COURSE

Managing Stress With Mindfulness

Over the next 5 days, you'll discover the 'meaning' of Mindfulness and the many powerful ways it can help you manage stress, anxiety and overwhelm. You'll encounter some of the myths of Mindfulness and walk away with greater clarity and meaning. Bringing practical applications of 'Mindfulness' directly into your life. You'll learn how the anchors of the breath and body can be a powerful support to help you effectively manage stress, anxiety and overwhelm. And how learning to respond not react to our 'busy mind' can be a gateway to greater focus and understanding in meditation practice. Together we'll explore how our prehistoric evolved stress response, is at the root of much of our stress. And by connecting more deeply with self-compassion, we'll come to find new ways to self-support in times of need, relate to the struggles we all share in common and find lifelong sustainable ways to build happiness. This course is ideal: If you want to learn about Mindfulness and the practical tools to support you. If you want to learn more about stress and and how you to mindfully reduce the symptoms. If you want a new perspective, inspiration or mindful nudge in the direction of wellbeing and happiness. It will be a place you can turn to again and again, to mange your stress mindfully. It will be a place you can turn to right now, on Day 1. I hope to meet you there.

Compassion Relationships Stress Stress & Anxiety Workplace Performance Secular Mindfulness Secular Mindfulness Mindfulness Meditation

Meet your Teacher

Derek Hill

United Kingdom

Derek Hill believes in creating opportunities for genuine connection, with ourselves, nature, and each other. Supporting people to look inwardly, with self-compassion - helping them uncover their inner resources for self-support and purposeful direction in life. He is a mindfulness and compassion teacher, speaker, and coach, accredited by Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body (CPCAB). He teaches 4 to 8-week Mindfulness and Stress Management courses, and is trained to teach Jon Kabat-Zinn's gold standard "Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction." He works with individuals, groups, and organisations to inspire greater happiness, health, and human connection. Derek's course ‘Waves of Wellbeing and Resilience’ was drawn from both teaching qualifications, as well his own personal life and professional experiences. He has coached and mentored people for 20 years in high-stress corporate environments, as well as purpose-driven ‘technology for good’ organisations like JustGiving and Farewill, where he spent many wonderful years working with not-for-profit organisations. Derek is sincerely committed to helping others realise their potential, creativity, and fundamental connection to self, others, and the universe. Derek moved to London from his hometown in Dublin. His early life in Ireland coloured so much of what he has learned throughout life. Having graduated in creative writing, he always found great inspiration in the books of others, whether fictional, philosophical, or those challenging conventions. Throughout his professional career, where he enjoyed the highs and lows of working abroad, growing businesses, and making a purposeful impact, there was always a pull towards the traditions and philosophies, which inspire his work today. A few life-changing events and an ever-growing personal commitment to meditation practice, finally nudged him to retrain as a mindfulness and compassion teacher, picking up a CPCAB accredited Level 4 qualification, as well as training to teach Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Derek then redesigned his life around a passion and purpose, so he could sustainably support his health and well-being and that of his family. He founded his company Waking Waves to make this possible and is now on his own mindful mission to share the benefits of mindfulness and compassion with others, so they can too!

8 Days

957 students

4.7 stars

11 min / day

Compassion

English

Lesson 1

Mindfully In Touch With The Present

In Day 1 (part 1) we pause to appreciate the present moment. And we introduce Mindfulness, first by ruling out many of the things it is not - the myths and misunderstandings, that can get in the way. We'll introduce a famous definition and reflect on some of the natural ways, we are already mindful in everyday life. Paving the way for reconnection with The Present.

Lesson 2

Your Practice In Presence

In Day 1 (part 2) we intentionally invest some time in presence. By becoming more consciously aware of the activity of mind, body and heart, we are better able to gauge our internal weather. Allowing ourselves some space to gently scan the body and tune into breathing and movements. And doing all this without judgement and with kindness. Connecting with our present moment, as it is.

Lesson 3

The Busy Mind

In Day 2 we revisit our younger years, when our minds were less distracted. And we explore how, as adults, the busy mind with its added responsibilities, plans and worries, can pull us far from mindfulness. But this is not a surprise given the sheer volume of 'thinking' we do. Most of which is repetitive or unsupportive. And the cost of which can be our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. So together, we walk through a typical meditation, identifying the moments where we are pulled away by distraction. And we meet some mindful attitudes, that can support us in bringing our attention back.

Lesson 4

Harnessing The Breath In Times Of Stress

On Day 3 (part 1) we bring our attention to the power of the breath, its benefits for our health, and how it can help alleviate stress. We share some barriers we may face with our breathing and challenges encountered, in moments of fight-flight-freeze - how the breath can be a powerful calming tool in these moments. And we share 5 breathing practices and their benefits when stressed, anxious, or in need of focus.

