• Accredited Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction MBSR Specialization Course

    When: Four x weekend modules. 28th Oct (half day) and full day silent retreat on the 29th Oct, then 28-29 Oct, 25-26 Nov, 13-14 Jan, 17-18 Feb. 9 am - 5.30 pm (UK time) 

    Where: Live online (Zoom)

    Teacher: Kathy Ward

    LIVE ONLINE: limited spaces Apply Now

    • Standard tuition rate - €1075
    • Subsidized Rate tuition - *€930
    • Payment plans are available

    Building on the learning from the Mindfulness-Based Programmes MBP Teacher Training, this externally accredited specialization course will take a deep dive into every aspect of the experiential learning and spectrum of teaching intentions giving you the skills, confidence, and resources to start teaching the 8-week MBSR course.

    It is also valuable to those who may not wish to teach the 8-week MBSR course, but who would like to deepen their teaching skills. 

    For those already teaching, the specialization course will support your deeper understanding session by session of implicit and explicit teaching points, and the exploration of the deeper aspects of teaching this classic course. 

    During the course, we also explore who you are as a teacher, and cultivate the embodiment of a spacious open-hearted awareness and a sense of 'co-journeying' with a spirit of adventure that is core to this learning style. We also have a full day's silent retreat.  

    The course includes 3 x 1-hour group supervision sessions between the weekend modules, and 2 individual supervision sessions, one before to help you get started, and one after the course to support your next steps. 

    To help you teach or prepare for the course, included in the price is access to our unique digital MBSR Specialization preparation e-course with videos, mp3 recordings, session plans, participant's workbook for use with your students, and supporting documents. You have lifetime access to the content which has been designed to help you make the most of your time with us, and support you when you start to teach. For more details please visit 

    leveltwoprecoursepreparationcourse.voomly.com
     

    Our live online interactive videoconferencing courses are held on Zoom. A typical day's schedule starts with the morning workshop to explore deepening teaching practice, with a short morning break and an hour for lunch. The teaching practicals in small groups take place each afternoon, again with a short break.

    *Subsidized Rate: Subsidized spaces are limited to 2 per course and must be applied for at the time of sending your application. Requests for the subsidized rate at any other time will not be considered.

    Please only select this rate at the time of applying for the course if you are in receipt of benefits or would find it otherwise inaccessible to attend due to the fee. We will not ask for evidence of benefits or income at the application stage but may ask for evidence to support your application in the future. This option is not available if your company is paying for the course.

    Standard Rate: This is the market rate for this type of course and the rate we ask you to select if you are able.

    Pre-Course requirements:  As well as completing the Teaching Mindfulness-Based Programmes MBP (formally Level One) course with Mindful Academy International or with an equivalent training organization, if you have not already done so, you will need to take an 8-week MBSR course as a participant before the course starts. If you took the 8-week course some time ago, you may also like to consider taking another course as a refresher.

    Where possible, you should also have attended at least 5 days of Mindfulness-Based Silent Retreats. This extended period of practice gives an opportunity to deepen personal practice and to experience the kinds of processes that might arise for participants doing more intensive practice such as day retreats. 

    We recognise that 5 days may be difficult for some. Where personal situations do not permit a single five-day residential or online retreat, this may be separated into shorter periods such as two-weekend retreats or a series of day retreats adding up to 5 days.

    If you are unable to attend 5 days before the Specialization course starts, please contact us to discuss a way forward.

  • "My overall experience of the online Mindfulness MBSR Teacher Specialization Teacher Training exceeded all expectations. It was a journey of going deeper. At the beginning of the course, I did feel like I missed out on the deeper connections of friendship and bonding with the other participants that we make in an in-person retreat. But as a couple of days passed, I realized that I did manage to connect deeply with the other people on the course. the separate break-out rooms and a chance to practice separately with tiny groups helped in building my confidence, deeper discussion, and a lot of practice by way of repetition. Also to be able to evaluate the other people while they taught (amongst ourselves in these breakout rooms) helped me understand better the minute aspects of teaching and how I could become better"

    Janaki Joseph. Qualified Mindfulness Teacher, Switzerland and India.

  • Who is the Specialization course for?

