Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is an educational program designed for people who want to develop within themselves the capacity to be more fully in the moment and cultivate kindness and acceptance of themselves and others. Our experience is always changing. We don’t have to get caught in fixed ideas, or thoughts that it will always be this way. Without the struggle to have things a certain way, we can be more open, and have space to make better choices in the moment.

This program is not about getting rid of unwanted experience, fixing what’s broken, or attaining any particular state of bliss. You don’t have to belong to any particular religion or have any particular belief system. It is not group therapy – rather it is a group of individuals learning, together in a safe space, about their own heart, mind and body experience in the moment.

This evidenced-based program, developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn and colleagues at the University of Massachusetts, is a 2.5 hour, 8-week course, with one full day of practice. It is mainly experiential with a few presentations on stress and communication by the teacher. The time is divided between formal and informal practices, group discussion, and inquiry into participants’ present moment experience following practices. The program includes mindful movement, sitting meditation, body scan, walking, eating, and expanded awareness practices. Each week, home practices are provided. Participants use guided meditation recordings and practice bringing mindful awareness into everyday activities. With this in place, 8 weeks can be a long enough period of time for participants to begin to establish a regular mindfulness practice, using the practices that best works for them.