Mindfulness training through courses such as Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), has been shown to increase awareness of stress triggers and how they manifest in the body. There is a growing body of evidence in support of the benefits of mindfulness. There are reports of increased attention, emotional wellbeing and compassion towards others. Furthermore, reports of reduced burnout, increased sense of personal achievement and greater improvement in self-compassion and satisfaction with life have also been cited in the literature.

This session will be informative, interactive and experiential.

It will cover the following:

- What is Mindfulness?
- What is Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy
- What are the benefits
- What is the evidence
- Experiential mindfulness practices

Dr Wendy Molefi-Youri

I am GP, GP Appraiser and mindfulness teacher, having recently completed a Masters degree in Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) at the University of Oxford.

My mindfulness journey started nearly ten years ago at a time when life was all too consuming, juggling responsibilities of a partner in a busy training practice with the demands of family life. I felt overwhelmed and not in control of my life, It wasn’t a good place to be.

Unfortunately, as we all know, this story is all too familiar. Stress and burnout are reaching epidemic proportions within the profession. Colleagues are leaving the profession in their droves. As an appraiser, I am in the privileged position of meeting fellow GPs who are struggling with the same challenges.

To cut a long story short, I enrolled on an 8 week mindfulness course back then, which turned out to be a complete game changer for me. Through mindfulness practice I regained my sense of perspective. I have learnt life skills which have changed my relationship with my job as a GP and with daily life on so many levels. Simply put, I have become a mindful GP.

This inspired me to become a mindfulness teacher and want to share these skills with fellow healthcare professionals because I truly believe it can make a difference.

I teach MBCT which is recommended by NICE for the treatment of recurring depression as it has been shown to be as effective as maintenance antidepressants for the treatment of recurring depression.