A Meet Me Story

Caroline’s story is the first I initiated deliberately with a purpose. I was fully open with her about my motives. I wanted to learn what she teaches. I need what she teaches. I need peace within myself.

For her, it would be an opportunity to get her story out. It would give myself a head start in the right direction. A win, win for us both.

The doctor agreed and this is her story.

Meet: Dr Caroline Parton, MBChB and Meditation Teacher

Background

Caroline grew up in the United Kingdom.

While “growing up, I enjoyed many things. But what I cherished most were the quiet moments spent drawing and being in nature. Those times of creative solitude and reflection were where I felt most at ease and in the flow,” the Doctor began.

Medicine

I see your PROFILE reads as such:

“UK Doctor, Health & Well-being Coach, Meditation Teacher Empowering doctors & other high performers to master stress & maximize their well-being.”

What’s your educational background? Degrees and or certificates, do you have any that are not related to your bio?

I studied medicine (University of Manchester Medical School,
UK) and then worked as a medical doctor in different fields before specializing in psychiatry. While the work was rewarding, I also found it stressful and experienced burnout. This led me to take a good look at my quality of life. I reflected on what was truly going to make me happy.

I chose to leave medicine and explore new directions, because I wanted a more peaceful and calm life. I moved to Amsterdam after that, studied art, and worked on creative projects.

I started exploring a variety of different well-being practices during this time. Including meditation, which I found really helped me feel calmer and more grounded.

Pandemic

At the start of the pandemic, I chose to deepen my meditation practice. This brought me so much peace at that time of huge uncertainty. I could see how much meditation was helping me, and this inspired me. I trained as a certified meditation teacher so that I could help others too. Later, as I taught meditation to more and more clients, I was naturally supporting them with their well-being too. So, I decided to formally train as a health and well-being coach as well.

Now my passion is combining my medical background, coaching expertise and personal experiences to help people manage stress, find balance, and maximize their overall well-being. I absolutely love what I do; it is amazing to see my clients transform their lives for the better and really step into the best versions of themselves.

What led you to meditation?

I started meditating years ago when a friend invited me to try it with her. I didn’t know much about it at the time but was exploring other well-being practices and it felt natural to give it a try. After just a few sessions, I noticed how much calmer I felt afterwards. I found that meditating in the morning was helping me feel calm for the rest of my day, and was helping me feel more focused as well. 

What struck me most at the time was that it helped me create a sense of space between myself and my emotions, rather than feel so tightly caught up in them.

I continued to meditate on and off over the years. It helped me feel more balanced, more kind to myself, and essentially, much more myself. I’ve found that I continue to grow on a personal level the more I practice, and there are always new perspectives or learning that come from meditating, even to this day.

I envision meditation, I suppose many others do too, as sitting Indian style on the floor in quiet, humming. But surely there must be more to it than that. Can you explain more about the process and how it actually helps people relax and or heal mentally?

I love this question because, yes, many people envision meditation like this. And while that’s one way of doing it, there’s so much more to it than that.

We can think of meditation as a form of training for the mind. Just as we exercise our bodies to stay physically fit, we can train our minds to become more aware, focused, and balanced and so much more. Meditation can help us cultivate awareness and gain a healthier perspective on our thoughts and emotions.

When we meditate, we practice shifting into different states of consciousness/states of mind. For example, in mindfulness meditation, we train our minds to be present in the moment, noticing our thoughts, feelings, and sensations, without judgment or getting caught up in them. This practice of presence brings a variety of psychological and physical benefits, such as reduced stress, improved emotional regulation and so much more.

Meditation is a spiritual practice for many. Although, nowadays, it is also commonly practiced simply as a way to relax and relieve stress. It offers a pathway to connect with a sense of inner peace, clarity, and even a greater sense of purpose.

Ultimately, meditation is about finding that inner stillness and developing greater awareness. No matter where we are or what we’re doing. It’s a tool that helps us navigate the complexities of life with more calm, resilience, and insight. 

I encourage you to give it a try and see how it resonates with you. It can help to start small and build up from there.

I’d also like to add that it’s really beneficial to meditate with the guidance of a teacher. This gives the opportunity to discuss your experiences and ask any questions about your practice. 

Meditation, in a smaller number of people, may trigger adverse experiences. It’s helpful to be mindful of this, if you are experiencing or recovering from trauma, PTSD, or have certain mental health conditions. An experienced teacher will be able to support you best if this happens. They can suggest any adjustments or alternatives that can help.

Could you give a couple techniques that are commonly used for beginners and a brief explanation how they work?

