the therapy garden

what is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is intentionally paying attention to your unfolding moment-to-moment experience, on purpose, while suspending judgment, with a kind and friendly attitude of acceptance for whatever your experience is.

Paying attention in this way allows you to notice how much time you spend dwelling in the past, anticipating the future or judging and criticizing yourself and others. In noticing this you can guide your attention back to the present moment and make informed choices about what to do next.

Being mindful supports you in becoming aware of what is going on in your mind and body in any moment. This means that you not only experience the richness, joy and vividness of life, but also see the difficulties you face more clearly. In approaching life mindfully, you learn to develop your capacity to turn towards the difficulties you face with kindness and acceptance, rather than habitual reactivity.

Living mindfully in this way, you will recognise that life events are not always within your control, but you have the inner resources to meet and respond to whatever might come your way. Mindfulness is not something you achieve or get, it is a capacity for awareness that you already have. One that can support you in strengthening your inner peace and emotional resilience.

sample guided meditation

To view all Michelle's free publicly accessible Guided Meditations on Dropbox, please switch from the List viewing mode to the Grid viewing mode, to access all audio files publicly available. These guided meditation audio files are free and downloadable.

Enjoy your meditation.

You can listen to Michelle's sample Guided Meditations on her Dropbox account here.

Mindfulness Meditations

mindfulness teaching

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

MBSR was devised by Jon Kabat-Zinn and colleagues over 30 years ago in the stress clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. It is an internationally recognised approach to stress and stress related illness, successfully employed in hospitals, health, business and educational settings, as well at the general population.

Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

MBCT is based on the MBSR course devised by Jon Kabat-Zinn, though adapted and developed by John Teasdale, Mark Williams and Zindel Segal to meet the needs of people experiencing three or more episodes of recurrent depression. It is recognised by The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) as an effective intervention for depression. The programme has also been adapted for other specific groups such as those experiencing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and for Cancer patients and their carers.

mindfulness coach

What is Mindfulness Coaching?

Michelle is registered with the British Association of Mindfulness-Based Approaches as a certified and accredited Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction teacher, on the basis of having met their Good Practice Guidelines. She is also a member of the British Psychological Society and the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy and follows BAMBA and UK Network for Mindfulness Teachers Guidelines for Good Practice. BAMBA profile here.

Understanding Mindfulness Coaching

How you experience life is based on how you think, feel and behave. Most of the time we find ourselves swept along by our thoughts and emotions, which can make us feel anxious, overwhelmed and exhausted. Most of us live on autopilot most of the time. By learning and practicing mindfulness, you can become more present and aware, live more fully in the present and create the future you want. Being mindful is a practical way to make significant changes to how you think, feel and relate to yourself, interact with others and see the world.

During mindfulness coaching sessions you’ll create the inner space and inner peace you need to be present in your moment-to-moment experience. To show up for yourself and explore what’s important to you, and what’s getting in the way of having the life you want. You’ll learn mindful ways of approaching and being with difficulties and challenges in your life. And you’ll gain the focus, clarity and stability you need to live more peacefully and joyfully. In my practice, I use a unique blend of mindfulness, meditation, life coaching and Gestalt psychology to help you make the meaningful lasting changes you want in your life. You only have one precious life and being mindful will enable you to get the most out of each moment of your life. Contact me to ask questions and find out more.