Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T23:05:08.319Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

‘Let’s be Still’: A school psychologist delivered stillness meditation program for wellbeing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2021

Rachel Yerbury
Rachel Yerbury*
Affiliation:
Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
*
Address for correspondence: Rachel Yerbury, University of Wollongong, Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Avenue, KeiravilleNSW 2522, Australia.Email: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

School counsellors implement preventative programs to build student resilience and coping skills to counteract the rising mental health needs of children in Australia. School-based meditation programs are effective for individuals and groups, with documented benefits. Most literature examines mindfulness meditation, and the current, exploratory study aimed to add to the research breadth by considering stillness meditation. The stillness program ‘Let’s be Still’ is a 10-week, class-based program that was conducted between 2015–2020 by the school psychologist in a regional, independent New South Wales school. Data were collected from questionnaire responses of 169 Year 2 (7–9 years) and five teachers to document what the children had learnt and how it helped them. Thematic analysis of the responses revealed an emphasis on stillness promoting positive emotions and behaviours. Both students and teachers articulated that learning and practising stillness provided the students with tools to be calm, relaxed and settled, to deal with conflict and to have a break from the busyness of the school day. While the study design does not allow generalisability of the program’s effectiveness, this study may offer input for school counsellors considering the implementation of a school-based meditation program.

Keywords

Stillnessmeditationpreventative programpositive emotionspositive behaviours
Type
Practitioner Paper
Information
Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools , Volume 31 , Special Issue 2: Actioning Research within Schools: Key Processes for Planning Successful Interventions , December 2021 , pp. 227 - 237
Check for updates
Copyright
© The Author 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Amundsen, R., Riby, L.M., Hamilton, C., Hope, M., & McGann, D. (2020). Mindfulness in primary school children as a route to enhanced life satisfaction, positive outlook and effective emotion regulation. BMC Psychology, 8, 71. doi: 10.1186/s40359-020-00428-y CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Anderson, S. (2005). The relationship between student psychological wellbeing, behaviour and educational outcomes: A lesson from the MindMatters Plus demonstration schools. Australian Journal of Guidnace and Counselling, 15, 235–240. doi: 10.3316/aeipt.149579 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bannirchelvam, B., Bell, K.L., & Costello, S. (2017). A qualitative exploration of primary school students’ experience and utilisation of mindfulness. Contemporary School Psychology, 21, 304–316. doi: 10.1007/s40688-017-0141-2 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Belotto, M.J. (2018). Data analysis methods for qualitative research: Managing the challenges of coding, interrater reliability, and thematic analysis. The Qualitative Report, 23, 2622–2633. doi:https://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol23/iss11/2 Google Scholar
Bernard, M.E., Elias, M., Bell, P., Ferrito, J., & Langione, K. (2017). Social and emotional learning: Role of school psychologists in Australia. In Thielking, M. & Terjesen, M.D. (Eds.), Handbook of Australian school psychology (pp. 503–519). Springer International.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bornstein, A. (2012). Stillness — A healing methodology in Swedish pre-schools and schools. New Zealand Journal of Teachers’ Work, 9, 95–106.Google Scholar
Boyd, C., Francis, K., Aisbett, D., Newnham, K., Sewell, J., Dawes, G., & Nurse, S. (2007). Australian rural adolescents’ experiences of accessing psychological help for a mental health problem. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 15, 196–200. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1584.2007.00884.x CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2013). Successful Qualitative Research: A practical guide for beginners.Google Scholar
Campbell, M., & Colmar, S. (2014). Current status and future trends of school counseling in Australia. Journal of Asia Pacific Counseling, 4, 181–197. doi: 10.18401/2014.4.2.9 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chodkiewicz, A., & Boyle, C. (2017). Positive psychology school-based interventions: A reflection on current success and future directions. Review of Education, 5, 60–86.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crawford, R., & Willhoff, A. (2013). Stillness in the composition classroom: Insight, incubation, improvisation, flow, and meditation. The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning, 19, Article 9.Google Scholar
