A mindfulness compassion-based approach is always present in my counselling, clinical and educational work.

I also run 8-week individual as well as mindfulness group courses for both the general population and pregnant mothers or couples. Each weekly session lasts two hours. Formal mindfulness meditation is practiced in each class for 20 minutes, followed by a topic discussion - discovering the present moment, mindfulness in everything, embodiment, acceptance, self-compassion, nourishing happiness, letting go, a mindful life. Being a clinical psychologist, I have special attention to deeper issues and provide individual more in-depth support should this be needed.  

 

I have developed the 9-week Prenatal and Perinatal Mindfulness- Relationship-Based  (PMRB) program, which has all the characteristics described especially designed for pregnancy and the early postnatal period. A ket element of the PMRB program is the focus on the mother-baby relationship from a new body-mind perspective based on the mother's embodied awareness and acceptance of the unborn baby as a conscious sentient being, capable of engagement in bidirectional interactions. This reflect a new concept of prenatal relationship based on shifting attention from 'when the baby arrives' to 'the baby is already here and I am connected to my baby'. In the PMRB program, the teaching of mindfulness is integrated with the following embodied knowledge:

 

• breathing technique and meditation, mindful movements, mind-body pain and stress coping strategies for childbirth and awareness skills for coping with daily life stress.

• perinatal education, including prenate/infant development and psychobiological needs, psychobiological processes of pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum adjustment, breastfeeding and breastfeeding self-efficacy, and psychobiological needs of the infant, and mother-prenate sensorimotor modulation techniques using maternal touch, vocalisation, and foetal movements. 

 

An essential part of the program is a self-administered mother-prenate engagement practice focused on sensorimotor interactions - stroking the pregnant belly where the baby's movements and cues are felt, singing to the baby, reading out a 'Letters from the Book' booklet, and writing in a baby journal: all aimed to enhance maternal (and paternal) sensory and baby awareness, present-moment awareness, receptive attention, nonreactive acceptance, sensitivity and maternal reflective function, mother-prenate engagement, nervous system co-regulation and to have calming effects. There is growing evidence that use of sensory-based activities with people with mental disorders may promote development of self-regulatory strategies and improve wellbeing.  Mothers' use of sensory-based activities (gently massaging pregnant belly, singing to the unborn baby, and writing in baby journal) have revealed to have calming effects thus reducing stress levels, enhance attention, and promote maternal-baby relationship during pregnancy. Participants will also learn how to apply the practice of mindfulness to discomforts during pregnancy, labour pain and early parenting to have a fulfilling profound experience of birth and beyond. These are some of the core competencies of mindfulness aimed to promote wellbeing in mothers, infants and families and mitigate the risk of trauma and psychological disorders after birth and the the postnatal period. 

    

If you are searching for a place where to kindle your potential and well-being as an individual or to nurture your child's development and health as well, 

click the link to connect with me.