MBSR – MBCT Teacher Development Programme
Foundation + Level 1
Dates
MBSR-MBCT Teacher Programme: 20 February 2021 – 18 February 2022
Foundation course Dates: 10 online sessions- 20 February 2021 –
25 June 2021
20, 27 Feb, 5, 19 March, 2, 16, 30 April, 11, 18, 25 June 2021
Online Group Practice: 11, 18, 25 June 2021
Level 1 Dates: 10 online sessions- 17 September 2021 – 18 February 2022
17, 24 Sept, 1, 15, 29 Sept, 12, 19, 26 Nov, 10 Dec, 18 Feb 2022
Online Group Practice: 12, 19, 26 Nov 2021
Live Online sessions duration: 2 hrs
Introduction
Welcome to the MBSR/MBCT Teacher Training Programme that has evolved from the experience of previous courses delivered by the Institute in recent years.
Bridging the “traditional” with the “innovative”, this Programme aims to blend the standard and well-researched methods of teaching mindfulness with more recent perspectives derived from the need to adapt the material to diverse teaching contexts. Thus, the programme aims to support participants in bringing mindfulness to their chosen teaching context in a safe and ethical way, thus making mindfulness accessible to a wider audience.
The entire course is intended to offer the participants learning opportunities for developing solid mindfulness teaching skills, while giving equal attention to ability to self-reflect and group participation.
The blended live-online and online training can be completed in a 12 month period upon the successful completion of all training modules. It begins with the Foundation course followed by Level 1. Upon successful completion of the Foundation level, you will receive a Certificate of Competence to teach the meditation practices taught on this course. The Foundation level can be taken as a stand-alone training.
If you wish to teach the standard 8 week MBSR/ MBCT courses to groups you are welcome to sign up for the Level 1 of the Programme which begins in September 2021. Upon successful completion of Level 1, you will receive a Certificate of Competence to teach the 8 week MBSR and MBCT courses.
Please note anyone wishing to run MBCT with clinical populations will need an appropriate professional clinical training, and will need to follow the good practice guidelines of their own professional body.
To sign up for the Foundation course, please fill in the Application Form provided and return it to us. We will then contact you with a view to arrange a Skype/Zoom interview.
We are looking forward to hearing from you
Is there a demand for MBSR / MBCT Teachers?
The World Health Organisation recently stated that by 2030, mental health issues will form the biggest burden on health care resources including heart conditions and cancer. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is recommended by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice) for preventing relapse in patients with recurrent depression, and is successful in half of all cases. Such findings have been backed up by neuroscience. MBCT is becoming a treatment of choice for prevention of recurrent depression in many National Health Services. More recent work has led to major breakthroughs in understanding how mindfulness can reduce suicidality in depression, emotional turbulence in bipolar disorder and serious health anxiety.
Pre-requisites
- Professional qualification in a caring profession or equivalent life experience. Please contact us if unsure if your qualification is suitable.
- Completion of a live or online 8 Week MBSR/MBCT course, or similar, in a group setting
- Attendance of at least 1 Teacher- led Mindfulness Retreat, preferably a 5 Day Retreat (or 2 shorter Retreats)
- Minimum of 6 months of daily formal mindfulness meditation practice.
- Familiarity with all practices taught on an 8 Week Mindfulness Programme
- Experience of yoga, tai chi, or other types of body work practice
- A sincere aspiration and commitment to expand your horizons as a Mindfulness practitioner
- Readiness to step into the role of the Mindfulness trainer, along with the responsibilities and challenges that it takes
Course Objectives
- Explore the relationship between mindfulness and recovery from stress
- Develop familiarity with the theory underpinning the mindfulness-based intervention
- Learn introductory teaching skills in the Foundation course
- Learn experientially how to teach short practices and the basic standard meditations including sitting, body scan, mindful movement and mindful walking.
- Develop a safe and effective mindfulness teaching practice
- Connect with others sharing an interest to teach mindfulness
- Lead guided practices and enquiry with fellow participants in a safe& supportive environment
- Practice giving and receiving feedback in your group with the support of the guiding tutor
- Expand on your teaching and inquiry skills and prepare teaching the 8 Week MBSR/MBCT
- Explore and reflect on the necessary skills for developing safe and effective teaching methods
Other areas covered by the course:
- A template in digital format on how to record reflections on learning and experience of formal/informal practice will be provided
- Notes to support creating trainee’s own course manual
- The practice of Compassion in the context of Mindfulness training
- Differences between teaching MBSR and MBCT
- A self-assessment guide on teaching practice
- Online material to facilitate and guide trainees’ further development
- Input on working with groups
- Assessing client suitability for an MBSR/MBCT course
- An exploration of how mindfulness impacts on relationships
- Video/audio recording to facilitate individual/group learning
What to expect during the programme?
