Mindfulness for Managing Stress
Stress is one of the most common issues we see and hear from students in our Mentor Groups. The source of their stress may be marks, tests, evaluations, university applications, or a myriad of other things. We often take time to unwind with our groups, share a snack and a drink, and discuss ongoing events in our community. As the holiday season approaches, it gives us all a chance to slow down, take a breath, and reflect.
It’s also a time when many students are balancing the excitement of the season with the pressures of preparing for exams and thinking about their futures, like university applications. It’s a lot to handle, but incorporating mindfulness strategies into discussions with students may help them achieve healthier levels of stress and a sense of calm.
Mindfulness, at its heart, is simply being present in the moment without judgment. Brought into mainstream Western psychology by Jon Kabat-Zinn in the 1970s, it helps people recognize their thoughts and feelings as they come up, rather than letting them spiral out of control. This awareness gives those practicing mindfulness the space to pause, reflect, and choose healthier ways to respond to stress.
One common challenge students face is managing unhelpful thoughts, which can sometimes snowball into cognitive distortions—patterns of thinking that are exaggerated or irrational. A good example is catastrophization—imagining the worst-case scenario and treating it like it’s bound to happen. For instance, a student might think, “If I don’t ace this test, I’ll fail the course, and I’ll never get into a good university.” It’s easy to see how this kind of thinking can add to their stress and make problems feel much bigger than they really are.
Part of how this applies directly to my professional practice is guiding students through difficult moments and helping to identify any cognitive distortions that they might be experiencing. While I mentioned catastrophization earlier, these also might include: all-or-nothing thinking, overgeneralization, a mental filter (selective memory), disqualifying the positive, jumping to conclusions, emotional reasoning, “should” statements, labelling, or personalization.
Mindfulness encourages students to notice these thoughts without automatically believing them. While discussing stressors with students, we can guide them in this practice by asking qualifying questions such as:
- Is this thought realistic?
- What evidence supports or contradicts it?
- What’s the most likely outcome, and how can I prepare for
As Mentors, helping our students challenge catastrophic thinking and replace it with more balanced and constructive thoughts, we can help them feel more in control and ready to take productive action. Incorporating mindfulness into daily life doesn’t have to be complicated. I would recommend discussing the following strategies with Mentor Groups or classes to get started:
- Take a Breath: Encourage your child to pause and take three deep breaths whenever stress starts to build. It’s a quick and easy way to calm the body and mind.
- Practice Gratitude: At the end of each day, reflect on three things that went well. This simple practice helps shift the focus away from stress and onto positive moments.
- Name the Feeling: When emotions run high, suggest that your child name what they’re feeling (e.g., “I feel anxious”). Just naming the emotion can take away some of its power and make it easier to handle.
- Short Mindfulness Breaks: Try short, guided meditations using apps or online resources. Even five minutes a day can make a big difference over time.
Mindfulness and self-awareness aren’t magic solutions, but they are powerful skills that can help students navigate stressful times with more ease and confidence. By learning to manage their thoughts and emotions, students build resilience—a trait that will serve them well throughout their lives.
Let’s support our students together, helping them find balance and strength as they take on both the challenges and joys of this season.
References:
Kabat-Zinn, J. (2011). Some reflections on the origins of MBSR, skillful means, and the trouble with maps. Contemporary Buddhism, 12(1), 281–306.
