Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a comprehensive 8 week program focused on working with the stress in your life wherever you find it. Experience in the practice of mindfulness meditation sits at the core of this program. You will learn about the practice of mindfulness meditation, stress physiology, the stress cycle, ways of integrating mindfulness into your daily life and working with difficult thoughts, emotions and behaviours.
MBSR is based on the well researched program developed in 1979 by Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn at the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Centre. We have been offering MBSR in Canberra since 2004.
What does the course involve?
- 2 ½ hour class once a week for 8 weeks plus, one full day session (held on the weekend)
- Mindfulness meditation training , 4 practice CDs and course workbook
- Learning about the effects of stress on our bodies and minds
- Exploring patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving and their relationship to stress
- Developing strategies for applying mindfulness in daily life
- Learning through brief lectures, group discussion and experiential activities
Who should attend?
MBSR is for anyone wishing to bring a greater sense of balance and meaning to their lives as well as those who are dealing with stress of any kind. For people being treated for medical or psychological conditions, the MBSR program is a complement to, not a substitute for, the professional care of their doctor or psychologist.
What are the benefits?
Our MBSR participants have reported:
- Greater capacity to deal with stress
- Increased sense of well-being and balance
- Lasting decrease in both physical and psychological symptoms
- Increased energy and productivity, feeling more engaged with life
- Stronger immune system
- Increased levels of attention and concentration
- Improved self-regard
- More creative problem solving and greater focus
- Increased sense of connection, meaning and purpose
In recent years research in neuroscience has made compelling discoveries about the brain’s capacity to grow and change, including evidence that meditation helps to create new pathways in the brain that increases our ability to be more positive and creative. There has been a wealth of research investigating the effectiveness of mindfulness and the MBSR program.
How to register for an MBSR course
Registration is simple! You can use our online registration form. Your place in the course will be secured when we recieve your $100.00 deposit.
Cost
The cost of the MBSR course is $790 if paid before the course commences or $990 if invoicing is required (as of 1 June 2012).
Reimbursement from your insurer may be possible if you are in a rehabilitation program or receiving workers compensation. Please check with your insurer. In some instances the cost of the course is tax deductible. Please check with your accountant.
Our goal is to make the course accessible to those who could benefit. We offer generous payment plans and concession places in the course will be considered on the basis of need. Please speak with us if this applies to you.
Payment
Fees are due prior to the commencement of the course and payment methods are detailed below:
- By EFT via internet banking - Please be sure to record your surname in the reference field
Account name: Sue Hays
BSB: 012 950
Account Number: 900 364 336
- By cheque or money order - please make cheques payable to Sue Hays
- Bycredit card or EFTPOS - please bring your card to your pre-course interview
Refund Policy
If a course is cancelled and you aren't able to transfer your enrollment to another time, you will recieve a full refund. If you withdraw prior to the commencement of a course any money paid, minus your deposit, will be refunded.
A 50% refund will be made if you need to withdraw after the first class. You can transfer this as a credit to a subsequent course if you prefer. No refund will be given if you withdraw after the 2nd class.
What our participants say:
This course was a delightfully nurturing learning experience. I highly recommend it!
Margie
Mindfulness meditation coupled with information about stress, emotions and thoughts enabled me to develop a deeper understanding of myself and to deal effectively with life’s ups and downs. Quite simply it was the best thing I ever did for myself.
Jenny
I loved the wide range of different meditations taught which made it easier for me to incorporate meditation into daily life.
Hilary
My purpose in doing the course was to cope with chronic pain but I found the course had a profound effect on all areas of my life. I have learned to live my life to the fullest and without fear. Most of all it has given me back the curiosity for life and the joy of experiencing it.
Marysia
I am so glad I did the course. I have never been in the company of such a fine bunch of people. The group was supportive and encouraging and that made it easy to do the work that we were there to do.
Gordon
Mindfulness helped anchor me in periods of real difficulty. Thanks again for one of the most useful and significant courses I’ve ever done.
Mike
Mindfulness meditation in my life gives me greater clarity, calm, understanding and empowerment and the means to be fully present in my life as it is from moment to moment.
Leonie
I have been able to build my resilience so that I can enjoy life more without taking things so personally. I can recognise stress and negative thoughts and not get swept up in them.
Liam
The course was life changing for me. I’ve discovered for the first time what it feels like to actually be present in my life.
Jean