What is Mindfulness and how can it help me?

Mindfulness is a meditation practice which seeks to cultivate awareness of the present moment.  Over time, mindfulness allows us to see more clearly how we react to what arises in our lives and help us make wiser choices about how to respond.

Mindfulness is not new and is rooted in ancient wisdom and practices.  In the last 40 years, there has been a growing interest in whether Mindfulness can help with some of the challenges of modern life.  Programmes have been developed that combine Mindful practices with modern psychological understanding.  These programmes are generally delivered as 8 week courses and have been shown in clinical research trials to be effective in helping people reduce stress, anxiety and depression.  The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in the UK recommends Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy as a treatment for recurrent depression.  There is also a growing body of evidence to suggest that Mindfulness can help individuals living with long-term physical health conditions.

Mindfulness can also help all of us to improve our wellbeing, and to find peace and contentment in our often busy and demanding lives.  Mindfulness for Wellbeing explores how to:

• Make the most of your potential
• Cope with life
• Have strong relationships with family, friends and in the workplace and community

Mindfulness teaching is largely experiential, with meditation practices and cognitive exercises that help participants cultivate a new way of working with difficulties that arise in life, and a different way of relating to ourselves and others – a way that promotes more contentment, appreciation, wisdom and compassion.

I offer individual Mindfulness sessions and run regular 8 week Mindfulness courses.