Lesson 5

Mindful Breath Awareness

In Day 3 (part 2) we bring mindful awareness to our breathing. Paying particular attention to mind wandering, we remember that 'stopping thinking' is not the aim of mindfulness. And by re-enforcing this through mindful attitudes, we allow ourselves to begin again each time, we get distracted. A deeper focus on the breath in the body and accompanying movements, leads us to rest our attention in the breath in our belly. Giving us an opportunity to full activate our rest and digest function, whilst building greater self-awareness.

Lesson 6

Finding Anchor In Moments Of Difficulty

In Day 4, we revisit Jon Kabat-Zinn's definition of mindfulness, and its meaning - that of non-judgemental present moment awareness - NOT banishing thinking. And we also revisit our stress response, how it supported us in prehistoric times but can be the source of much stress reactivity and difficulty in our busy, modern digital lives. Aware of the health risks of repeated episodes of stress, we explore the supportive power of 3 'anchors' in mindfulness practice - which can be used in any moment to bring stability, focus and calm. The day ends with another look at the foundational attitudes of mindfulness and how they can bring support, understanding and connection, as you develop your mindfulness practice.

Lesson 7

The Search For Self-Compassion

In Day 5 (part 1) we explore self-compassion and mindfulness. How, in many societies, we are more comfortable being self-critical rather than self-compassionate. More likely to show kindness to others, than ourselves. We recall the importance of social groups in our evolutionary history - the sense of safety, bonding and belonging gained when we cared for others. Crucial for our survival. And we discuss the negative impact of our inner critic and how our neglect of self-empathy leaves us at risk of chronic stress and burnout. We close part 1 by sharing the 3 key components of self-compassion.

Lesson 8

Turning Compassion Inwards

In Day 5 (part 2) the final session of our course, we intentionally cultivate self-compassion. We begin by choosing an anchor to ground and bring balance and stability. Then, we bring to mind a situation in our life where we experienced stress, pain, or difficulty. Creating some space and allowing the details to emerge. Then, as if we were a kind and caring friend, share words of comfort. We close by sharing the importance of bringing mindfulness to identify the difficulties, to notice our habits and patterns. And then, through the intentional cultivation of self-compassion, how we bring about a wiser, more self-supporting, and balanced state of well-being and happiness in life.

4.7 (37)

Recent Reviews

Katy

May 13, 2025

This was a calming course. The soothing tone of your voice was so beneficial in bringing me into the better state. I am employing the techniques suggested and find they are helping me in many ways to manage my stress

Inez

September 5, 2024

Thank you Derek. This was interesting and helpful. Thank you too for engaging with us by your responses to our questions and comments. Not many teachers do so. Look forward to your next course.

Sri

December 17, 2023

Yet another great course by one of my favorites, Derek. Very grateful for this helpful course about stress.

Tiffany

November 9, 2023

This was a really good practice. I appreciated having the discussions in one session with a meditation session in the next one. This allowed me to easily go back to just the meditation if I wanted to. I'm looking forward to incorporatung these practices with those from his A - Zen course.

Tom

August 20, 2023

I liked the pace, warm vocal quality, and balance between covering the basics and stretching into deeper topics.

August 10, 2023

Derick is my fav meditation guide. I’ve taken 2 of his courses. He’s very specific, gentle and intelligent

Tim

July 26, 2023

by Derek Hill

3 min

4.6

• GUIDED

6 Second Breathing For Calm And Stability

Derek Hill

14 min

4.8

• GUIDED

Deep Body & Breath Calm For Stress And Anxiety

Derek Hill

5 min

4.6

• GUIDED

Mindful Space For Difficulty

Derek Hill

20 min

4.7

• GUIDED

Morning Practice: Waking Wave

Derek Hill

10 min

4.7

• GUIDED

Mindful Pause For Acceptance

Derek Hill

4 min

4.7

• TALKS

Bringing Your Beginner's Mind

Derek Hill

8 min

4.6

• GUIDED

This Moment

Derek Hill

24 min

4.8

• GUIDED

The Body Scan For Deeper Relaxation & Awareness

Derek Hill

8 min

4.6

• GUIDED

Taking In The Good

Derek Hill

14 min

4.6

• GUIDED

The Body Scan: Mindfulness Meditation

Derek Hill

Retreat categories

Top Retreats

Find Your Perfect Retreat

Blog categories

Top Articles

How to Meditate

Meditation Timer

Managing Stress With Mindfulness

Recent Reviews

More from Derek Hill

Beginner's Mind To Awaken Happiness

The A To Zen Of Living Mindfully

Overcoming The Six Barriers To Being

The Five Powers Of The Breath

Choosing Calm From Dawn Till Sleep

The Seven Elemental Paths To Presence

Mindfully Calm The Waves Of Stress

Worldly Wisdom For Living Mindfully

Mindful Stories To Awaken Presence