We are committed to an ongoing collaboration with non-profit organizations, schools, school teachers, research participants, contemplatives and policy makers with the aim of supporting knowledge transfer from our research into practice. We are actively working with policy makers in providing rigorous research evidence from our lab and other rigorous sources to inform wellbeing aspects of school curricula. As part of our research projects in schools, we have so far trained over 60 school teachers in mindfulness and they delivered mindfulness training to more than 1000 pupils with the numbers growing every year.
Selected Media involvement
Dorjee, D. (2021). Why mindfulness needs to be part of (and is not sufficient for) addressing the current societal crises. In Responding to Mindfulness: Developing Agency in Urgent Times. A compilation of essays. www.themindfulnessinitiative.org
Stubbs, J. E., Dorjee, D., Nash, P. (2020). Has there really been a decline in happiness among young people in the UK? British Educational Research Association Blog.
Dorjee, D. (2020). Coronavirus: Six ways of turning anxiety into positive mental health habits. The Conversation.
Dorjee, D. (2020). Neuroscience of Wellbeing: A developmental educational perspective. UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development.
Dorjee, D. (2018). Schools need to start teaching pupils mental health prevention skills – here’s how. The Conversation.
Dorjee, D. (2018). Six common misconceptions about meditation. The Conversation.
07/20/2017 Dr. Dusana Dorjee contributed (research demonstrations and interview) to BBC1 documentary series ‘How to Stay Young’, aired on BBC1 in September 2017.
09/18/2016 BBC Wales Science Café including an interview with Dr Dorjee on neuroscience of lucid dreaming.
Policy involvement
Dr. Dorjee has been since 2020 an academic advisor for the development of an online primer for teachers on social and emotion learning as part of an initiative by the UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development.
Dr. Dorjee was from 2018 to 2019 an academic consultant for the development of the Health and Wellbeing Areas of Learning as part of the New Curriculum for Wales initiative by the Welsh government.
Dorjee D. (2017). Contemplative education as a way to enhance self-regulation and well-being in children. Contribution of a brief report to the UK parliament inquiry of the Health Committee on the topic ‘Children and young people's mental health - role of education inquiry’.
Bailey, A., Kelly, C., Weare, C., & Dorjee, D. (2015). The Role of Mindfulness in Education. Mindful Nation UK report. Mindfulness Initiative. Published on behalf of the UK Mindfulness All-Party Parliamentary Group in October 2015, the Mindful Nation UK report was the first policy document of its kind, seeking to address mental and physical health concerns in the areas of education, health, the workplace and the criminal justice system through the application of mindfulness-based interventions.
Past Outreach Events We Contributed to
11/18/2017 - Oxford - Dr. Dorjee delivered an invited workshop titled 'Integrating first-, second- and third-person perspectives of the self-construal in contemplative science research: Implications for education’ at the Inaugural Educere Network Meeting organized by the Oxford Department of International Development at Oxford University.
10/26/2017 - Newport - Sarah Silverton and Dusana Dorjee delivered a workshop titled 'Mindfulness-based well-being programs in Welsh primary schools ' at the Welsh Public Health Conference. The workshop was attended by approx. 100 participants.
11/02/2016 - Cardiff - Dr . Dorjee delivered a presentation at a policy workshop on Mindfulness in Primary Schools to Welsh health and well-being policy leads. The presentation reviewed current evidence-base on mindfulness in primary schools in the broader context of supporting well-being of children and adolescents with prevention focus.
05/13/2016 – Bangor University - Dr. Dorjee presented to Sophie Howe - Welsh Commissioner for Future Generations - on our research lab's findings regarding mindfulness training as a preventive strategy supporting well-being of children and adolescents.
22/01/2016
Dr. Dorjee presented our latest findings from studies on neuroscience of mindfulness with primary school children at the Mindfulness in Schools Conference in London.
July 2015 - Dumfries
Mindfulness and the Brain presentation by Kevanne Sanger, Shelby DeMeulenaere, & Rebekah Kaunhoven at European Peace Sanctuary, Dumfries.
2015 - Swindon
Stress Management: CBT and Mindfulness-Based Approaches presentation by Kevanne Sanger at BP Headquarters, Swindon
January 2015 - Manchester
Neurophysiological changes in attention of adolescents after mindfulness training - presentation by Kevanne Sanger at Child and Adolescent Mental Health NHS Development Day, Manchester.
June 2015 - Glasinfryn
Mindfulness and ageing presentation by Shelby DeMeulenaere at the monthly meeting of Glasinfryn Women’s Institute, Glasinfryn, UK.
