Coordinator: Mikenda Plant
These sessions are co-hosted with Polly Nugent, Clinical Psychologist and DDP Consultant.
Elspeth Soutar, from This Time Mindfully will be sharing what she has learned whilst delivering online Mindfulness based courses during the pandemic. This includes feedback from counsellors on how the mindfulness course has helped their clients engage more fully and comfortably in therapeutic work.
She will present an evaluation of the Mindfulness Based Living Courses that she has held for Forth Valley College students, looking at what adjustments to the traditional 8 session courses have been needed, inline with the emerging needs of the general population and of those who are experiencing high levels of anxiety. There will be a guided meditation, demonstrating how Elspeth creates a psychologically safe space for the most vulnerable, and the techniques used to help participants build up safe practice in these more challenging times.
There will be opportunities for discussion about how the ideas might inform the use of DDP principles & practice.
Mikenda Plant is a Family and Systemic Psychotherapist, who has worked with children and families for over 20 years. She is a DDP Practitioner and Consultant, and a registered practitioner in EMDR with Adults and Children and Adolescents. She has trained to deliver Mindful Parenting and runs groups for adoptive parents.
Practitioners qualified to DDP Level One and above are welcome to come together and explore the integration of Mindfulness into their DDP practice. These are free events supported by DDP Connects UK, based in the East Midlands but open to all.
See below for a brief definition of Mindfulness and the aims of this SIG.
More information and bookings
Cost: Free
Places allocated on a first come first served basis and there is a maximum group size of 40. Meetings are held on Zoom.
Date: Tuesday 15 June 2021 (10am-12noon)
Venue: Online
To book a place or ask any questions please get in touch using the details below:
Email: mikendaplant@gmail.com
Definition of Mindfulness
Mindfulness involves bringing awareness to the present moment with kindness. It is a way of being, which can be enhanced through meditation practice. Bringing mindfulness into our lives and into our DDP practice, we can help to develop our awareness of our own thoughts, emotions and body sensations and our awareness of our client’s unique nature, feelings and needs. It is an ongoing learning process, not an end point.
Aims of a Specialist Interest Group in DDP and Mindfulness
- To offer a safe, respectful, compassionate, non-judgemental way of supporting colleagues who are open to exploring mindfulness in their lives and clinical work.
- To recognise that members will have varying levels of knowledge and experience of mindfulness and that this will be met with an attitude of PACE.
- To offer opportunities to practice some guided mindfulness exercises and meditations.
- To share ideas and resources for using Mindfulness with DDP clients – for example, through networking, watching DVD’s, reading articles and/or books.
- To determine whether specific training or teaching in Mindfulness would be beneficial to members and identify ways of providing this (the SIG itself differs from a ‘Study day’ – the latter involves one or more speakers preparing a topic for presentation – and there is a fee).
- To explore possible research ideas for DDP and Mindfulness.
- To work within one’s own area of expertise and competence and uphold the requirements and expectations of DDPI and DDP Connects UK.
The SIG will not be a forum for providing clinical supervision or consultation – this is something that can be accessed through DDP Connects UK.
Mindfulness research has shown:
‘Mindfulness-based reflective practice’ can bring a vitality and fluidity to critical reflection. Being in the here and now can highlight discomfort, pain and uncertainty. Mindfulness can act as a support to personal and professional development and to the content & processing of clinical work (Polly Nugent et al 2011)
Mindfulness can be a useful intervention in addressing parental stress in adoptive parents and in increasing parental compassion (Gurney-Smith et al., 2017)
Clinician burnout can be significantly reduced and resilience bolstered, if clinicians are taught to attune to themselves and reduce stress through mindfulness practice (Krasner et al., 2009)
Mindfulness training can help to create receptivity and an ability to approach rather than withdraw from difficult situations (Urry et al., 2004)
Disclaimer: DDP Network, DDPI and DDP Connects UK accept no responsibility or liability for the accuracy of event information on this website. Please contact event Organisers for the latest event information.
