This experiential training is for those currently working with people with cancer, who have some experience / interest in mindfulness, and would like to explore what this might offer them and their work.

Working with people with cancer is demanding on many levels. Whilst new treatments offer the potential of improved outcomes, the nature of the disease unavoidably brings anxiety and uncertainty for patients and their families – which impacts on those who work with them.

The impact of the Covid pandemic and ongoing strained resources, inevitably adds pressure to those who work with people with cancer, whatever role or context they are in.

Mindfulness has been found to offer support to people experiencing stress and pressure. Much depends on the intention of those learning the approach. It is early days, however there is promising research that mindfulness practice may contribute to improving the wellbeing of healthcare professionals (Lomas et al, 2018, Kriakous et al, 2021).

This training offers the chance not only to influence self-care positively – but also to learn ways of bringing mindfulness to inform the practice of the healthcare practitioner in their work with the patient / client. This in turn may offer potential benefits to both the staff member, their team, and the patient / client.

The workshop will be delivered over four half-days 09:30am – 13:30pm UK Time

Dates:

Friday 18th, Saturday 19th August, Saturday 26th August and Saturday 2nd September from 9:30 – 1:30pm All BST / UK time

What will I do on this course?
The training is predominantly experiential in nature and there will also be some didactic teaching included in the mix. Both course leaders are very experienced in the field of mindfulness and cancer – through their years of teaching people.
There will be opportunities to learn alongside peers in discussion, reflection, and mindfulness practice in small breakout groups and the large group process
We will discuss, explore and learn when it might be helpful to choose to respond with a mindfulness practice and how we might do this
Brief practices will be introduced that are simple, portable and very accessible to include in many contexts and situations at home and at work
We have chosen to arrange the sessions to include two gaps of a week each. This is to enable participants to put what they are learning into practice at home and at work – so that they can reflect and learn from others in the group as mindfulness informed practice is embedding in context. There will also be an optional opportunity to meet with 2 or 3 others on the training in a small group to practice their guiding of one of the brief practices to each other
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the programme, participants will have had the opportunity to explore:
Grounding practice – and when and how this might be used
How to bring (silent) internal awareness into responses to self and others
An understanding and experience of ‘coming back’ to a personal choice of anchor in the body and/or the breath
The role of intention in relation to sustaining a connection to mindfulness practice at home and at work
The approach of ‘turning towards’ what is happening – whether pleasant or challenging – and learning how this might be helpful
The practice of cultivating a friendly approach to experience
Reconnecting to what matters to you and exploring the role this has in day-to-day life and work
A number of very brief straightforward mindful practices and how to weave them into their day – including learning how to share these safely with their patients/clients if it is appropriate