This is a short course, facilitated one evening every week for 4 weeks. Each session is 1 hour and 30 minutes in duration. The intention of this course is for the participants to learn what mindfulness and mindful living truly means through experiential learning. Participants gently begin to experience the various mindfulness practices for themselves. The main mindfulness practices explored are mindful sitting meditations, mindful movement, body scan meditations and mindful eating and drinking.

Whether a student is a very high achiever or a student struggles with exam anxiety or stress, mindfulness practices can create a state of clarity and calm if practiced regularly. Developing individual daily mindfulness practices can be used as a mental preparation exercise before pressurising high performance activities, e.g. class tests, summer tests, Junior Cycle Examinations or Leaving Certificate Examinations. This can really assist a student perform to his or her highest performance level. Many students claim that stress and anxiety result in them 'not being able to think clearly' in an exam. This is very disappointing for students who have prepared with consistency and diligence throughout their academic year. 

Teenagers and Students in particular can experience difficulties as they transition from childhood to adulthood. Many teenagers claim that they overthink things and can become overly sensitive, leading to becoming quite reactive at times, and quite withdrawn on other occasions. Learning to see 'thoughts' just as 'thoughts' is a skill which is developed through mindfulness practices. This in turn leads to empowerment for young adults as they can develop the ability to attain the quality of discernment and maintain this through life. They can learn to cultivate thoughts that are nourishing and to let go of thoughts which are destructive and depleting.

Schools already use mindfulness practices in daily school life. I am available to offer more information on mindfulness practices to reduce stress and anxiety and also to improve performance levels in pressurising high performance activities. Through learning to practice discipline of the mind and discipline of focusing attention through mindfulness practices, students develop the self- discipline to deal with managing distractions, etc. social media and mobile phone usage. This in turn results in students taking on more autonomy with how they choose to spend their time.

I am available to give mindfulness information talks and mindfulness practice sessions to student year groups or staff members during the academic year.

I am qualified to deliver the Paws b programme for Primary School students and the .B programme for Post-Primary School students. This programme was created by the Mindfulness in Schools Project UK.

Mindfulness practices are now being integrated into daily work-life to help staff deal with times of high pressure and stress in the workplace. Many companies are now introducing training in mindfulness to employees to enhance the culture of a workplace. I am available to give mindfulness information sessions and practice sessions in workplaces. 

Mindfulness practices can give parents the ability to see the richness in every moment. Those who practice mindfulness notice they become calmer, less reactive and better listeners. These qualities and others, help parents becoming more accepting in each moment and form stronger relationships with their children.

The 8 week stress reduction program is based on intensive training in mindfulness. It was initially targeted to assist people with chronic health problems, helping them cope with pain, illness and the impact of these conditions on their lives. Today Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is taught to people throughout the world who are experiencing challenges in all areas of life. The motivation for many to enroll in this course begins with a sense of wanting to live in a way that incorporates key aspects of mindfulness, presence, awareness and a sense of being in touch with oneself and the world around us. 

The programme consists of 8 weekly sessions, of 2 hour 30 minute duration, and a retreat mindfulness day from 10am to 4pm on a weekend day. This retreat day is facilitated in the middle of the 8 week course.

Mindfulness exercises and routines if practiced regularly can help with:

Reducing stress, anxiety and depression

Building resilience

Improving heart health

Lowering blood pressure

Improving sleep

Assisting with managing pain

Reducing symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Improving mental health

Increasing sense of wellbeing

Dealing with addiction

Increasing mental function

Boosting the immune system

Reducing reactivity

Increasing ability to focus

Meditation and Mindfulness are starting to make a difference to how people think and react in a variety of situations – from school children to professional athletes and even the military.