Eric B. Loucks - The Mindful College Student: How to Succeed, Boost Well-Being, and Build the Life You Want at University and Beyond

A perfect book for this moment. What Eric Loucks teaches is highly calibrated for young people to effectively navigate the steep climb to embodied adulthood in ways that are intrinsically healing, liberating, and sorely needed, not just for oneself but for the future of humanity and the planet amid the highly disruptive and dangerous energies of this Anthropocene Age. And for that reason alone, anyone of any age can benefit enormously from inviting even a few of these extremely practical, wisdom-nurturing mindfulness practices into ones life.

Jon Kabat-Zinn , founder of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), and author of Meditation Is Not What You Think and Mindfulness for All

At a time of growing concern over stress and anxiety among our college students, The Mindful College Student offers young adults and readers of all ages a powerful guide to navigating everyday challenges through an evidence-informed approach to mindfulness. With insightful techniques to reinvigorate your life by improving your health, well-being, and performance, this important book is a gift that will keep on givingon campus and beyond.

Tim Ryan , United States Congressman from Ohio, and author of A Mindful Nation and Healing America

This book gives such creatively workable adaptations of traditional Buddhist mindfulness techniques. Because of the authors considerable experience of teaching mindfulness personally, it stays well-rounded and friendly; good, real-life stories stress the cheerful balance of the middle way. I would have liked to have found something like this when I was youngerit should help many college students in their new life.

Sarah Shaw , tutor at the University of Oxford, fellow of the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies, and author of Mindfulness

An inspiring exploration of how mindfulness can support the commonly turbulent transition into adulthood. It offers a systematic road map to both integrating mindfulness into small daily micro-moments, and into the bigger dilemmas particular to this life stage. Young people will reap the benefits throughout their life. Importantly, engaging with this approach will enable freedom to pursue life directions which play to their unique strengths and passions, and this will undoubtedly benefit all beings.

Rebecca Crane, PhD , director at the Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice at Bangor University, author of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy ; and coeditor of Essential Resources for Mindfulness Teachers

It would have been so helpful to have The Mindful College Student during my college years. In this comprehensive work, Eric Loucks lays out a program of mindfulness training that touches on every aspect of our lives. He engages the reader with probing questions of self-inquiry, and offers many practical exercises for deepening our understanding. A wonderful contribution to the well-being of both college students and us all.

Joseph Goldstein , author of Mindfulness

College is an exciting time filled with new opportunities, health risks, and stress, while the potential for deep personal transformation and self-knowledge is ripe to be discovered. As an expert scientist and skilled mindfulness teacher, Eric Loucks helps readers realize the possibility of choosing a more mindful college experience. Loucks skillfully brings together ancient practices, personal experience, and modern wisdom to lay out a path for students toward greater self-regulation, which offers them more control over their college experience and life beyond. As you pack to head off for college or graduate school, this is one book you will be glad that you brought along.

Zev Schuman-Olivier, MD , director of the Center for Mindfulness and Compassion, and director of addiction research at Cambridge Health Alliance; and assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School

College is a formative timewe learn how to relate to others, we develop work habits, we take responsibility for our health, we explore sexuality, and we develop our aspirations beyond graduation. Drawing on ancient wisdom and modern psychology, this book provides college students with a compass, a map, and ways to develop skills that help them through these early adult years. More than this, it teaches them how to navigate their lives aligned with their values, and with awareness imbued with qualities of curiosity, kindness, and care in ways that impact their world positively. It is a brilliant distillation of deep understanding, scientific evidence, and extensive experience of what works into something that college students can use not only in college, but also throughout their lives. This is no surprise given the authors clarity of vision; exemplary career as a writer, teacher, and scientist; and long, personal training in mindfulness.

Willem Kuyken , Ritblat Professor of mindfulness and psychological science at the University of Oxford

This book is a great resource to help students flourish during the challenging time of college. It is replete with simple, short, practical meditation exercises that can reduce distractibility, improve focus, and clarify values. And sprinkled throughout are tidbits to ground the recommendations in evidence-based science. This book is a must-read for every college student wishing to succeed in life, and will be useful for just about everyone else.

Richard J. Davidson , coauthor of Altered Traits , and founder and director of the Center for Healthy Minds at University of Wisconsin-Madison

What would happen if someone offered you a tool kit and said that within it you would find a path to less suffering? The Mindful College Student is an introspective weaving of shared experiences, the science of mindfulness practices, and some words of wisdom from the Buddha. Eric Loucks describes how to find a way forward through any kind of circumstance that arises in life.

Sharon Salzberg , author of Lovingkindness and Real Change

Statement on Confidentiality

In some of the stories in this book, I changed the names of people to protect their privacy.

Limit of Liability

While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book to provide accurate information in regard to the subject matter covered, the advice and practices contained in it may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for any damage.

Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books

NEW HARBINGER PUBLICATIONS is a registered trademark of New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

Copyright 2022 by Eric B. Loucks
New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
5674 Shattuck Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609

The Mindfulness-Based College curriculum was developed at and is copyrighted by Brown University. Excerpts are used by permission from Brown University.

Mindfulness-Based College for Young Adults (MBC) Curriculum and Teaching Guide Copyright 2021 by Brown University. All rights reserved.

Cover design by Sara Christian; Acquired by Elizabeth Hollis Hansen; Edited by Gretel Hakanson

All Rights Reserved

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Loucks, Eric B., author.

Title: The mindful college student : how to succeed, boost well-being, and build the life you want at university and beyond / by Eric B. Loucks.

Description: Oakland, CA : New Harbinger Publications, [2022] | Includes bibliographical references.

Identifiers: LCCN 2021052631 | ISBN 9781684039135 (trade paperback)