Tag: asylum seekers

Innovations award for our work with refugees, one year on

A year after we won an award for our work with refugees and asylum seekers, we’ve come to the end of two more ten-week mindfulness courses. This time the venue was a very special ‘secret’ garden. This blog post, by Julia Powell one of the facilitators, is based on a short update for the Innovations in Mindfulness Awards.

What winning the award meant to us

When we won an Innovations in Mindfulness award for our work with refugees in October 2024, it meant a huge amount to us: it represented recognition of the original Mindfulness Across Borders curriculum developed by Ariana Faris and Sheila Webb; it acknowledged our efforts to revive the programme, innovate further and reach new groups in Brighton; and it provided an injection of cash, which when supplemented by the Sussex Mindfulness Centre’s own funds, meant we could run two more ten-week courses for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers this year.

The first of our wellbeing courses this year started in May, and the second started in early July and finished last week, 30 September 2025. The participants, and facilitators, were a little sad at our final gathering, but we hope it’s not the end.

The Secret Garden and its healing properties

Given the positive response to running the last course in 2023 in a secluded wellbeing garden just out of Brighton, we ran these two courses outdoors again. The Secret Garden, a little-known sculpture garden, run by community volunteers in urban Kemptown was the venue for these last two courses. We are grateful to the Antony Dale Trust who hosted us.

Holding the courses in a special garden built on the eco-therapy aspect of the course that Lana Jackson introduced when we ran our second course. With the blessing and support of Ariana Faris (one of the originators of the curriculum), Lana has since added to the curriculum. This will help other mindfulness teachers take the course outside and into nature.

The garden made a huge contribution, creating a little oasis of tranquillity in nature for participants to engage in mindfulness practices and other exercises. This felt particularly important given the vulnerability of the participants who experience high levels of emotional turmoil caused by their current circumstances and the situations they have left behind.

We opened the course to women and men

Although the trauma-informed, culturally sensitive curriculum was originally designed for women, we decided to open the last course to both men and women, as we were hearing of the difficulties that men here on their own were facing.

Robert demonstrating how we add optional suffering to inevitable pain

Robert Marx, Co-Lead of the Sussex Mindfulness Centre, and the son of a refugee himself co-taught on this course. Originally, it was Robert Marx who identified refugees and asylum seekers as a possible group for Sussex Mindfulness Centre’s work with underrepresented communities. This proved to be a well-appreciated intervention for the men that attended. And we felt for some women that being in be in a mixed environment that was safe and respectful, may have been helpful, and even healing in itself. We are delighted to be offering an intervention that includes men, who are normally massively under-represented in mental health services (particularly important given the much higher suicide rates in men).

We were fortunate and privileged to have Ariana Faris, as the originator of the curriculum, to provide supervision. This supported both the effectiveness and safety of the group, and enabled us to think through and plan together throughout the delivery of both courses.

Building connections and recruiting participants

To attract participants to attend the mindfulness courses we did extensive outreach into the refugee community building on links we had made previously. The Network of International Women for Brighton & Hove helped us to recruit participants for the first women-only group. We reached out to other refugee groups by attending meetings, celebrations and cultural events to talk about the course, meet organisers, refugee leaders, and potential participants. We also attended coordination meetings where services for refugees were discussed to inform them of our plans, and ensure our courses were included in communications to the wider network of service providers. As a result, we recruited around 25 participants for both groups and had around 10 participants attending each session. The second course was oversubscribed, and we had to turn people away.

Proudest moments

The proudest moments have come when participants have said something that indicates what the course offered them. Here are four quotes from participants:

“I would never go out on my own. Since I’ve been coming here, I’ve gone to the local park, I’ve walked bare foot, even lay down on the grass and looked up at the clouds. I would never have done that before.”

woman refugee

“…I like speed. I like to arrive places quickly and accomplish things with momentum. But today, as I walked, I really watched where I was placing my feet. I noticed something small but striking; I was avoiding stepping on flowers. I wondered why. And the answer came quietly—a simple realisation of their existence. I appreciated them. Out of all the grass in the garden, these were the plants that had chosen to bloom. To offer something beautiful. And somehow, that helped me appreciate nature—and, as a result, appreciate life. It may sound simple, but it was deeply meaningful to me, especially in a time when I’ve found myself giving up on life….”

woman asylum seeker (excerpt from message sent after class)

“After listening to the other people in the group talk, I realise I am not alone.”

male asylum seeker

“After waking up, my whole heart is filled with worry and anxiety…I am always, always worried for no logical reason. In your training sessions, I feel calm. And I see that it is a safe environment.”

male asylum seeker (excerpt from message sent after class):

Next steps …

Participants would like some way of continuing to meet to support them in their practice. The expanded team involved in running and supervising these courses (Ariana Faris, Lana Jackson, Robert Marx, Lizzy West, Lara Alvarez Torres and myself, Julia Powell) are planning to get together in-person to brainstorm how we can raise funds to run the courses again. Irrespective of funding we will consider how to offer monthly mindfulness sessions in a free venue so that participants have a way to stay connected to the community they have created and the practices they have embarked on.

