Being Present in the Age of Distraction: A Blog with Julia Maurer, MA, MSW, LCSW

Hi Julia! Can you tell readers a little about yourself?

Hi Sarah! I started my career as a School Social Worker in Los Angeles, California. After relocating to Orange County, CA, I transitioned to working with families, couples, and individuals as a psychotherapist in a group practice. Since 2022, I have been operating as a solo practitioner in my private practice. 

I would describe myself as a solution-focused therapist, dedicated to supporting my patients' right to self-determination. I strive to create a space where hope and determination lay the groundwork for achieving our goals and making meaningful progress. 

While it might be easy to see therapists as their professional role, I am a human first! At this stage in my life, my world revolves around my family and close friends. When I'm not practicing therapy, it's important to me to be surrounded by people who bring joy and fulfillment to my life.

Absolutely. Have you noticed any trends related to focus or daily functioning over the last few years?

This concept comes up with most of my clients. The reality is that our brains are being conditioned for constant distraction. With countless applications at our fingertips, it’s increasingly challenging to prioritize ideas and stay on task. This struggle to focus often leads to irritability, restlessness, and a diminished sense of self-trust. 

This new world of technology blurs boundaries in ways that leave us physically present in one place while mentally and emotionally scattered. You might be sitting at your desk, yet simultaneously engaging with Instagram to view an old friend in Barcelona, browsing for shoes, and juggling several active text chains. Such overstimulation can contribute to mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, and more.

How do you support clients with that?

When a client has awareness of their distractibility and how it is affecting their daily functioning and mental health, I think it’s important to get back to basics. What was life like before all this distractibility? How did I manage to complete tasks without forgetfulness or irritability? We need to break it down and get back to basics!

One of my “back to basics” approaches is through psychoeducation on mindfulness. There is a stigma and biases that have developed in regard to mindfulness and when I break the concept down, it becomes attainable. 

Mindfulness is a practice centered on being fully present in the moment. By focusing on the present, we can direct our attention to the sensations, feelings, and thoughts that are occurring right now. When working with a patient, I will first explore everyday examples where mindfulness can be applied, helping the concept feel practical and achievable. Once we establish awareness and understanding, we'll move into active practice. I will guide clients through a "mindful moment" during our session, encouraging them to identify and observe their feelings and thoughts in the present space. As they become more comfortable, I will suggest they practice a "mindful moment" once a day for about 5 minutes, gradually increasing the duration as they become more adept.

With the amount that's required of us in the day to day, our attention can be pulled away from a moment, requiring our brains to shift focus. Instead of multitasking, which can overwhelm our brain, I encourage my clients to view it as transitioning into a new moment. Our brains aren't designed to handle two tasks simultaneously, so it's helpful to give ourselves a moment to adjust. For instance, you might need to pause folding laundry to take a phone call or answer the door. The key is to acknowledge this pause, close out the current task, and smoothly shift to the new one.  Gently move into the next task while mentally noting that you will return to the laundry when it's appropriate.

How do you navigate this approach with children?

I find mindfulness to be a valuable skill to instill in our children by both modeling and maintaining mindfulness ourselves. As mentioned earlier, I encourage implementing mindful tools within your home setting. Another effective tool is preparing your children with daily tasks and schedules, which helps them become more focused, confident, and productive. I recently released an e-guide that uses a "back to basics" approach for elementary school-aged children. This guide focuses on creating visual and easily accessible calendars that empower your child to take on more responsibility and independence. I recommend checking it out!

Great! Where can people connect with you?

They can reach me at juliasternmaurerlcsw.com or on instagram at @juliasternmaurerlcsw!