Our "Take Back Your Life" mindfulness based community
pain management  program was a finalist in the 2023
Innovations in Mindfulness awards.

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Take Back Your Life is a simplified version of the multi-award-winning Breathworks ‘Mindfulness for Health’ 8-week course, developed by Vidyamala / Pru Birch.

 

It is suitable and inclusive of people with lower incomes and different levels of English language and literacy skills.

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It is offered free of charge and provides tools, knowledge and skills to live well with chronic pain and/or health conditions.

 

Following the success of two pilot courses, Take Back Your Life was awarded funding by Tower Hamlets Council’s Local Community Fund, running from 2019 until 2023. 

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We worked with Tower Hamlets residents suffering from chronic pain and illness, including people struggling to cope with the general effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as those with long Covid. We reached a diverse cross-section of the community, including Bangladeshi, Caribbean, Chinese, Tamil, Turkish, Somali, Vietnamese, White British, continental European and Pakistani communities

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Benefits experienced by participants:

• increased ability to manage pain

• increased sense of calm and relaxation

• reduced pain symptoms

• reduced dependency on medication

• knowledge of tools to calm the mind

• feeling kinder towards themselves and their pain

• increased sense of social connection

• increased feelings of connection to others in their community

• increased embodiment

• more appreciative of beauty and nature

• feeling more able to pace activities in life so they are manageable.

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Monitoring data has shown statistically significant improvements in participants’ levels of pain experienced, pain discomfort, ability to manage pain self, level of catastrophising about pain, and level of mindfulness skills. 

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“It’s a very valuable service, and I would recommend other people to do it. It really does help. ”

— Shakera

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We currently offer 2 x weekly zoom mindfulness support groups for anyone  who has attended one of our courses. And we are certainly open to offering the full program again in the future (funding permitting).