Local psychologists host course on management of anxiety and stress

A practical course over three evenings on how to manage and reduce anxiety, stress and worry using mindfulness and positive psychological strategies will take place at Mucklagh Community Centre.

The course will be held on Monday September 30; Monday, October 7 and Monday, October 14 next (inclusive, 7-9pm).

The course facilitators are Imelda Ferguson and Julie O’Flaherty, two local psychologists who run the Mind Your Self Midlands positive psychology service.

Both facilitators are chartered clinical psychologists in private practice with extensive experience working in the adult mental health field.

Imelda Ferguson says the first Monday evening will address the psychology of anxiety, stress and worry.

“It will answer questions like, 'Why do we become stressed, anxious, worried? What is mindfulness?',” she said.

The attitudes, principles and practices of mindfulness will also be introduced on week one and those attending will hear how they can mindfully manage awareness and attention to reduce anxiety and stress.

There will also be experiential exercises and guided practice including body scan meditation.

The second Monday evening will look at mindfulness as a tool for the management and reduction of worry, and typical negative (distorted) thinking patterns will be discussed.

“We will present how mindfulness can be used to reduce the distress caused by negative thinking,” says Julie O'Flaherty. The second session will also include experiental exercises and guided practice.

Week three will look at the links between stress and low mood, how to mindfully manage low mood, will ask the question 'What is self confidence?' and will outline mindful steps in building and maintaining self confidence.

As was the case in the first two sessions, there will be experiential exercises and guided practice.

The cost will be €120 euro for the three-week course. There will be an early bird fee of €100 for those who pay by September 20 (fee includes course materials, reading lists and tea/coffee each evening). Mucklagh Community Centre is located in Mucklagh village just off the Tullamore bypass on the main Birr/Kilcormac road.

For further information or to book a place, contact Imelda on 087 2271630 or Julie on 087 2399328 (also see Facebook: Mind Your Self Midlands). Advance booking is essential.