Sixth Form College students experience Mindfulness Training to learn how to deal with stress and anxiety.

23 October 2014

Mindfulness is a form of psychological training that nurtures the ability to direct attention to experience as it unfolds in the present moment, rather than being constantly drawn out of the present by thoughts and anxieties about the past or the future.

There is an increasing body of research to suggest that mindfulness training can be beneficial in helping individuals cope with a variety of psychological problems, including high stress and anxiety levels. Mindfulness has also been shown to be capable of contributing directly to the development of cognitive and performance skills in young adults. It would appear that when students learn to be more ‘present’, they develop a greater ability to pay attention and improve the quality of their performance in the classroom, on the sports field, and in the performing arts, for example.

Since September, teacher of psychology at The Sixth Form College, Roy Owen, who is also a qualified teacher of mindfulness, has been delivering mindfulness training to students at the college and the students are already noticing benefits.

Student, Elizabeth Pennington, who studies English Language, Film Studies and Drama & Theatre Studies at the college said,

“Before beginning mindfulness, my mind was unfocused and I was often tied up with the stresses and pressures of being an A-level student. However, since under-taking these sessions, I have been able to recognise when I am feeling stressed or anxious. As a result, I am able to apply what I have learnt during the sessions effectively and feel more relaxed and focused. I feel that I will be much more able to prepare effectively for my examinations and future aspirations. Mindfulness has already taught me to respect the simple things in life, and in doing so, I am able to appreciate and engage better with the world around me.”

As well as working with the students Roy has also been delivering mindfulness training to the staff at the college and has additionally conducted research that has demonstrated that mindfulness training can significantly reduce stress and anxiety whilst improving overall mindfulness and emotional regulation in staff who received the intervention in comparison to a control group.

Schools minister David Laws has recently stated that the government are very interested in promoting mindfulness in schools and colleges nationwide and it is Roy’s goal to assist in seeing that happen.

“I strongly believe that there is a sufficient amount of research evidence to highlight the fact that mindfulness training should be used to support the psychological health and well-being of both teachers and students within the educational system. I am excited to be bringing mindfulness training to The Sixth Form College and am looking forward to seeing mindfulness grow within education.”