Mindfulness

Mindfulness based approaches have been shown to help reduce stress and improve overall psychological and physical well-being.

Mindfulness means to be aware of all our experiences, physical sensations, thoughts and feelings from moment to moment. This awareness is without judgment and encourages a sense of kindness and acceptance.

Becoming more aware gives us insight and a deeper understanding of what is going on for us. This can particularly help when we are experiencing great difficulties or illness and pain. This awareness makes feelings which can seem overwhelming easier to deal with.

Mindfulness training can create a shift in our awareness that can help create new ways to relate to our problems and can improve mental activity and change brain connectivity and bodily processes.

Mindfulness is offered to help those with chronic physical health problems to cope with their condition. It can also help those patients who are living with a chronic physical health condition and who may be experiencing associated stress or emotional distress i.e. anxiety or low mood.

Please see our psychological services webpage and leaflet for more details.

At the first appointment the practitioner will do a thorough assessment and take you through a short Mindfulness practice. The practitioner and client will decide together if mindfulness will be helpful.

Sessions are on an individual or group basis and provide an introduction to mindfulness. Individual appointments are usually weekly, fortnightly or monthly for 50 minutes each session over five weeks. Group sessions are held weekly and consist of eight two hour sessions. Mindfulness sessions are offered either as face to face or remote appointments.

We encourage you to practise the skills between sessions and we provide a CD/MP3/Audio Links and written materials to support you.

You will learn different meditation practices, including focusing on the breath and bringing kind awareness into the mind and body when still and with gentle movement.

If you are unable to attend your assessment appointment, please let us know at least 48 hours beforehand so we can offer it to someone else.

If you have to cancel or change the booked therapy sessions, then please give as much notice as you can so we can offer the sessions to someone else before the start date.

If you miss more than 2 appointments without letting us know in advance or good reason, you will be discharged from psychological services at RLHIM and back to your GP, in line with UCLH discharge policy.

Clients are to be referred internally to psychological therapies by their RLHIM medical physician. Please speak to your physician if you would like to be referred. We do not currently accept direct external referrals to psychological therapies at RLHIM.

If you require psychological support but are not receiving any medical care from RLHIM please speak to your GP about local psychological therapy services within your borough.

All clients within RLHIM would need to be deemed as low or moderate risk in order to ensure maximum engagement can occur with the therapy. Please let your practitioner know if there are any changes in your risk levels.

Please note we are not an emergency service and therefore if you feel you cannot keep yourself safe or your risk escalates to high/crisis levels, and you require urgent help, please contact your GP for an emergency appointment or attend your nearest A&E department.

You can also call the Samaritans Helpline on 116 123 or your local Mental Health Support Line within your borough for further support.

The RLHIM is also a teaching hospital and from time to time other healthcare professionals may observe in outpatient clinics as part of a training course. We will always ask your permission for students to sit in during your consultation. You do not have to have students present if you would prefer not to.