Past Event
Mindfulness for Beginners
Course Information
Description
Location The Barn Space Maynooth W23 D8H7
Mindfulness A Practical Introduction
Simple tools to manage stress, emotions, and thoughts with awareness
Mindfulness a practical introduction provides participants a practical and evidence-based approach to enhancing mental wellbeing through integrating short mindful habits into your life. Increasing scientific research highlights the power of mindfulness, demonstrating that cultivating present-moment awareness can have profound effects on stress management, emotional balance, and overall mental health.
The course begins by exploring what mindfulness is and reviewing the research that underpins its effectiveness. Participants will gain a clear understanding of how mindfulness practices influence the brain, reduce stress, and foster resilience in daily life.
Next, the course examines mindfulness as a tool for managing stress. Through experiential exercises and reflection, participants will learn how to notice stress responses early, respond rather than react, and develop techniques that help maintain calm and clarity even in challenging situations.
A key focus is the relationship between mindfulness and thoughts. Participants will explore the nature of thoughts, how habitual patterns can influence wellbeing, and how mindfulness allows for a more proactive and wise relationship with the mind. By observing thoughts non-judgmentally, individuals can reduce rumination, gain perspective, and respond with intention rather than habit.
The course also delves into mindfulness and emotions, highlighting how cultivating awareness helps us understand and work with emotions rather than being overwhelmed by them. Participants will develop skills to recognize emotional patterns, respond skillfully, and foster emotional balance.
Finally, the course emphasizes self-compassion in the context of mindfulness, encouraging participants to cultivate a kind and supportive attitude toward themselves. This practice not only enhances wellbeing but also strengthens resilience and the ability to face life’s challenges with patience and understanding.
By the end of the course, participants will have a foundational understanding of mindfulness, practical strategies to incorporate it into daily life, and tools to relate to thoughts, emotions, and themselves with greater awareness, compassion, and balance.
The course is one hour over four weeks, and takes place in The Barn Space.
Registration
Facilitators
Susan Keane
BComm. ACMA. MBSR, Oxford Mindfulness Foundation Mindfulness Facilitator, British Wheel Foundation Hatha Yoga / Yin Yoga Teacher Training. Executive / ECR Accredited Coach
I’m a dynamic professional deeply committed to cultivating mindful behaviours in the workplace — behaviours that nurture psychological safety and help people flourish. As a qualified accountant who has worked across organisations at both operational and director level, I have a deep understanding of how businesses function, the fast pace of organisational life, and the very real pressures that leaders face. I’ve seen first hand how the continuous “busyness” of work can impact wellbeing when it’s not actively supported, and this experience informs everything I do.
Over the years, I played a pivotal role in shaping the Ibec KeepWell Mark, and I continue to support organisations in developing wellbeing strategies that create measurable, meaningful impact. My work centres on promoting mindful practices that strengthen engagement, resilience, and psychological safety within teams.
As an accredited Mental Health First Aid Associate with St. John of God’s Psychiatric Hospital, I am licensed to deliver both Mental Health Awareness Training and Mental Health First Aid Training. These programmes consistently highlight the essential role mindfulness plays in maintaining good mental health and emotional balance. Drawing on this expertise, I design and deliver mental health and mindfulness programmes tailored to each organisation’s culture, challenges, and goals.
Clients I have partnered with include Alkermes, Bus Éireann, FoodCloud, Ibec, the Irish Wheelchair Association, and H&MV Engineering, among others.
Mindfulness is not just part of my professional practice — it is integral to my life. I engage in continuous professional development, including supervision, and I adhere to the Mindfulness Teachers Best Practice Guidelines to ensure my work remains ethically grounded and evidence-informed.
In addition to corporate work and one-to-one support, I recently established The Barn Space in Maynooth, offering in-person mindfulness classes, community sessions, and restorative retreats.
If you’re exploring ways to embed mindful behaviours within your team — to enhance psychological safety, resilience, and overall wellbeing — I’d be delighted to support you. For more information click here.