We’ll keep you posted on further developments here.

3 October 2025
Wellbeing course for migrants
22 July 2025 at 10:00 to 12:00

Learn skills to manage stress and improve life. Join this free ten-week programme for migrants. The trauma-informed and culturally sensitive course will be held outdoors in a private garden. The course sessions are on Tuesdays from 10am to 12 midday, from 22 July until 30 September 2025 (no session on 23 September).

You can secure your place by filling in this short application form.

Overview

The course includes activities designed to promote wellbeing, and reduce anxiety and stress. These activies include:
- Learning simple skills to help calm the mind
- Gentle movement and stretching exercises (that can be adapted for everyone)
- Using art and and creativity (no experience needed)
- An opportunity to practice English. The course is taught in plain simple English using visual prompts (fluency is not necessary)
The benefits of doing the course include:
- Understanding how the mind works
- Being able to cope better in difficult situations
- Shared sense of solidarity and community
Location

The location will be in an outdoors in a secluded garden. You’ll be sent details of how to get there once you enrol. We will be able to supply bus passes for people who need to travel.

Background to the course

This course enables participants to access the benefits of mindfulness in a way that is is a trauma-informed and culturally sensitive. The Mindfulness Across Borders curriculum was created by Ariana Faris and Sheila Webb with funding from the Oxford Mindfulness Foundation. The design is based on a project piloting courses in trauma-adapted and culturally-sensitive Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy for refugee and asylum-seeking communities in London, Cardiff and Brighton. The curriculum was co-produced with refugees in these cities. It is therefore sensitive to the experience and traumas that individuals may have faced.

The Sussex Mindfulness Centre is offering this course free, as part of its efforts to reach underrepresented communities.

Who is the course for?

All refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK, whatever your current status, are very welcome. This course is open to men and women migrants and other people who identify with refugees and people seeking asylum.

Teachers

Robert Marx

Robert is Co-Lead (training) for the Sussex Mindfulness Centre. He is a consultant clinical psychologist and has been involved in running mindfulness groups for staff and patients since 2006. He also trains and supervises others doing mindfulness work. He is interested in relational mindfulness and in adaptations of mindfulness-based interventions using compassion practices.

Julia Powell

Julia trained to be a mindfulness teacher in 2017, after a career in international development, social justice and human rights, including the rights of people seeking asylum in the UK. Julia runs mindfulness courses and coaching for the public and for refugees and asylum seekers.

Course format

The session provides a range of activities and each session is different. Generally, they start with some gentle movement or stretching exercises. The first four sessions are designed so participants can get an idea of what happens, and decide if the course is for them. From session five, the course is closed to newcomers to create a more intimate and safe space.

There is a tea break in the middle of the sessions.

How to apply

The course is free. If you would like to apply please fill in this short application form here. Or if you want more information please email Lara at spft.smc@nhs.net.

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25 February 2025
Winner in Innovations in Mindfulness Awards

The Sussex Mindfulness Centre has won an Innovations in Mindfulness Award for their pioneering work running mindfulness courses for women refugees

Lana Jackson holds the award

The award was announced on 19 October 2024, at the Manchester Mindfulness Festival. The awards were initiated to celebrate “the creativity that makes mindfulness practices more accessible, more diverse and more effective.” The Centre won this award under the Creative Partnerships category which acknowleges the role of all the individuals and organisations that made this work possible.

Juila Powell receives award

The first most important collaboration, and part of the winning team, were Ariana Faris and Sheila Webb for pioneering the development of the curriculum, Mindfulness Across Borders. The 10-week course was adapted from Mindfuness Based Cognitive Therapy to be non-hierarchical, trauma-informed and culturally sensitive. Ariana supervised the Sussex Mindfulness Centre teachers to run the courses in Brighton. And Ariana enabled the teachers to make further adaptations to the curriculum, which were inspired by the participants themselves.

The other important collaborators were the leaders, volunteers and staff of local refugee organisations including: The Network of International Women for Brighton & Hove, Sanctuary on Sea, Hummingbird, Brighton Exiled / Refugee Trauma Service, and many more. A huge thanks to them all.

