Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
MBSR ONLINE Program
with Karen Sothers, M.Ed., E-RYT
and special guest teacher, Dr. Robert Bonakdar*
MBSR Online 8-Week Program: Fall 2023 Schedule
Wednesday Evenings: September 20 – November 8, 5:30 p.m.– 8:00 p.m. (PT)
Day of Mindfulness: Saturday, October 28, 9:30am – 4:30p.m. (PT)
Note: Session 1 and 8 may be 15 – 30 minutes longer.
MBSR Overall Description
In the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) online program modeled after the world-renowned MBSR developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., you will learn how to:
- Pay attention with curiosity and kindness to your present moment experience
- Intentionally respond with wisdom and compassion rather than react automatically
- Relate skillfully to physical and emotional pain to live more fully in the midst of it
- Use mindfulness meditation to improve your sleeping patterns
- Build your capacity to learn from and transform difficult emotions, such as anxiety, anger, frustration and depression
- Increase self-acceptance and self-compassion while decreasing critical self-judgments
- Create and sustain a daily formal and informal mindfulness practice
- Apply MBSR as a highly effective complement to any conventional medical care you are currently receiving to relieve physical symptoms, such as headaches, gastrointestinal problems or high blood pressure, etc.
MBSR Overall Benefits
According to published research plus as reported by graduates of MBSR with Karen:
- Long-term relief from physical and psychological symptoms
- More effective responses to stress and less reactive
- Improved energy levels, mindset, mood and sleeping patterns
- Less pain and improved pain management
- Overall increase in acceptance and compassion for oneself and others
What are the MBSR Online modalities?
Throughout the 8-weeks you will experience:
- Systematic instruction in formal mindfulness meditation practices
- Listening to digital mindfulness audio recordings in-between classes to create your own daily formal meditation practice (10 – 45 minutes per day)
- How to integrate informal mindfulness practices as part of your daily activities, such as mindful breathing, eating, driving, exercising, working, communicating, etc.
- Gentle mindful yoga postures adapted to your needs
- Walking meditation practices
- Two one-on-one phone sessions with Karen to individualize your mindfulness practices (30 minutes between sessions 1 – 3 and 30 minutes after session 8)
- Learning about the science, physiology and psychology of mindfulness and stress using the visual aid of power point slides to guide the exploration and discussion
- The MBSR Online Resource Library where you can review the videos and audios from selected parts of each weekly session
- *Experience Dr. Robert Bonakdar’s exploration of “Your Brain on Mindfulness” by watching the video posted on the MBSR Online Resource Library along with practicing mindfulness with him as you listen to his guided meditations.
- Reading from the comprehensive MBSR program manual (digital) to reinforce the in-class learning process
- Sharing with and listening to other group participants as a way to inspire your mindfulness formal and informal practices
- Nine weekly Mindfulness Encouraging Words emails to support your mindfulness practice between each session
- The Day of Mindfulness retreat on a Saturday between week 6 and 7 to deepen and expand your mindfulness practices
What is the MBSR Online Program structure?
- Eight sessions of 2.5 – 3 hours each (Over 30 hours of class time including the Day of Mindfulness)
- Two one-on-one phone sessions with Karen (30 minutes between sessions 1 – 3 and 30 minutes after session 8)
- Nine weekly Mindfulness Encouraging Words emails to support your mindfulness practice between each session
- Day of Mindfulness retreat on a Saturday between week 6 and 7
- Commitment to your own daily formal (10 – 45 minutes per day) and informal mindfulness practices in-between weekly sessions