Has anyone done the "Be Mindful Online" course? Is it worth it?

[BornToFolk]

I'm having issues with anxiety recently and thought I'd try managing them with mindfulness.
Has anyone done the "Be Mindful Online" course? I found it through the Mental Health Foundation website so I'm guessing it's legit and good quality but it's also £60! Although it does look like you can try it free for a while, so I have signed up for it.

Anyway, would be interested in anyone's experiences of this course and also of Mindfulness and other ways of managing anxiety in general.

[windchimes23]

I use Headspace and I really like it. You can try 10 days for free to see if you get on with it. You can then pay a subscription to get access to the various modules. It has changed the way I think.

[rubyblue]

I tried it and regret paying the £60 for it but that's because you really need to commit to it and I didn't. I found it stressful as they kept emailing me to complete the exercises but I guess I just wasn't in the right place. So for example, week one is an exercise on eating a raisin. Seriously, the whole time I just kept thinking WTF and wanting to stop the exercise. I'm no good at committing to things like this, so you're meant to spend time on it every day but tbh I'd rather use what little free time I have to read a book. Maybe that's why I need mindfulness but I agree with the other poster, save your dosh and go for Headspace or any number of other Mindfulness Apps on the web.

[rubyblue]

I tried it and regret paying the £60 for it but that's because you really need to commit to it and I didn't. I found it stressful as they kept emailing me to complete the exercises but I guess I just wasn't in the right place. So for example, week one is an exercise on eating a raisin. Seriously, the whole time I just kept thinking WTF and wanting to stop the exercise. I'm no good at committing to things like this, so you're meant to spend time on it every day but tbh I'd rather use what little free time I have to read a book. Maybe that's why I need mindfulness but I agree with the other poster, save your dosh and go for Headspace or any number of other Mindfulness Apps on the web.

[BornToFolk]

Thanks for your responses. I actually signed up to the course last week but cancelled it yesterday. I agree with you rubyblue - it was just too much for me at the moment. I had to do the 30min body scan thing every day but I was finding it difficult to find the time and was finding it irritating and boring!

However, I've also been doing Headspace and find that much better. 10mins is easier to fit into the day and it just feels more manageable.

I emailed Be Mindful and they refunded my money very quickly with no quibbles so I have no complaint there - just wasn't right for me at the moment. I think I'll spend the money on a Headspace subscription instead!

[NotAJammyDodger]

I have been using Headspace for several years and found it really good. The bite size chunks are great when you really can't be bothered to so anything longer. I like the fact that you can then build up to longer sessions. Also, I find Andy P's voice really soothing - it's such a normal, non pretentious delivery (and unlike a lot of these things, an English not American accent).

[BornToFolk]

I'm on day 9 of Take 10 and still finding it helpful and enjoyable so I've just signd up for a year's subscription (plus they emailed me a code for 2 months free as an incentive!)

I agree about Andy's voice/delivery too and I get very easily irritated by voices. But he is very natural and soothing and always seems to know when my mind starts wandering off....

[BeMindfulOnline]

Hi everyone, I'm one of the Be Mindful Online team. I'm sorry to hear you didn't find the course useful. The Be Mindful Online course is a clinically validated mindfulness course and offered in the NHS in some areas as an intervention for anxiety, depression and stress. Thousands of people have reported significant reductions in their anxiety, depression and stress, from taking part in the course. However, as rubyblue noted, you do need to be able to commit to the mindfulness training in order to benefit fully.

If you're finding Headspace useful, I'd like to direct you to a well established and very popular free meditation resource. It's free for everyone and can be accessed by anyone online on the following link:
www.meditainment.com/

And don't worry NotAJammyDodger it's an English accent on this one too