Nick Grey, Consultant Clinical Psychologist at Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust secured funds from Health Education England so that we could run courses for underrepresented groups. Robert Marx, Co-Lead for the Sussex Mindfulness Centre, identified asylum seekers and refugees as an important population for our outreach work. He continues to be a champion for this initiative. Interns Susie Mszynska and Georgia Sawyer supervised by Clara Strauss, and staff member Zoe Baty provided essential support to help us promote and run the sessions.

Dr Lana Jackson and Julia Powell led the courses in Brighton. On hearing news of the award Lana said,

Receiving this award is not only an honour but a reminder of the importance of this work. It highlights the need for trauma-sensitive, supportive spaces that respect and honour the lived experiences of refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK. … Watching the women come together, support each other, and their deep appreciation for mindfulness practice has been one of the most moving experiences of my career to date.

You can read more about the evolving innovations, including how the sessions were taken outdoors in Lana’s blog post here.

Mindfulness teacher, Julia Powell said,

We’re so thrilled to get this award. At a time, when so many people in the UK are under attack for exercising their right to seek sanctuary from persecution or war, it feels like their struggle is being recognised. We hope this award helps us with our fundraising and inspires others to run these courses all around UK, so that more people can learn to adapt to their new situation, and feel welcome in their communities.”

You can read more of Julia’s experience of running the courses in Miracles of Mindfulness; working with women refugees.

The teachers were humbled to witness how women refugees benefit from mindfulness. Having been uprooted, separated from loved ones, living in poor housing with their lives on hold many of the participants were still able to find stability, comfort, warmth and a sense of community and solidarity from the sessions. One participant said,

When I do mindfulness, I feel like I’m flying. It’s very powerful, you feel like you can run, you can learn.”

With generous agreement from the original two pioneers of the curriculum, Ariana and Sheila, the Sussex Mindfulness Centre will use the prize money to run another course for asylum seekers and refugees.

21 October 2024
Innovations in mindfulness for refugees

Dr Lana Jackson, Clinical Psychologist and mindfulness teacher at the Sussex Mindfulness Centre, shares some of the innovations in our work with refugees and celebrates the team’s award.

I am beyond thrilled to announce that our collaborating team has won a 2024 Innovations in Mindfulness Award! This recognition honours the work we’ve been doing through our 10-week, trauma-informed, and culturally-sensitive mindfulness courses that were designed for women refugees and asylum-seekers. It’s a moment of deep gratitude, not only for the award itself, but for the journey that has led us here.

Julia Powell (mindfulness teacher) and I began our journey with Mindfulness Across Borders; an adapted mindfulness programme originally created by the visionary Ariana Faris and Sheila Webb. From the beginning, their approach was rooted in understanding the unique challenges faced by displaced women and the ways in which mindfulness could serve as a lifeline amidst unimaginable traumas.

In collaboration with Ariana and based on the feedback from the women in our groups, we continued to adapt and evolve the programme to meet their needs more fully. One of the key adaptions was the addition of more mindful movement, especially at the start of each session. For women who have been through physical and emotional displacement, reconnecting with the body in a safe and gentle way became a powerful form of healing. The simple act of moving with mindfulness helped to re-establish a sense of agency and grounding.

We also decided to take the course outdoors, embracing the therapeutic power of nature. Research shows that being outdoors can reduce anxiety, depression, and even improve self-esteem. Nature also offers physiological benefits, like lowering cortisol levels, heart rate, and blood pressure. But beyond the science, being surrounded by natural beauty—feeling the earth beneath your feet, listening to the sound of the birds, breathing in the fresh air—fosters an innate sense of connection and belonging. For women uprooted from their homes, this connection to the natural world seemed to provide a source of comfort. The sensory experiences of nature also helped to ground awareness more fully into the present moment, enhancing the mindfulness practice. In many ways, nature itself became part of the healing process.

Another significant element we introduced was the fire circle. There is something deeply comforting and timeless about gathering around an open fire, sacred even. It is an ancient ritual where people have come together for warmth, safety, and the sharing of stories, across cultures for centuries. For the women in our group, being together around the fire, sharing food and tea, seemed to create a deeper sense of community, trust and connection.

I have been continually inspired by the resilience, courage, and strength of these women. They are the heart of this project. Watching them come together, support each other, and their deep appreciation for the mindfulness practice has been one of the most moving experiences of my career to date.

Receiving this award is not only an honour but a reminder of the importance of this work. It highlights the need for trauma-sensitive, supportive spaces that respect and honour the lived experiences of refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK. We hope that this moment brings us closer to securing the funding we need to continue this vital work in Sussex. I am filled with gratitude and excitement for our continued journey ahead.

21 October 2024
Mindfulness for refugees is finalist in Innovations in Mindfulness Awards
Our work implementing the Mindfulness Across Borders curriculum with women refugees and asylum seekers in Brighton has been recognised by the Innovations in Mindfulness Awards.

