Mindfulness-Based Approaches

Cultivating Awareness and Acceptance

Mindfulness has moved from ancient contemplative traditions into mainstream mental health care, with a strong evidence base for its benefits. Mindfulness-based approaches teach skills for paying attention differently - with curiosity, openness, and without judgement.

What Is Mindfulness?

At its core, mindfulness means paying attention to the present moment on purpose, without judging what you find. It’s about noticing what’s happening right now - in your body, your thoughts, your feelings, your surroundings - rather than being lost in memories of the past or worries about the future.

This sounds simple, but it runs counter to how most of us operate. Our minds tend to wander constantly, often to unhelpful places: ruminating on past mistakes, anticipating future problems, or running mental commentary that takes us away from direct experience.

Mindfulness training develops the capacity to notice when your mind has wandered and gently bring it back to the present.

Mindfulness-Based Therapies

Several structured therapeutic approaches incorporate mindfulness:

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR): The original programme developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn, primarily for stress, chronic pain, and health conditions.

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT): Combines mindfulness with cognitive therapy, particularly effective for preventing relapse in recurrent depression.

Mindfulness integrated with other therapies: Mindfulness practices are often woven into CBT, ACT, CFT, and other approaches as part of treatment.

What Mindfulness Practice Involves

Typical mindfulness practices include:

Breathing awareness: Using the breath as an anchor for attention, noticing each inhalation and exhalation without trying to change them.

Body scan: Systematically moving attention through different parts of the body, noticing sensations without judgement.

Mindful movement: Gentle yoga or stretching with full attention to bodily sensations.

Everyday mindfulness: Bringing present-moment awareness to ordinary activities - eating, walking, washing dishes.

Sitting meditation: Allowing attention to rest openly, noticing whatever arises - thoughts, feelings, sensations - and letting them pass.

How Mindfulness Helps

Mindfulness works through several mechanisms:

Breaking rumination: When you notice your mind has wandered to unhelpful thoughts, you can choose not to follow them. This interrupts cycles of worry and self-criticism.

Changing relationship to experiences: Rather than being overwhelmed by difficult emotions or fighting against them, you learn to observe them with some distance. Feelings become something you have, not something you are.

Calming the nervous system: Regular practice activates the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing chronic stress responses.

Increasing response flexibility: With greater awareness comes choice. Instead of reacting automatically, you can respond more thoughtfully.

What to Expect

Learning mindfulness involves regular practice - typically daily, even if just for ten minutes. It’s like building a muscle: the benefits come through consistent training.

In therapy, you’ll learn practices gradually, starting with simple exercises and building from there. We’ll explore obstacles that arise (and there will be obstacles - minds are busy) and how to work with them skilfully.

Mindfulness isn’t about achieving a blank mind or feeling calm all the time. It’s about being present with whatever is happening, even when it’s difficult.

Is Mindfulness Right for You?

Mindfulness approaches can benefit most people, but they’re particularly helpful for:

• Stress, burnout, and overwhelm
• Preventing depression relapse
• Managing chronic pain or health conditions
• Reducing anxiety and worry
• Building general resilience and wellbeing

Contact us to discuss incorporating mindfulness into your treatment.