The Sussex Mindfulness Centre provides eight-week mindfulness courses, free of charge for SPFT staff.
The courses include eight-week mindfulness courses based on the original Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy or Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, and occasionally Mindfulness for Life and Mindful Self-Compassion.
All of our current courses – free for SPFT staff – are now underway. However, dates will be advertised at the bottom of this page as soon as they are available, so please check back soon.
Support for you
Working in the caring professions can be inspiring and rewarding, however it can also be hard work and at times stressful and emotionally demanding. Research indicates that mindfulness can have physical and psychological benefits, including reductions in stress, anxiety, worry, low mood and sleep difficulties, and improvements in immune function, personal relationships, compassion, creativity and enjoyment of life.
A chance to pause
A mindfulness course offers a chance to take a pause, to learn a different approach to managing stress and difficulties, to reflect on what’s important to you and to take care of yourself.
“For anyone looking to find a way of balancing the often competing demands of home, work, and not least, ourselves, it’s worth their checking out a mindfulness course. Too often we overlook the basics in our lives and need to find a way of connecting with what really matters.”
Mindful Nation report
See how mindfulness has helped colleagues at the Sussex Partnership?
See first hand how our mindfulness course has helped Sussex Partnership staff manage stress and improve wellbeing. This short video includes testimonies from two members of staff.
Teacher training pathway
The main purpose of offering these courses is to support staff wellbeing, though if you’re interested in training to become a mindfulness teacher or lead mindfulness practices, the eight-week course is also the first step in the teacher training pathway.
What the course involves
The eight-week mindfulness course consists of an introductory orientation session to help you to decide if mindfulness is for you. This is followed by eight weekly two-hour classes. Participants are encouraged to do about half an hour of daily exercises between classes to gain maximum benefits. The most common course offered to staff is an eight-week mindfulness course based on the original Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy. It has been developed for the general population to reduce anxiety and improve wellbeing and resilience.
Not for everyone
Please note, this course may not be suitable for everyone. If you are experiencing mental health issues, you should talk to your GP about being referred to the appropriate clinical service. Many NHS services now provide MBCT free of charge for people with mental health difficulties. You can find details on referrals and self-referral here.
Find courses and book
All of our current courses are now underway. However, please keep an eye on the bottom of this page for details of upcoming free courses for SPFT staff.
Courses for Sussex Partnership staff
We have run mindfulness courses for the Sussex Partnership for over 16 years. The evidence shows positive impacts for staff who complete the course in terms of reduced stress and improved wellbeing. Taking the eight-week course could be your first step in training to be a mindfulness teacher, however the main purpose of providing these courses is to support your wellbeing