Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

Online 8-Week Class

 Upcoming Dates:

Live on Zoom - Full Online Program

Includes an All-Day Retreat
after the 6th Week of Class

Next Schedule
TBA

Click here for an explanation of our Sliding Scale Tuition

Mental Health Professionals CE Information

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

Our personal and professional lives are full of demanding circumstances that can lead to prolonged stress and anxiety. We need tools to meet these demands effectively, both in the moment and long-term.

Originally developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, the MBSR Program it is now offered by medical centers and hospitals worldwide. It has a proven track record of reducing pain, illness, and stress.

Recent brain research has shown that by learning to pay attention in a particular way to our inner and outer experiences, the parts of the brain responsible for learning, concentration, self-regulation, and compassion get stronger and the areas of the brain responsible for stress, worry, and anxiety get weaker.

Mindfulness training is one of the most effective ways to alter the structure and function of the brain, reduce distress, and improve the quality of our emotional fitness.

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to our moment-to-moment experience with acceptance and curiosity without resisting or embellishing it. Much of our stress occurs when we let our minds run on autopilot, leading to rumination and worry. Through simple practices, mindfulness can improve our emotional resilience and strengthen our capacity to respond skillfully to life's challenges.

According to Peer Reviewed Research, Regular Mindfulness Practice: 

  • Reduces stress, anxiety, and depression
  • Improves sleep, focus, and attention
  • Reduces symptoms of chronic illness and pain
  • Enhances ability to experience joy and contentment
  • Increases confidence and self-acceptance

You will learn:

  • Definition and benefits of mindfulness
  • The research and neuroscience that supports it
  • How to step out of autopilot and fully participate in your life
  • Skills to shift from reacting to responding to stress
  • How to work with difficult thoughts and emotions
  • To communicate mindfully with others
  • Formal and informal mindfulness practices

What’s Included: 

  • Weekly In-Person Zoom Meetings
  • Access to an online platform that includes videos, audio recordings, PDF workbook, and handouts
  • Support of an experienced teacher

Invite calm back into your life with this 8-week foundational course!

“I can’t recommend this class enough. A great way to start bringing presence, intention, and self-compassion into your life.
Awareness of your own stressors allows you to start changing how you react to stress.
Carol, April, and Katy are great teachers and people.”

Stephen S., Psychotherapist

I’ve seen positive impact in my relationships, my interactions with strangers, my career, and most importantly, my relationship with myself.
I’d highly recommend this and other GRCFM classes to anyone looking to deepen and enrich their life experiences and their connections to others and to the self.”

Lacey D.

Were so bombarded with hectic schedules and busyness that we forget to slow down and address our bodies signals.
This course brought me on a journey that hasn't stopped. Every day is a gift, but we have to pause to actually enjoy what is around us.

Mackenzie McKinney

“The Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program became part of my life at a very important moment … the results were remarkable.
I would highly recommend this experience.”

RH

“The Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program was a revolutionary act of self-kindness and personal transformation.
The skills I learned and the realizations I had have permanently altered my heart, my head and my life. I will always be grateful for the course, its lessons and generous teachers.”

VKS, Attorney

“This course has been life-changing. The practice has become a part of my morning ritual.
Every day is different, and I am learning to just accept what comes both on my cushion and in my daily life.
Keep emphasizing how important it is to do all the homework.”

Sue Hodges

“The Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction class has profoundly changed my daily life!
The tools I learned have helped me find balance in my chaotic existence, and I highly recommend it.”

Libbie Tupper, Director of Sales

“MBSR class furthered my learning of mindfulness and meditation.
It helped me to reset and deepen my own practice and rhythm for meditation, which has increased my capacity for stressful moments.
I find I am able to live from my core self more easily, rather than my reactionary and more primal self, by utilizing mindfulness and meditation learned in MBSR.”

Erin S., Psychotherapist

“My first MBSR class with Carol many years ago was a life-changing event that led me to a much calmer and stable existence.
I would recommend MBSR to anyone seeking to find another of side of living that is often overlooked in our busy world.”

Dan K.

Learn Mindfulness Meditation Practices

During the course, you will practice several formal and informal mindfulness practices including:

  • Body Scan
  • Sitting Meditation
  • Walking Meditation
  • Mindful Yoga
  • Eating Meditation
  • Routine Activities at Work and at Home

Learning different practices will help you find the one that is right for you and your lifestyle. Manage stress better, naturally!

Class Details

  • The MBSR class consists of eight weekly sessions and one All-Day Retreat after the sixth week of class. The retreat is an extended period of practice to integrate what you have learned in the course.
  • Tuition includes access to a full online version of the class including, meditation audio files, instructional videos, and the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course handbook. 
  • Online classes meet on the Zoom video conferencing platform. Our instructors will help orient you to Zoom. (Hesitant to participate online? Read our tips for making it work, or contact us to discuss!)

Class Information – Meet the Instructor!

Meet your instructor and learn more about the class in this 4-minute video.

Frequently Asked Questions

At its most basic, mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to each moment of life with wisdom and compassion.

Mindfulness is knowing what is happening, when it is happening – both within you in the form of thoughts, emotions and physical sensations, as well as what is happening in the environment around you.

Formal mindfulness practices use a focal point, such as the breath or the gentle movement of the body, to give the mind a place to focus. This focus requires the supportive work of attention and concentration—two key skills that naturally grow through the practice of mindfulness.

Ultimately, the purpose of any formal mindfulness practice is to integrate this ability to be more present into each moment of daily life. It is a powerful way to reduce stress, develop greater balance, and gain the ability to respond to life’s challenges with increased flexibility.

