Format: 8 weekly live sessions (2.5 hours each) + 1 full-day retreat — all online via Zoom
Day of Mindfulness: A retreat-like day mid-program where we step away from daily routines and immerse in guided practices — including meditation, mindful movement, walking, and a mindful lunch. Many participants find it one of the most powerful and transformative parts of the program.
Where:  From the comfort of your home
Teacher: Karen Sothers, M.Ed., E-RYT — teaching MBSR since 2004, known for her compassionate, down-to-earth approach
Guest Teacher: Dr. Robert Bonakdar, Director of Pain Management at Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine (recorded session + guided meditations)
Group Size: Limited to a small, supportive group (max 15–20) for meaningful interaction and personalized guidance (enrollment closes once full)
Tuition: $495 special rate | $595 standard rate — check the registration page for current cutoff date
What’s Included: 8 live weekly sessions, 1 full-day retreat, 2 private phone sessions with Karen, digital manual, guided practice recordings, weekly encouragement emails, and 6-month Resource Library access with replays, meditations, slides, and bonus content
Daily Practice: 10–45 minutes of guided daily practice on most days, plus informal mindfulness woven into everyday life
Support Between Sessions: Weekly encouragement emails, guided recordings and resources in the Library, and the option to email Karen with questions (additional individual sessions available for a fee)
If You Miss a Session: Stay current with session replays, guided meditations, manual and bonus materials in the Resource Library
Experience Needed: None — beginners and more experienced people are welcome
Technology Needs: Computer with camera, microphone, and reliable internet (mobile can work; computer recommended for best experience)
Refund Policy: All payments are final; no refunds, credits, or transfers (please confirm availability before registering)
Insurance: Not covered. Many participants consider MBSR to be a valuable investment in their health, resilience, and well-being.
Questions? Read below, then book a free 15-minute call if you’d like a personal conversation with Karen. (See the link to schedule in the Contact and Next Steps section at the bottom of this page.)

Mindfulness is the intention to pay attention—to your inner and outer experience—in a curious, open, and caring way. Mindfulness is a skill that allows you to live more fully, respond with wisdom rather than react automatically, and bring more presence and compassion into each moment.

MBSR is different from many other stress-management approaches because it doesn’t simply teach techniques to relax or reduce tension. Instead, MBSR helps you shift your relationship to your experience. Rather than fighting or avoiding stress, pain, or difficulty, you learn to meet each moment with greater awareness, curiosity, and choice.

This shift is cultivated through two types of practice:

• Formal mindfulness — guided meditations, gentle mindful movement (yoga and body awareness), and walking meditation.
• Informal mindfulness — weaving awareness into everyday life, such as eating, driving, working, exercising, or communicating.

Over time, these practices help you notice thoughts, emotions, and body sensations without judgment; soften resistance to “what is,” which reduces distress; and respond with greater clarity, calm, and compassion — even in challenging situations.

No. MBSR is an educational program, not psychotherapy or medical treatment. Many participants are referred by clinicians and find MBSR complements their healthcare. Always follow your provider’s medical advice.

Mindfulness apps and short workshops can be a helpful introduction, but they usually provide quick techniques without the depth, structure, or personal support needed to create lasting change.

MBSR is different because it offers:

• • A proven 8-week curriculum — originally developed by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center and backed by decades of research in healthcare and psychology.
• • Live teaching and interactive learning — real-time interaction with an experienced teacher (Karen). Each session includes guided experiential practices, group dialogue, and education about the science of stress and mindfulness.
• • A supportive small group — the interactive format helps participants stay engaged and realize they’re not alone in facing stress and challenges.
• • Practical integration — you’ll practice both formal meditation and informal mindfulness woven into daily activities like eating, walking, or communicating.
• • Resources you can revisit — guided recordings, a digital manual, weekly encouragement emails, and 6-month access to a Resource Library to reinforce learning beyond the live sessions.

In short, MBSR goes far beyond teaching “relaxation techniques.” It helps you build a new relationship to stress, pain, and difficulty — one grounded in awareness, resilience, and compassion.

Karen Sothers, M.Ed., E-RYT, has been teaching MBSR since 2004 and has guided thousands of participants through this life-changing program. She teaches from the trusted foundation of Jon Kabat-Zinn’s original MBSR curriculum, while bringing the freshness of her own 35+ years of daily mindfulness practice, decades of teaching, and the wisdom learned directly from participants.

