/job/916687/post-doctoral-research-fellow-or-research-fellow-in-mindfulness-mental-health

@ContemplateUoM is #hiring fellow #mindfulness and #mentalhealth. Position open internationally. Main focus is how different modes of mindfulness instruction (incl. automated, digital, teacher supported) affect #mental health and wellbeing outcomes. https://go.unimelb.edu.au/whd8

A Framework for Assessment of Adverse Events Occurring in Psychedelic Assisted Therapies: http://osf.io/h2wfy/

Made a little bit of Wisconsin 🇺🇸Christmas 🎄🎅 in Australia 🇦🇺this year.

🚨Come work with us!! 🚨 We are hiring a Research Fellow (Level B ) to help lead a project examining the personalisation of #mindfulness and #meditation practices. @ContemplateUoM @UniMelbMDHS https://jobs.unimelb.edu.au/en/job/914976/research-fellow-flagship-1

Haven't had a chance to post this but researchers @ContemplateUoM have developed a new scale to measure unusual experiences and #AdverseEvents as a result of #meditation. Currently under review - #Preprint available here: https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/3ht95

“A next frontier in #consciousness research is the disclosure of our metaphysical conflict of interests. Those who proudly claim they have no point of view are indeed blind. There is not a more dangerous philosophy than a science that pretends it does not have one. Know thy metaphysics!”

Can cognitive #neuroscience solve the lab-dilemma by going wild? www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... On #reproducibility #measurability #refutability #generalizability and going #mobile & #wearable.

Hi all! We have TWO tenure track open positions in psychology available at the University of Melbourne (equivalent to assistant and associate professor). Come join us and please share widely. jobs.unimelb.edu.au/mob/en/job/9...

Given influx, thought I’d repost: I’m a clinical psychologist at University of Melbourne. I’m interested in how people use mindfulness, meditation, and related practices to promote well-being and reduce mental health problems. Also, anxiety, depression, psychometrics, & decision-making #PsychSciSky

What exactly is the optimal control condition when considering how well equine therapy works via clinical trial and why is it not this…?

Hi all! I’m a clinical psychologist at the University of Melbourne. I’m interested in how people use mindfulness, meditation, and other contemplative practices to promote well-being and reduce mental health problems. Also study anxiety, depression, psychometrics, & decision-making.

📢 Concerns raised over data collection and scientific claims made by mental health apps 🧠 Academics from @UniMelb are shedding light on the data collection and marketing practices of mental health apps. @ntvandam and @JMPaters speak to...

Abstract updated. Using #Reinforcementlearning approach, we show that #anxiety and #depression are associated in one of two samples with decrease in adaptive learning under punishment-minimisation, but increase under reward-maximisation. @Psychunimelb

Great to see this article finally in the world. Amazing work by Dylan Hammond! Volatility of #reward and #punishment modestly linked to #anxiety and #depression but effect was small and inconsistent. ⁦@Psychunimelb⁩ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032723006493

From my presentation, “When mindfulness is too much and not enough” among an inspiring collection of speakers on #Mindfulness at the launch of @thichnhathanh Center for Mindfulness @HarvardChanSPH Photo Credit: @dave_vago

Join us @ContemplateUoM for a #WiseWords seminar by Prof Geoffrey Samuel titled, “#Meditation, mind-body techniques and global crisis” https://events.unimelb.edu.au/CSC/event/28922-meditation-mindbody-techniques-and-global-crisis

Reviewing conflicts of interest in #mindfulness and #meditation apps. Large concerns around conflicts of interest. Studies largely not designed appropriately (underpowered). Studies largely NOT done with populations that they claim to help (#mentalhealth)...

New paper by @madeleinelco details scale created to quantify #mentalhealth related barriers and benefits to #exercise. Hope to help people to exercise more, even in the face of any mental health difficulties which may impede them 🏃🧠📏 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-023-00555-x#mentalhealth#exercise.

Not so fast: Controversial MDMA drug ruling jumping the gun https://www.theage.com.au/national/not-so-fast-controversial-mdma-drug-ruling-jumping-the-gun-20230206-p5cido.html @GillBedi @PatMcGorry @SallyEMeikle

“The talk may be about technology because we don’t want to talk about a less comfortable topic: money” Mindstrong’s demise and the future of #mentalhealth care https://www.statnews.com/2023/02/06/mindstrong-demise-future-mental-health-care/#mentalhealthvia @statnews

The sights in La Jolla, California are pretty amazing! @ContemResearch @ContemplateUoM

Busy day for @ContemplateUoM staff during inaugural @ContemResearch Conference! Placebo, dose-response, philosophical examination, and reviews of efficacy in #mindfulness and Christian #meditation. What a time to be working on/in Contemplative Studies!

Dr Julieta Galante presents a framework for #Mindfulness meditative development. We need to better understand what people experience and do beyond initial #meditation instruction ⁦@ContemResearch⁩ ⁦@ContemplateUoM⁩

Bronfenbrenner shout-outs at ⁦@ContemResearch⁩ session on bridging implementation gap. Who’s problem is #MentalHealth and #Wellbeing? Are we wrongly targeting individuals to address societal problems? @CherylGiscombe⁩ ⁦@WillemKuyken⁩ ⁦ ⁦@Linda_E_Carlson⁩

⁦@_JonathanDavies⁩ and Julieta Galante presenting on Unusual Experiences in #meditation on the opening day of ⁦@ContemResearch⁩ Conference. Unusual experiences are more common and nuanced than previously believed ⁦@ContemplateUoM⁩ #ISCR2023

-23 C (feels like -38 C) Wisconsin 🇺🇸 welcoming me home for #Christmas from Australia 🇦🇺