Guided Meditation During Radiation Therapy for Breast and Gynecological Malignancies

The 5 mindfulness practices, all of which have been validated in prior research. Body Scan practice will consist of how to direct non-judgmental attention to different regions of the body The Mindful Breathing practice will consist of focused attention on the breath and metacognitive monitoring and acceptance of discursive thoughts, negative emotions, and body sensations. The Mindfulness of Discomfort practice will consist of instruction in how to "zoom in" to deconstruct discomfort and precisely map each feelings' spatial location, use mindful breathing to "zoom out" and broaden the field of awareness to include neglected sensory elements, and shift attention from unpleasant feelings to neutral/pleasant sensations or experiences. The Savoring practice will consist of instruction in identifying and amplifying pleasant memories. The Loving-Kindness practice will consist of instruction in cultivating feeling of warmth and compassion toward the self and others.