Read more about what mindfulness is in following article: What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness-based practice presents its own set of challenges, so it is important for you to discuss any concerns you may have with Tim Cools, your Doctor and/or Therapist before signing up for the course. Mindfulness may be everywhere you look, but it is not suitable for everyone which is why we ask detailed questions on the application form.

The courses we offer are Trauma-Sensitive, so we are often able to support those that general Mindfulness-based courses would not be suitable for. 
Please review the suggested exclusion criteria below and if you are in doubt, contact Tim Cools directly. I offer a free initial consultation giving you time to explore if this is the right course, and right time for you.

In some cases alternative types of support will be suggested:

• Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
• Mindfulness-based Relapse Prevention (MBRP)
• 1-1 Mindfulness Course
• Traditional Therapy

Exclusion criteria, please contact me if you have doubts:

• Active or recent physical addiction to alcohol or drugs: MBRP is probably more suitable
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): It will depend on the current situation, MBCT or a 1-1 course might be more suitable.
• Acute depression: It will depend on the current situation, MBCT or a 1-1 course might be more suitable.
• Severe social anxiety: This can make attending an in-person class very stressful, a live online course may be more suitable for you at this time.
• Acute illness (or even acute attack of existing illness): If you are dealing with high levels of stress, and getting used to dealing with a new and different way of being, it is generally not a good time to learn the mindfulness-based practices. However, it may be of benefit to help you manage your illness once you have had time to process the diagnosis. MBCT might be more suitable for acute illness such as cancer and other major diagnoses.
• Life crisis: Recent severe loss such as bereavement, divorce, cancer or other major diagnoses. At these times it is our experience that people are in too raw a state of distress to find a course helpful, it is usually not a good time to take a mindfulness-based course. Pre-existing mindfulness practice is very helpful in dealing with strong, raw feelings such as grief, shock, and anger, but these are usually too overwhelming for people to learn how to mindfulness-based practices while dealing with them in the first instances. The recommendation here is that you would be well advised to wait till you have worked through the acute stage of the grieving process and are more settled with the loss or diagnosis.
• Suicidality: we can redirect you to other types of therapy and support.
• Severe mental conditions like psychosis, schizophrenia, …: mindfulness-based practice is unlikely to help, and may cause harm.
• Severe early trauma, past abuse, depersonalization disorder: These are an indication to move into mindfulness-based courses with great care. A live online 1-1 course may be more appropriate than a group.

As you can see, there are times in our lives when it would be better to find different support, although remember that we are all unique, and just because you tick a box, it does not necessarily mean that mindfulness-based practice would not be a benefit for you.
 Please take advantage of the no-obligation, free pre-course meeting as it is the ideal time to discuss any concerns you have with Tim Cools so together you can decide if it is the right time for you to take a mindfulness-based course. If appropriate you will be redirected to a more suitable type of support.

Participants are suggested to have a daily home practice of 30 to 45 minutes, 6 or 7 days a week during the length of the course.

This depends on your own schedule and availability. Mindfulness can be practised from a couple of minutes a day, to a couple of hours. You might notice that it helps to practice a bit more in stressful periods, allowing your body to relax and settle down more.

For our courses and workshops we currently take a maximum of 15 participants.

Yes, participants must usually be 18 years old or over to attend our events. I’m willing to consider mature 16- or 17-year-old participants on our introduction workshops, if accompanied by an adult. Please contact us for a discussion about this if you would like to attend a workshop with your 16- or 17-year-old.