MINDFULNESS

MINDFULNESS

Whilst, there has been a sudden surge of interest in mindfulness, here in the UK; the history of mindfulness and the practice extends back at least 2500 years; having been popularised in the East by the Buddhist tradition.  Mindfulness is a psychological skill and which can be cultivated through both formal meditation practice and informal day to day experiences. The benefits of mindfulness within a health care setting were first explored by Jon Kabat-Zinn, a Professor of Medicine Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. In 1979, whilst working with people who were suffering chronic pain, he developed an 8 week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction course (MBSR). His work, considered ground breaking, proved to be a catalyst for many to start recognising the benefits of mindfulness. Several research studies carried out, both here in the UK and the US indicate that mindfulness can help individuals suffering from a range of difficulties, including; depression and chronic pain.  It is a therapy offered within the NHS and recommended by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence for people with recurrent depression. The Mindfulness Based Childbirth and Parenting (MBCP) course was developed by Nancy Bardacke and is based on the original MBSR course, developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn.