Mindfulness is an ancient practice rooted in Buddhist psychology, aimed at training our mind to become our friend instead of our inner bully. Through practice, we learn to relate to whatever we are experiencing in the present moment with curiosity, acceptance, and kindness instead of judgment, resistance and struggle. This cultivates an inner stability that frees the mind from those conditioned habits that cause our distress, enabling us to meet life's delights and difficulties with more ease and wisdom.

Research shows that practicing mindfulness is helpful for every dimension of our lives. It benefits the body by lowering blood pressure, boosts the immune system and dials down the suffering that accompanies pain. It helps regulate our emotions, improves concentration, builds resilience to stress, lowers anxiety, reduces depression and builds self-acceptance. It helps access our compassion, improves our relational abilities and enhances our overall well-being.

As clinicians working with people who are struggling with difficult challenges in life (physical, emotional, social or spiritual), to be helpful we need to be present and grounded, have access to our own unique tool kit and knowledge and be resilient and wise. Studies show that front-line workers who practice mindfulness do just that. They experience more job satisfaction, less empathy fatigue and burnout, and feel greater well-being.

This 8-week intensive course is for clinicians who want to incorporate mindfulness into their own lives to be more present, effective and stable in their work as well as develop more confidence in applying mindfulness principles and tools with their patients (clients, students, staff). The course is appropriate for experienced practitioners as well as those with no experience in mindfulness or meditation.

We will learn a specific aspect of mindfulness each week so that by the end of the 8 sessions you will have a clear sense of and experience with all the core components of mindfulness. Each class will be a combination of short teachings, experiential practice and discussion. Since we will practice being present, curious, kind and accepting of ourselves and each other as we learn this tool, the atmosphere of the class will be relaxed and open. Between class, assignments will include daily meditation practices, journaling and specific informal ways to apply mindfulness in your life and your work.

How You Will Learn

• Class is delivered entirely online, with Zoom sessions every Thursday, and weekly self-study activities within Canvas
• Self-study activities will make up 4 CE hours (one half-hour each week)
• Meet via Zoom for 8 two-hour live online sessions (see schedule)
• Canvas will open up 1 week prior to the start date of class

Over these eight 2-hour sessions you will learn:

• How to define mindfulness and its basic principles
• Understand the root cause of our suffering and how mindfulness addresses this
• How to bring attention to the present moment
• Practices to build a mindful connection with the body
• How to work with body sensations and experience pain without suffering
• How to work with thoughts mindfully, and find freedom from unwise thought patterns
• Emotions are vital teachers, and how to work with them mindfully and learn from then
• The power of resistance and acceptance
• The importance of compassion and loving-kindness
• Specific practices to cultivate compassion and loving-kindness
• Practical ways to apply mindfulness in your life and work

Learning objectives

• Describe the core components of mindfulness
• Apply mindfulness to your own life to be more present, effective and stable in your work
• Explain strategies for using mindfulness in clinical work
• Demonstrate more confidence in applying mindfulness principles and tools in your work with clients and patients

Audience

Beginner to Advanced