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Mindfulness for Health

The Mindfulness for Health course teaches mindfulness practices that you can build into your daily routine to help you better manage your long-term condition.  

Mindfulness can help us learn to notice and observe our experiences in the present moment without judging our experiences. It can also help us to become more accepting and compassionate to ourselves and can help you reduce stress, anxiety or low mood associated with a long-term condition. 

The course is free and runs for nine weeks, with a session each week that lasts for two and a half hours.

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Is this right for me image
  • I want to learn mindfulness techniques to help me live well with my health condition 
  • I am aged 18 or over   
  • I can attend all sessions online   
  • I am willing to practice some of the techniques at home between sessions   
  • I am happy to be involved in a group format

A bit more about the course

The course is run online on Microsoft Teams by a small group of experienced NHS professionals who are trained mindfulness teachers.  

We will give you a practical introduction to mindfulness meditation so that you can explore its benefits for your physical and mental wellbeing.  

Each session is just over two and a half hours long with regular breaks to help keep you comfortable. We will do our best to adapt the course to best meet your physical needs.  

Each week we will introduce you to a couple of new techniques and give you the chance to discuss your experience of using them at home. You will be provided with a downloadable course handbook and audio recordings of mindfulness exercises for you to practice at home.  

Mindfulness for Health was developed by Breathworks. You can read more about the course on the Breathworks website and you can download a summary of research findings demonstrating the benefits of the course here.  Our own course is mentioned on page 4 of this document.

We will look at a range of mindfulness exercise during the course, including: 

Developing the skill of paying mindful attention by noticing each part of the body in turn.

Learning to use the breath as an anchor for our attention. Mindful breathing can be a powerful tool for calming stress and pain.

Learning to notice sensations in the body when moving can help us manage symptoms like pain and fatigue.

This practice helps us develop a new way of relating to unwanted symptoms, reducing stress and suffering.

Learning to notice pleasant experiences daily can broaden our awareness and soften the impact of ill health.

Putting together all the skills learnt so far to develop a calm, steady and awareness of our experience just as it is.

Developing feelings of kindness towards ourselves and others can have a powerful impact on our body and reduce stress levels.

Course dates

Our Mindfulness for Health course runs on a regular basis throughout the year. We have courses on Mondays 1-3:30pm and Thursdays 10-12:30pm. This course is only available online. 

First, you need to book an assessment with a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP). They will discuss the course and how it will help you. The PWP will be able to book you onto the next course.

How do I book a place?

If you would like to book a place on this course all you need to do is fill in our online referral form

Select the ‘Mindfulness for Health’ course as your preferred treatment option. 

You can also call us on 0114 226 4380 and speak to one of our team. 

Once you have completed your referral you will be invited for a short assessment call with one of our Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners. 

Hear from people who have completed the course

In the videos below you can hear from people who have already completed the course who tell us how it has helped them better manage their long term health condition. 

Remote video URL
Remote video URL

Feedback from attendees

Lots of people have attended our Mindfulness for Health course and found it really useful. Here’s some of the feedback they have shared about the course: 

“My pain has reduced dramatically, it’s been life-changing, I’ve been able to start working again.” 

“The group was wonderful. A great mix of people with very different needs and on different stages of their individual journeys and that was both helpful and inspiring.” 

“Well paced, right level of information, friendly and supportive. It has definitely been helpful.” 

“Holding the course virtually enabled me to participate where otherwise I would not have been able to. An excellent positive to come from a bad time!” 

“It has given me ways to manage my pain and changed how I react to stresses in my life.” 

“I’m now much better at managing my fatigue and I’m much kinder to myself too.” 

Frequently asked questions

We know that coming to a course like this for the first time can be quite daunting and you’ll have lots of questions about what to expect.  

Below is a list of some of the most common questions we are asked and some answers to help put your mind at ease. 

If you have filled in a self-referral form or booked over the phone you will be offered an assessment call with one of the course facilitators. 

You will receive a link via a text message to choose a day and time that works best for you for your assessment.  

During the call you will be asked some questions to help us make sure that the course is the right one for you. You will have an opportunity to ask any questions you have.  

Please note you will receive this call from a withheld number.  

Two days before each course session you will receive a text or an email (depending on your preference) with a set of questionnaires. The text will be sent from ‘SHEFF NHS’, and the email will be sent from webform@myprogress.info please add this to your contacts so the email doesn’t get lost in your spam.  

These questionnaires will ask you about depression and anxiety, and what symptoms you have noticed over the last two weeks. It is really helpful to complete them each week, as they allow both you and us to keep a track of any improvements in your mood.

In the week before your course is due to start you will receive an email from our administration team. The email will provide you with a link to the meeting, instructions on how to join it and a downloadable copy of your workbook.  

This email will come from sheffieldtalkingtherapies@shsc.nhs.uk, please add this to your contacts so the email doesn’t get lost in your spam. 

We hope you will find the course helpful, but sometimes it can take time to put the techniques into practice and notice improvements in your mood. We would encourage you to keep using the techniques in your workbook and give yourself a chance to practice them after the course. 

We will contact you if you are still struggling with symptoms of depression or anxiety to see if our service can offer any further treatment or recommend any other services to help support to you.  

If you did not attend the whole course we may also contact you to check in. 

Your telephone review will be booked with a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner and will give you a chance to discuss the course, give you an opportunity to ask any questions and discuss further options for treatment. 

Book an assessment with one of our team today

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