Mindfulness is not a therapy as such but it can have many therapeutic benefits. Although it can be argued that the science of mindfulness is still in its infancy, peer-reviewed papers provide evidence that mindfulness enhances mental and physical wellbeing and reduces chronic pain. For example, Jon Kabat-Zinn (Professor Emeritus of medicine and the founder of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Centre for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School) devotes two whole chapters in his book "Full Catastrophe Living" (revised edition 2013) to exploring the beneficial impact of practising mindfulness on physical pain through his MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) course. It is also worth mentioning that in the UK, Vidyamala Burch, the co-founder of Breathworks in 2004, developed the Mindfulness-based Pain Management course which has helped many people change their perception of and relationship with pain.
Similarly, it has been found that, with regular practice, mindfulness can also alleviate:
- Stress
- Anxiety and depression (A Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy course is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to treat less severe depression)*
- Sleep problems
Positive Effects of Mindfulness
Studies also show the many positive effects of mindfulness on:
- Concentration
- Creativity
- Relationships
- Communication, including listening.
Mindfulness - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Whatever it is that you want to work on, a course or session can be adapted to focus on your particular interests.
