MindfulNESS for adults

Mindfulness helps us to learn to pay attention to the full range of our experiences (good and bad, pleasant and unpleasant) from moment to moment, with an attitude of acceptance rather than avoidance

By increasing our awareness, we can learn to respond more skilfully rather than simply reacting. We can learn to live and enjoy our lives more fully.

All too often we have bad habits of thinking and feeling. Many of us are familiar with that insidious inner voice that seems to play on a loop of self-doubt and negativity. Most of us spend too much time ruminating over what happened yesterday or worrying about what may happen in the future. We spend much of our time on auto-pilot getting through the business of the day; very little time is spent being available to the present.

Mindfulness isn’t a cure all, but it is a way of recognising thoughts, forgiving ourselves for them and oﬀering the opportunity to nip the unhelpful in the bud. By creating space between ourselves and our thoughts, we can learn to dial down anxiety and turn up the volume on the good things in life. It’s a way to ﬁnd moments of peace in a world that often doesn’t feel very peaceful.

I have recently completed the ‘Mindfulness Now’ training, which enables me to deliver an 8 week mindfulness training course. The course is a combination of the MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Relief) course – the original course developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn – and the MBCT (Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy) course – developed more recently in Oxford by Professor Mark Williams. The 8 weeks offer accessible and evidence-based mindfulness teaching and is recognised and endorsed by the British Psychological Society.

I also work with individuals combining mindfulness with counselling to work within a more bespoke framework.

I have an established weekly calendar of half-hour guided mindfulness meditations. These are run via zoom so that you can practice in the comfort of your own home.

Ness is very warm and approachable to work with. As I bring mindfulness more and more into my life, I find that I am focusing more on what I am doing, rather than always being ahead mentally with what I need’ to be doing. The pressure of always needing to be on the go, has gone

I am finding that I can organise my thoughts better and don’t feel anxious about my ‘to do’ list. I think I am sleeping better too. It calms my brain and gives me more space

The most amazing change has been the sense of relaxation in my jaw, shoulders dropping and neck lengthening . I have had neck problems for quite a while now and building a mindfulness practice with Ness has undoubtedly helped reduce tension and pain in this area - just one of many benefits

I have been part of Ness’s guided mindfulness ‘zoom’ group for 5 months now and practice with her 3 times a week. I find that I am much calmer and clearer in thought and definitely happier. I have found that I’m far more able to accept when I can’t control something. In the past I would have held on to that anger at not being able to change things and feel out of control.

My doctor suggested that I try mindfulness to help with anxiety. As a guy, I thought mindfulness would be a bit ‘fluffy’ but decided to give it a go. It has proved to be a life changer. I can now manage my stress and anxiety much better. While it doesn’t make life’s problems go away, I find that I can now cope and consequently feel much happier

Working with Ness has allowed me to quieten my inner chatter. I have more moments of clarity and calm. It seems to lift my mood on a bad day, by bringing me back to the present. I feel much happier and more peaceful