Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the skill of paying kind, steady attention to the present moment. It helps you notice thoughts, feelings, body sensations and urges without getting pulled around by them, so you can choose your next step rather than react on autopilot. I use mindfulness widely across my work because it underpins many modern therapies and because it is practical, learnable and adaptable to your life and culture.
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If you want to go deeper, I have written a longer piece about mindfulness you can link to from this page.
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What mindfulness is and what it is not
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Mindfulness is training attention on purpose, with curiosity and compassion.
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Mindfulness is not emptying your mind, suppressing feelings or forcing relaxation.
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Mindfulness is a portable skill. You can practise it while breathing, walking, eating, talking and even answering emails.
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Mindfulness is not about doing life perfectly. It is about noticing and beginning again, kindly, as many times as needed.
Why mindfulness helps
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Regulation: It calms the body’s threat response and widens the gap between trigger and action.
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Clarity: It helps you see thoughts as thoughts, not facts, and feelings as weather that will move through.
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Choice: It strengthens the ability to pause and pick a values-based response.
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Compassion: It softens harsh self-judgement and supports a more caring inner voice.
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Learning: Brains change with repetition. Mindful moments, practised little and often, reshape attention, memory and habits.
How I teach mindfulness in therapy
Sessions are collaborative and practical. We start with what you need help with, then choose short, accessible practices you can try in daily life. We keep it trauma-sensitive and paced so that you feel safe and in control. You will leave with one or two small practices, and we review what helped next time.
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Mindfulness across therapies
Mindfulness is not a standalone technique tucked off to the side. It is woven through many evidence-based approaches such as those listed below.
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Health psychology and pain management
Mindfulness helps you distinguish pain from the added suffering of struggle and worry. We work with breath, body scans and compassionate pacing to improve function and quality of life.
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Where mindfulness can help
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Anxiety and worry
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Low mood and depression
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Trauma-related difficulties
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Stress and burnout
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Perfectionism and self-criticism
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Chronic pain and health challenges
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Sleep difficulties
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Parenting strain and relationship communication
What sessions with me are like
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Collaborative and paced: We start where you are and agree a plan that fits your life.
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Trauma-sensitive: Choice, consent and titration are central.
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Practical: Short practices you can use at work, at home and in relationships.
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Integrated: Mindfulness is blended with ACT, CFT, CBT, DBT and EMDR methods as needed.
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Measured: We track what matters to you and adjust as we go.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to meditate for long periods
No. Brief, consistent practice (and not meditation) is more effective than occasional long sessions. We start small and build gradually.
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What if mindfulness makes me more aware of distress
We go gently and keep you in charge. We use grounding, movement and compassion skills to stay within a tolerable window.
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Can mindfulness work online
Yes. Practices translate well to video sessions and you will receive simple guides and recordings.
Is mindfulness religious
Mindfulness as taught in therapy is a secular, evidence-based skill and not tied to religion.
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How long until I notice benefits
Many people notice small shifts within a few weeks when they practise most days. The effects build with repetition.
Will there be homework
Yes, but brief and purposeful. One or two tiny practices a day that fit your routine. We refine them together.
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Next steps
If this approach resonates, we can begin with a short assessment and a simple practice plan. We will identify one or two situations where mindfulness could help this week, and choose tiny actions that move you toward what matters.