    The Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction MBSR Specialization Teacher Training course is an opportunity to take a deep dive into every aspect of the curriculum and teaching of trauma-sensitive Mindfulness MBSR 8-week courses. Much of the content and experiential practices will also support teaching other Mindfulness-Based Programmes.  

    This further teaching development process is intended for professionals who have:

    • Previously attended a Mindfulness-Based Programmes MBP Teacher Training with Mindful Academy International or an equivalent course with another training organization, please contact us if you are not sure about equivalency.
    • Attended a total of 5 days guided Mindfulness-Based Silent Retreat. Online retreats would be accepted. 
    • Ideally but not essential, practiced Teaching the MBSR and MBP core practices including Mindful Movement learned during the Teaching Mindfulness-Based Programmes (formally the Level 1 course) to family, friends, and clients in classes, workshops, or as part of your profession. 

    The course includes assessment, feedback, and development of your teaching skills with the support of the Mindfulness-based Intervention Teaching Assessment Criteria (MBI-TAC) You will also continue to learn how to take your MBI-TAC portfolio forward to support your own development as a teacher.

    Once you have been accepted and paid the deposit, you will receive the detailed 8-Week MBSR Course Session Plans, Resources, and Participants Workbook so that you can start to prepare and teach straight away. 

  • What can I say when I have attended this training?

    After successfully completing the training, you may state: “_____ (your name) has graduated as a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction MBSR Teacher with Mindful Academy International, an International Provider of Training Excellence©”

    You will also be sent this badge to use as part of any publicity. 

  • Just wanted to say that you have written such a good participant's workbook and in-depth session plans! My understanding and appreciation of mindfulness are a lot deeper since the first time I read it all those years ago, and when I look at it now, every page is filled with awesome information, and it makes my teaching and preparation for clients so much easier. Just thought I should let you know! Thanks for the great work!

    Chibs Okereke, Australia. www.wildmindmeditation.com

  • What is involved?

    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 advanced teaching skills including the 4 key skills of teaching MBI's:

    • Stewardship of the group
    • Homiletics, or the delivery of didactic material
    • Guidance, Deepen your embodiment and sense of co-journey when guiding formal and informal group experiences
    • Inquiry into participants direct experience by identifying which element is a brief 'teaching point' and which is an element to be explored with inquiry skills and a sense of exploration and co-journey

    As Santorelli describes the MBSR teaching perspective, "Importantly, rather than 'lecturing' to the participants, the attention and skill of the teacher should be directed towards listening to the rich, information-laden insights and examples provided by the participants and then, in turn, to use as much as possible of these participant generated experiences as a starting point to 'weave' the more didactic (teaching) material into the structure and fabric of the class"

    You will experience and learn specifically how to teach all elements of the traditional 2.5/3 hour sessions of the 8-week Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction MBSR course using the provided session plans and the Participant Workbook.  You will also explore the 4 Ennobling Truths, Foundations of Mindfulness and Spectrum of Teaching Intentions of each of the sessions.

    You will have the opportunity to teach both 30 and 60-minute sections of the sessions in small groups with time for self-reflection orientated around the MBI-TAC on what went well, and areas for development, plus informal feedback from your peers. Once again, you will receive supportive assessment and feedback on your teaching using the industry-standard Mindfulness-based Teaching Assessment Criteria MBI-TAC from Kathy and the team.

    Learning objectives:

    • Deepening embodiment of mindfulness in your own practice
    • Deepen, develop and assess the skills, attitudes, and knowledge required to deliver trauma-sensitive Mindfulness-based courses to the general public competently and consistently
    • Develop further understanding and reflection on the 6 domains of teaching mindfulness with the support of the MBI-TAC as you continue to build your personal portfolio
    • Develop further understanding of the official UMASS and CMRP Bangor University 8-week curriculum, teaching skills and underpinning themes with the support of the Mindful Academy International trauma-sensitive 8-week course curriculum covering every aspect of teaching, further refining and strengthening existing skills
    • Demonstrate relevant teaching skills by selecting, organizing and evaluating teaching methods, to facilitate the integration of theoretical and experiential learning. In particular, we explore what are 'experiential points' that should be drawn from the participants through the 'co journey' and what are the brief 'teaching points' 
    • Demonstrate responsive and flexible pacing to cover a portion of the curriculum appropriately, as well as holding the group learning environment and managing challenges and difficulties
    • Demonstrate relevant qualities for teaching mindfulness-based approaches including the embodiment of mindfulness and warmth of approach 
    • Explore teaching trauma-sensitive mindfulness to the general public in alternative settings
    • Inquire into 'who am I as a teacher?' exploring the ways in which we relate to ourselves, individuals, group and the teaching process itself

