FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND SOCIETY | Lecture
Developing mindfulness of emotions and thoughts
Tuesday 24 March, 15:15 - 17:00
Orkanen, D:222, Nordenskiöldsgatan 10
Working with the constructive process of our brain's predictive machinery
Mindfulness has been shown to support mental health, improve wellbeing, and enhance performance in both elite and youth sports. Many of these benefits come from changing how we relate to our thoughts and emotions, and from improving our ability to regulate ourselves. Since high‑level sport involves strong emotions, these aspects of mindfulness are especially important. Although the results are promising, we still do not fully understand how mindfulness works. This is made more complicated by the many different ways mindfulness is taught and practiced. Without knowing the underlying mechanisms, it becomes difficult to evaluate the process or adjust it when it isn’t working as intended.
What the Seminar Will Explore
In this seminar, you are invited to explore the applied process of developing mindfulness of emotions and thoughts from philosophical, mechanistic, and practical perspectives. We will also take moments to engage experientially with these themes, so bringing an open and curious mindset may be helpful.
The lecturer
About Kristel Kiens
Kristel Kiens is a sport psychologist dedicated to supporting athletes, performers, teams, and organisations as they move toward meaningful goals and fuller, more mindful lives—both within and beyond their professional arenas. She has over 15 years of experience as an applied practitioner and holds a PhD in Psychology. She is also an accredited mindfulness meditation teacher.
Kristel Kiens works regularly with high‑performing individuals and teams across a variety of sports at national and international elite levels. Her approach is grounded in constructivist and constructionist understandings of the mind and world, combined with mindfulness philosophy and teachings. Her core values include curiosity, openness, connection, and thoughtful effort, and she strongly believes in the importance of open communication and critical dialogue to help cultivate a more mindful community.
