Getting Real with Mindfulness Ep. 1 with Claire Kelly and Victoria Fontana
The Oxford Mindfulness PodcastShow Notes
New Podcast 📢 Getting Real with Mindfulness Ep. 1: "Down and Dirty" with Mindfulness: What We Wish We’d Known In this first episode of Getting Real with Mindfulness, Claire Kelly (Oxford Mindfulness Director of Teaching and Training) and Victoria Fontana (mindfulness and compassion teacher and executive coach) sit down for a candid conversation about what they wish they’d known when they started practicing. From the pressure to “get it right” to the surprising emotional breakthroughs, they explore the messy, magical, and deeply human side of mindfulness. They get, as they say, “down and dirty” with the practice - sharing personal stories, hard-earned insights, and gentle reminders that mindfulness isn’t about perfection, but presence. Whether you're a personal learner, or a trained teacher, this episode offers something real, relatable, and refreshingly honest. Claire Kelly is a mindfulness-based mentor and the Director of Teaching and Training at Oxford Mindfulness. With over 25 years in education, she's also passionate about developing and delivering evidence-based programmes to support mental health and wellbeing in education. Victoria Fontana is a mindfulness and compassion teacher, executive coach, and trainer with over a decade of experience leading transformative programmes. She's a certified instructor in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Compassion-Based Resilience Training (CBRT), and Introducing Mindfulness (IM). Find out more about Victoria 👉 https://www.mindgazing.com/ Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website 👉 https://oxfordmindfulness.org/
More from The Oxford Mindfulness Podcast
How do you talk about mindfulness without sounding apologetic... or like you're trying to convert someone? In this episode of Getting Real with Mindfulness, Claire and Victoria explore the sometimes awkward, often amusing reality of discussing mindfulness with friends, family, colleagues, and complete strangers. From curious questions and common misconceptions to scepticism and outright criticism, they reflect on the challenge of sharing a practice that's meaningful to you without feeling the need to defend or promote it. Along the way, they discuss:
"I run. That's my mindfulness." It's something we often hear. Whether it's running, gardening, painting, playing music, crocheting, or spending time in nature, many people describe these activities as their mindfulness practice. So is mindfulness really unique? Or is it just another well-being activity? In this episode of the podcast, Claire and Victoria explore: ▪️ Why activities like running, gardening and creative arts can benefit well-being▪️ The difference between mindfulness and "flow"▪️ Whether mindfulness offers something distinct▪️ How mindfulness changes our relationship with difficult thoughts and emotions▪️ Why mindfulness meditation isn't necessarily "better" than other activities If you'd like to get in touch to share your thoughts, reflections or ideas for future episodes, we'd love to hear from you. 📧 Email [email protected] 👥 About the Hosts Claire Kelly is a mindfulness-based mentor and the Director of Teaching and Training at Oxford Mindfulness. With over 25 years in education, she's also passionate about developing and delivering evidence-based programmes to support mental health and well-being in education. Victoria Fontana is a certified mindfulness and compassion teacher, executive coach, and educator who helps people cultivate calm, clarity, and resilience in their lives and work. Victoria teaches mindfulness and compassion-based programs internationally through IE University, the Mindfulness and Health Institute, and through her own programs at Mindgazing.com Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website 👉 oxfordmindfulness.org
Join us for "Between the Lines", an online series that brings the mindfulness community together to explore the books, papers, and other resources that have shaped the mindfulness field — alongside the authors and thinkers who created them.
Join us for "Between the Lines", an online series that brings the mindfulness community together to explore the books, papers, and other resources that have shaped the mindfulness field — alongside the authors and thinkers who created them.
Join us for "Between the Lines", an online series that brings the mindfulness community together to explore the books, papers, and other resources that have shaped the mindfulness field — alongside the authors and thinkers who created them.