Be calm. Be aware of your surroundings. Don't let things wind you up...

Mindfulness for Teenagers

Stop, Breath and Be

Mindfulness, in practical terms, is learning to live calmly in the present, responding skillfully to whatever is happening to you right now. It is a proven and effective skill that can counteract stress, worry, depression, lack of concentration, poor performance and relationship problems. Practiced regularly, mindfulness will boost peace of mind and wellbeing and can be practiced by children and adults alike.

At first glance, you may not link teenagers to mindfulness but there is a growing body of evidence which suggests that it can be of significant help to young people navigating the challenges of adolescence. The teenage years are an amazing period of our lives when we start to find our own sense of self and purpose; a time of great change, being a teenager can also be confusing and stressful.

The Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP), a non-profit organisation, has developed an excellent mindfulness curriculum called .b (pronounced dot-be). Designed by teachers, specifically for young people aged between 11 and 18, .b gives students an engaging taste of mindfulness. Taught through a set of ten lessons, it has been designed to engage young minds. For many .b leads to immediate results. Read more about .b here.

.b is not a therapy, a fluffy trend  nor a disciplinary technique. It is a toolkit to introduce young people to the potential benefits of mindfulness within the safety of the school classroom. It is recommended by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) as an effective practice.

A qualified .b teacher, Beth Williams provides the 10 week .b course at schools across St Albans and the surrounding area. She is happy to provide free taster sessions at schools for students, staff and parents. For more information about introducing .b into your school or youth group, call Beth on 07815 759312 or send Beth an email. She will be delighted to hear from you.

The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.
William James