We are all different and gravitate towards different types of meditation. We’ll find some more easy and comfortable, while finding others more challenging – this is perfectly normal. Here are a few techniques that are commonly practiced when getting started.

Mindfulness meditations: As explained above, mindfulness involves bringing your awareness to the present moment. You can do this while meditating in a variety of ways.

An example, bringing your awareness to the breath flowing in and out of the nostrils. We don’t try to change the breath while we’re doing this meditation. We’re not judging it as too fast or too slow, we just let it flow naturally just as it is.

As we do this, the mind will inevitably wander, onto thoughts, emotions, sensations, and that’s fine, it’s absolutely normal. Whenever we get distracted, we notice this has happened. Then we bring our minds back to the practice. We focus on the breath.

We continue to do this over and over. Over time, this practice strengthens our capacity to stay in the present moment. Which brings us many benefits for our body and mind.

Walking meditations: These are especially helpful for people who find sitting to meditate more challenging. I personally love walking meditations when I feel stress building up and need to move my body. There are different ways you can do them. But a simple example is going for a mindful walk and tuning into your senses.

I explain this more here: LinkedIn

Guided visualization meditations: These can be a powerful tool for relaxation, stress reduction, and also achieving your goals.

By focusing your mind on peaceful, calming scenes, or imagining future success scenarios, a technique often used by elite athletes. This practice not only helps you relax and reduce stress but also reinforces positive outcomes.

There you have a few examples, but there are so many more. 

Sessions

In my sessions, I help students understand which categories of meditation suit their mind-type the most. using a tool devised by my teachers at The Veda Center. So, they can find a practice they enjoy which feels comfortable to them. This helps them stick with their practice more consistently for the long term. 

I’d also like to add that with any meditation, check in with yourself about how you’re feeling, and if there’s anything you’d like to discuss, ask a teacher. Also, allow yourself to meditate it in a way that feels comfortable for you. If you prefer your eyes open, or prefer focusing on sounds rather than the breath, or you need to get up and move the body or stop – that’s all absolutely fine. Find whatever works for you and feels supportive in the moment.

We know each individual is different but what commonalities can we all use in choosing a meditation instructor-teacher? Better phrased, what should we look for in an instructor both as a beginner and someone more experienced?

As with most things, it really helps to find someone who teaches in a way that resonates with you. Explore different teachers and see what feels interesting and also comfortable. 

A simple way to get started is to see who’s in your local area. You could visit a local meditation center, yoga studio, or find meditation meetups. There are also plenty of fantastic options to choose from online. Which makes it easy to try out different teachers, schools and practices.

If you’d like support finding the category of meditation most suited to you, I’d be happy to help with that. I can support you as your meditation coach. This will help you stick to your practice and make it easier to come back to every day.

My meditation sessions are more coaching than just teaching techniques. I love helping people not only try out different practices, but also build the habit of meditation. I know how hard this bit can be.

I help people build a practice they can stick with consistently for the long term. This ensures that they get the most benefits from their practice. I also help people meditate in a way that’s in tune with how they’re feeling in the moment.

Meditation and Me

You mentioned to me, in private, that you have read the ‘Meet: Rick’ interview. This was written by my friend and therapist, Agnieszka. What is your take on my story? Is meditation something I may find beneficial? And how so?

It was great to learn more about you and your life in this interview. I admire the strength you’ve shown in facing your challenges and the commitment you’ve made to your healing journey. It’s clear you’ve invested a lot of time and energy into your well-being. And it’s wonderful to see the strong connection you have with your therapist and the therapeutic process.

I believe meditation could be a wonderful practice for you. It can complement all that you’ve been working on. It can help you continue to cultivate inner peace. It can help you overcome the challenges you’ve faced. It could, also, really support you with your feelings about your previous relationship.  

I’d like to thank Caroline for the vast amount of time she has given me for this interview. Her and boyfriend Luciano Foglia (BR) are currently traveling Europe. She has been running her practice remotely. She is continuing her education and enjoying her personal life. Squeezing time in for me is going above and beyond the call of duty.

What has made it all the better is there’s a genuine friendship in the works here. It is one of caring and trust. Both of us realize the need to help others. It emphasizes the importance of mental health as well as physical health. We are also committed to spreading the word.

It’s a rarity when you receive a message in the morning or late at night. They ask one question, “How are you today.” Or a simple note reading “I hope that doctors appointment goes well.” It takes a special person in this generation to do that. Caroline is special.

If you’re interested in meditation like I am, click wellbeingwithcaroline for her website to contact her.

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