• Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction - Are you ready to change your life?

    When: 1-1 Weekly start dates

    Times: 1-1 various options

    Where: Online

    Join Kathy Ward and experience the life-changing original, evidence-based, 8-Week mindfulness course as developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn at UMass Medical Center in 1979. 

    In just 8-weeks this evidence-based course may help you to -

    • Wake up and step out of “automatic pilot", where you experience life mainly based on thoughts of the past or future so that you can live your life with awareness, curiosity, and kindness. 
    • Find out how to explore your perceptions and relationship to the challenges and stressors in your life. 
    • Cultivate friendliness and openness to how you react with habitual stress reactivity as well as develop more effective ways of responding.
    • Learn how to spot and take action when you find yourself worrying about the past, or frozen with anxiety about a future that may never happen.
    • Develop resilience to bounce back more quickly from life's inevitable ups and downs.
    • Build on mindfulness self-awareness and self-management by expanding with curiosity and kindness to focus on communication skills for better relationships and social awareness.
    • Make a commitment to integrate mindfulness into your life, and reflect on lifestyle choices for a more balanced life.

    I know from personal experience living with cancer and colitis that mindfulness has changed my life, giving me the tools to live well with chronic illness. It is why I trained extensively with the Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice CMRP Bangor University so that I could share these life-changing practices with others, and train and support International Mindfulness Teachers. My work with the World Health Organization has also enabled me to adapt these practices to support those in the workplace.

    There are many reasons to take a mindfulness course. Perhaps you want to find more balance in your life, live well with chronic illness or make some changes in your life. You may be wondering "How could mindfulness help me?". Ultimately, it is an empirical question, and everyone is encouraged to find out for themselves how mindfulness may or may not benefit their lives. I can give you the tools, you need to do the practice!

    Luckily to help us, from 1966 to 2021 a massive 16,581 publications on mindfulness were identified, and MBSR has been scientifically shown to be an effective complement to a wide variety of medical and psychological conditions. Below is a partial listing with links to research on some of the possible benefits of mindfulness practice. However, mindfulness is not for everyone read more to find out if a mindfulness-based course is right for you...

    AnxietyAsthmaCancerChronic PainDiabetesEmotional eatingFibromyalgiaGastrointestinal DisordersHeart DiseaseHypertensionMood DisordersSleep Disorders, Smoking cessationStress DisordersStress Management for healthy individualsStress and burnout  

    Are you ready to find out how I could support you change your life?

  • When I reflect on my development through this course I feel truly emotional about everything I have gained from this course; the opportunity for self-exploration and the insight it gave me into myself is absolutely precious. Kathy’s support and guidance are given in such a kind, understanding, and gentle manner, both during the calls but also unfailingly being available via email to answer questions and worries. I genuinely feel like a more balanced, self-aware, and open person as a direct result of this course. I cannot recommend Kathy Ward as a teacher, or Kathy’s 8-week MBSR course, more highly. I would love to work with Kathy again in the future.

    Natalie - Live online 8-week MBSR Course

  • MBSR 1-1 Courses

    Kathy Ward specializes in 1-1 online mindfulness courses that support you explore the practices and implementing life skills so that you can live as well as possible with your circumstances. No previous meditation or mindfulness experience is required. If you already have a practice, many find that it deepens and becomes a real part of their lives.

    Ongoing mentoring calls are also available at a cost of €60 per hour. 

    The courses can usually be organized to take into consideration your schedule and time zone including evenings (Monday to Thursday) and some weekends.

    If you have any questions or would like to discuss dates and times, please send us an email at [email protected] If you prefer to ask questions in person, we can arrange a no-obligation call.

    What is included:

    • "Arriving at your own door" booklet explaining the course and what to expect
    • No obligation introductory call to answer any questions you may have
    • Option of 8 x 60-minute, 75-minute, or 90-minute online sessions as booked
    • 1 x 60-minute online maintenance call one month after the course finishes
    • 1 x 6-hour group Retreat day (Optional)
    • Mindful Academy International mp3 meditation recordings and extensive participants workbook 
    • Email support by Kathy Ward during the course 

    Course with 60-minute sessions: €495

    Course with 75-minute sessions: €610

    Course with 90-minute sessions: €720

    A 2nd person (family or friend) can be added to the 90-minute sessions at an additional cost of €150

    For possible MBSR group courses with the Mindful Academy International Training team, please check the calendar of events.

    If you would like to arrange an MBSR group course for your company, please contact me to discuss your requirements.

    Apply online now!

  • Each week you will take part in either a 1 hour or 1.5-hour session (for 1-1 or 1 - 2 sessions) or 2.5-hour session (groups) via Zoom with Kathy Ward, Senior International Mindfulness Trainer, Supervisor, Teacher, and WHO Mindfulness Consultant or depending on locations, one of the accredited International training team. 

    We will guide and support you through the learning of the mindfulness course. Practice mp3's and our extensive Participants workbook will be emailed to you. Like most things in life, you get out what you put in and home practice forms a large part of the course you will need to commit yourself to spend up to one hour 6 out of 7 days a week for the duration of the course.

    This includes -

    • Listening and practicing with the Mindful Academy International mp3 recordings (recommended practice 30 to 45-minutes per day, 6 out of 7 days per week)
    • Reading the extensive Mindful Academy International Participants Workbook
    • Reflecting and optional journaling of your direct experience
    • Including some informal mindfulness practices in your daily life to make them come alive and support resilience, health and wellbeing

    Please note there is little opportunity or time in either the group or 1-1 option to discuss any current or past personal problems not related to the session or home practices. If necessary these should be pursued through individual work with a counselor or other appropriate support.