Mindfulness has recently been receiving a lot of attention in the media, and now there are new investigations underway to explore further the benefits which it might be able to bring within our society. The latest is a seven year study into whether mindfulness could be used by adolescents to increase their mental resilience.
The Guardian report on the study explains that it will begin next year, involving 7000 11-16 year old children, and will be undertaken by psychologists and neuroscientists from Oxford University and University College London. Willem Kuyken, a professor of clinical psychology at Oxford University, is leading the study. He explains that one of the reasons that the trial is set to focus on children is because of the evidence that half of all mental health disorders begin before the age of 15. He wants to test whether mindfulness can increase resilience to “a core vulnerability” displayed by teens: difficulty sustaining attention in the face of thoughts and impulses that can become overwhelming.
The increasing awareness of mindfulness as a powerful coping strategy is helping to open up the principles involved to an ever growing audience. However, the path to using mindfulness techniques effectively in everyday life can be a little confusing at first. The adolescents involved in next year’s mindfulness study will undergo a 10 week training course in order to learn the skills necessary to practice mindfulness in their everyday lives.
Our expert in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, Adrian Roberts, runs group sessions designed specifically to help unlock mindfulness techniques, in a friendly and supportive environment. These ‘Circles of Compassion’ sessions are open to all ages and are the perfect place to learn the coping skills which mindfulness can equip us with for a lifetime.
For more information on our approach to mindfulness, or to register your interest in joining our mindfulness-based group, Circles of Compassion, please be in touch.
