Tag: wellbeing

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
Wellbeing course for women migrants
6 May 2025 at 10:00 to 12:00

Learn skills to manage stress and improve life. Join this free ten-week programme for women migrants. The trauma-informed and culturally sensitive course will be held outdoors in a beautiful garden. The course sessions are on Tuesdays from 6 May 2025 until 15 July 2025. This course may be full, but you can fill in the form to join the waitlist, in case someone drops out.

You can join the waitlist 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 is a gorgeous and secluded garden in Kemptown. 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 women 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. We are partnering with the Network of International Women for Brighton and Hove.

Teachers

Lana Jackson

Lana is a senior clinical psychologist, yoga therapist, and mindfulness teacher with Sussex Mindfulness Centre. She has a special interest in nature-connection and trauma-informed therapy and practice with children, young people and adults.

Julia Powell

Julia trained to be a mindfulness teacher in 2017, after a career in international development, social justice and human rights, including refugee rights. Julia runs trauma-informed 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. Please fill in this short form, or email Lara at spft.smc@nhs.net.

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20 February 2025
Can mindfulness save employees from digital burnout?

In the increasingly stressful world of work where digital advances have made us ever more online and available, a new study has shown that mindfulness can help. Lara Alvarez Torres summarises the findings.

Work has become more computer-based and stressful

In the post-pandemic world, work has become more home-based and digital, where we’re more dependent on e-mail, instant messaging and smart phones. While it offers flexibility, it also brings challenges like stress, overload, and anxiety—whether you’re at home or in the office. It’s now clear that companies need to equip their employees with tools to cope with digital work. A new study has shown that one powerful tool for this is mindfulness.

Mindfulness is about staying present and aware, and it’s been shown to help reduce stress and burnout at work. The study explored how mindfulness can help when we’re constantly connected to our emails, instant messaging, and phones.

Using the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model by Arnold Bakker and Evangelia Demerouti, this new research shows that high job demands, and low job resources lead to more stress and burnout. And that mindfulness is one of the key resources that can provide balance.

The dark side of digital work

The study looks at five major issues that come with digital work: 1) digital workplace stress, 2) overload, 3) anxiety, 4) fear of missing out (FOMO), and 5) addiction.

These issues can lead to burnout but are less severe for those who are healthy, mindful, or confident with digital tools. For employees that feel that they must be constantly connected and available, it can become overwhelming, and even become addictive.

Mindfulness; a positive resource

Mindfulness is a positive resource that helps reduce the negative effects of the digital workplace and support employees’ wellbeing. The researchers did a series of interviews with employees from the UK who use technology daily and found that anxiety, stress and overload were common factors. They also interviewed other employees who were introducing mindfulness practices in their daily work routine and who felt it helped to reduce the negative impacts of digital work.

Supporting employees’ mental health is more important than ever

Mindfulness can be a game-changer in reducing the negative effects of digital work and boosting employee wellbeing. Employees who practice mindfulness tend to experience less burnout and better overall health. As our workplaces become more digital, it’s crucial for companies to support their employees’ wellbeing with resources like mindfulness training.

As we navigate the digital workplace, it’s clear that supporting employees’ mental health is more important than ever. Mindfulness is a simple but effective way to combat stress and burnout. By incorporating mindfulness and other wellbeing policies, companies can ensure their employees stay healthy and productive in this new digital era.

25 June 2024
Mindful Self-Compassion teacher training pathway available in UK for first time
For mindfulness teachers and practitioners who want to teach the eight-week Mindful Self-Compassion course, there is now a clear teacher training pathway available in the UK.

The Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher Training pathway represents a partnership between three UK organisations: the Mindfulness Network, Mindful Self-Compassion UK and the Sussex Mindfulness Centre. We are the UK partners of the US-based Center for Mindful Self Compassion, the global leader in self-compassion training and practice, founded by Dr Kristin Neff and Dr Chris Germer.

Chris Germer will be with us in the UK to help launch the Teacher Training pathway, alongside other compassion initiatives.

I’m particularly pleased to know that the three UK organisations who are committed to delivering the Mindful Self-Compassion programme are joining together to deliver an integrated Mindful Self-Compassion teacher training pathway. This will enable people to first learn Mindful Self-Compassion for themselves, and then to go all the way to becoming a trained teacher.

In September, I am honoured to launch this 18-month collaborative effort that includes an intensive seven-day training, a silent retreat, and the Teacher Training Practicum. This gathering is also a splendid opportunity to renew old friendships and make new ones in our ever-expanding compassion community.
Dr Chris Germer, co-founder of the 8-week Mindful Self-Compassion programme

Trainee teachers following the full training pathway with us, can get completion certificates with the logos of all partner organisations, including the Center for Mindful Self Compassion.

The collaboration of UK partners is significant as, for the first time, it offers trainees the full training pathway to becoming a certified teacher, which includes the opportunity of in-person training in the UK. This training is supported by UK-based organisations who offer the full range of expertise and support to enable trainees to complete all aspects of the required training. After completing the initial training, students are encouraged to teach with each other, so being in a cohort with others is particularly helpful.

The next teacher training programme starts with an intensive seven-day teacher training retreat in March 2025.

Mindful Self-Compassion

Mindful Self-Compassion is an internationally renowned programme developed by Dr Kristin Neff and Dr Chris Germer in the USA. As Mindful Self-Compassion has spread around the globe, many countries have developed what are now well-established Mindful Self-Compassion centres of excellence, offering a variety of training opportunities.

In the UK, the Sussex Mindfulness Centre, the Mindfulness Network and Mindful Self-Compassion UK, have been offering regular Mindful Self-Compassion events for ten years. As leading mindfulness organisations and individuals, we have come together to provide a clear teacher training pathway from introductory workshops to teacher training programmes.

