2021 · 11. March 2021

Brewing fresh coffee before the morning chores, cosying up with a hot water bottle as you settle into your Saturday night movie, changing into lounge clothing after turning off the laptop - we all have our own little rituals. My latest Southern Star column explores how rituals can enrich experience and create meaning.

2017 · 21. April 2017

In last week's 'Your Mental Health' column in The Southern Star, I examined what the research says about the alleged mental health benefits of mindfulness. The piece is reproduced below. Mindfulness was once regarded as a niche Buddhist practice. Now mindfulness books are bestsellers, companies like Google and Apple run mindfulness programmes, and it’s being billed as a treatment for all kinds of mental health problems. Is mindfulness the real deal, or just another fad? According to one...

2017 · 15. April 2017

Some people portray mindfulness as a panacea for life's difficulties; others see it as a passing fad. In this week's Southern Star, I explore what the research has to say about the apparent mental health benefits of mindfulness.