The Beginner’s Guide to Meditation: A Simple Start for Busy Minds
Getting Started
Meditation doesn’t have to be mystical, complicated, or time-consuming. It’s simply a way to train your attention—to come back to the present, on purpose, with a little less judgment and a little more ease.
At NW Therapy Collective in Eugene, Oregon, we often introduce clients to meditation as a support for anxiety, burnout, trauma recovery, or emotional overwhelm. And guess what? You don’t have to be calm to start meditating. You just have to be curious.
What Is Meditation?
Meditation is the practice of noticing where your attention goes—and learning how to bring it back. That’s it. No special poses required.
In real life, meditation might look like:
Sitting quietly and following your breath
Listening to a guided audio
Noticing your body during a walk
Even washing dishes with full presence
It’s about showing up to this moment with more awareness and less autopilot.
Why Try Meditation?
Even just a few minutes of regular practice has been shown to:
Reduce stress and anxiety
Improve sleep quality
Strengthen focus and concentration
Help regulate emotions
Build a greater sense of calm and clarity
We often recommend meditation as a complement to talk therapy or neurofeedback, especially for clients working through overthinking, dysregulation, or overwhelm.
How to Start (Without Feeling Like You’re Doing It Wrong)
You don’t need to clear your mind. You just need to notice it.
Here’s a beginner-friendly practice:
Sit or lie down comfortably. No special posture needed.
Close your eyes or soften your gaze.
Bring your attention to your breath. Feel it move in and out.
When your mind wanders (it will), gently bring it back. No judgment. It’s all about beginning again, with kindness towards yourself.
Start with 2–5 minutes. Use a timer or guided app like InsightTimer, or Calm, if helpful.
The win isn’t in doing it perfectly—it’s in noticing, and returning. Beginning again. That’s the practice.
Need Help Getting Started?
Brandy, a certified meditation and mindfulness teacher at NW Therapy Collective, offers personalized support for those who want to begin—or deepen—a meditation practice. Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed, unfocused, or just curious, Brandy can help you develop simple, practical tools that fit your real life.
She works with individuals or groups to:
Reduce stress and anxiety
Reconnect with the body and breath
Improve focus and emotional regulation
Build mindfulness into daily routines
You don’t have to start alone.
