Therapy for Veterans in San Diego, CA
We understand mental illness and the difficulties it creates for those who suffer from it. At our Mental Health Treatment Center we are sensitive to your challenges. Solara will find every possible solution to enable you to live the life that you are meant to live.

MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

Mindfulness techniques, also called mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy (MBSR), are practices used to promote emotional and physical wellness. In MBSR, trained clinicians guide individuals through a variety of meditative exercises that are designed to ground the individual in the present and increase their awareness of their own emotions and physical experiences. Even when they are negative, these emotions and experiences are not to be pushed aside.

Individuals doing mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy learn to acknowledge these feelings without evaluation or judgment and to turn away from unhealthy or damaging thought patterns.  Through this process, individuals with a range of mental health disorders can find relief from stress, anxiety, or other symptoms, helping promote physical, emotional, and mental wellness.

Benefits of Mindfulness

Mindfulness has been shown to have many benefits for individuals with a variety of mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression or personality disorders.

These benefits include the following:

  • Increased self-awareness
  • Greater ability to self-regulate feelings and control responses to emotional triggers
  • Heightened capacity for managing stress, anxiety, fear and depression, as well as situation that may trigger those emotions
  • Stronger sense of self-esteem
  • Greater acceptance of and compassion for others, leading to improvement of interpersonal relationships

Mindfulness Practices

Mindfulness can be practiced in many different ways. One way is to focus on your breath. For example, you might notice the sensation of the air moving in and out of your lungs or the rise and fall of your abdomen as you breathe. You might also notice the thoughts that come into your mind as you focus on your breath. Just observe these thoughts without judging them as good or bad. If your mind starts to wander, simply bring your attention back to your breath. 

Another way to practice mindfulness is through mindful eating. This involves paying attention to the taste, texture, smell, and appearance of your food as you eat it. Eating mindfully can help you appreciate the food you are eating more fully and can help you become more aware of when you are full. 

MBSR has been shown to be effective in reducing stress, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, sleep disorders, gastrointestinal problems, and blood pressure. It has also been shown to improve immune function, energy levels, mood, focus, concentration, memory, decision-making, relationship satisfaction & work satisfaction.

Mindfulness Therapy

At Solara Mental Health, mindfulness exercises are integrated into our comprehensive, multimodal treatment program. The experienced, highly trained clinicians at our mental health treatment center will work individually with each veteran, tailoring mindfulness exercises to their unique struggles and needs. For some veterans, this will mean practicing mindfulness during specialized individual therapy sessions; for some, it will mean meeting in group meditation classes; for others, it will mean a combination of the two.

Regardless of the exact method used, veterans who practice mindfulness at Solara will develop greater awareness of their emotions and physical sensations, learning to acknowledge and release them without negativity or judgment. As a result, veterans come to a healthier, more harmonious sense of self, helping them to find lasting healing from painful symptoms of mental health disorders, stronger self-esteem, and a healthier, more positive relationship with others and the world around them.

For more information about mindfulness, or about other treatments offered at Solara Mental Health, please contact us.

Solara’s Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction for Veterans

When people practice mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy, they learn to acknowledge these feelings without judging them or evaluating them, as well as turn away from unhealthy or damaging thoughts. Understanding each veteran’s specific diagnosis is crucial for the treatment, that’s why at Solara Mental Health San Diego our staff of professionals is ready to assist each patient accordingly through a personalized treatment plan.

Solara Mental Health is VA-contracted, which gives us the unique opportunity to help veterans with their mental health needs. As long as authorization is approved, we provide housing, transportation, and accommodations.

What Our Clients Say

Lynn

Even though I’m not religious, I realized when I got sober that for the first time in my life I wanted to explore my spiritual side. I benefited hugely from the individual spiritual sessions that I had with Chris. I’m really grateful for that aspect of the whole treatment experience.

Watson Family

Solara’s program was such a positive experience for our mom (and for us)! She had become almost impossible to deal with. Your entire staff was phenomenally supportive and kind and patient with her. We feel like we’ve got our mom back, now.

Michelle Family

I want to thank you and the entire staff and support system at Solara for taking such good care of my sister. On behalf of my entire family, we want you all to understand that your patience and kindness stretches further than you can see… Thank you, again and again, from the bottom of my heart.

Husband

Solara was truly a life-changing experience for me and for our children, because of what you did for my wife! The treatment team was phenomenally supportive and perfect for helping her with her anxiety and depression. We are all now moving forward to put our lives back together and it started with you all in Pacific Beach. Thank you for what you do.

Terri

The Solara Treatment Program was a life-changing experience for me. To be able to heal in such a beautiful, peaceful environment, with such a terrific treatment team, was so amazingly positive. I have found my true self, again. I thank you and my family thanks you for helping me become the person I was meant to be.

M.P. – Father

Your program provided our daughter with the most masterful therapist we have ever encountered (and we have used many).  She has had an unbelievable ability to see the long-term trajectory of our daughter’s treatment and to approach her treatment in stages that fit where my daughter’s development was.  We can’t say enough positive about her.

R.M. – Father

If not for Solara Mental Health, I am almost positive that our daughter would not be as advanced in her treatment, and would not have the almost miraculous confident and positive outlook that she has.

Bradley

The therapists and counselors and really whole team were extremely beneficial to me and my understanding of my issues. The treatment plan they developed was exactly what I needed

Bill

The program has given me the tools I needed to really gain stability. For the first time in years - maybe for as long as I can remember, actually, I’m learning how to cope and manage my stressors and triggers. I now believe that I can find some relief and happiness.

Dad

We are so grateful to you for the treatment and care you provided our daughter. She is doing unbelievably well now thanks to your program. We will gladly tell anyone we encounter that needs treatment about the wonderful work you do at Solara.

Alex

I have never felt better than I do now, since completing your program. The truly caring and supportive staff and the intensive program changed my life. What a neat place to stay for treatment - I love Pacific Beach! I have learned skills and behavior to move forward with my life thanks to you.

Lauren

The Solara program is truly amazing. I’ve never had more clarity or more good energy in my entire life. The attention the physicians and the therapists gave me was outstanding. I feel like they truly understood and addressed my issues, which had consumed my life for years. Thank you all.