CALM IN THE CHAOS
Discover a calmer, happier you
mindfulness for mothers... and so much more
Registration for October course is now closed
Any of this sound familiar?
“I need to figure out how to step back from situations that test my patience!”
“I feel a rage inside sometimes. I have no time for myself and I feel overwhelmed!”
“I wish I could be calmer and in the moment with my toddler!”
“I would love to find some time just for me”
“I want to deal with my children from a place of peace and respect rather than anger and irritability”
“I'm spending far too much of my time shouting at my kids rather than enjoying spending time with them”
Yes?.. then read on mama..
Mama, this is your adventure.
These are the days of chaos, love, smiles, tears and joy.
It's not always easy. It's not always as you'd imagined...
But you show up.
You show strength.
You show what love is.
This course is for you.
Tools to let your inner calm out.
Support so you know you're not alone.
Space to reflect on who you are and what you need.
Join me for this 6 week online course.
Using mindfulness, yoga, journaling, and some old fashioned chat, you'll discover...
Who you are
Where your patience is (yes even when you think it's left the building)
How you can take better care of yourself
So you can enjoy the chaos of your unique adventure.
"This is probably the best course I have taken in mindfulness. It’s so interesting, practical and doable. Mairead has such a wonderful way of promoting reflection through her insightful writing and really helpful activities. I have learned so much and I’m still raving about it to friends."
Máire, Sligo
Do you want to...
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Smile more and yell less? (Yes, yelling in your head counts too)
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Enjoy more moments of calm every day?
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Do more of the things that make you YOU? (beyond being"Mum")
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Handle stress and anger better?
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Have more fun in the chaos of family life?
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Break that addiction with your phone
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Connect more deeply with your loved ones
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Feel less tension in your body?
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Make time for self-care that works?
Yes? Then this course is for you!
"Couldn't recommend this course enough. I had never done a course like it before and certainly never one I found on social media, so so glad I took a chance on it. It turned out to be a wonderful act of self-care and money well spent."
- Siobhán, Wicklow
How it works
6 weeks to a calmer you
Each week you get...
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A chance to explore a theme relevant to your experience of motherhood
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Honest writing from me (one Mama to another!) to set the tone for the week
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A guided audio meditation to relax and ground you
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Guidance on starting your own meditation practice, building slowly week by week
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Everyday mindfulness tools designed for the middle of a busy family life (including how to stay present and in the moment with your kiddos!)
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A video yoga sequence, with a focus on that week’s theme (suitable for all levels - yes, beginner is just fine) and tips on getting yoga practice in, even when littles won't leave you alone
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Simple but powerful writing and journaling exercises
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A weekly group Zoom call (Thursday 8pm) to check in and stay on track with the course lessons in the online platform
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Chat, questions and connection in a private forum on the course platform
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Access to all the online lessons for 8 weeks after the course ends
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A pdf with the course material at the end of the course (you can also download all audio and video practices to keep)
"The course is beautifully and lovingly crafted, a treasure trove of practices and techniques that are easy to incorporate into every day life."
-Ionia, Galway
The Weekly Themes
Where am I?
Introduction to mindfulness, meditation and how to be in the moment
Digital Detox
A week to step away from your smartphone for more calm and less stress.
Who am I?
Exploring thoughts on identity and motherhood.
Boundaries
Recognizing the importance of boundaries and how to set them without the guilt.
Dealing with the Difficult
Awareness of stress reactions and tools for dealing with difficult emotions.
Self-care
Exploring what self-care means for you and an opportunity to draw up your own blueprint for self-care.
"I felt like Mairead was reading my mind about what exactly I needed in that moment and created a whole week's content around it! I highly recommend this for any parent. You will immediately feel the benefits"
-Renata, South Africa
More than another course...
This is a journey, it's deep self-care, it's SPACE to ...
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Hit the 'pause' button and reflect on your experience of motherhood
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Reduce stress and anxiety with mindfulness/meditation practices, proven to have a positive impact on the nervous system
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Learn how to manage difficult emotions and situations (without losing it with the people you love)
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Release tension, relax and energize the body with yoga
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Sleep better and feel more rested
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Decide on everyday shifts and longer terms goals to prioritize self-care
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Feel more connected to the people you love
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Use journalling and "writing it out" to work through difficult situations and emotions (it's not about keeping a diary!)
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Nourish the you that often gets lost amid the busyness of family life
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Connect with other mamas who get where you're coming from
"This is a wonderful course that I'm so glad I discovered during my maternity leave. Mairead is so engaging and insightful and the content is just what a busy mother stretched in too many directions needs to discover some balance and time for self discovery and self care"
- Caoimhe, Sligo
Your guide
I came to yoga and meditation years ago trying to find a way through an anger that I felt went deep to the heart of me. I didn't have kids then, but I knew that if I did, I wanted to find a way to live with them without that anger.
In temples in Thailand, in yoga studios in Dublin and around the world, I honed my craft. I became a yoga teacher and deepened my meditation practice.
Then I had babies and almost forgot it all! I struggled with sleep deprivation, I doubted myself, I worried, I stressed about whether I was doing the right things, the best things, for my babies.
Sometimes I didn't feel like anyone else understood. Some days nothing my partner did was good enough. Often my kiddos drove me absolutely crazy.
Most days I thought everyone else except me had it all together.
You too?
But then I remembered the yoga, and the meditation, and why I'd started on that journey, and I began to put it into practice, not in the temples or in the studios, but pacing in the bedroom with a cranky baby, handling a manic toddler flailing about in a supermarket aisle.
I sought out real, raw stories of motherhood, and shared my real, raw thoughts with others. I felt less alone. I felt less crazy.
One thing I've learned is that the demands of motherhood are easier once you give yourself SPACE.
Space to breathe and to gain perspective.
Space to hear from other mamas about the struggles they face.
Space for YOU in the middle of the intense demands of motherhood.
I want to help you to find that space.
-Mairéad
"I loved to get to know the other participants, too, everyone was openly sharing experiences, worries, struggles.. and suddenly some things can feel so much easier once you know you're not alone!"
- Laura, Sligo
Next course Feb/March 2022
Early bird €180
Mother rage - a free workshop
A topic that is close to my heart is the experience of anger as mothers- why we feel it, why we don't talk about it, and the tools we can use to manage it (yes, many of them have their root in yoga, meditation etc).
Check out this recording of a workshop I gave on this topic of anger in motherhood- it's a standalone workshop, but it's also an introduction to me, my way of teaching, and some of the tools we use in the Calm in the Chaos course.
A exploration of anger and rage in motherhood
Got some questions?
How much does the course cost?
The course costs €230
Who is the course for?
The course is aimed at mamas with babies and little children - much of the course content reflects that. But mamas with older children have done the course too and found it really helpful!
How much time will I need?
Listen, I know your time is precious! Most of the meditation/reading/writing exerecises take this into account and are about no longer than 10 minutes. You don't have to log on at any specific time (except for the Zoom) and you can work at your own pace.
What if I don't have any experience of yoga/meditation?
Absolutely fine! The course is designed with beginners in mind. For many past participants, this was their very first experience of either!
I'm pregnant. Is the course suitable for pregnancy?
Yes, although much of the course in in the context of having children already, if you don't already have little kids, the course might give you some idea what's ahead of you (it's all good, I promise!.. even if challenging at times).
What about the technical stuff?
Still have questions?
Get in touch by email (mairead@spacetobreathe.ie ) or check out my instagram or facebook (links at the bottom of the page) to get a flavour for me and the type of content the course includes.