    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 included 60-minute online supervision meeting with Kathy Ward. This can be helpful in reflecting on next steps and reviewing your learning and development needs after your Teacher Training Course.

    Daily Schedule

  • What is included in the price?

    • 65hr contact hours of course tuition.
    • 1 x 60-minute private Supervision session to get you started on the pre-course preparation (worth €60)
    • Lifetime access to our video course to help you prepare to teach complete with videos, mp3 recordings, and support documents (€ priceless)
    • Support and development of your teaching utilizing the Universities of Bangor, Oxford and Exeter's 6 domains of teaching mindfulness the MBI-TAC by qualified MBI-TAC assessors Kathy Ward or Andras Barta
    • 1 x 60-minute private Supervision session on your return home to discuss the MBI-TAC and your next teacher training pathway steps (worth €60)
    • Preparing to teach the 8-week MBSR course guide including workshop recordings exploring the spectrum of teaching intentions.
    • Mindful Academy International 8-week MBSR Course Session Plans and Participant Manual with authorization to use when teaching the MBSR 8-Week courses. 
    • Gold standard Continued Professional Development CPD certificate with accredited hours to add to your CPD record, along with professional skills to add to your curriculum vitae 
    • Ongoing mentoring by email and with the closed Mindfulness Teaching Community
    • Optional Mindfulness-based Supervision in line with the Mindfulness Good Practice Guidelines
    • Directed Learning non-contact hours: The personal and professional pre-course study including reading the required books is estimated to be 135 hours. This does not need to be completed before the course starts.
    • Total Hours 200 

  • What can I teach after this course?

    The course is also designed to deeply explore the curriculum, learning objectives and spectrum of teaching intentions for the original 8-week MBSR courses developed over 40-years ago by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the UMASS Memorial Center for Mindfulness CFM in the USA and the Center for Mindfulness Research and Practice CMRP Bangor.

    You will have received extensive training and development based on the MBI-TAC domains of teaching mindfulness and supplied with session plans and a participants workbook, so you are ready to start teaching the 8-week MBSR course with Supervision as per the Mindfulness Good Practice Guidelines 

    Graduates also typically find that the specialization course gives them additional resources to teach Mindfulness-Based Programmes MBP in classes, workshops or as part of their profession. 

  • Optional next steps - Earn a Qualification as a Qualified Mindfulness MBSR & MBP Teacher

    As an option, you can choose a time to suit you to continue your teacher training pathway and graduate as a Mindful Academy International 'Qualified Mindfulness MBSR & MBP Teacher'

    To do this you would need to have successfully completed our the Mindfulness MBSR and MBP teacher training and this specialization course, plus received 8 hours of supervision as recommended by the Mindfulness Good Practice Guidelines, whilst teaching two 8-week groups MBSR Courses. You would also need to submit a 3000-word reflective report from teaching the two courses. 

    The focus of this reflective writing is the deepening of your practice and teaching skills as you gain experience in guiding others. The 6 domains of teaching mindfulness and your personal development portfolio can guide you so that you can include what you felt went well and what you would do differently if anything, next time.   

    The supervision and reflective journaling can be before or after (or a mixture of both) this specialization course. We also offer reduced-price supervision packages for those on the pathway to Qualified Mindfulness MBSR & MBP Teacher status, please click here for details.

    What You Can Say When You Have Achieved Qualified Status:

    Upon receipt of your formal Teacher Qualification Certificate, you may market and represent yourself as a “Qualified Mindfulness MBSR & MBP Teacher” as defined by the Mindful Academy International, an International Provider of Training Excellence© 

    You will also be sent this badge to use as part of your publicity and be authorized to use the designation QMT after your name.