03/07/2015 - Chester
Presentation on developmental cognitive neuroscience of mindfulness by Dusana Dorjee as part of a one day workshop on Mindfulness and the Brain preceding the Mindfulness in Society Conference. The workshop was attended by 60+ therapists, mindfulness teachers and school teachers
04/06/2015 - Bangor - Welsh minister of education - Huw Lewis - visit.
The minister learned about research in our lab and heard feedback from school teachers and pupils who participated in our studies. The press report from the visit can be found under this link: http://www.bangor.ac.uk/news/latest/welsh-minister-of-education-skills-visits-bangor-university-23020
2014/2015 - North Wales
Presentations to teachers and parents of primary schools in North Wales by Rebekah Kaunhoven to discuss how a mindfulness curriculum may impact on attention, emotion regulation and the overall well-being of teachers and pupils.
09/06/2014
We are pleased to share a research report on a small uncontrolled longitudinal pilot study which assessed the effects of mindfulness training in the workplace context. The report is being shared with the approval of the North Wales Housing, an organisation which funded the training for their employees. We have found significant improvements in well-being, mindfulness and quality of life, and a reduction in perceived stress after the 8-week MBSR training. The full report can be accessed here.
11-15/04/2014 - Bangor
The Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience of Mindfulness organised by the Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice in April 2014 was a great success. The conference organization was headed on the academic side by Dr. Dusana Dorjee. A big thank you to the organizing team, the presenters and attendees! The Well Minds Lab contributed to the conference with several presentations (see the publications section).
08/04/2014 - Edinburgh
Dorjee, D. & Silverton, S. Training the Mind for Happiness: The brain science behind meditation. A public talk presented at the Edinburgh International Science Festival and attended by over 200 participants.
21/01/2014 - Llandudno
From a Full Mind to Mindfulness
Evening of lectures presented as part of The Health and Well-being Lecture Series at Venue Cymru, Llandudno; over 170 attendees
6:00 – 7:00 p.m. - Close your eyes – Open your Mind – Prof. Guillaume Thierry
7:30 – 8:30 p.m. - Mindfulness: Mind Training for Well-being – Dr. Dusana Dorjee
03/12/2013 - Senedd, Cardiff
Presentation to policy makers and third sector representatives detailing our current research on mindfulness in Welsh education. The presentation was part of a reception in the Senedd with the focus on implementation of MBCT into healthcare and mindfulness into Welsh education organized by the Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice with the support of several politicians.
06/09/2013 - Chester
Cognitive Neuroscience of Mindfulness – one day workshop by Dr. Dorjee as part of the Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice CPPD program.
11/07/2013 - Bangor University Impact Award
Bangor University Research & Enterprise Impact Award for 'Best Impact on Public Policy and/or Public Services' 2013 has been awarded to Rebecca Crane, Eluned Gold, Dusana Dorjee, David Shannon, Sharon Hadley and team, Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice, School of Psychology, Bangor University. Among other areas of CMRP activity the award submission featured the collaboration between school teachers, mindfulness trainers and researchers as part of our research projects on mindfulness in education.
3/04/2013 - Edinburgh
A public lecture on Mindfulness and the Brain by Dr. Dusana Dorjee at the International Science Festival in Edinburgh as part of a session on ‘Science of the Peaceful Mind’ attended by 200+ participants.
03/2013 - Chester
Cognitive Neuroscience of Mindfulness – one day workshop by Dr. Dusana Dorjee for mindfulness practitioners, trainers, and health-care professionals at the Mindfulness in Society Conference organized by the CMRP.
27/11/2012 - Bangor University
As part of the ongoing collaboration with Ysgol Pen-Y-Bryn from Colwyn Bay on research concerning mindfulness programs for primary schools, 60 pupils from Year 6 visited our lab. Through hands-on exercises and lectures they learned about cognitive neuroscience and particularly about research on mindfulness using brain wave methodology. The visit was a great success and inspiring to pupils, school teachers as well as the researchers from our lab!
12/4/2012 – Bangor University
Presentation on research in cognitive neuroscience of mindfulness by Dr. Dusana Dorjee at the Mindfulness in the Workplace event organized by CMRP and the Bangor University Management Centre at Bangor University; attended by approx. 60 participants from business, health and social care sectors.
9/02/2012 - Rhyl
Presentation by Dr. Dorjee on research in cognitive neuroscience of mindfulness at the 'Mindfulness for Children, Families and Education' event in Rhyl attended by approx. 60 social care, health-care and education professionals.
14/9/2011 - Llandudno
Presentation by Dr. Dorjee on evidence base in cognitive neuroscience of mindfulness at the 'Mindfulness and Work' event in Llandudno attended by professionals from social care and workplace sectors. The event was organized by Libby Evans (Health & Well Being Lead, North Wales Coast Regeneration, Welsh Government).