I first contacted Nel as I was keen to complete the 8 week MBSR course in order to undertake the Mindfulness in Schools Project’s ‘Teach Paws b’ training with a colleague. As primary school teachers we are acutely aware of the importance of children’s mental health and were hopeful that developing a culture of Mindfulness within our school would help children to deal with challenges, especially the return to school after lockdown.

On booking the course, I really did not anticipate the impact it would have on me personally. I have lived with anxiety for a few years and spend a lot of time trying to ignore it! This course has made me stop and take notice of how I am feeling and given me a toolbox full of strategies to cope with stressful situations.

The course was facilitated by Nel, whose kindness and authenticity (even via Zoom!) made the course an absolute pleasure to be part of. It was so apparent how much Nel cared about our progress. She continually provided feedback, reassurance and a listening ear throughout the course.

Coming back to school post-lockdown has been really challenging and I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to take the MBSR course when I did. Now when things feel like they are becoming overwhelming I regularly stop and practice mindful breathing. I also make time for myself on a daily basis to practice Mindfulness and make it a priority.

I would thoroughly recommend the Glasgow Mindfulness Centre’s MBSR course and want to thank Nel for providing such a safe, kind and caring space for it to happen in.

What Was good about the course

The course tutor, Nel, was brilliant and her commitment to Mindfulness was so authentic. We were always made to feel like we were in a really safe space (something I’d imagine challenging to do online!) and that we could contact her at anytime if we needed help. The course content was also fantastic, with a good balance of discussion and Practice. Each week felt like a definite progression from the previous week.