Danchin, M., Gulenc, A., Efron, D., Sciberras, E., Symeonides, C., & Hiscock, H. (2019). Trends in prevalence and management of childhood anxiety by Australian pediatricians. Academic Peadiatrics, 19, 35–43. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2018.08.001 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dove, C., & Costello, S. (2017). Supporting emotional well-being in schools: A pilot study into the efficacy of a mindfulness-based group intervention on anxious and depressive symptoms in children. Advances in Mental Health, 15, 172–182. doi: 10.1080/18387357.2016.1275717 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Felver, J.C., Frank, J.L., & McEachern, A.D. (2013). Effectiveness, acceptability, and feasibility of the soles of the feet mindfulness-based intervention with elementary school students. Mindfulness, 5, 589–597. doi: 10.1007/s12671-013-0238-2 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fisher, R. (2006). Still thinking: The case for meditation with children. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 1, 146–151. doi: 10.1016/j.tsc.2006.06.004 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fleshner, E. (2020). The mindful child: Supporting children’s development through mindfulness (unpublished master’s dissertation). Lesley University. https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/mindfulness_theses/38.Google Scholar
Flook, L., Goldberg, S.B., Pinger, L., & Davidson, R.J. (2015). Promoting prosocial behavior and self-regulatory skills in preschool children through a mindfulness-based Kindness Curriculum. Developmental Psychology, 51, 44–51. doi: 10.1037/a0038256 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Flook, L., Smalley, S.L., Kitil, M.J., Galla, B.M., Kaiser-Greenland, S., Locke, J., Ishijima, E., & Kasari, C. (2010). Effects of mindful awareness practices on executive functions in elementary school children. Journal of Applied School Psychology, 26, 70–95. doi: 10.1080/15377900903379125 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hudson, K.G., Lawton, R., & Hugh-Jones, S. (2020). Factors affecting the implementation of a whole school mindfulness program: a qualitative study using the consolidated framework for implementation research. BMC Health Services Research, 20, 133. doi: 10.1186/s12913-020-4942-z CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Huppert, F., & Johnson, D.M. (2010). A controlled trial of mindfulness training in schools: The importance of practice for an impact on well-being. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 5, 264–274.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Joyce, A., Etty-Leal, J., Zazryn, T., Hamilton, A., & Hassed, C. (2010). Exploring a mindfulness meditation program on the mental health of upper primary children: A pilot study. Advances in School Mental Health Promotion, 3, 17–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Klingbeil, D.A., Fischer, A.J., Renshaw, T.L., Bloomfield, B.S., Polakoff, B., Willenbrink, J.B., Copek, R.A., & Chan, K.T. (2017). Effects of mindfulness-based interventions on disruptive behavior: A meta-analysis of single-case research. Psychology in the Schools, 54, 70–87. doi: 10.1002/pits.21982 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lees, H. (2013). The art of being together in schools through silent stillness? Paper presented at the Faculty of Education & Theology Seminar, St. John University, York.Google Scholar
McCabe, M., Costello, S., & Roodenburg, J. (2017). The child’s voice in determining program acceptability for a school-based mindfulness intervention. Social Sciences, 6, 155. doi: 10.3390/socsci6040155 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McKinnon, P. (1992). Quiet magic: A parable about finding happiness. David Lovell Publishing.Google Scholar
McKinnon, P. (2002). Let’s be still: Teaching stillness meditation to children and adolescents. David Lovell Publishing.Google Scholar
McKinnon, P. (2016). In stillness conquer fear (7th ed.). Garrat Publishing.Google Scholar
Meares, A. (1967). Relief without drugs: The self-management of tension, anxiety and pain. Souvenir Press.Google Scholar
Mission Australia. (2019). Youth Survey Report 2019. https://www.missionaustralia.com.au/publications/youth-survey Google Scholar
Renshaw, T.L. (2019). Mindfulness-based interventions in schools. In Maykel, C. & Bray, M.A. (Eds.), Promoting mind–body health in schools: Interventions for mental health professionals (pp. 145–160). American Psychological Association.Google Scholar
Sattarshetty, K. (2016). The effect of a ‘Mental Stillness’ meditation intervention on the mental health risk of primary school aged children (Unpublished master’s dissertation). The University of Sydney.Google Scholar
Semple, R.J., Droutman, V., & Reid, B.A. (2017). Mindfulness goes to school: Things learned (so far) from research and real-world experiences. Psychology in the Schools, 54, 29–52. doi: 10.1002/pits.21981 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Terjestam, Y. (2011). Stillness at school: Well-being after eight weeks of meditation-based practice in secondary school. Psyke & Logos, 32, 105–116.Google Scholar
Vickery, C.E., & Dorjee, D. (2015). Mindfulness training in primary schools decreases negative affect and increases meta-cognition in children. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 2025. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.02025 Google ScholarPubMed
Woods, T.J., Windt, J.M., & Carter, O. (2020). Silence in Shamatha, transcendental, and stillness meditation: An evidence synthesis based on expert texts. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1259. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01259 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed