I saw this book at university. And it felt like I should finally get a handle on my far-away mind. This book was sitting on one of those temporarily constructed stands at the library. I probably ruined the spread, loaning it but I felt it could fulfil a deep need. With the right practice, I’m certain mindfulness will deliver. Founder Ruby Wax commented: "We live in a time where everything we knew to be normal has been put on ice and, regardless of mental health history, we are all feeling it. Frazzled Café is about people coming together to share their stories, calmly sitting together, stating their case and feeling validated as a result. Feeling heard, to me, has always been half the cure." This Mental Health Awareness Week (May 8-14), we revisit our interview with comedian Ruby Wax, who famously suffers from anxiety and depression, in which she reveals how to combat ‘frazzled’ moments in just three minutes. Probably closer to 4.5 actually. I remember Ruby Wax from my childhood, but didn't have a clue about her academic achievements, or her struggles with mental health. All of our meetings provide the same safe space to share, talk and listen; and you can find out more about our different meetings by visiting us at www.frazzledcafe.org.

To be present. To benefit fully from the session and stay present in the room, please try to avoid distractions from phones or other devices. There are some hard truths in Ruby’s book, but you would have to have been a hermit in a cave not to have at least some awareness of the biggest issues. The main take away for me was the emphasis on the interconnectedness and interdependence of all life on earth, basically we’re all in this together whatever our species. Individual action and responsibility really is the key to dealing with issues, regardless of whether they’re local or global, and there are myriad ways for us all to do our bit to help. A large meeting with Ruby Wax, usually held three times a week, for around 100 people, and which lasts for an hour. Attendees usually speak for 1-2 minutes to ensure everyone that would like to has the opportunity to speak. You can of course speak more than once. Speaking is optional. If you would just like to listen, that is perfectly OK. In all meetings, and in between people speaking, we expect some silences and those are normal.

Having loved "Sane New World" and "A mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled" I had high hopes for this new book by Ruby Wax. I admire the straight-talking, comedic, yet somehow serious way in which Ms Wax's message is delivered. In both previous books that message landed so well and I could relate. Finally - a map for the troubled human mind. And it's funny Witty, wise and thought-provoking Wonderful, painfully funny and instructive This manual for living must be read by everyone A very funny book about how to be calm and poised and not bonkers The long sentences, long paragraphs, the very little use of comas and full stoped, made me a bit anxious, so I didn't enjoy that at all. The sense of humour got on the way of actual good information, and on top of that, along the book there are witty racist jokes sprinkle around that just made my eyes roll.

We open in the same way with the host welcoming everyone, running through the meeting settings and guidelines, popping a short poll onto your screen and introducing Ruby who leads the mindfulness exercise, bringing everyone together. You would be forgiven for thinking 2020 was not the year for a book about good news. But now might be the time we need it most. Ruby Wax is here to reassure us with her brand new book, And Now For The Good News. This is her positivity prescription, showing us the green shoots of optimism and change forcing their way up and into the sunlight. The Trust is contributing funding and volunteers to the Hub, helping to connect people with existing groups and activities; funding a MIND outreach project in Harpenden and researching ‘gold standard’ initiatives that might be of benefit to our town’s wellbeing. An in-person Frazzled cafe will be a fantastic addition to our town and will run at Thompson’s Cafe in the center of town. A wonderful book full of passion, verve and humour’ Mark Williams, author of Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World Warm as she is, it’s hard to imagine the slightly manic and frantic persona Wax projects reacting well to the neediness of very young children. ‘I used to go into high panic each time I was left alone with one of my kids when they were babies,’ she says in the book. Does she worry that they will be affected by depression? ‘I think my kids are OK,’ she says, after a moment’s reflection. ‘Often it first shows up in your teens and they seem to have made it through.’

The world may feel like a scarier place than ever and 2020 has definitely been a year we can collectively write off, but Wax also reminds us in her straight-shooting and humorous manner that there are still things to be thankful for. In And Now for the Good News Ruby has investigated how recent and new developments in technology, education, business, health, food and social change are turning our world into a better place than it’s ever been. Drawing on brand new research, compelling case studies and exercises to reframe your thinking, this is your guide to embrace change. Welcome to Frazzled Cafe, an online facilitated peer-to-peer wellbeing support group, patroned by Ruby Wax, that is here for you seven days a week.

I personally wanted to learn how to de-frazzle and, even more urgently, find a method to defuse my depression. After much research, I found out mindfulness and cognitive therapy (called MBCT) had the best results, as far as empirical evidence goes, in dealing with stress, depression and anxiety. The word mindfulness gives me the same vibes as dream-catchers and lentils, but Oxford University offers a master’s programme in MBCT so I thought there must be something to it. So I took the course, wrote my dissertation, spun it with comedy and boom, then got a book and show out of it. That’s killing multiple birds with one stone. In my book I present my own six-week mindfulness course with the blessing of Mark Williams, my professor at Oxford and co-creator of MBCT. With my programme you don’t have to perch on a gluten-free cushion, you can do the exercises anywhere, anytime; in the gym while pumping the pecs, or while eating a chocolate-chip cookie (or both at the same time).mind, for half my life. The adult-hood half. I rationalize it like this: of course, my attention is always everywhere because of my faith and my intune-ness to my feelings. I observe myself living my life, and I live it- both at the same time. Instead of yet another bottle or bath bomb, why not give the gift of sanity?! At least it won’t end up in the bin. OK, so even I can’t wrap up sanity but I cangive something to brighten the weather conditions of someone’s mind. And in these dark winter days, that’s a welcome winner. We know how important it is to stay connected in these unprecedented and uncertain times. Frazzled Cafe meetings are a supportive online community where you can come and talk in a safe, non-judgemental space about what’s really going on for you. I found the book sobering, joyous and hopeful. There is a lot of food for thought in there and a lot of useful info about inspiring initiatives and resources. These include Ruby’s own Frazzled Cafe to help people who are finding life hard to cope with, i.e. most of us at some point in our lives - and especially so over the last few years. I made it easy for myself by incorporating mindfulness into other daily activities. This could be 5 minutes of mindfulness while combing my hair, or during a face massage when I get a sinus headache. This strategy helps reduce fidgetiness or the preoccupation of not doing mindfulness right.

To act with integrity. Please respect one another’s confidentiality and anonymity. Please do not name anyone or discuss anything you may hear in a meeting with others Frazzled Cafe Facilitated meetings run for an hour and Hosted meetings run for 45 minutes. Both styles start with a run-through of our guidelines to ensure a confidential, respectful and safe environment for all of our attendees. It is important to us that these are adhered to.

This book shines a light on the hope we all need right now. There are people and communities and business’s working to make sure the future isn’t all doom and gloom. I’m very glad Wax took the time to write this for us all. l'argomento mi intriga, e il sistema bibliotecario aveva da offrire questo e poco altro: ho avuto sfortuna It’s a strange conundrum, I say, this habit emotionally fragile people have of putting themselves in the limelight, especially with celebrity culture the bruising environment that it is. ‘Well, I don’t consider myself to be a celebrity – I’m very far from A-list,’ she says briskly. ‘Plus I’m not depressed all the time. And when I’m well, I work. It’s as simple as that.’