Kara Woods
PGDip. SEP. CPCC. MBACP. ICF
Mindfulness
"When we have a strong emotion like fear or despair, it can be overwhelming. But with practice, we know we can learn how to embrace our fear, because we know that in each one of us there is the seed of mindfulness."
Thích Nhất Hạnh
Practising mindfulness means choosing to be more present in our lives. Jon Kabat-Zinn, a pioneer of mindfulness-based approaches, describes mindfulness as ‘an awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally to the unfolding of experience, moment by moment’.
We all have a natural capacity for mindfulness. With regular practise, mindfulness and its benefits can become more readily accessible in our everyday lives. Mindfulness can help us access powerful inner resources for coping with stress, difficulty and illness.
Services
I teach Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) one-to-one.
What is MBSR and and what is MBCT?
MBSR and MBCT are both structured programmes that combine ancient wisdom meditation practices and 21st century science to help you overcome depression, anxiety and stress by simply learning new ways to respond to your thoughts and feelings. They involve training in mindfulness meditation, gentle mind-body exercises and discussion of life skills. Traditionally MBSR and MBCT were taught to groups of people over 8 consecutive weeks, but now they are also taught on a one-to-one basis.
MBSR and MBCT are very similar programmes, the main difference is that MBCT places more emphasis on problematic thought patterns, whereas MBSR places more emphasis on working with stress.
You can learn more about MBSR here.
You can learn more about MBCT here.
One-to-One Mindfulness Coaching
I teach MBSR and MBCT on a one-to-one basis. This format can be helpful for those who are unable to attend group training programmes for one reason or another. The main benefit of one-to-one tuition is that I can tailor the course to meet your needs and can offer you more individual support.
The one-to-one courses are taught as 10 x 50 minute sessions over 10 weeks. These sessions can be in person or over zoom or telephone. Prior to committing to the full course, I suggest that we meet for an initial orientation session. This is an opportunity for you to gain an overview of what mindfulness is within the MBCT / MBSR course framework and to try a few practices. It is also an opportunity to meet me and to discuss if working in this way is going to be helpful for you.
Daily mindfulness practice forms a primary mode of learning and you will be encouraged to set aside time each day for the formal meditation practice, listening and practising with audio files and integrating mindfulness into your daily life.
It is not a good idea to begin a mindfulness training course if you are currently experiencing severe depression or very challenging life events such that you are not able to commit to regular practice.
Timings
All one-to-one courses are arranged individually at a mutually agreeable time, each session taking place at the same agreed time each week for the 10 consecutive weeks.
"Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom."
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Aristotle