As part of Mental Health Awareness Week and in light of the mental health challenges heightened by the Covid-19 pandemic, the University of Aberdeen has launched a free online course in mindfulness.
The course provides an introduction to mindfulness and shares how to use tools and techniques to help build resilience and wellbeing. In the rolling ‘always on’ course, teaching is delivered entirely online and is free and open to all.
Course co-ordinator Colette Savage from The School of Education explains: “Our brains are not wired for uncertainty and lack of control, both of which are key features of the current Covid-19 situation. This creates a lot of challenges both mentally and emotionally. There are, however, effective mindful tools and techniques which can sustain and nourish our mental and emotional resilience and wellbeing, positively restructuring our brains, whilst dealing with these two issues.
“We are delighted to be have the opportunity to share these techniques during this course, which is available for enrolment immediately.”
The course will cover three key elements of mindfulness: How to keep the mind focussed by paying attention to the present; how to use breathing to increase resilience, and; how to build positive emotions and thoughts, such as compassion, gratitude and kindness to enable the body’s happy hormones.
Ruth Taylor, Vice-Principal for Education at the University adds: “In these challenging times it is so important that we find ways to look after ourselves. Through Colette’s expertise, I am delighted that we are able to offer a way to support good mental health and wellbeing. I would encourage everyone to enrol in this free course and take advantage of this fantastic opportunity.”
More detail about the course and instructions for how to enrol can be found here.
For support in accessing the course or if you have any questions about our other On-demand Learning courses and programmes, please email: onlinelearning@abdn.ac.uk
ENDS