Read more about mindfulness

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction is an 8-week, experiential course designed to walk you through a series of mindfulness practices in a supportive group environment. At the end of the course, each participant has learned what they need to design a flexible, daily mindfulness practice that can be successfully integrated into their unique life circumstances.

The daylong session provides participants the unique opportunity to incorporate all they have learned into an extended practice period.

Each week, participants engage with a set of mindfulness practices that build on one another, offering variety and challenge. Practices include sitting meditation, body scan, and gentle movement.

Participants learn how to apply mindfulness to daily life through weekly instruction, group practice, and dialogue, along with daily assignments and guided audio meditations.

The 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction was created in 1979 by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. From the beginning of the first course over 40 years ago until now, the effectiveness of the MBSR course has been subjected to many rigorous scientific studies. In fact, there is more published research on MBSR than any other stress reduction program to date.

The research has demonstrated again and again that when practiced consistently, mindfulness reduces stress and improves immune function. A reduction in stress and an increase in the immune response create a foundation for improved health and well-being in many other areas of life. Mindfulness and its effectiveness has been studied in numerous areas.

Read more about mindfulness \

It’s very important that you have a clear understanding of what the program is designed to offer, as well as what will be expected from you as a participant, prior to committing to the MBSR program. Our brief informational video on this page addresses all those details. 

You can also sign-up for the class and if you are not convinced at the end of the first class that the MBSR Program is right for you, you will receive a full refund.

 

Tuition for our 8-week online course is offered on a sliding scale with 3 levels: $240 (subsidized), $360 (our-cost), or $450 (benefactor). The course fee includes access to a full online program with instructional videos, meditation audio files, digital downloads, and the course handbook.

We offer payment plans on any tuition tier and have a limited number of scholarships available for each course cycle. Contact Carol at carolhendershot@gmail.com. 

The course is not prorated according to the number of sessions attended.

When registration opens, you sign up online through the buttons on this page.

You can contact us by phone at 616-745-1864 or email at carolhendershot@gmail.com to register or for more information. Please indicate the title and start date of the course you wish you register for.

For mindfulness to have a lasting impact on stress, as well as other areas of your life, a daily mindfulness practice is crucial.

While participating in the 8-week course, you will be given daily homework assignments with handouts and audio meditations designed to support your home practice. While participating in the course, the homework will require up to 45 minutes to 1 hour of your day.

However, studies have shown that once the practices of mindfulness are properly understood, consistency is the most important aspect of mindfulness. When you have completed the 8-week course, a consistent, daily practice—whether 15 minutes or an hour a day—is what will support you in making ongoing changes in your life.

Classes are open to all individuals. However, it is not recommended that you participate in the course if you are currently experiencing an episode of severe depression or have been treated for substance abuse in the past year. Exceptions can be made under the guidance of a healthcare professional.

You can participate if you are currently taking antidepressants and/or other prescription medication. If you have concerns about your participation in the program, it is best to contact your healthcare provider prior to registering for a course.

You can fully participate in the 8-week MBSR course even if you have physical limitations. Each of the mindfulness practices can be modified according to what your body can do in the moment. Body awareness is a key component of the stress reduction program. We can greatly reduce stress and injury when we understand and respect our own physical limits, as well as our capabilities.

While we understand the desire to learn these concepts in a private setting, we do not offer individual sessions at this time.

We strongly encourage you to consider participating in the group format for several reasons. Learning how to practice mindfulness with a group of individuals provides energy and support as you learn a new skill. It is also very helpful to be able to share and discuss your own experiences, as well as the experiences of your classmates, as you learn how to integrate the practice of mindfulness into your daily life. Finally, it is very helpful to understand that while each person’s story is unique, stress is a common human condition that all of us experience. With this knowledge, we can begin to feel less alone and more a part of the human community.

We do not accept insurance at this time. However, you may be able to use a Health Savings Account or a similar type plan to cover the cost of the class. Please contact your health insurance company. We can provide a letter describing the program for your physician and/or insurance company.

If you don’t leave your first class eager to learn more, we will refund your full registration! 

The practice of mindfulness meditation is classified as a form of complementary medicine. Although mindfulness is an important component of the Buddhist tradition, MBSR and our other programs do not not reference or rely on any specific religious or faith system.

Our courses are taught with a clear focus on using mindfulness as a way to train one’s attention on the present moment through the observation of physical sensations, thoughts, and emotions. This crucial information enables you to respond to life with a greater sense of clarity and choice.

One of the best ways to learn how to pay attention is to slow down. By slowing down, you are able to begin to look more closely at what is happening in the body, the mind, and the emotions. As a part of the MBSR course, you will practice various forms of mindfulness meditation simply as a means of slowing down and observing the present moment. In this way, meditation can become a way of life—whether eating, exercising, talking, or sleeping.

Most religious and faith systems have their own unique set of practices designed to cultivate slowness, and because of this, many people find that the practice of mindfulness complements their own faith system or spiritual journey.

Related reading: Do Christianity and Mindfulness Go Together? by Irene Kraegel, PsyD

Online Class Schedule

Upcoming Classes:
Check back soon or contact our office with interest in 2022 dates

Instructor: Carol Hendershot,
Certified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Instructor

8-Week Class Registration:
$240 – $360 – $45
Sliding Scale Tuition

Tuition Assistance Available

Because we believe cost should not be a barrier to accessing mindfulness education, we offer payment plans on all offerings. We also have limited scholarships available for students unable to pay at the low end of the sliding scale. Contact our office for more information.

Online Only in Response to COVID-19

Now more than ever, people need to learn about and practice mindfulness. We want to make the benefits of mindfulness available to you while also keeping you safe. Based on the uncertainty of the future with regard to COVID-19, we will keep our reduced pricing and plan to host online only until further notice.

Questions about this class?

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