What makes Karen’s teaching unique is her ability to combine:

• • Compassionate, down-to-earth presence — participants often describe feeling at ease, understood, and deeply supported.
• • Depth of expertise — drawing on both research-based mindfulness methods and practical mind-body-heart tools for stress reduction and nervous system regulation.
• • Adaptability — offering accessible options for posture, movement, and practice length so everyone can participate comfortably.
• • Heartfelt guidance — blending professional training with lived experience, she creates a safe, welcoming space where participants feel empowered to explore and integrate mindfulness in meaningful ways.

Karen’s unique approach ensures the program is not just informative, but also deeply experiential, personal, and transformative — helping participants discover how mindfulness can truly support them in daily life.

MBSR is for adults of all ages who want to reduce stress, improve well-being, and live with more clarity and ease. It is especially supportive for those navigating health challenges, emotional stress, or major life changes.

Research and participant experience show benefits for people experiencing, including but not limited to:

• Chronic pain or illness
• Fatigue, low energy, or sleep challenges (including insomnia)
• Anxiety, panic, overwhelm, or ongoing stress
• Depression or low mood
• Headaches or migraines
• Digestive issues such as IBS
• Heart disease, high blood pressure, or atrial fibrillation
• Diabetes
• Cancer recovery and side effects from medical treatments
• Psoriasis or other stress-influenced skin conditions
• Addictions or unhelpful coping patterns

And many people join simply to strengthen their resilience, self-care, and ability to thrive amid change.

No prior mindfulness or meditation experience is required.

You’ll build practical skills to:

• Reduce stress/anxiety and calm the nervous system
• Sleep better, restore energy, and enhance mood and focus
• Stay grounded in challenging moments
• Relate more skillfully to physical and emotional pain
• Transform difficult emotions (anxiety, anger, frustration, low mood)
• Increase self-acceptance and self-compassion while reducing self-criticism
• Create and sustain daily formal and informal practice
• Apply mindfulness as a complement to your medical care

Published research and Karen’s graduates report:

• • Long-term relief from physical and psychological symptoms
• • Less reactivity and more effective responses to stress
• • Improved energy, mindset, mood, and sleep
• • Reduced pain and better pain management

MBSR helps you cultivate greater awareness of your thoughts, emotions, and body sensations so you can respond to life’s challenges with more clarity and compassion rather than reacting on autopilot. Through mindfulness practice, you learn to notice unhelpful mental patterns, calm the nervous system, and relate to difficult emotions in new ways.

Research shows that MBSR can:

• Reduce anxiety, depression, and rumination
• Improve mood, focus, and resilience
• Increase emotional regulation and self-acceptance
• Strengthen compassion for yourself and others

Beyond the research, many participants share that MBSR gives them a renewed sense of steadiness, perspective, and hope. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by stress or emotions, they discover more calmness, confidence, and ease in their daily lives.

MBSR is not a medical treatment, but it is a well-researched complement to medical care. It can reduce the impact of distress on the body, improve emotional well-being, and support healing — which can positively influence many health conditions. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes to your medical care.

• 8 weekly live online sessions (2.5–3 hours each) — over 30 hours of class time including the retreat
• Day of Mindfulness: one full-day online retreat (Saturday between Weeks 6 & 7)
• Two private 30-minute phone sessions with Karen (typically between Weeks 1–3 & after Week 8)
• Daily home practice (10–45 minutes) with provided guided recordings
• Weekly “Mindfulness Encouraging Words” emails
• Resource Library (6 months access): session replays, guided meditations, mindful movement, bonus content; downloadable audio practices for ongoing use
• Comprehensive digital program manual
• Guest teaching: recorded session with Dr. Robert Bonakdar (“Your Brain on Mindfulness”) + two guided meditations

Each session is a blend of guided practice, learning, and community designed to help you integrate mindfulness into your life. Sessions are structured to give you both direct experience of mindfulness and practical tools you can bring into daily life.

A typical session includes:

• Guided formal mindfulness practices — stillness meditations (lying down or sitting), gentle yoga & other mindful movements (always adapted to your needs) and/or walking meditation (cultivating presence while in motion).
• Engaging discussions with visual slides — exploring the science of stress, the physiology of the nervous system, and the psychology of mindfulness
• Group dialogue and reflection — a safe, supportive space to share experiences, ask questions, and learn from one another
• Practical informal guidance — weaving mindfulness into daily activities like eating, communicating, and handling challenges

Over the 8 weeks, these sessions build on each other to help you:

• Establish and sustain a daily mindful practice (formal and informal)
• Understand how mindfulness supports healing and resilience
• Learn to relate to stress and difficulty with more clarity and compassion
• Connect with a supportive group community that encourages and inspires your practice

The Day of Mindfulness is a special opportunity to intentionally “pause” from the usual pace of daily life and immerse yourself in a full day of guided practice. Together, we alternate between stillness and movement — including sitting or lying-down meditation, mindful walking, gentle mindful movement, and a guided eating meditation at lunchtime.

