Mindfulness During a Pandemic: The Positive Impact of Focusing on the Breath

Dr. Jennifer Cable and Dr. Monti Datta, University of Richmond

View the recording of the event below.

According to a 2018 Time magazine article, record numbers of college students are seeking treatment for depression and anxiety, with schools unable to keep up with the demand.  Add to this already troubling situation a world that is caught in the grip of COVID-19, rendering even the simplest of actions fraught with worry about the virus and its transmission.  Mindfulness can be a soothing balm for our heightened state of anxiety. This presentation will offer a short background into the development of Mindfulness practice in the United States, share data from studies about the benefits of meditation, and highlight several practices which can assist us in our mindfulness journey. The practices experienced in this presentation are intended to help our students and ourselves to concentrate with greater clarity, increase self-compassion, and reduce stress levels.