One of the most common, modern definitions of mindfulness is by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn - renowned scientist, writer, and meditation teacher. “Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgementally.”
Adult group sessions vary - according to what organizations are looking for to support the wellbeing of their team.
The goal through instruction is to provide a safe space to explore simple mindfulness tools in daily life that work for the individual
both at work and home.Children’s group sessions are fun, interactive, and inspiring spaces where mindfulness is explored through breath work exercises, a broadened awareness of one’s surroundings, storytelling, listening games, mellow movement, and scarf play. This will give you a good idea of the base from which mindfulness workshops are built.
Children are provided with techniques that are easy to remember and can be used in the classroom and/or home to elevate a child’s agency and ultimate success at school and home.Adults are guided through gentle mindfulness sessions that assist clients to regulate and re-set the nervous system. Participants report feeling an increased sense of calm after meeting with Kat, and a more peaceful outlook for days afterwards.
Through regular private sessions clients are guided to understand the mechanisms of different mindfulness techniques and encouraged to choose the ones that work best for them.Children’s private sessions give young participants a space to explore gentle breathing techniques. Natural, straight forward methods to connect with the mind and body that enhance relaxation and focus are practiced. Naming thoughts as they arise which helps to build self awareness and activates choice.
Your child will gain effective tools that will have a profound and positive affect on their learning and social relationships. By accessing tools within themselves to help them sustain attention and build new and lasting habits - confidence is enhanced while a quiet place within is identified with greater ease.Cultivating a regular mindfulness practice has been shown to reduce stress, build awareness, enhance social relationships, can boost memory and focus, lengthen attention span, improve sleep, and encourages increased tenderness towards self and others.
According to neuroscience reports - when a group engages in mindfulness practices together their brainwaves begin to align. The phenomena is called neural synchrony. This alignment may attribute to heightened empathy, social cohesion, and in essence - a strengthened cognizance of those around us.
When we step into collective breathing and calm we can actually feel an enhanced connection to ourselves as well. Group mindfulness broadens our sense of community and helps to reduce the daily burdens of our minds through understanding that we are not alone.
Humans are, after all, social beings. Even though our current work and home environments can become very focused on using technology in isolation - we actually need one another to release those feel good endorphins that greatly improves our quality of daily life.In simple terms - the answer is probably no.
If we look at what happened during Covid - when we were all forced to participate in live group chats and gatherings, we can each attest that groups can be more effective in person.
However - if online sessions are conducted in a sensitive way - outlining certain standards and agreements within the group that supports each individual while taking care of the group dynamics - online sessions can work incredibly well.
Not all online group sessions are created equally. Perhaps consider what works, and does not work for you.There is a simple phrase that goes something like this: What we put into things, we get out of things.
Mindfulness practice is essentially this.
If you want change - you also understand it takes effort. If your goal is to reduce stress, improve your sleep and relationships, become more aware of your own mind - you do need to practice. There is no way around it.
Passively listening to an app that calms you down in the moment is wonderful. But change comes through making active and new daily choices. One day at a time. One choice at a time.
Mindfulness practice teaches you how to make those choices while recognizing what is happening in your mind, calling attention to your patterns of behaviour, and essentially helping you re-wire your brain so you can lead a happier, more balanced and relaxed life.
Lasting shifts take time. And we are invited to make so we can witness positive, enduring change.No. A mindfulness teacher is not a psychologist.
Though you may have a mindfulness teacher who is also a psychologist, or vice versa - the services are separate.If you really want to develop a mindfulness practice, you are best to search for a good mindfulness teacher who can help you with that.
If you want help to sort through ongoing mental health issues, finding a suitable psychologist for your needs - while practicing mindfulness - can be very effective.
Mindfulness is a wonderful tool that can be a stand alone aid to help you work with your mind and enhance wellbeing.
It can also go hand in hand if you are working with a trained psychologist.In Kat’s opinion - a good mindfulness teacher should have engaged in at least two years of mindfulness practice and training.
In order to teach mindfulness you really do need to live it.
Anyone can learn how to guide a meditation. That’s the easy part.
But truly embracing the work of a mindfulness teacher involves some form of daily practice and self enquiry.
And that takes time - to cultivate ones own mind to the point where you can guide others.
Kat comes to her work as a mindfulness teacher with over thirty years experience of practice. Admitting it was not always daily, either. In total she has engaged in 10 years of active, varied training. More recently she has completed a two year mindfulness teacher training, plus an additional one year mentorship.
Ensure that you ask a potential mindfulness teacher about their journey to becoming a teacher. You will likely get a sense, through their answer, if they are a suitable teacher for you to work with.Absolutely. Please sign up for one session if you would like to give it a try before purchasing a package of four.
Contact Kat to learn more.
A wellness curator looks at personal and collective growth and transformation through the eyes of creative wellness or creative wellbeing (the two terms being interchangeable).
The most common understanding of the term curator is someone who brings a show together. Be it an art show or a museum collection.
But a wellness curator is different. Because the work of art is you. And your team. And creating a stronger base for wellbeing is something that is done in collaboration. We can’t heal and grow alone. We need others to help us move towards our goals and ultimately find lasting strength and happiness.As a wellness curator Kat McLeod listens deeply to the needs of an organization then creates a growth and development action plan for employees, and in turn, the organization as a whole.
There are a host of services available - both on and offline - to support work places. Is your organization going through structural and/or personnel changes? Are your employees grieving the recent loss of a member? Are there sudden shifts taking place within the workplace environment? Or perhaps the most common question of all - “How can I pull my team together?”
Book an on or offline appointment with Kat today to share the varied needs of your organization. She will assist you to find the required services that will re-activate the flow so that you can all grow together and continue to build a happy and harmonious work space.
Mindfulness Teacher
& Wellness Curator
Email Kat McLeod at
thecasuarinagroup@gmail.com
Chat on Whatsapp
Phone +852 9457 5528