Allow this moment to be exactly as it is
and allow yourself to be exactly as you are.
-Jon Kabat-Zinn
Why Mindfulness?
Mindfulness as practiced in Western contexts is based on the work of Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn and colleagues at the UMass Medical Center, but draws on elements of Buddhist tradition filtered through a Western mental health lens.
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy gives you more than just relaxation techniques, it’s a structured program to build self-awareness and learn a different way of being.
Mindfulness helps to calm and focus our minds, which in turn allows us to see ourselves and our ways of thinking more clearly. We learn to see where we slip into auto-pilot, and can instead choose to shift our focus. Or we begin to notice our self-critical, limited thinking (“I’m not good enough”) and respond in a way that allows access to more adaptive responses. We learn to stop resisting life as it is and to work with it to accomplish our goals more easily and effectively.
Mindfulness skills training allows you to:
be present – for yourself and others
strengthen focus, calm, and mental flexibility
shift self-defeating thoughts and habits
manage difficult emotions without getting overwhelmed
work with pain or illness, even the kind that won’t go away
build resilience for facing personal challenges
cultivate patience and self-compassion
develop empathy and effective communication with others
relax and enjoy life
See below for upcoming classes.
Mindfulness Training Opportunities
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90 Minute Workshop
Dropping In: An Introduction to Mindfulness
Join this 90-minute workshop to learn what mindfulness is and why it’s worthwhile to try it out. We will introduce the essential framework of mindfulness and learn the skills to begin building a new relationship with the present moment.
Dates: TBD
Cost: $50
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6 Week Course
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Skills Group
Meeting six consecutive Thursdays, this course offers a comprehensive introduction to mindfulness skills and a discussion of how to apply them in your daily life to reduce distress and increase depth of presence. You will leave with the skills to develop a practice that works in your life.
Dates: TBD
Cost: $300
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Individualized Coaching
Building skills at your own pace, with your own focus
Learn the skills you need to address what is most important to you. Concepts and practice will be taught, homework assignments will be developed, and of course, personalized support will be offered throughout.
Schedule determined collaboratively.
Cost: $175/hour