This retreat-like day allows you to:

• Deepen the practices you’ve been cultivating in the weekly sessions
• Experience the power of sustained mindfulness over an extended period
• Explore new practices and perspectives that support everyday integration
• Strengthen your sense of presence, calm, and connection

Many participants describe this day as one of the most meaningful parts of the program — a chance to fully experience what it’s like to “live mindfully” all day long.

You’ll want to set aside time for both the live classes and your home practice:

• Weekly live class: 2.5–3 hours once per week (via Zoom)
• Day of Mindfulness retreat: 7 hours on a Saturday between Weeks 6 & 7
• Formal practice: ~10–45 minutes on most days, guided by recordings. Each participant sets their own amount of time and daily rhythm, but consistency is key.
• Informal practice: Bringing mindful awareness into everyday moments — like eating, walking, working, exercising, driving, or communicating. Since most informal practice is woven into what you’re already doing, it won’t take extra time. You’ll also discover a few simple 1–2 minute “mini practices” you can use during the day whenever you’d like a mindful pause.

Home practice — both formal and informal — is the heart of the program. Guided recordings, mindful movement practices, and weekly suggestions will help you integrate mindfulness into daily life. Over the 8 weeks, this steady rhythm of practice supports lasting benefits in stress reduction, resilience, and overall well-being.

It’s okay if you can’t attend every session live. Each session is supported with materials in the Resource Library, including:

• A video replay of the session’s content
• Guided meditation recordings from that session
• Slides and handouts used during the session
• The program manual for reference

Replays are pre-recorded and cover the same core practices and teachings as the live sessions, so you won’t miss out on the essential learning. This way, you can stay current with the program even if you have to miss a session.

Yes. While live participation is encouraged, you can experience the weekly sessions on your own schedule via the recordings and materials in the Resource Library (available for 6 months).

Enrollment is limited to 15–20 participants to support meaningful interaction, individualized guidance, and a safe learning space.

The program is open to adults of all ages, and it’s especially supportive if you:

• • Prefer learning from home or have distance/traffic challenges
• • Have a busy schedule or anticipate missing 1–2 sessions (you can stay current with replays)
• • Live with physical limitations or medical conditions such as chronic pain, fatigue, or side effects from treatment, and benefit from learning in the comfort of your home
• • Are immunocompromised or experience social anxiety in group settings
• • Simply enjoy the accessibility and flexibility of an online format

In short, if you want to experience the benefits of MBSR in a convenient and supportive way, the online program may be a great fit for you.

In addition to Karen’s live teaching and guidance, you’ll also learn from Dr. Robert Bonakdar, Director of Pain Management at Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine.

Dr. Bonakdar brings both clinical expertise and personal experience with mindfulness. During Week 4, you’ll have access to his recorded session on the neuroscience of mindfulness, where he explores how mindfulness affects the brain and nervous system, along with two guided meditations by Dr. Bonakdar so you can practice with him. All of his recordings are available in the Resource Library, so you can revisit them anytime during your 6-month access period.

This special guest session provides an inspiring perspective from a physician who integrates mindfulness into modern medicine, showing how the practice is supported by both science as well as lived experience.

The program is delivered live on Zoom. You’ll need a computer with video, microphone, and a reliable internet connection. Mobile devices (tablet or smartphone) may work, but a computer provides the most effective and engaging experience.

To participate fully, you’ll also need:

• Zoom video platform (free to download)
• Headphones (optional, but recommended for privacy and better sound quality)

All program materials — including the manual, slides, and guided practices — are provided digitally. If you prefer paper copies during the program, you will need access to a printer.

Tuition for the MBSR Online Program is $495 at the special rate and $595 at the standard rate.

The registration page always lists the current cutoff date for the special rate. Please click HERE to view the most up-to-date information, or visit the registration page directly. Enrollment is limited, and registration will close once the group is full.

Your tuition includes everything you need to fully participate in and benefit from the program:

• 8 live weekly sessions (2.5 hours each via Zoom) with Karen — interactive and experiential
• 1 full-day online retreat (between Weeks 6 & 7) to deepen your practice
• 2 individual phone sessions with Karen for personalized guidance and support
• Digital program manual and guided daily practice recordings
• Access to the Resource Library for 6 months (session replays, guided meditations, slides, and bonus content; audio downloads for ongoing use)
• Special Guest Teacher: Dr. Robert Bonakdar, Director of Pain Management at Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine — recorded session on the neuroscience of mindfulness and guided meditations
• Weekly Encouraging Words emails — inspiration and support between sessions
• Personalized feedback, group sharing, and more

No. The MBSR tuition fee is not covered by insurance. Many participants consider it an important investment in long-term health and resilience.

