Level 1 Accredited Mindfulness MBSR Teacher Training
The accredited Mindfulness MBSR Teacher Training Level 1 course is an intensive 7-day experiential training course in Mindfulness and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction MBSR. Offering the opportunity to engage in personal and group learning process supported by the mindfulness gold standard 6 domains of teaching Mindfulness (MBI-TAC) this course has been designed to support and deepen understanding and skills in teaching the Mindfulness core practices in professional practice.
With a maximum of 12 students, the course includes plenty of opportunities to engage in a personal and group learning processes designed to support and deepen understanding and skills in teaching and integrating mindfulness-based approaches in professional practice.
We have training courses in Spain and Hungary and all courses are in English. Dates are:
- 2nd - 8th March in Spain read more
- 5th - 12th May in Hungary read more
- 18th - 24th May in Spain read more
- 6th - 12th July in Spain read more
Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness
An estimated 90% of the world's population will be exposed to a traumatic event over the course of their lives (Frans, Rimmo, Aberg & Fredrikson, 2005) and up to 20% of us will develop post-traumatic stress. This means that anywhere mindfulness is being practiced, someone in the room is likely to be struggling with trauma. To address this, we also explore how to teach the general public in a trauma-informed way to minimize the potential dangers of mindfulness. Read more
The Level 1 course is intended for people who are:
- A minimum of 25 years old.
- Have 1 years meditation experience not necessarily Mindfulness Meditation
- Commitment to an ongoing daily personal mindfulness-based practice, based on MBSR/MBCT practices
- The course starts from the premise that as teachers we need to embody mindfulness-based practice in our own lives, before we can attempt to teach it to others so you should have taken an 8 Week MBSR or MBCT course as a participant either -
- In your home location with a qualified teacher OR
- Take the Mindful Academy International Live Online 8 Week MBSR Course and be guided by Director of Training Kathy Ward. There is a 100 euro discount if you book and pay for the 8 week MBSR Course at the same time as booking the Level 1 course.
During the course, you will receive comprehensive training in teaching all aspects of Mindfulness including the latest research. This is supported by our 426 page Manual along with Mindfulness core practice Meditation Scripts and mp3 recordings of all practices.
Our time together will be spent in silence as we practice, and in small and large group reflection and investigation as we learn through the co-created shared experience. In this space, you will continue to deepen your own practice and embodiment of mindfulness and learn foundational teaching skills.
You will experience and learn specifically how to teach the core practices of the 8-week Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction MBSR course and develop the skill of Inquiry.
Level 1 learning objectives:
- Reflect on and investigate personal learning and development as a mindfulness practitioner
- Deepen embodiment of mindfulness in teaching and own practice
- Develop skills, attitudes, and knowledge to enable practice as a teacher of mindfulness-based interventions and courses including the skills of inquiry and guiding the mindfulness core practices
- Demonstrate the importance of personal integrity of approach, ethical standards and mindful attitudes for teachers of mindfulness-based courses
- Demonstrate familiarity with the teaching and learning strategies of mindfulness-based courses
- Demonstrate familiarity with the 6 domains (skills) of teaching mindfulness
- Reflect on the importance of the professional good practice guidelines and what they mean to you
These are the key foundations for the teaching of mindfulness and all subsequent training development rests on them.
The course is designed to begin the process of training to be a teacher of mindfulness-based approaches. Participants come to this course with varying skills and experience and levels of practice. Inevitably, not everyone will be ready to begin to teach the 8-week MBSR course on completion of this course and further development may be required. This could be with supervision or perhaps by attending another 8-week course and consolidating further personal practice.
What can I say when I have attended this training?
After attending the training, you may state: “_____ (your name) has attended and completed the 7-Day Mindfulness MBSR Level 1 Teacher Training Intensive through the Mindful Academy International, an International Provider of Training Excellence”
Your certificate will show:
Contact Hours: 65.5 hours
Directed Learning non-contact hours: The personal and professional pre-course study including reading the required books and 2 supervision sessions is estimated to be 112 hours. The non-contact hours are of course subjective depending on when you sign up for the course, and how much time you are able to allocate. We ask that you do what you can, with the time you have available.
Total hours for Level 1: 177.5 hours
Learning to teach the Mindfulness Core Practices -
On the Teacher Training Level 1 course you will have the opportunity to teach 10, 20 and 30 minute mindfulness core practices (see the list below) followed by time for personal reflection.
