Mindfulness at Work and In Life

Summary of workshop

This 1-day experiential course is based on the evidence-based MBSR course designed and researched by Prof Jon Kabat Zinn at Harvard. The course covers several important aspects of mindfulness and encourages home practice to be carried out. It is interactive with group work, providing plenty of opportunities for discussion and linking to the reality of working in the NHS.

Our fully trained mindfulness teachers, who have almost 30 years of experience each as clinicians and educators in the NHS, have personally benefited from their own practice of mindfulness. They are qualified from the Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice at Bangor University in Wales and are ready to share their expertise with you.

Recent research suggests that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) self-help may be more clinically effective and cost-efficient than the current NHS standard, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) self-help. A study published in JAMA Psychiatry found that people who used a mindfulness self-help book and support sessions saw greater improvement in depressive symptoms than those given a CBT-based sessions.

What will be covered?

During the day, participants will explore the definition of mindfulness and its rationale, and practice meditation techniques such as the sitting practice, the body scan, and mindful movement. Relevant stress physiology will be discussed, and the evidence base and neuroscience of mindfulness will be explored. Participants will also learn about mindful communication and the benefits of mindfulness in relationships. At the end of the day, key learning points will be drawn out, and participants will be signposted to various mindfulness resources and given tips on how to practice mindfulness at work and in their life.

The aims of the course are to help participants learn about, practice, and experientially develop the skills of mindfulness practices to manage stress and promote self-care and well-being at work and in life.

By the end of the course, participants will have:

Gained knowledge about mindfulness and meditation and the evidence base in the management of stress and promoting general life enhancement.
Experientially learned and practiced common meditation practices such as the body scan, the sitting meditation, mindful walking, mindful movement, and the 3-step breathing space.
Developed confidence in the use of these practices to help you develop a new way of looking at stress in life.
Been signposted to commonly used resources to support you in continuing your practice of mindfulness.