All payments are final. We are not able to offer refunds, credits, exchanges, or transfers. Because enrollment is limited, your registration reserves your place in the group.

If you miss a live session, you’ll still have full access to session replays, guided meditations, program materials, and other resources in the Resource Library to support your continued learning and practice. Please confirm your availability before registering. At checkout, you’ll review and agree to the program’s Terms & Conditions, which include this policy.

You can still complete the program on your own schedule using the Resource Library for six months. This includes:

• Session replays (including the Day of Mindfulness)
• Guided meditation recordings
• The program manual and slides
• Weekly encouragement emails
• Two private phone sessions with Karen for individualized support

Yes. Pre-registration is required. To maintain a small, interactive group, enrollment is limited to 15–20 participants. To register, click HERE.

Not at all. This program is designed for both those who are beginners and more experienced in mindfulness and meditation. You’ll be guided step by step, with options to adapt the practices to your needs — whether that means choosing a different posture (lying down, sitting, or standing), adjusting the length of practice or other needs you may have.

That’s absolutely okay. All of the practices in MBSR are designed to be adaptable to your body and your comfort level. You’ll be offered options for posture — sitting, standing, lying down, or even moving gently while practicing — and the mindful movement segments are gentle and can be easily modified.

If you have specific mobility needs, please let Karen know so practices can be tailored for you. What matters most is your awareness and intention, not holding a particular position. Many participants find that discovering their own way to practice — whether still or moving — is part of what makes the program so supportive and sustainable.

MBSR won’t make life’s challenges disappear, but it can profoundly change how you relate to them. Through mindfulness, you’ll learn practical ways to calm your nervous system, reduce reactivity, and meet difficult experiences with more steadiness and care.

Many participants report:

• Feeling less overwhelmed by stress and anxiety
• Greater resilience and energy in daily life
• Improved sleep and mood
• More effective ways to relate to chronic pain or fatigue

Research also shows MBSR can reduce the impact of stress on the body and support healing for conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, digestive issues, and immune-related concerns.

In short, MBSR gives you tools to navigate pain, anxiety, or fatigue with greater clarity, compassion, and resilience— helping you live more fully even in the midst of difficulty.

You’ll be supported throughout the 8 weeks with resources and personal guidance, including:

• Two individual 30-minute phone sessions with Karen (one scheduled early in the course between Sessions 1–3, and one after Session 8)
• Weekly “Mindfulness Encouraging Words” emails — inspiration and reminders sent each week
• Guided audio recordings to support your daily practice at home
• Email access to Karen for questions that may arise between sessions
• Option to schedule additional individual phone sessions for a fee, if you’d like extra one-on-one support

This combination of personal contact, ongoing encouragement, and structured resources ensures you don’t feel alone in your practice — you’ll have steady guidance and support every step of the way.

Graduation is not the end of your mindfulness journey — it’s the beginning of living mindfulness more fully in your life. After completing the program, you will:

• Leave with a toolkit of skills and guided practices to support your ongoing mindfulness practice at home.
• Continue exploring with your digital program manual and recorded meditations, which you can download and then revisit anytime.
• Maintain access to the Resource Library for 6 months, giving you time to review session replays, refresh practices, and deepen your learning with bonus materials.
• Be eligible to join MBSR 2.0 Graduate Programs with Karen, offered a few times each year, which focus on specific themes and provide continued structure, practice, and community support.

Many graduates also notice that mindfulness naturally begins to weave into daily life beyond formal practice — helping them respond with more calm, clarity, and compassion long after the 8 weeks are complete.

Most questions are answered in these FAQs and through reading the graduate reflections on this website. If you’d like a personal conversation before enrolling, you can click below and schedule a free 15-minute call with Karen to ask your specific questions and explore whether the program feels like the right fit for you.

📞 Schedule a Free 15-Minute Call with Karen

Registering is simple, and space is limited to keep the group size small and supportive. Just follow these steps:

1. Check the program schedule to confirm the dates work for you.
2. Click the Register Now button below or click HERE and complete your payment.
3. Watch for your confirmation email, which will include the registration form to complete your enrollment.

That’s it — three easy steps to secure your place in the upcoming 8-week program.

If you’re ready to join, the next step is to secure your spot:

• Visit the registration page to view the schedule, learn more, and enroll.
• Once registered, you’ll receive a confirmation email with your form and further details.

If you’re not quite ready, you can explore the FAQs above, read graduate reviews, or schedule a free call with Karen for a personal conversation before you decide.

📞 Schedule a Free 15-Minute Call with Karen