You will also receive supportive formal assessment and feedback on your teaching using the industry standard Mindfulness-based Teaching Assessment Criteria (MBI-TAC) from Kathy and the team, plus informal feedback from your peers, and learn how to take the MBI-TAC forward as a a personal learning portfolio to support your own development as a teacher.
At the end of the course, there is an opportunity to discuss this and other feedback from the MBI-TAC Teaching assessments before you leave and also in a 60 minute online supervision meeting (included in the price) with Kathy Ward.
This can be a helpful in reflecting on next steps and reviewing your learning and development needs after your Teacher Training Course.
The core practices are:
- Awareness of Breath and Senses Meditation
- Body Scan Meditation
- Cultivating curiosity to the whole of my experience 'being with the difficult' Meditation
- Mindful Movement
- 5 Awareness Meditation
- Choiceless Awareness Meditation
- 3 Step Kindness or Loving Kindness Meditation
- Short Mindfulness practices such as the 3 Step Anchoring Space, S.T.O.P and others
What can I teach after the Level 1 course?
Graduates typically start teaching the MBSR core practices including Mindful Movement to family, friends, and clients in classes, workshops or as part of their profession.
Depending on the skills of the individual you may find that you are able to:
- Co-lead an 8-week MBSR course and/or
- Lead an 8-week MBSR course with Supervision as per the Mindfulness Good Practice Guidelines
This course is designed to begin the process of training to be a teacher of mindfulness-based approaches. Participants come to this course with varying skills and experience and levels of practice. Inevitably, not everyone will be ready to begin to teach the 8-week MBSR course on completion of this course and further development may be required. This could be with supervision or perhaps by attending another 8-week course and consolidating further personal practice.
Externally Accredited Professional Courses
To demonstrate the professional nature of our training, we follow the Mindfulness good practice guidelines (GPGs) for teaching mindfulness and utilise the Mindfulness-based Interventions Teaching Assessment Criteria (MBI-TAC) as part of our supportive assessment process, we also chose to have our courses independently accredited to assure you of the highest level of mindfulness training.
Mindful Academy International is also proud to announce we have recently achieved Provider of Training Excellence Status and accredited CPD Status with the with the Professional Development Consortium and CPD Standards Office.
The Professional Development Consortium is home to the CPD Standards Office, the CPD Research Project and the Provider of Training Excellence. Their wealth of knowledge and research within the Learning and Development Industry and their team of industry professionals on the Expert Advisory Board are a few of the reasons that contribute to detailed and rigorous assessment processes they have in place.
To achieve the Provider of Training Excellence accreditation Mindful Academy International has undergone a rigorous assessment process focusing on 4 key principles - our organizational structure, the learning provision we offer, our methods for maintaining excellence and our client's personal experience. This final principle involves a random selection from our client base and a direct discussion between them and the PDC to gather a first-hand review of their experience working with us.
A separate rigorous assessment process that focuses on the development and delivery of our training including our educational authority, how we collect and utilize our delegate feedback, and ensuring our content is kept up to date was also undertaken as part of the accredited CPD Status.
Now Mindful Academy International have achieved this accreditation and status as a Provider of Training Excellence and gold standard CPD provider, we are committed to working hard to maintain, and exceed, the excellent standard we have already set with our courses. The courses have been accredited with the Yoga Alliance in the USA since 2010 and the Yoga Alliance Professionals in the UK since 2012.
For many professions, engaging with CPD/CEU is a professional expectation and an individual responsibility. For others, it is mandatory to undertake and record CPD/CEU. As a Provider of Training Excellence, graduating from our courses will give you the skills you need to teach mindfulness-based approaches, enhance your curriculum vitae with sought after accredited skills and at the same time, meet any CPD/CEU responsibility.
For those based in the UK, after teaching at least 2 MBSR 8 Week courses under supervision, you can also apply to join the Mindfulness Network of Teachers It is an optional listing created to provide the general public and policymakers with clear information to identify those teachers who have received adequate training and whose current teaching and professional practice meet the UK Good Practice Guidelines (GPGs) for teaching Mindfulness-Based courses. These GPGs are the minimum standards for the delivery of the 8-week mindfulness-based courses. You do not need to have been trained by a UK training organization to join but you will need to demonstrate that your training meets the requirements of the GPGs. You can be assured that the Mindful Academy International Training more than meets the requirements.
There are also similar Mindfulness Network organistaions around the world.