Mindfulness Initiative
This initiative uses a flexible, responsive, phased approach, based on your organization’s needs and resources, to create a mindful culture and environment in which all stakeholders have the tools and resources to engage in mindfulness practices thereby increasing their own wellness and effectiveness.
Why Mindfulness
There is increasing evidence that engagement in mindfulness practices, being a part of a mindful culture, and living in a mindful environment can enhance outcomes for individuals, including those at risk, in multiples ways. Research has shown that engagement in mindfulness practices can:
- Improve attention and memory (Felver et al., 2017)
- boost motivation (Sedlmeier et al., 2012)
- enhance self-regulation (Kabat-Zinn et al., 1985)
- decrease interpersonal conflict (Black & Fernando, 2014)
- reduce rates of anxiety and depression (Williams et al. 2011)
- improve well-being (Sedlmeier et al., 2012)
Some new research even suggests that mindfulness practices could help repair neural damage caused by childhood trauma. (Seigel, 2007) The benefits of repairing such neural damage, believed to be a cause of many social-emotional maladjustments in adults, is incalculable.
Anticipated Outcomes
The anticipated outcomes of this program are based on continuously emerging evidence from the vast body of research on mindfulness practices and programs. They include, but are not limited to:
- Increased satisfaction, happiness, and sense of purpose for all stakeholders (e.g., employees, managers, individuals under supervision)
- Decreased incidences and time to resolution of interpersonal conflicts.
- Improved scores on assessments.
- Decreased reports of anxiousness, depression, and suicidal ideation.
- Reported generalization of the knowledge and skills acquired through the mindfulness initiative. (In other words, stakeholders will apply new knowledge and skills in contexts other than those in which they are learned.)
Outcomes are measured and monitored using both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. It is important to note that this is a flexible, responsive program.