Mindfulness & Meditation
Mindfulness and meditation teach you to stay present with your thoughts and feelings without being ruled by them. As part of holistic treatment in Massachusetts, these practices give people in recovery a powerful, portable tool for managing cravings, anxiety, and stress.
What Are Mindfulness & Meditation?
Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment with openness and without judgment. Meditation is the training ground where that skill is built. Together they teach you to observe your thoughts, feelings, and urges as passing experiences rather than commands you must obey.
At New Wave, mindfulness and meditation are woven into daily holistic programming in Massachusetts. They are among the most practical, evidence-supported holistic tools we teach, because the skills transfer directly to the hardest moments of recovery.
Who Mindfulness & Meditation Are For
These practices help almost everyone in recovery and are especially valuable if you:
- Feel overwhelmed by cravings, anxiety, or racing thoughts
- React impulsively and want more space to choose
- Live with anxiety, depression, or trauma
- Struggle to stay present or are stuck ruminating on the past
- Want a coping tool you can use anywhere, anytime
- Are looking to build lasting emotional regulation
How Mindfulness Helps Mental Health and Addiction
Mindfulness is one of the few practices with strong research support for both addiction and mental health.
For addiction, mindfulness creates space between a craving and your response to it. Instead of being swept into automatic use, you learn to notice the urge, recognize it as temporary, and let it pass, a skill known as urge surfing. This is one of the most powerful relapse-prevention tools there is.
For mental health, mindfulness eases anxiety and depression by interrupting rumination and grounding you in the present. It is a core component of evidence-based approaches like DBT, and it gives people healing from trauma a way to stay anchored when difficult feelings arise.
Specific mindfulness practices you will learn include:
Breath-focused meditation to anchor attention
Body scans to reconnect with physical sensation
Urge surfing to ride out cravings
Grounding techniques for moments of overwhelm
Mindful awareness of thoughts and emotions
Simple practices you can use in daily life
Mindfulness is the foundation beneath many of our holistic practices, from yoga to sound bowl therapy, and it reinforces the skills taught in DBT.
The Benefits of Mindfulness & Meditation
The skills are simple to learn and grow more powerful with practice.
- A powerful tool for managing cravings
- Less anxiety and reduced rumination
- Greater emotional regulation and impulse control
- Improved focus and present-moment awareness
- Better sleep and lower stress
- A portable practice you keep for life
Of all the holistic tools we teach, mindfulness may be the one people carry with them longest, because you can practice it anywhere, at any moment.
Explore Our Holistic Therapies
Holistic healing happens every day at New Wave, woven alongside clinical care. Explore the other practices in this approach.
Real-life skills for independent living.
Meet the People Behind Your Recovery
Our licensed clinicians and team, many in long-term recovery themselves, are who you will work with at New Wave.
Angela Faccone
Co-Founder & Program Director
Charles Draleau
Executive Director
Melanie Draleau
Co-Founder & Reiki Practitioner
Ryan SmithBratton
Co-Founder & Director of Community Outreach
Danielle Visone
Mental Health Counselor & Clinical Director
Care that feels different
We were founded by people in long-term recovery, so the way we treat you comes from having been where you are. That shows up in everything we do.
Founded by people in recovery
When you call New Wave, you talk to someone who has walked this path, not a call center. This is personal for us.
The same therapist throughout
You keep your private therapist as you move between levels of care, so your progress is never interrupted and you never start over.
Holistic care, every day
Reiki, yoga, sound healing, and mindfulness are woven into daily treatment alongside evidence-based therapy, not offered once in a while.
Recovery That People Remember
Insurance & payment: Contact our team and we will work with you to verify insurance benefits.
Fill out our form and contact us for additional assistance
Mindfulness & Meditation FAQs
Want to talk to a real person? Call us, someone in recovery will answer.
What is the difference between mindfulness and meditation?
Mindfulness is the skill of paying attention to the present moment without judgment. Meditation is the practice where you train that skill. Together they help you observe thoughts and urges without being ruled by them.
How does mindfulness help with addiction?
Mindfulness creates space between a craving and your response. Through practices like urge surfing, you learn to notice an urge, recognize it as temporary, and let it pass, a powerful relapse-prevention tool.
Can meditation help with anxiety and depression?
Yes. Mindfulness eases anxiety and depression by interrupting rumination and grounding you in the present. It is a core part of evidence-based approaches like DBT.
Do I need experience to meditate?
No. We teach simple, accessible practices and build from there. Meditation is a skill anyone can develop with guidance and practice.
Can I use mindfulness outside of treatment?
Absolutely. That is its greatest strength, the skills are portable and can be used anywhere, anytime, long after treatment ends.
Is mindfulness part of treatment at New Wave?
Yes. Mindfulness and meditation are woven into daily holistic programming and reinforce our evidence-based therapies.
Keep learning
Helpful, judgment-free articles on recovery, treatment, and supporting the people you love.
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Build Skills That Last a Lifetime
Mindfulness is one of the most powerful tools in recovery. Call and we will help you begin to build it.
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