We are international partners of the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion, and together we offer the only UK-based teacher training for Mindful Self-Compassion.

Collaborating partners

The collaborating partners working together on the teacher training pathway for Mindful Self-Compassion in the UK are:
- Mindful Self-Compassion UK (MSC-UK). A supportive community of Mindful Self-Compassion teachers based in the UK whose website hosts a directory of courses, workshops and retreats. Also, MSC-UK offers regular networking events for teachers and practice opportunities for the general public.
- The Mindfulness Network. The Mindfulness Network is a registered charity serving the mindfulness community and general public through supervision, retreats and training courses, including Mindful Self-Compassion offerings.
- The Sussex Mindfulness Centre. Part of the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, the Sussex Mindfulness Centre aims to improve the wellbeing and mental health of all people who can benefit from mindfulness. They do this by running mindfulness and compassion programmes, training teachers and conducting research.
Find out what steps are involved in the Mindful Self-Compassion teacher training pathway here.
13 February 2024
Belonging – An intercultural mindfulness gathering, 27 July 2024

The key themes of the 6th Annual Empowerment Symposium are intercultural dialogue; mindfulness; peacebuilding; belonging; equality, diversity and inclusion. Hosted by William Fley and Imani Sorhaindo, special guest speakers include Rhonda Magee and Cathy-Mae Karelse.

Celebrate the 6th Annual Empowerment Symposium at Birkbeck College on Saturday, 27 July 2024 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. The event will include community and wellbeing stalls and there will be music and performances by Andrea Roye, Thaliba and Tuneless Choir.

Mindfulness in its various forms is now a common method for self-regulation, self-care, healing, empowerment and well-being. With research-backed evidence, over the last four decades, the movement has exploded in the US and here in the UK, and its utilisation is now found everywhere from boardrooms and bedrooms, from schools to work with elders, schools, prisons, and hospitals.
Yet popular Mindfulness is infused with some level of bias and often ignores the fact that Mindfulness has been practised across the globe in ancient systems by People of Colour for thousands of years. Creating bridges of understanding, alliance and collaboration is critical if we are to evolve societally.

Western society can often replicate existing social norms and dominant narratives or power and powerlessness which are constructs, how can we move past these? How can we make for a more inclusive trajectory and build a society which values the richness and vastness of our human and spiritual interdependence, sense of belonging and community, to help build intercultural spaces and societies?

Find out more and book here.

12 February 2024
My transformation with mindful self-compassion

Indi, Quality Improvement Advisor for Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, writes from the heart about her mindfulness journey and her more recent experience of Sussex Mindfulness Centre’s eight-week Mindful Self-Compassion course.

When I learnt how to apply self compassion, it was literally transformational for me. That’s not a word I use lightly.
Indi, Quality Improvement Advisor, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

I had done the standard eight-week mindfulness courses a number of times, getting different benefits each time. My meditation practice had been a constant, if somewhat inconsistent thread in my wellbeing recovery over a couple of decades. I’d worked a lot on embodying the mindfulness principles of ‘non-striving’, ‘moving towards difficulty’ and ‘allowing things to be’ as best I could, but it was the course on Mindful Self-Compassion that caused things to shift in a surprising and significant way for me.

In my podcast which you can hear on SoundCloud here I was interviewed about my experience of the Mindful Self-Compassion course. Although it finished at the end of last year, it’s still revealing exciting layers of value for me now. I’m gliding more lightly in my life, and for someone who lives with complex PTSD and chronic physical challenges, that’s a big deal.

The first time I was introduced to the metta bhavna (loving kindness) meditation I found it really difficult. Actually, I said I hated it, but now it’s one of my most frequently used. I’d found it so hard to extend the same loving kindness and compassion to myself that I so easily did to others. So, when I found there was a course which was all about self-compassion, I was delighted to be able to get professional support from a specialist teacher in developing that mindset.

My initial impressions included the concern that self-compassion might be self-indulgent and feed into my strong tendency for reflection and analysis. That theory was unfounded, as I quickly learnt that in order to care most effectively for others, I needed to develop the ability to apply that to myself, authentically and more consistently.

The teacher, Paul Johansen, modelled self-compassion in such an embodied way, it felt easy for me to learn to do that too. The science and research he shared, gave it the credibility to banish my critical thinking. And by taking what felt like a slightly radical step in committing to loving and accepting myself as my focus for eight weeks, I can honestly say it was one of the most life changing things I’ve done.

The remaining self-deprecating thoughts have been weeded out and replaced by internal dialogue such as ‘that’s ok Indi, you’re doing your best’, ‘maybe you could rest now that you’ve noticed you’re feeling too much pain today’, I’m also declining social invitations without feeling the need to explain why.

What’s most wonderful about embodying self-compassion congruently, is that others are reacting positively, and picking up on my compassion for them, in a way that’s embedded in empathy for our shared humanity. I’m now less in my head and more in my heart, and also less dissociated from the overwhelming sensations I’d previously tried to supress. In short, I feel a growing equilibrium as well as equanimity, whilst feeling more aligned with my values and principles. I’m allowing myself regular Epsom Salt baths and lie-ins at weekends, taking more one minute resting moments and breathing spaces throughout the day, and finding a greater capacity to enjoy my connection with nature. Oh, and there’s more tea and cake without guilt too.

If you’ve got an inkling that this course might be what you need, why not give it a go, and allow yourself to explore the gift of it!

You can find out about our mindfulness for courses in the Learn section. For Trust staff our next Mindful Self-Compassion course, which takes place in the centre of Brighton starts on 2 October 2023. You can find out about this and our other eight week-mindfulness courses for staff, and how to book here.

19 July 2023