Mindfulness Based Programmes

What are Mindfulness Based Programmes?

Mindfulness Based Programmes encourage a greater awareness of our experiences, including our thoughts, emotions and physical sensations. Often we go through our day on ‘automatic pilot’ and this is when unhelpful habits and reactions can contribute to our difficulties.

Mindful awareness can increase our understanding of ourselves and give us greater choice in how we respond to our needs.

Our courses encourage mindful awareness through sharing information, practicing meditations and exploring ways to bring awareness into our daily lives.

We currently offer 2 different Mindfulness based treatments.

• Mindfulness for Depression
• Mindfulness for Health

Our Mindfulness based treatments are designed to introduce new ways of relating to difficulties in our lives, whether these are symptoms of Depression or difficulties that can arise when living with a long-term condition.

Both of our Mindfulness Programmes are taught and practiced in small groups, with 2 therapists who are also qualified Mindfulness Teachers.

What happens in a Mindfulness group?

The groups run over 8 weeks.

Each week will include a 2 hour group session, with a short break.

Each session will be with the same group of around 12 people.

We run sessions alternatively to include both day times and evenings.

Our groups are currently online, which means we meet every week in a private online meeting.

You don’t need experience of using online platforms, just a reliable internet connection.

Each session is structured and will include:

• Learning together around a relevant theme
• Practicing meditations together, led by 2 Mindfulness Teachers
• Exploring our experiences of meditation and practice

You do not need any experience of meditation, just an openness to practice the recommended meditations during the sessions, as well as practicing at home between sessions, over the 8-week course.

Mindfulness for Depression

Mindfulness Based Cognitive therapy (or MBCT) groups are effective in treating symptoms of Depression, as well as preventing relapse for those who have recovered from depression.

The group uses Mindfulness practices and Cognitive therapy to explore symptoms of depression, recognize our own patterns of thinking and how we might best take care of ourselves.

This has proved to be very effective for some people in reducing symptoms of depression, and reducing future relapse.

You might wish to consider referring to an MBCT group if you are:

• experiencing symptoms of depression
• currently well and keen to maintain this by learning about relapse prevention
• get easily caught up in unhelpful thoughts – such as rumination, worry, self-criticism etc
• keen to engage in an evidence-based, structured Mindfulness course
• able to attend regular, weekly group sessions, over 8 weeks
• keen to learn in a supported group setting
• able to access reliable internet connection for 2 hours a week, in a private space

Mindfulness for Health (MfH)

This course explores how mindfulness practices can help to reduce the suffering that often comes with chronic health conditions. It is particularly effective for those experiencing symptoms such as chronic pain or fatigue.

The group uses Mindfulness meditation practices and pacing techniques to better understand how we experience pain and suffering and how we might best take care of ourselves when facing health issues.

You might wish to consider referral to the MfH group if you are:

• living with symptoms such as chronic pain or fatigue
• feeling low, angry, frustrated, anxious, overwhelmed about your condition/symptoms
• no longer engaging in things you enjoy, or you do too much and suffer as a result
• finding it difficult to manage regular activities
• often caught up in unhelpful thoughts – eg self-criticism, worry, struggling to see positives
• keen to engage in an evidence-based, structured Mindfulness course
• able to attend regular, weekly group sessions, over 8 weeks.
• keen to learn in a supported group setting