Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Life (MBCT-L)
As it stands, the AccEPT Clinic is uncertain about its funding position, but expects to have an update after the end of June 2023. As such, unfortunately we are not able to schedule any future MBCTL groups at this time which in turn means we are not currently accepting referrals.
Please read on to learn more about the MBCTL groups we have offered previously.
Mindfulness groups for staff within health, social care and police
To enhance staff wellbeing and reduce stress, it is necessary to both reduce the underlying workplace drivers that cause stress in the first place and equip individuals with skills to manage their own resilience. Mindfulness approaches are one proven way to help individuals build wellbeing and manage stress to achieve the latter. They introduce people to a model of how their own patterns of thinking and responding can be used to maximise resilience and thriving and reduce workplace stress, and train individuals to use mindfulness techniques to build effective patterns of thought and behaviour.
Following a successful pilot evaluation in 2020, the University of Exeter is now offering colleagues, within the Devon and Cornwall Wellbeing Hubs, a variety of ways to engage in mindfulness offerings. These follow similar models of care delivered in a variety of NHS settings for staff wellbeing and are being led by an experienced mindfulness clinical team through the Accept Clinic.
Course options
Option 1: Attend an eight-week Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Life course (MBCT-L); a 2-hour group session each week delivered via Zoom
Option 2: Attend six, monthly two-hour skills classes that will introduce you to the theory and practice of mindfulness and the chance to reflect on practice. These will also be delivered by Zoom.
These offerings are being delivered by experienced mindfulness teachers and mental health clinicians who are used to supporting individuals to learn mindfulness in both workplace and NHS settings. Administrative support is provided by the Accept Clinic who can answer any queries about the programmes.
Express your interest
For more information about the course please view our MBCT-L information sheet .
You can express an interest in engaging with these courses by completing an Expression of Interest Form (MBCT-L) and consent form. Provisional places on a group will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Once a group is full we will run a reserve list in case people withdraw. After being offered a preliminary space, you will have a 1:1 meeting with the mindfulness trainer to orient to the group and to double-check that this is a good option for you (if you are suffering from significant current mental health symptoms you may instead be signposted to other sources of help).
Mindfulness is a simple and powerful practice of training our attention. It involves learning to pay attention to what is happening in the ‘here and now’ (i.e. sensations, thoughts, and emotions) in a non-judgemental way. It can be helpful because it can interrupt the habit of getting lost in thoughts, mostly about the future or past, which often generates more stress on top of the real pressures of everyday life.
Mindfulness offers not only a way of reducing stress and preventing low mood, it also holds potential to improve the way we live, helping us to thrive and be resilient at work and in our broader lives.
To enhance staff wellbeing and reduce stress, it is necessary to both reduce the underlying workplace drivers that cause stress in the first place and equip individuals with skills to manage their own resilience. Mindfulness approaches are one proven way to help individuals build wellbeing and manage stress to achieve the latter. They introduce people to a model of how their own patterns of thinking and responding can be used to maximise resilience and thriving and reduce workplace stress, and train individuals to use mindfulness techniques to build effective patterns of thought and behaviour.
The Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Life (MBCT-L) curriculum is a new mindfulness course to make mindfulness practices and cognitive-behavioural techniques more accessible to all. It is an eight week group programme, which will have approximately 15 attendees.
It uses evidence-based teaching principles and practices that have been shown to promote the progressive development of mindfulness skills and bring about lasting changes in wellbeing and stress management.
Participants will come away better equipped to self-regulate their stress levels, cope with difficulty, and also access a sense of savouring and appreciation for what’s good in their lives.
The sessions will explore the essential principles of mindfulness through a combination of guided meditation practices, insightful exercises, and group discussion around the practical applications of mindfulness in everyday life. The group is open to all members of staff at the university, irrespective of your current levels of stress or wellbeing.
There are no further groups planned at this time
If you are based in Devon or Cornwall, and employed within Health, Social Care or the Police force, please complete an Expression of Interest Form (MBCT-L) along with the consent form and send these to accept.clinic@nhs.net. Places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and a waiting list held. The team will be in touch with you to discuss further.
- Janssen et al (2018) Effects of mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on employees mental health: A systematic review. PLOS One.
- Bartlett et al (2019) A systematic review and meta-analysis of workplace mindfulness training randomized controlled trials. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology.
- Lomas et al (2018) Mindfulness-based interventions in the workplace: An inclusive systematic review and meta-analysis of their impact upon wellbeing. The Journal of Positive Psychology.