JEAN Nash and Sonia Eastwood have known each other for about 37 years but, when they first met as student nurses doing their training at Powick Hospital, they had no idea they would be setting up in business together.

The pair both went on to become mental health nurses, working in the NHS for more than 30 years, became firm friends and have seen each other’s children grow up – helping each other out with child care when needed.

And about 18 months ago they decided to continue their friendship into a business which brings together their personal and professional connections.

Now both retired from the NHS, they set up and now run Malvern Mindfulness – an organisation that offers stress reduction courses to help people take more control of their lives.

Although people they knew warned them off going into business together, it is all going well so far and they are getting a good response to their courses.

Jean explained: “I was working in the NHS and I was using dialectical behaviour therapy. Mindfulness is a core part of that type of therapy and I had to practise it myself. I had a lot of personal benefit from it.

“I just gained a feeling of being much calmer and being able to think things through and not be reactive to stresses or giving myself a hard time, and being more compassionate to myself and other people.”

Mindfulness is basically about living in the moment. Jean added: “When you practise Mindfulness you tend to respond in ways that are more reasoned and more thought through. It gives you a different outlook on life.

“People spend a lot of time ruminating about what has happened in the past or worrying about what is going to happen in the future.”

Mindfulness techniques utilise a combination of Buddhist Contemplative Practice and Western Cognitive Science to enhance physical and mental health along with an overall improved sense of well-being.

Jean said people often don't recognise the impact daily living is having on them and continue regardless, ignoring effects until they have a more severe impact.

She added that Mindfulness, which is recommended by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, can help with stress reduction; preventing people relapsing into depression; regulating blood pressure; aiding sleep; physical pain management; improving concentration; greater thought clarity; improving communications with others and enhancing well-being.

The number of people attending Malvern Mindfulness courses is now building up and Jean said they are getting a lot of personal recommendations from students who have completed courses.

“We are getting a lot of school teachers and doctors. Sometimes people are referred by a GP or another health professional.

“We always speak to people about the course before they start because they have to make time to practise techniques between sessions.

“Also, if someone is in a depressive episode, they will not get the benefit from it. They have to wait until they are in remission.”

A new five-week Mindfulness based stress reduction course is starting on Saturday March 14 from 9.30am to 1.30pm at St Andrew’s Church Hall, Churchdown Road, Malvern , while an eight-week course starts on Monday March 16 from 7pm to 9.30pm at the Conference Room, The Library, Church Street, Pershore.

Jean and Sonia are also planning to run courses in Stourport, Ledbury and Worcester later in the year. Anyone interested in finding out more about Malvern Mindfulness courses can contact Jean on 01684 569743, Sonia on 01684 560677 or e-mail malvernmindfulness@gmail.com