Mindfulness Training

Participants meet in 8 weekly sessions that introduce the basic concepts of mindfulness, and provide didactic and experiential training in various formal and informal practices, including mindfulness meditation, loving kindness and compassion, and mindful movement. The goal is for individuals to develop a regular mindfulness practice during the training, which is cultivated through instruction, practice and discussion during sessions, regular practice during the week, setting personal goals and recording progress, and the support of other students through sharing their observations and experiences with each other.

Introduction to Mindfulness can be of benefit to someone who is new to mindfulness practices and is interested in gaining an introduction to the basic skills and a variety of specific practices. It is also appropriate for individuals who have been introduced to mindfulness and those who engage in mindful or other forms of meditation already, and are looking to gain further understanding of mindfulness in general and in developing a more regular practice. Introduction to Mindfulness is not group therapy, although practicing mindfulness regularly has been shown to result in healing from various forms of emotional and physical suffering. Through regular practice, individuals develop a different way of relating to changes in mood, interpersonal interactions, experience of pain, and stressful life challenges which can lead to perspectives and strategies for coping more skillfully with their struggles.