Formal and Informal Instruction: Understanding Explicit and Implicit Mindfulness in Therapy
This therapy is an integration of formal and informal mindfulness—the interplay between the conscious, explicit training of the mind and the subconscious, implicit rewiring of your life.
When you begin mindfulness-based therapy, you aren't just entering a space for conversation; you are entering a laboratory for awareness. This therapy is an integration of formal and informal mindfulness—the interplay between the conscious, explicit training of the mind and the subconscious, implicit rewiring of your life.
Think of mindfulness as a skill, much like learning an instrument. Formal practice is the time you spend consciously practicing scales in a quiet room, while informal practice is the ability to play a song fluidly and instinctively in the middle of a crowded, noisy street. Together, these form a comprehensive approach to moving from reactive living to intentional being.
Formal Mindfulness as Conscious, Explicit Training
Formal mindfulness refers to the dedicated moments during our session where we intentionally set aside "doing" to prioritize "being." These are explicit interventions—structured exercises where we use a specific anchor, such as the breath or bodily sensations, to train the brain’s attention.
In a clinical setting, a formal intervention might look like a Body Scan, where I guide you to systematically bring awareness to different parts of your body. We aren't looking for a specific feeling; we are simply practicing the act of noticing. Another common formal practice is Mindful Breathing, where we observe the natural rhythm of the breath without trying to change it.
These structured moments are vital because they provide a "controlled environment." By sitting in the safety of the therapeutic space and focusing on a single object of awareness, you are engaging in an explicit mental gym. This strengthens the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for emotional regulation—allowing you to stay grounded even when difficult emotions arise. You are consciously teaching your brain how to focus and return to the present.
Informal Mindfulness as Subconscious, Implicit Change
While formal practice builds the muscle, informal mindfulness is where the heavy lifting of therapy often happens. This is the implicit application of awareness—bringing a non-judgmental presence to the subconscious habits and automatic reactions that drive your daily life.
Most of our suffering stems from "autopilot"—the subconscious scripts we've developed over years to protect ourselves. These are implicit patterns: the way your chest tightens before you speak up in a meeting, or the immediate urge to withdraw when you feel criticized. In session, informal mindfulness might look like me pausing our conversation to ask: "What is happening in your body right now as you talk about that disagreement?" We pivot from the "content" of the story to the implicit process of how you are experiencing it in real-time. Informal mindfulness skills include:
The S.T.O.P. Practice: (Stop, Take a breath, Observe, Proceed) used to interrupt subconscious reactivity.
Affect Labeling: Silently naming an emotion ("Anxiety is here") to move the experience from a subconscious "felt sense" to a conscious realization.
Somatic Tracking: Noticing the subtle, subconscious physical shifts that occur during emotional processing.
The goal of informal mindfulness is to make the subconscious visible. By practicing informal awareness, you begin to catch your "scripts" in the wild. You notice the clenching of your jaw before you snap at a loved one, or the wave of shame before you reach for a numbing behavior. That split second of noticing is where you move from an implicit reaction to a conscious choice.
Joining Formal and Informal Mindfulness
A mindfulness-based therapist views these two avenues as complementary. Without the explicit, formal practice, your "awareness muscle" might be too weak to catch the subtle, implicit shifts in your mood during a stressful day. Without the informal application, your meditation remains a pleasant escape that doesn't actually reach the subconscious roots of your behavior.
In our work, we will dance between these two. Some sessions may feel more "traditional," characterized by deep informal inquiry into your relationships and history, but always rooted in a mindful presence. Other sessions may involve 5-10 minutes of formal guided meditation to help settle a dysregulated nervous system and explicitly train your focus.
What to Expect
You don't need to be an "expert" at clearing your mind—in fact, that isn't the goal at all. Mindfulness is not about stopping thoughts; it is about changing your relationship to them. Whether we are engaged in an explicit breathing exercise or an informal exploration of an implicit memory, the invitation is always the same: to show up for your life, exactly as it is, with curiosity and compassion.
By integrating both the conscious and the subconscious, therapy becomes more than just a place to vent; it becomes a practice of liberation. You learn that while you cannot control the waves of life, you can certainly learn how to surf.
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