What MBSR 8-week graduates are saying about the benefits of MBSR with Karen:
Male (68) with anxiety, depression, diabetes and hypertension:
I have never in my 68 years participated in a class that made such a profound change in my life in such a relatively short span of time. I have reduced my blood pressure medications by 50%. I now have coping tools to help me with my anxiety level that really work. I can see myself with loving-kindness. I have more patience and less frustration when things don’t “go right.” I have gained back my self-confidence.
Female (39) with chronic headaches and life out of balance:
I noticed I could not be still with ease . . . that I had no compassion for myself and was incredibly angry with my body. I am now enjoying the loving-kindness meditation. At difficult times I find being mindful of my actions very helpful. I have learned to follow my breath while driving . . . to stop and soak up multiple, small, beautiful moments in every day.
Male (57) with chronic back pain:
Daily listening to the Sacred Pause guided meditation recordings and alternating with the Mindful Body Scan meditation recording has actually reduced the back pain by 1/2. Consider changing the course name to ‘Mindfulness-Based LIFE INSTRUCTION. Most valuable part of MBSR was the teacher’s caring, love and attention.
Female (30) single parent who enrolled to reduce anger, anxiety, irritability:
My original motivation for taking MBSR was to reduce anger, especially with my son. I often had very powerful feelings of being soothed and healed by the end of class. I developed a new sense of what meditation is . . . such as the emphasis on gentleness and openness to thoughts that come up as opposed to “not thinking.” I am beginning to relate to my difficult emotions as friends . . . to welcome them and stay with them . . . and to see this challenge as a potentially powerful teacher.
Male (47) with chronic insomnia and the desire to decrease sleeping medications:
Before taking MBSR, I would need to take sleeping pills in order to get a full night of sleep and sometimes even the meds would not help. During MBSR, I first used sleeping pills together with the guided meditation recordings. After several weeks I stopped using the pills and listened to the meditations when I woke up in the middle of the night. It worked. I am able to fall asleep without the pills by either meditating with the guided meditations or on my own. Not only am I getting enough sleep to function in a stressful job, I am responding better to stress as well. I recommend MBSR for anyone with similar challenges.
Female (28) with anxiety disorder and panic attacks:
Karen is phenomenal—her compassion and understanding of my fears set me free enough to show up and stay every week. Learning to “pay attention” and “connect” brings me closer each day to the true experience of life and my place within it. Taking this class has brought the concept of self-compassion into my heart, which I never thought possible.
Male (35) with hypertension, high stress at work and home, and life out of balance:
The loving-kindness meditation opened my heart and mind to feelings and sensations long suppressed. It allowed me to be aware of my constant self-criticism. This was followed with an acceptance of who I am, that I do not need to measure my worth by my productivity, that it is okay to love myself without conditions. I then saw my grandmother, gone now for three years, smiling at me, knowing I had just came to see myself as she had always seen me. Loving me for who I am, not what I do.
Female (52) with insomnia, chronic back pain and stress:
I noticed a reduction in low back pain, a connection between pain and emotions. I am aware of more energy, better sleep and improved understanding of the fleeting nature of pain. I observed a new sense of calmness during stressful times. Eating meditation was very helpful.
Male (76) with chronic anxiety, irregular heartbeat, chest tightness, and insomnia:
I have noticed a reduced tendency to react in a habitual manner to stressful conditions, a general reduction in chronic chest tightness and shortness of breath. I am able to breathe deeply and fully more of the time. I have noticed a decreased dependence on prescription drugs to control hyper-arousal and arrhythmias. Mindfulness has greatly enhanced my ability to gain a peaceful, relaxed state, and improved my appreciation and enjoyment of my surrounding environment. Generally, I found MBSR to be a life-changing experience of major proportion.
Female (60) with GERD, hypertension, and arthritis:
Karen is an outstanding teacher and facilitator. I cannot imagine how this program could have been better, and I have been a teacher, myself, for over 20 years. The guided yoga/meditation recordings created by Karen are gems. I will use them for the rest of my life.
Male (65) with heart palpitations caused by stress, anxiety and anger:
I have taught 33 years as a university professor and from my experience in MBSR, Karen is one of the best instructors I have ever known!
Female (56) with chronic pain, stress, anxiety, depression:
One of the best programs I have ever taken—and I have taken many stress/yoga/mindfulness related programs. This has been the best. Karen is a special and talented instructor and teacher . . . very gifted and a gentle spirit. The organization, tools, CDs and teachings were fabulous.
Female (65) with desire to relax, enjoy the moment and maximiz joy, peace and love:
Karen is a highly professional and skilled teacher who is consistently effective in the areas of relevant knowledge, information presentation, interactions with students, and classroom organization and management. The encouraging and supportive teaching style of Karen provided a safe and nurturing class environment necessary for MBSR. She embodies and models the practices and content she teaches. She was able in our class to bring complete strangers together on very individual, personal matters. She is one of those rare and gifted teachers who is able to reach all those individuals she teaches. Additionally, she demonstrates respect, graciousness, patience, kindness, interest, and humor. It is a pleasure and privilege to be in her program.