The main focus of this programme will be on developing sound teaching skills in MBCT and skills in inquiry and dialogue. During the online part of the course, you will intensively practice the main exercises of the programme (body scan, mindful movement, especially gentle yoga, sitting and walking meditation) and learn how to teach them to others. The live training session is largely interactive and experiential, and you will be required to demonstrate teaching skills in small groups and discuss your experiences with one another, as well as doing meditation homework.
This training programme will facilitate the deepening of your personal mindfulness practice. A teacher’s embodiment of mindfulness is integral to teaching a mindfulness-based approach and we focus on looking at and working with all the aspects of this.
We support you in sharing your experiences with your colleagues online once the training program is finished because this can be an important resource for you to discuss your future work as a teacher.
This teacher development programme will fully prepare you to teach MBCT. The practically oriented online learning units, combined with the individual mentoring by an experienced teacher, both online and in live sessions, as well as the nurturing of one’s own meditation practice, build an approach that has been shown to be highly effective and supportive for trainee teachers.
Why are we different?
The reason our training programme is so successful is because we have responded to people’s requirements to have a flexible, convenient and cost effective MBCT training programme while not compromising on teaching and personal support. Our world class learning management system facilitates the teaching of this programme in a highly effective way and is followed by a very personalised live training programme with highly experienced Mindfulness trainers. Embarking on this course, you will achieve a huge transformation in your life and that of your patients/clients.
Our trainers adhere to the Good Practice Guidelines for Trainers and we encourage the teachers we train to adhere to the Good Practice Guidelines for Teachers.
Fee
Foundation Course Fee: € 1435
A non refundable deposit of € 500 is payable on acceptance onto the training. The balance can be paid in full before the start of the training. Payment can also be made in two remaining installments prior to the start date of the course.
Application Process
The number of students on this course is restricted to 12 to ensure best results. Course applications are welcomed through the completion of the online application form below. On receipt of this application form a screening process will take place. If successful at this stage, applicants will be invited to attend a telephone interview. Attendance at interview does not imply acceptance on the course. Apply early to avoid disappointment.
ONLY THOSE WHO SATISFY THE PRE-REQUISITES OF THE PROGRAMME WILL BE CONSIDERED.
Level 1 Programme
Level 1 is highly experiential and intended to equip the participants with the up to date theory and practical skills necessary for their development as mindfulness trainers. The teaching modules follow the standard 8 week MBSR and MBCT Curriculum. There is a strong focus on the participants developing practical and hands-on experience in delivering meditation practices and inquiry through small group practices, mindful feedback, and reflection.
The participants will have opportunities to experience how deepening of one’s meditation practice adds to the foundation for teaching others and the necessity of creating a safe and ethical teaching context.
Another important aspect covered by the Programme will be “Sitting in the participant’s seat”, developing perspectives on how your course participants might experience the teaching.
Therefore it is essential that the participants maintain a regular meditation practice throughout the programme and embody mindfulness and compassion so that they practice what they teach. An appreciation of the self-directed and shared learning on an online teaching environment is important.
Fee
Level 1 Course Fee: € 1874
A non refundable deposit of € 500 is payable on acceptance onto the training. The balance can be paid in full before the start of the training. Payment can also be made in two remaining installments prior to the start date of the course.
Testimonials
I was amazed at how much I learned during this very enriching training. Having the opportunity to work with the tutors, experience their knowledge, expertise and skills was truly inspirational and I feel tremendously encouraged to continue along my path of Mindfulness training. I found their guidance to be authentic, honest and clear and their teaching very passionate.
The tutors are keen and resourceful figures in the Mindfulness world, using initiative and creativity to enable significant mindfulness seminars to take place and contributing in the arena of discussion and increasing scientific research in this field.
The tutors are skilled and compassionate teachers. Their passion and gift for teaching mindfulness based interventions is evident.
