Wellbeing Centre

Welcome to the Mater Wellbeing Centre. We have created this online resource to support our patients. We list useful tools and recommendations for mental wellbeing including relaxation and mindfulness techniques, mobile apps, books, guided breathing exercises and more. We'll continue to add more resources, so please do check back regularly.

Living with Long COVID Seminar

Long COVID is a term to describe the effects of COVID-19 that may persist for several weeks or months beyond the initial illness. We are still learning about this syndrome and it is not yet known exactly how many people develop long COVID symptoms.

Studies have estimated 1 in 20 people may experience long COVID symptoms that impact respiratory, brain, gut, cardiac and mental health. The figures are likely higher if a person was hospitalised.

The seminar has been organised by staff at Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, for healthcare workers of the hospital (and others) that have been affected by long COVID. The day comprises a number of speakers, spanning a variety of healthcare disciplines, who will present on a range of emerging long COVID topics.

Mindfulness & Meditations

Click on the below links for free audio mindfulness resources provided by our Psychologists here in the Mater Hospital.

• Welcome to The Mater Wellbeing Centre
• Introduction to mindfulness
• Body Scan
• Breath & Body
• Sound & Thoughts
• The Breathing Space
• Loving Kindness Guided Meditation
• Guided Visual Imagery
• Soothing Rhythm Breathing
• Sitting with Uncertainty

Cultivating Compassion and Reducing Anxiety

How to enroll in an online group for cancer patients who have experienced recurrence during Covid.

• View the Finding Calm During Covid poster
• View the Finding Calm During Covid flyer

IHF Podcast Series - It’s Cardiac Rehab

Listen to Patient and HSCP staff tips on surviving and thriving in Cardiac Rehab

‘It’s Cardiac Rehab!’ is a six episode podcast series on cardiac rehabilitation.

Cardiac Rehabilitation aims to improve physical and emotional health and quality of life for patients following a cardiac event.

The podcast has been developed in partnership between the Irish Association of Cardiac Rehabilitation (IACR) and the Irish Heart Foundation with support from Servier Laboratories (Ireland) Ltd.

Podcast Episodes Available Here

Helpful tips

Please click on the below for free resources created by the Mater Psychology Department. We will continue to add helpful documents on understanding mindfulness, managing anxiety, low mood and more.

• Managing Low Mood
• Managing Stress
• Coping with Chronic Pain
• Managing Mood with Compassion  
• What is Mindfulness
• Mental Health Support Services
• Coping with a Cardiac event
• Coping with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)
• Headache Disorders

Helpful websites

Please click on the below links to access some helpful external websites that have resources including relaxing breathing exercises, guided meditations and other tools to help manage your mental health.

• www.mindfulness.ie
• www.alustforlife.com
• www.stresscontrol.org
• www.breathworks-mindfulness.org.uk
• www.cci.health.wa.gov.au
• www.psychologytools.com

Helpful books

• Mind over Mood by Dennis Greenberger & Christina Paedesky 
• The Compassionate Mind by Paul Gilbert 
• Overcoming Depression by Paul Gilbert 
• Overcoming Anxiety by Helen Kennerley
• Overcoming Social Anxiety by Gillian Butler
• The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook by Ed Bourne
• Change for the better by Elizabeth McCormack Wilde
• ​The mindful way workbook by Teasdale, Williams & Segal 
• Mindfulness for health: A practical guide to Relieving Pain, Reducing Stress and Restoring Wellbeing by V Burch & D Penman

Helpful apps

You can download apps to your mobile phone. Some of our recommendations are:

• CALM
• Headspace
• Portal
• Stop, Breathe & Think