Register for the Devon Wellbeing Hub Mindfulness Course taking place this October

Posted by Devon Partnership Trust in News, Recovery and wellbeing on 2nd August, 2022

As part of the Devon Wellbeing Hub, colleagues working in healthcare, social care and the police across Devon are able to sign up to take part in a free Mindfulness Course run by the University of Exeter through the AccEPT Clinic.

Expressions of interest are now being accepted for the next course commencing in October 2022.

What is the aim of the course?

Now more than ever, it’s important to take care of our own wellbeing while we work to support others. This course aims to improve colleagues’ health and wellbeing whilst developing recovery skills and reducing stress in the workplace.

The course follows a curriculum called Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy for Life (MBCT-L), developed at Oxford University.

The training aims to teach the following skills:

• Managing stress effectively
• Improving focus and concentration
• Settling the mind on the present
• Increasing confidence
• Promoting recovery
• Responding to pressure
• Regulating our thinking, motivation, actions and emotions

What does it look like?

An increasing amount of neuroscience evidence indicates that mindfulness practice, such as meditation or attention exercises, lead to desirable “neuroplasticity”: physical changes in the brain that help reduce stress. Notably, even very short periods of practicing mindfulness can be effective.

During the course you’ll take part in regular meditation, gentle movement and other practices which help you to feel more focussed on the present moment and encourage a non-judgemental outlook. You’ll also learn ways to bring mindfulness and awareness into your daily life. This will be supported both within the sessions and through meditation practice at home.

Who is it for?

This course is for colleagues working in healthcare, social care and the police in Devon who would like to learn skills to support their wellbeing and reduce their stress at work. Participants will need to have a willingness to engage in mindfulness and have a commitment to the course.

This course is not advised for people who are experiencing bereavement, PTSD, an acute mental health disorder or who have recently experienced trauma, though you are welcome to talk through any queries you may have with a facilitator before signing up if you are unsure whether this is the course for you.

Since its launch last year, the course has received lots of positive feedback from colleagues:

My mindfulness practice has deepened and my understanding of the benefits to my wellbeing has increased.

Everyone has been amazing. I am more aware of grounding, and how to bring myself to present moments, I thoroughly enjoyed the course, Alison is an amazing teacher.

The course has reminded me on how useful mindfulness is to my wellbeing and I feel better equipped to handle my mental wellbeing moving forward. Thank you.

How to sign up:

The eight week MBCT-L Course will be held from 6-8pm every Thursday from 27 October to 15 December via Zoom. Please note sessions 1 and 8 will finish at 8:30pm.

To register your interest, please fill in the Expression of Interest form and a facilitator will be in touch with you.

Once you’ve registered your interest in the course, you will attend an orientation with an MBCT-L facilitator. This will be an opportunity to discuss the course further, ask any questions you may have and make sure that now is the right time for you to take part.

For more information, visit: Mindfulness Groups for Staff within Health, Social Care and Police | AccEPT Clinic | University of Exeter

Contact:

If you have any further questions, please contact the AccEPT Clinic at accept.clinic@nhs.net, or Devon Wellbeing Hub on dpt.devonwellbeing@nhs.net

You can find out more about Devon Wellbeing Hub and the ways it can support you or your team on the website.