Mindfulness based Stress Reduction (MBSR) / Mindfulness based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is the application of Mindfulness to Western “dis-ease”. It is an integrative, mind-body based approach that helps people change the way they think and feel about their experiences, expescially stressful ones.

The Mental Health Foundation believes that techniques such as mindfulness and yoga, which use meditation, could help prevent depression relapses in sufferers. At this time it is thought, and research is ongoing, that MBSR/MBCT is applicable to a range of other health problems. Those include: anxiety, chronic fatigue syndrome, eating disorders, MBCT for oncology patients. MBSR programmes have now been acknowledged by NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) as being effective for depression and other anxiety states.

However, we must not forget the preventative nature of this approach, which can be experienced as an increased sense of calm and relaxation, higher levels of energy and enthusiasm for living and growing self-confidence and self-acceptance.

I have practiced Mindful Meditation since 1979 with the following senior teachers: Christopher Titmuss, Christina Feldman, Jack Kornfield, Joseph Goldstein and Fred von Allmen. In 2009 I gained the qualification as a certified MBCT Teacher with Dr. Patrizia Collard (www.stressminus.co.uk).

Individual and group sessions available.

CityCentreCounselling, Milton Keynes, testimonials:

'Thank you for a very stimulating day, very informative and enjoyable.  I am sure this will be valuable in my role as a CBT counsellor.'

'The workshop was very enriching and thought-provoking, I would like to know more.'