Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a mindfulness training program that helps us access and strengthen our own inner resources, to more actively engage in the moment, and find greater balance, ease, and peace of mind. MBSR is the original mindfulness course, has been exhaustively researched, and is considered to be the gold standard in mindfulness training.

The next in-person MBSR class will be held weekly on Thursdays, 1pm -3:30pm, from October 3rd – November 21st, 2024. 

The next online MBSR course will be held weekly on Wednesdays, 6pm – 8:30pm, from October 2nd – November 20th, 2024.

Both in-person and online courses will attend the 6 hour silent retreat on November 16th, 10am – 4pm.   A day to practice being present with each other is a highlight of the course!

The MBSR program was founded by Jon Kabat-Zinn PhD, drawing on years of personal and professional experience with meditation, yoga, neuroscience, medicine and positive psychology. The benefits of MBSR have since been the subject of well over 6,000 mainstream scientific studies, and it has proven to provide significant help to people struggling with stress, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and chronic illness.

With MBSR you can:

  • Learn mindful approaches to manage physical, emotional, and psychological pain, stress, and difficulty in an effective way.
  • Improve your stress resilience and avoid burnout.
  • Improve the quality of your life and relationships at work and at home.
  • Overcome old and unhelpful habits of thinking and reactivity, and forge new pathways of responding with wisdom and compassion.
Course details

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction is a structured 9-week training (including the essential  day-long silent retreat) that includes:

  • Guided instruction in mindfulness meditation practices
  • Guided instruction in gentle stretching and mindful movement, based on yoga and qi gong
  • Group discussions and dialogue aimed at enhancing mindfulness in everyday life
  • Daily home assignments to build a foundation of regular mindfulness practice
  • And your resources will include:
    1. Access to meditation audio files for home practice
    2. A  manual/workbook as your guide to the course, with short readings and resources to support your ongoing practice of mindfulness
Recommended Reading: 
  • Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn, 2013 revised edition. Each week of class we will list a few chapters in JKZ’s book to support what we have covered in class. “This book’s invitation for each one of us to wake up and savor every moment we are given to live has never been more needed than it is today.” -Thich Nhat Hanh.  This book can be found for around $17-$23 in paperback, and also as an audio book.
Course Structure
  • Eight classes, @  2 1/2 hours long.
  • One day-long retreat on Saturday November 16th, 2024.
  • Daily practice at home of 30-45 minutes during the entire course- which will become the foundation of your ongoing, and hopefully lifelong practice.
  • Supplemental reading and educational videos for participants who have the time and wish to dive more deeply into mindfulness theory and inspiration.
Make a Commitment (to yourself!)

MBSR, like exercise, is truly experiential proposition: learning about it is great, but the majority of the benefits come from doing it. A robust set of studies show that the benefits one receives – whether it’s stress reduction, avoiding depression, managing pain – is directly related to the time spent practicing. In fact, a significant amount of time in class will be spent actually doing the practices and sharing our experiences with each other.

Most of us have busy lives and it may feel like adding the weekly class and daily home practice is  going to add to your stress level.  And it may – but you’ll quickly realize that the stress relief- as time goes on, more than makes up for the challenge of adding to your already busy life. Remember, what you practice grows stronger- whether they are positive OR negative thoughts and emotions.

So please – make a commitment to your own well-being and make your best effort to attend all class sessions and do the home practice. There will be plenty of support from the instructors, the recorded and written materials, and from your fellow participants – but the decision to commit to MBSR can come from you alone.

Many participants have chosen to sign up for the course with a partner or a buddy.  This can deepen the experience of the course if you have someone who can share the journey with!

Upcoming Courses*

  • Our next in-person course will begin October 3rd, 2024. An online course will start on Wednesday, October 2nd.
  • Each MBSR course includes a “Day of Mindfulness”, a day-long guided silent retreat. The date of the retreat is November 16, from 10 AM – 4:00 PM.
  • Course fee: sliding scale from $300 – $500
    Instructor: Ellen Falconer
Registration: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
  • Class size limited to 6-12 people.
  • Class and Retreat Location – In-person or on Zoom.us
  • Course fee: Sliding scale: $300 to $500. (Please see details at the PayPal payment area).  You can decide what you can pay, in $100 increments when you go to the PayPal site.  Higher payments will help us to offer scholarships.
  • Scholarships available for individuals in need.  Please contact us for information.
  • This course is designed for adults. If you (or an individual for whom you are registering) is less than 18 years of age, please contact us before registering.
This registration is a two step process:
  1. Complete and submit this form
  2. Select a payment option (below the form)

If you have questions, please contact us.

Step 1: Class Registration

    Step 2: Tuition

    We are offering this class on a sliding scale fee basis. Please pay as high on the scale as you can – this makes the lower cost options available for those who need them.

    PAYMENT METHODS: Please contact us to confirm before you pay.

    1. You can pay for the course online through PayPal (No PayPal account necessary – you can just use your preferred credit card on their site) by choosing your payment level, and then clicking the “Buy Now” button. Please see below* if you’d be interested in paying by VENMO (it has no fee’s attached, which helps a lot!) or by check. If the class is cancelled or if you need a refund, it will be returned minus the PayPal fees.
    Choose how much you will pay –

     

    2. VENMO: Is an app that allows you to directly transfer money from your bank account into a friends bank account! There are no fees, so if there is a cancellation you receive a 100% refund.  Add the app to your cellphone, friend me, and then we can set up a payment: @Ellen-Falconer is my contact. If you have questions, please contact me. This is a safe way to transfer money-PayPal owns this app.

     

    3. Or submit your payment by check payable to:
    Ellen Falconer
    427 Washington Street
    Port Townsend,  WA 98368