Mindfulness

Why mindfulness in the workplace?

Mindfulness is not only a method for dealing with stress, anxiety or overwhelm in the workplace (and at home). It is also a very effective way of enhancing and enriching employees’ overall wellbeing and resilience.

There is good evidence from neuroscience and brain imaging that mindfulness practice profoundly alters the structure and function of the brain to improve the quality of both thought and feeling. It produces greater blood flow too, and a thickening of the cerebral cortex in areas associated with attention and emotional integration.

Although the most striking changes are observable with longer term practice of mindfulness, we now know that change can happen quickly in people who practice for only eight weeks for an average of at least 10 minutes or more per day. With these people, imaging showed increased grey-matter density in the hippocampus, known to be important for learning and memory, and in structures associated with self-awareness, compassion and introspection. Participants’ reduction in stress were also linked with decreased grey-matter density in the amygdala (the brain’s alarm bell center), which is known to play an important role in anxiety and stress.

MINDFULNESS PROGRAMMES

Our mindfulness programmes consist of teaching key concepts of mindfulness, mindfulness practices and inquiry into one’s experience to increase awareness of self and others.

Our Mindfulness programmes are led by Karen Liebenguth, who has a wealth of experience delivering bespoke Mindfulness initiatives for client’s including Deloitte, Ford and the NHS Foundation Trust.

Popular options

One Month of Mindfulness consisting of 4 weekly mindfulness sessions:

·       A 60 or 75-minute introductory session to mindfulness plus 3 x 30-minute mindfulness sessions

·       A 60 or 75-minute introductory session to mindfulness plus 3 x 1-hour mindfulness sessions (usually 45-minute teaching and practice sessions plus 15-minute Q&A).

Here is a typical overview of a 60-minute introductory session to mindfulness:

• Mindful moment to arrive and relax

• Key teaching: What is mindfulness and 3 core skills: Compassionate acceptance, Inquiry into experience, Meta-awareness

• Brief history of mindfulness: exploring the roots of mindfulness and why do we need it now

• Brief overview of scientific evidence-base & benefits

• Guided body awareness practice

• Key teaching: exploring stress and how it happens: understanding the difference between primary (what’s actually happening) and secondary experience (our reactions to what’s happening which is the root cause of stress); being on autopilot vs paying attention; reacting vs having choice (emotional self-regulation)

• 3 stages breathing space practice as direct antidote to stress & overwhelm: a powerful and practical tool to better deal with stress, overwhelm and anxiety

• Q&A and sharing of practice and experience

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We also offer the full 8 week MBSR programme as well as one-off sessions to suit your needs.