Faculty/Staff/Community Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
Fall 2015
Posted in: Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) News, Health Promotion News
Would you like to discover a deeper sense of ease and peace of mind?
Would you like to gain a greater sense of balance and control in your life?
Have you wondered if mindfulness could be helpful to you??
Montclair State University will once again offer the eight week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course developed by Dr. Jon Kabat Zinn that has been featured in countless media segments and in hundreds of scientific journals. The MBSR course has been shown to reduce anxiety, stress and depression, improve health and increase a sense of well being.
FREE Information Session!
Wednesday September 16, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m., Drop In Center
At this free session you will meet the instructors, get a first-hand experience in mindfulness, and learn about MBSR so you can decide whether the course is right for you. Mindfulness can be successfully learned and practiced by people of all backgrounds. No prior experience is necessary.
About The Course
Each class is 2.5 hours long on Wednesday evenings, 5:00 – 7:30 p.m., and the course includes an orientation session and an all-day class on a Sunday, November 15, from 10:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m. Home practice support materials are included. Important dates below. Instructors: Dr. Arlene Gordon and Beth Sandweiss.
Cost
$300 for Montclair State University faculty/staff; $375 for non-MSU participants.
Important Dates
- Orientation: September 30, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., The Orientation is intended for people who are serious about the course. Participants receive orientation information and participate in an individual interview prior to attending Class 1. Please contact the instructors if you are unable to attend the orientation.
- Class 1: Wednesday, October 7, 5:00 – 7:30 p.m.
- Class 2: Wednesday, October 14, 5:00 – 7:30 p.m.
- Class 3: Wednesday, October 21, 5:00 – 7:30 p.m.
- Class 4: Wednesday, October 28, 5:00 – 7:30 p.m.
- Class 5: Wednesday, November 4, 5:00 – 7:30 p.m.
- Class 6: Wednesday, November 11, 5:00 – 7:30 p.m.
- Retreat: All day Class on Sunday, November 15, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. This all day retreat is an opportunity to put into practice all the skills you have learned so far in a supportive community environment, together with alumni from previous MBSR courses.
- Class 7: Wednesday, November 18, 5:00 – 7:30 p.m.
- Class 8: Wednesday, December 2, 5:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Location: Ben Samuel’s Children’s Center
How Do I Register?
To register call 973-655-3340 or stop by the Student Recreation Center. Registration code is 4200. Space is limited. Register early to ensure a space.
Got Questions?
For more information contact Dr. Nancy Friedman friedmann@mail.montclair.edu
What is Mindfulness and How Can It Help Me?
Mindfulness involves paying attention in the present moment with kindness and acceptance. It is a simple yet powerful practice that gives you the tools to access your inner resources and wisdom. Cultivating mindful awareness can help free you from being caught up with worries about the future, regrets, judgments and emotional reactions to whatever is happening.
Mindfulness fosters the kind of awareness that can allow you to handle challenging situations in all areas of your life, including work stress, interpersonal stress, parenting stress and anything that life throws at you. It can help you quiet self-criticism and doubt so that you can live with more balance and ease. Learn Core Mindfulness Practices.
This unique course is an opportunity to build and sustain a personal mindfulness practice. During the course you will become familiar with several core mindfulness practices including:
- mindful breathing
- sitting and walking meditation
- mindfulness of sound and choiceless awareness
- gentle yoga and movement
- the body scan
- practices for handling difficult thoughts and emotions with mindful awareness
Participants will also learn “informal mindfulness” which involves bringing the same mindful awareness into routine activities at home and work. Through guided instruction, group discussion and inquiry, participants will develop powerful tools to recognize habitual reactions and learn to handle stress one moment at a time.
Helpful links to learn more about MBSR
Materials
The learning in your weekly class sessions is supported by audio tracks with guided meditations. These materials are included in the course fee.
Commitment
Attendance is important. By registering for this course you are committing yourself to attend each of the weekly sessions, the Day of Mindfulness session, and to practice at home 45 minutes a day throughout the course.
Parking Information
There is no parking in front of the building and participants who have a Montclair State University surface lot pass can park in lots on either side of the center. Participants can pay by phone after 4:30 p.m. or park in NJTransit parking deck.
Sponsored by CAPS, Health Promotion, and the Ben Samuels Children’s Center.