As developed by The Center for Mindfulness
at the UMASS Medical School
Offered by Nancy Bennett
Qualified and trained as an MBSR teacher at the Center for Mindfulness
An in-depth 8 week course with weekly sessions from 2.5-3 hours at 6pm on Mondays beginning October 1, 2018
Free Orientation & Information session
Prerequisite*: Attendance at 1 Free Orientation & Information session (one and a half hours)
Thursday September 6 - 5:30pm
Thursday September 20th – 5:30pm
Monday September 24th – 6pm
*Prospective participants must attend one information session prior to registration*
Price: $365 Early Bird rate is $295 if registered by September 25, Scholarships available.
Sign up here…
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is an intensive 8-week course designed to help people in distress discover the healing power of mindfulness.
Created by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the Center for Mindfulness at the UMASS Medical School in the late ‘70’s, MBSR has helped over 24,000 graduates learn to cultivate awareness in the present moment and discover their natural capacity for wellness, ease, and peace of mind.
“Moments of experiencing wholeness, moments when you connect with the domain of your own being, often include a palpable sense of being larger than your problems and in a much better position to come to terms with them.” -Jon Kabat-Zinn
In 8 weekly sessions and one All Day retreat, we will explore what causes stress, how perception affects stress levels, what makes it difficult to manage stress, and what helps free us from reactivity to stress so that we can respond with wisdom and compassion for ourselves and others. Through a variety of mindfulness practices including sitting and walking meditation, the body scan, mindful movement/yoga, and loving kindness meditation, participants will learn to bring awareness to thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations to empower themselves to live their lives more fully, more productively, more joyfully.
These are some of the many reasons people have turned to MBSR: trouble falling asleep, feeling overwhelmed or out of control, impatience with family of friends, feeling anxious or depressed, challenging physical conditions or illnesses, loss, or an inability to enjoy life.
Taught around the world, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) has been studied extensively and shown to lower stress, boost immune response, and bring relief and joy to people with a variety of physical and psychological conditions.
Participants report more balance, ease, peace of mind in their lives
“I love it.”
“I find being in meditation a sanctuary…a time to give myself permission to relax and be calm.”
“I really did love the course and have been trying to practice mindfulness and meditate daily.”
The Course consists of the following:
a free 1 ½ hour orientation and information session (This orientation is required to take the course)
8 weekly classes of 2.5 to 3 hours
an All-Day retreat
daily mindfulness home practices of 45 to 60 minutes a day
The Course Schedule In Detail
The course is 8 weeks from June 11th, 2018 to July 30th, 2018 on Monday nights with an All Day session between Class 6 and Class 7. The schedule is outlined here.
· Class 1 Monday, October 1st 6:00pm – 9:00pm
· Class 2 Monday, October 8th 6:00pm – 8:30pm
· Class 3 Monday, October 15th 6:00pm – 8:30pm
· Class 4 Monday, October 22nd 6:00pm – 8:30pm
· Class 5 Monday, October 29th 6:00pm – 8:30pm
· Class 6 Monday, November 5th 6:00pm – 8:30pm
ALL DAY Sunday, November 11 10:00am – 6:00pm
· Class 7 Monday, November 12th 6:00pm – 8:30pm
· Class 8 Monday, November 19th 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Most classes will be 2.5 hours; the first and last class are a half an hour longer.
· There is an All Day Session between class 6 and class 7 on Sunday, November 11 from 10am to 6pm.
A strong commitment to attendance, participation, and engagement over the 8 weeks is required. If a prospective participant expects to miss two or more classes, it is recommended he or she take the course at a later, more convenient time.
CD’s or MP-3’s for home practice are included.
Nancy Bennett - Has been leading mindfulness and stress reductions workshops including MBSR for several years. She has an MA in Pastoral Care & Counseling in the Buddhist track from New York Theological Seminary and the NY Zen Center for Contemplative Care with experience as a chaplain intern in NY & RI hospitals including work in psychiatric care units. She has been a long-time meditator in the Vipassana/Insight tradition working with renown Insight meditation teachers Joseph Goldstein, Guy & Sally Armstrong,
Larry Rosenberg and Analayo among others.