The 8-week MBCT course is a well-established and scientifically-proven way of training your ‘meditation muscles’ by offering a programme which helps you understand and develop the wellbeing benefits of mindfulness. It provides a structured process with a group of people supported by regular practice, using paintings or sculpture as a focus to help with the process. Just like training your physical muscles, your meditation muscles need to be trained at home too to get the most from the course.
“More energy and enthusiasm. A greater capacity for relaxation and calmness. Enhanced self-confidence. Increased ability to handle stressful situations. More focus. More self-awareness. Greater sensitivity to others.”
Dates and times
Each session will take place on a Wednesday morning starting at 10am and finishing at 12noon, starting on 15 January and ending on 18 March (excluding (excluding 12 February and 19 February). It is important that you commit to attending all eight sessions.
The course
Session 1 - Awareness and automatic pilot – stepping out of ‘doing’ mode into ‘being’ mode
Session 2 - Dealing with barriers – living in our heads – paying attention in each moment without judgement
Session 3 - Mindfulness of the breath and body in movement
Session 4 - Staying present – recognising aversion, becoming aware of how we might respond mindfully
Session 5 - Acceptance, allowing and letting be – working towards developing acceptance and kindness towards our experiences
Session 6 - Thoughts are not facts – ways to see thoughts differently
Session 7 - How can I best take care of myself? Using skilful action to take care of ourselves, even when our mood lowers
Session 8 - Acceptance and change – maintaining and extending new learning!
Prior to joining, your MBCT mindfulness practitioner Nicola Smith will arrange a 1-2-1, so that she can establish your individual aims and requirements of the course and assess your suitability for taking part.
Cost
£275 for eight weeks (includes initial 1-2-1), payable in advance. £225 Early Bird rate if booked by 18 December. The fee includes:
all handouts and resources, and a USB memory stick or CD of guided practices for use during and after the course
a pre-course individual meeting (30 mins) with each potential participant to discuss the course, any questions you may have and any other relevant information. The course is a commitment, so it's important to consider whether it’s right for you, and whether you would have time to practice the mindfulness skills in between sessions, as this is an important part of the course
an optional post-group individual meeting (included in the price)
How to book
Call Nicola on 07714 451401 or email nicola@everydaymindfulnesswithnicolasmith.com. Spaces are limited to 12, so book early to avoid disappointment.
About the tutor
Nicola is an experienced healthcare practitioner - a British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP)-accredited Cognitive Behavioural (CBT) Therapist with 18 years’ experience working in hospital, private clinic and university settings. She studied for her postgraduate qualifications in CBT at King’s College, London at the Institute of Psychiatry.
She is also a Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) teacher, having done her training with the University of Bangor's 'Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice,' which is one of the UK's leading centres for training mindfulness teachers. She has taught mindfulness both individually and in groups to university students and staff, school staff and the general public, and is very enthusiastic about sharing the benefits of mindfulness through her courses, especially when combined with the power of art!