Background:
Mindfulness practice has its origins in Asia as a contemplative practice. It was brought to the attention of western culture when Dr Jon Kabatt-Zinn developed an eight week course for patients in the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Centre in 1979.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a long established program that helps practitioners to learn to see patterns in their minds and bodies. Through doing so, mindfulness helps to change attitudes towards stress and mental health problems and promote resilience.
Mindfulness-based approaches are intended to teach people practical skills that can help with physical and psychological health problems and ongoing life challenges. There is now a large pool of research indicating that a regular mindfulness practice is associated with:
- Improved Concentration and Attention
- Improved Memory and Intelligence
- Improved sleep
- Decreased anxiety & stress
- Helpful with overcoming Addiction
- Boosts Immune System
- Helps fight depression
- Improves Decision Making
- Impacts ADHD Symptoms
- Increased Empathy and ability to form interpersonal relationships
Your Trainer:
Matthew Aylen MSc. MBACP is a Psychotherapeutic Counsellor and Personal Coach. He is the founder of Grow, having successfully completed an MSc in Applied Positive Psychology & Coaching Psychology and a Post Graduate Diploma in Integrative Counselling. A certified mindfulness teacher and trainer, he teaches the 8 week MBSR mindfulness programme as well as holding regular mindfulness groups.
1 Day Mindfulness Course Activity Programme
The day begins with an introduction to Mindfulness: what is it? What does the research say? How can it help with stress and anxiety? You will then be introduced to many different mindfulness techniques, as well as explore which are best for you. You will also be engaging in a variety of different mindfulness activities:
Grounding & Orienting
Using Mindfulness Anchors: Breath, Sound, Sight, Taste, Smell
Body Scan
Unwanted Thoughts, Urges & The Inner Critic
Acceptance, Compassion & Kindness
Location:
The 1 Day Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction course takes place in a large log cabin, surrounded by trees in the rural countryside of the Bedfordshire / Cambridgeshire border. 20 minutes from Bedford, or 15 minutes from St Neots or Rushden, the course location is conveniently located by the A1 motorway.
Map
The day starts at 10am and finishes at 4pm. Please bring a packed lunch with you: you are free to eat this in the garden surrounding the cabin in good weather, or alternatively to eat in the cabin if you would prefer. Tea and biscuits are available throughout the day.
We look forward to welcoming you!