“Between stimulus and response there is a space” - Viktor Frankl
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
MBSR is a way for people to engage more fully in their own movement toward greater health and well-being. In doing this, you will embark on your own journey of self-development, healing, discovery, and learning.
What is MBSR?
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is an 8-week evidence-based program created in 1979 by Jon Kabat-Zinn. The program teaches mindfulness meditation, including mindful movement, mindful eating, and at-home exercises to help develop a different relationship with stress.
Stress is a part of life, but two decades of research have shown that MBSR can help to cultivate a greater sense of balance, contentment, and peace in your life, leading to an ability to cope more effectively with both short and long-term stressors. Folks who have taken MBSR report positive improvements in physical and psychological symptoms and changes in health attitudes and behaviors.
Participants meet (virtually), once a week for 2.5 hours to share in formal and informal practices and exercises, group discussions, and reflection, in addition to committing to a daily meditation and mindfulness practice. You will be supported throughout the course, so don't worry if you've not done a lot of meditation or any meditation for that matter!
The price of the 8-week class is $450pp and payment plans are an option. MBSR is an 8-week course, and there is a requirement to take a minimum of 6 classes, including the all-day retreat (at least half the day).
Why should I take it?
The core components of MBSR involve mindfulness meditation training and practice (including awareness meditations on breath, sounds, pain/discomfort, and choiceless awareness), mindful movement through Hatha yoga, and mindfulness of body training through practicing the body scan, with the addition of some compassion practices.
Each week there is a different theme to the class and each week builds on the previous week. Every class starts with at least 45 minutes to an hour of practice, and there is always time to discuss how it went. Throughout the program, there is a fundamental exploration of the patterns of thinking, feeling, and action that can cause us to relate to stress in either helpful or unhelpful ways.
Doing these practices both as a group and individually teaches you to cultivate an observant, accepting, and compassionate stance towards your thoughts, emotions, states, body sensations, and impulses. As this program is focused on stress reduction, a large part looks at our stress physiology and stress response in addition to cognitive-behavioral strategies, interpersonal communication, and implementing self-care.
Testimonials
“Taking the MBSR class was one of the best decisions I've ever made and came at the perfect time. By learning how to create a practice specific to fit my life, I have been able to ease some of the stress that I had been dealing with.
I now use meditation and mindfulness techniques daily to help support myself. In addition, the connections I made with my fellow classmates is one that I will continue to cherish and we often keep in contact and meditate together. Thank you for such an amazing course and journey.”
Gabby
“The tools I learned from Eve and her MBSR class are invaluable to me. I learned to be more mindful both on and off the mat. I look forward to my daily meditation practice. Thank you so much, Eve.”
Katherine
“My MBSR experience supported me in deepening my mindfulness and meditation practice by equipping me with a broader set of tools and techniques for managing the stress of everyday life. I would highly recommend this course!”
Cody