‘Caroline Welch has gifted us with The Gift of Presence— an inviting, accessible, and beautifully written resource for women. Genuine and down-to-earth, Caroline demystifies mindfulness and provides practical suggestions to make it real. A perfect gift for any woman wanting to be more present while juggling the ups and downs of everyday life!’
Susan Bauer-Wu, PhD, RN, president of Mind & Life Institute, and author of Leaves Falling Gently
‘Written with warmth and grace, this deeply touching book is a beautiful exploration of mindfulness in everyday life. Grounded in research, it is full of useful suggestions for a wide range of situations. All along, you feel the author’s own presence with you, friendly and encouraging, honest and practical, heartfelt and clear.’
Rick Hanson, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of Resilient: how to grow an unshakable core of calm, strength, and happiness and Buddha's Brain: the practical neuroscience of happiness, love, and wisdom
‘I am always looking for that one book that can help a regular, busy person understand and develop a practice of presence, mindfulness, and heartful living. I found it in Caroline Welch’s The Gift of Presence. If you are the kind of woman (or man, for that matter) who isn’t prepared to enter a monastery or even go on a short retreat, this book will be a valued resource at work and home — a guide to forging a peaceful, warm, and kind relationship with yourself and your world.’
Elizabeth Lesser, co-founder of Omega Institute and New York Times bestselling author of Broken Open
‘There is a simple, heartfelt invitation here, calling to you through Caroline and so many women’s voices. In The Gift of Presence, you will find permission and support for what matters. You can be flexible, inspired, grateful, kind to yourself, present and wise.’
Jack Kornfield, author of A Path with Heart
‘It’s so easy to forget what matters and race through our decades. Caroline Welch’s wise and clear book shows us how mindful awareness can give us back our life. This fresh and entirely accessible guide explores cultivating presence through formal practice and throughout the moments of your day. It will help you reconnect to your true purpose, call forth your inner resourcefulness, and awaken the fullness of your heart.’
Tara Brach, author of Radical Acceptance and Radical Compassion
‘This is an important, eye-opening book for anyone who wants to understand women who feel stressed out, who feel that they must still do more for less, that they and their work are devalued in a world where glass ceilings still abound. With clarity and the testimony of over 100 women she has worked with, author Caroline Welch offers pragmatic mindfulness exercises to discover one’s purpose in life, to summon the courage to change direction if necessary, to set priorities, and to let go of what simply can’t get done in order to cultivate inner peace and harmony.’
Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness and Real Happiness
‘Caroline Welch’s wise and timely book is a clarion call to all women, in the many roles we play, to bring more presence into our lives each day — not just through meditation, but in a variety of wise ways that lead to a richer, less stressful, more balanced life. Sharing her own experience from both Eastern and Western cultures, she offers a wealth of insight and sage advice about pacing, multitasking, relationships, and other essentials; and, as a result, readers will find themselves thinking in new ways about their own homelife, worklife, and the fine art of simply being in the world.’
Diane Ackerman, New York Times bestselling author of The Zookeeper’s Wife
’A powerful statement of how presence can change our lives. The Gift of Presence is a must if you are in a transformational period in your life. Caroline Welch has brilliantly laid out how to live intentionally rather than on autopilot.‘
Diego Perez aka Yung Pueblo, author of Inward
‘Caroline Welch has created a wonderfully accessible discourse on a phenomenon that can benefit all of us. It is impossible to engage meaning — fully in the world or effectively with others without first being PRESENT. Receptive awareness is an easy concept but requires evidence-based mindfulness practices to fully actualise in our lives. This book will make a difference to its readers.’
Dr Drew Pinsky, television host and New York Times bestselling co-author of The Mirror Effect
‘This is a wonderfully useful tool for helping women to find peace and calm in the midst of busy lives. Highly accessible yet filled with the latest cutting edge science, this book will teach you how to use presence as a pathway to happiness.’
Kristin Neff, PhD, associate professor at University of Texas at Austin, and author of Self-Compassion: the proven power of being kind to yourself
‘This beautifully written book about presence invites women to connect with what is most meaningful in life. It offers practical tools for mindful living that anyone can adopt. It is infused with down-to-earth wisdom, relatable stories, and a look at the science behind it all. Highly recommended!’
Diana Winston, director of Mindfulness Education at UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center, and author of The Little Book of Being
‘In this inspiring guide, Caroline Welch synthesises cutting-edge science and contemplative wisdom from across cultures and walks of life, drawing from her own remarkable, yet relatable life and the experiences of dozens of women. Reading this book is an immersion in a relaxing yet rejuvenating retreat, providing a map for greater presence and deeper purpose in our lives. The Gift of Presence is one of the most precious and lasting gifts you can give to yourself.’
