PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION  

We provide professional training in mindfulness meditation and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in the form of supervision and internships to individuals, and workshops and seminars to institutions. ‘Trainees’ may follow one of three distinct, yet interdependent pathways of study:

1. Comprehensive training for prospective mindfulness teachers,
   

2. Skill enhancement and refinement for trainees already actively teaching in the field, and  
   

3. Skill acquisition, enhancement and refinement for professionals who are not interested in becoming meditation or MBSR teachers, but, nonetheless, recognize the importance of integrating a range of mindfulness-based practices, attitudes, and skills into their chosen work and lives. 

In-depth, well-rounded professional training and education requires deliberate attention to both subjective and objective dimensions of learning:

Subjective or personal learning is aimed at refining one’s intrinsic capacities for meditation, contemplation, self-reflection, and self-knowledge. It focuses on the cultivation of wisdom through the on-going development of innate qualities such as nonjudgmental observation, active listening, flexibility, presence, insight, and compassion. In psychotherapy and meditation, what is being taught and passed on to others has to be lived and embodied by the teacher. The effectiveness of the therapist or teacher to induce positive changes in those who seek help or training is directly proportionate to his or her level of experience and depth of wisdom.

Objective learning targets the acquisition of a substantial body of knowledge that is indispensable for professional expertise. It also ensures the understanding and attainment of well-defined, technical skills and competencies associated with mindfulness-based meditation and psychotherapy disciplines, combined with an ability to apply these core methods and skills in diverse situations and settings.  

Remaining true to this balanced approach to learning and growth, our approach to teaching is highly experiential and intellectually challenging, taking into account the on-going development and integration of multiple modes of intelligence.

Learning objectives – top of page

Independent of which path trainees take, it is by entering into a close relationship with a senior meditation teacher that they learn to play at the edges of their perceived limits, while receiving support, guidance and precise feedback about all phases of the teaching process.

Our training curricula provide health care professionals and others with a practical and conceptual understanding of the world of mindfulness in general, and mindfulness meditation and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in particular. We encourage engagement in first-hand experience of all the different ways we teach, in order to learn about our methodology and approach to human development, learning, growing, and healing. Our teaching style is experiential and interactive, providing an opportunity to train intensively in mindfulness meditation, and explore issues pertaining to its practical application and integration in a variety of settings. Although mindfulness meditation is the focus and corner stone of practice, we stress an approach to mindfulness that does not limit itself to meditation, but also includes its role in an encompassing liberation psychology that includes psychodynamic and systems considerations.

We provide our trainees with three distinct teaching elements:

1. The in vivo experience of engaging in mindfulness meditation and MBSR in the same manner as program participants, 

2. The first-hand experience of classroom meditation teaching conducted by senior teachers from the Mindfulness Center, and

3. The in-depth exploration of the teaching process through individual supervisory sessions and/or with fellow professionals in a weekly seminar format.

Depending on the level of expertise aimed for, trainees are required to engage in some or all of the following activities:

1. Learn and practice mindfulness meditation,

2. Explore in detail our approach to instructing patients and clients in mindfulness meditation and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR),

3. Develop an understanding of the theoretical, philosophical, pedagogical, and scientific underpinnings of mindfulness meditation and MBSR,

4. Examine, through the lens of mindfulness, the emerging field of mind-body medicine,

5. Explore the range of participants’ responses to mindfulness, and

6. Refine and deepen personal meditation practice.

Depending on the level of expertise trainees are aiming for, they can expect to learn any or a combination of the following objectives:

1. Teach mindfulness meditation workshops or an MBSR course while participating in the supervision process,

2. Create supporting instructional materials including course curricula, CDs, workbooks, and other teaching resources, 

3. Cultivate specific competencies necessary for teaching mindfulness meditation and MBSR, such as:
             a. Present-centered awareness,
             b. Attentional flexibility,
             c. Ability to connect theoretical constructs of stress  
                 reactivity and enhanced coping with essential 
                 qualities of mindfulness meditation practice,
             d. Sensitive and skillful use of:
                       • group process
                       • pacing and rhythm
                       • inquiry and investigation
                       • clear, direct, inviting language,
             e. Explore the dynamics of the patient-practitioner 
                 relationship through the lens of mindfulness,
             f. Integrate personal meditation practice into the work 
                as a teacher, and
             g. Participate in the mindfulness meditation teachers’ 
                 network.
   
   

How to apply – top of page

Send your CV and a cover letter that details your personal development, educational and career experience, as well as your meditation experience.  Please include: Years of meditation experience, regularity of practice, as well as the tradition(s) in which you practice, and note all teacher-led silent retreats you have attended.  Address such issues as the meaning of practice in your life and work, what has drawn you to participate in teachers’ training, and your vision or intentions for integrating this training into your work. If applicable, include two letters of recommendation: One from a mentor or teacher who is personally familiar with your meditation background, and one from a professional colleague who has had direct experience with your work. Send us your application and non-refundable $60 application fee. Please specify which pathway of study (1., 2. or 3. – see above) you are applying for. 

Fees – top of page

Please contact us for details. Fees will depend on the chosen pathway of study.