CAPTAIN PAT BURGESS MBE
Career: Pat Burgess joined the Army in September 1992 in a career that saw him from Trooper, through Tank Commander to Regimental Sergeant Major and Commission to officer. He has deployed on operations to Northern Ireland, the invasion of Iraq (and subsequent tours) and a further three tours of Afghanistan.
Pat and Mindfulness:
He is the lead for UK Defence Mindfulness. He created and leads a collaboration with 12 international Defence Forces including teaching Ukrainian military psychologists, created and delivers Mindfulness courses for Defence and runs weekly defence-wide online Mindfulness sessions. His course content and delivery is endorsed by the Counselling and Psychotherapeutic Central Awarding Body (CPCAB) and he has his own website: www.oneworldmindfulness.co.uk.
He has also delivered numerous presentations on Mindfulness and coping strategies across Defence, to Glasgow Caledonia University, UK Border Force, Primary and Secondary schools, Prisons, The Samaritans, MIND mental health charity and to those working in welfare and support roles (delivering training to over 20,000 personnel to date). He also taught Mindfulness at Glastonbury Festival in 2019 and Camp Bestival in 2021, 2022 and again in 2023!
This is not his day job!
Qualifications and Memberships:
He was awarded an MBE in the 2020 New Year's Honours List and received an Honorary Doctor of Science (DSc) from Glasgow and Caledonia University in 2022, to recognise his tireless work in bringing mindfulness to Defence and beyond.
He has a BSC(Hons) in Psychology, a Diploma in Mindfulness, and has been trained in Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy at Oxford.