Elissa Epel, PhD, professor at University of California San Francisco, and New York Times bestselling co-author of The Telomere Effect
‘The Gift of Presence offers a brilliant roadmap for living a life of greater clarity, wisdom and peace. It weaves together deep insight, rigorous science and practical tools for how mindfulness can help us reconnect with what we value most and live meaningful lives.’
Shauna Shapiro, PhD, professor of psychology at Santa Clara University, and author of Good Morning, I Love You: mindfulness and self-compassion practices to rewire your brain
‘An evocative reminder that arriving at presence and purpose in your life is as close as your next breath … and that’s when things get interesting. Caroline Welch has provided us with a wonderful guide for finding and harnessing these life transforming qualities.’
Zindel Segal, PhD, professor at University of Toronto, and author of The Mindful Way Through Depression
‘I love this book! It’s important that we all embrace the moment, be present, and cherish our time in the here and now. Caroline Welch inspires us to make mindfulness a way of being. The practical steps in this powerful guide lay the groundwork for more calm and less chaos in our lives. What a wonderful way to enhance our health and build a stronger mind!’
Goldie Hawn, producer, actor, founder of the Hawn Foundation/MindUP, and author of 10 Mindful Minutes
‘If you have an ongoing mindfulness practice and especially if you — like me — do not, Caroline Welch’s The Gift of Presence is the book you didn’t know you needed. It gives you answers to questions you didn’t know you had. It’s like a cup of tea with a friend on a rainy afternoon — a very wise, gentle, informed friend. You simply walk away feeling better, glad to have it in your life and looking forward to opening it again and again.’
Sally Field, actor, and author of In Pieces
‘This is a lovely book, scholarly, inviting and wise. From her own fascinating journey, plus the stories of women she’s interviewed and taught, Caroline Welch brings us a fresh and user-friendly synthesis of the benefits of meditation and how to make them ours. She weaves a tapestry of memorable concepts, scientific insights, and practical tips on how to live a more mindful life. By enhancing our receptivity to moments of presence that grace our lives, we can make mindful awareness the foundation for an ever-richer life of connection, compassion, and joy.’
Diana Chapman Walsh, president emerita at Wellesley College, trustee emerita at Amherst College, board member of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, & Mind and Life Institute
‘The Gift of Presence is a gift for us all — filled with practical insights and fascinating science about the power of mindfulness. By interviewing over one hundred women from diverse backgrounds, Caroline Welch has gathered real life examples of how being present enriches our lives, allows us to find purpose and meaning, to recharge and renew ourselves, and to pivot when we need to course-correct. Well-written and wise, it’s a must-read for women of all ages.’
Arianna Huffington, founder of HuffPost and founder & CEO of Thrive Global
‘We live in a world of culturally constructed messages — often disempowering for women — that shape our beliefs, behaviours, and sense of self. The Gift of Presence is the antidote. Caroline Welch masterfully blends science, stories, and practices, offering doable ways to be our most resilient selves and get through even the toughest of times.’
Michelle Reugebrink, firefighter, Mindfulness and Resiliency Program manager, and Forest Therapy guide and coach
‘What a welcome resource Caroline Welch’s mindfulness guide is for us — the rich array of stories, teachings, and examples lovingly gathered here touch all of our lives. Rigorous research is presented clearly in a strong yet gentle voice. The Gift of Presence is a unique contribution that will benefit countless women — and men, too.’
Trudy Goodman, PhD, founding teacher at InsightLA
‘Calling all women! At a time when we are juggling more than ever before, our stress levels are not just increasing, but have reached levels that are 40 percent greater than men’s. Taking care of ourselves has never been more important, and Caroline Welch provides a research-based, healthy path to living with presence and purpose that can make a lasting difference on our health and well-being starting now.’
Jennifer Siebel Newsom, first partner of California, filmmaker, advocate, and mother of four
‘The Gift of Presence shows us that we can be with the many feelings that our very full lives will generate, from frustration to fear, and through it all we grow our capacity for connection, fulfillment, and joy. What a true gift for every season of life.’
Amishi Jha, neuroscientist and associate professor at University of Miami
‘Eye-opening.’
The Advertiser
‘Welch takes us on a mindfulness journey to help us de-stress and cultivate inner peace ... She offers a wealth of insight and sage advice about pacing, multi-tasking, relationships, and other essentials; and, as a result, readers will find themselves thinking in new ways about their own home life, work life, and the fine art of simply being in the world.’
Rama Gaind, psnews.com.au
‘A timely read ... an informative book with lots of insights and tools to help make the most of life.’
Sue Wallace, The Weekly Times