Collaborating with the original pioneers of the Mindfulness Across Borders curriculum, the Sussex Mindfulness Centre has been offering mindfulness courses to women refugees in Brighton. You can find out more about the project here and in this blog post; Miracles of Mindfulness.

The Innovations in Mindfulness Awards celebrate manifesting creativity: innovators meeting need by turning ideas into reality, making a difference to people’s lives through significant new approaches to bringing mindfulness into the heart of society.

The finalists were chosen by a distinguished panel of judges for:
1. Solving a real need;
2. Creativity and risk-taking;
3. Diversity, inclusion and accessibility to new audiences;
4. Testing and iterating;
5. Collaboration and learning from each other;
6. Sustainability and impact over time.
The winning project in each of three categories will be announced at the The Manchester Mindfulness Festival on 19 October 2024.
24 September 2024
Miracles of mindfulness; working with women refugees

Julia Powell writes about her recent humbling experience co-leading mindfulness for groups of women refugees, asylum seekers and migrants…

Lana Jackson and I have just finished co-leading our second ten-week mindfulness course for women refugees. We’ve been using the trauma-informed Mindfulness Across Borders curriculum developed by Ariana Faris and Sheila Webb and funded by the Oxford Mindfulness Foundation. The initiative is part of the Sussex Mindfulness Centre’s effort to reach underrepresented communities.

With Lana’s encouragement and enthusiasm for eco-therapy, we ran this second course outdoors, in a secluded garden in Stanmer Park, Brighton. The setting was perfect. We had a fire circle with logs to sit on, and were sheltered under a parachute that was draped over trees, in case it rained.

At first, it was a challenge to attract participants to what may be an alien concept in some cultures. In the promotional material we minimised ‘mindfulness’ and highlighted the benefits articulated by previous participants of courses in Cardiff and London. Following lots of support from local refugee organisations, both courses were eventually oversubscribed.

We earned the confidence of the women participants early on by responding to their needs and adapting the curriculum accordingly. For example, as many of the women are dealing with high levels of anxiety they requested more mindful movement. Physical activity at the beginning of each session helped them feel more grounded, and more able to participate in the rest of the session. Realising that they were co-creators in the course created trust, a sense of belonging and ownership.

We kept the venues secret to protect our participants from the sorts of hate crimes that recent arrivals to the UK have been subject to. Many of the participants will have left war or persecution behind them, and some may have faced hostility in their new host communities. Many live in poor temporary accommodation, with lives on hold as they await long-delayed decisions on asylum applications and are prohibited from working in the meantime. As I write, I am contacted by one distressed former participant who, with her husband and children fears imminent eviction.

So, in the face of such adversity you may wonder how mindfulness could possibly help? Obviously, our programme doesn’t address urgent and practical challenges like becoming homeless. And in such cases, of course it is necessary to ‘do’ something. Not simply ‘be’ with the uncertainty.

But, an excellent example of the power of mindfulness came a few weeks ago. One participant woke up to discover rain pouring through her ceiling into her bedroom during the recent heavy rains. Water flooded into all of the rooms of her small flat. She got a sudden rush of emotion as she realised what was happening. Then she remembered the ‘breathing space’ learnt in previous sessions. She actually referred to the little credit card-sized prompt we had given her. She took a breathing space, remained calm, alerted the landlord, and phoned a friend. She gathered herself up, left the disaster that was her home and came to our weekly session in the park, albeit a little late!

We were very pleasantly surprised by the wholehearted engagement of the women, right from the start. The insights they shared showed how much they learned. Participants talked about the value of the programme.

“Mindfulness is sunrise because it’s like a new day, it’s hope, it’s clear.”
Woman on the mindfulness course

Another participant said:

“When I do mindfulness, I feel like I’m flying. It’s very powerful, like flying, you feel like you can run, you can learn.”

Several women said they felt more confident, finding ways to be alongside difficulties, and learning to appreciate the little things, the sun and the breeze. Women talked about being more in tune with their bodies, more connected, more accepting. One participant recognised that pain in her body was specific and localised, and that the rest of her body felt fine. This was a revelation and released her from the idea that she was in pain.

Love was a recurring theme in our one-word feedback at the end of the sessions. And the sense of connection, community and solidarity with others was ever present.

I felt humbled to be with these women who have such challenging lives, who somehow carved out a little time for learning something entirely new, and for being open to the little miracles of mindfulness.

Many thanks to interns, Susie Myszynska and Georgia Sawyer, for all their dedicated support with the sessions. Also thanks to Ariana Faris who provided hugely insightful and helpful supervision.

20 July 2023