The 8 Week Applied Mindfulness Beginner's Course
Next course begins April 18, 2020. Register here.
Week 1 - An Introduction to Mindfulness and Stress Reduction
Our bodies react to psychological stress by igniting our Stress Response System. Chronic stress causes the body harm and decreases its ability to rest and heal. This introductory class is designed to provide the participant with an understanding of how we stress, the real source of our stress, and its impact on our overall well-being. This will include reviewing the latest research studies and scientific evidence about stress and the effects mindfulness has in treating chronic stress and enabling us to activate our body's natural Relaxation Response; returning to a calm, natural state of being. Mindfulness guided us to our own deep internal resources to deal with stress, anxiety, depression and other challenging life situations. Each participant will learn how to recognize their own personal stress, what triggers it and how the practice of mindfulness can be used to manage stress effectively and sustainably. Finally, participants will be instructed in mindfulness exercises to put into practice immediately.
Week 2 - Body Awareness and Stress
This class will examine how mental stress creates tension in the body and the implications of this stress on concentration, focus, creativity, productivity and overall energy. Participants will learn to recognize when and how they are being negatively effected by their own personal stress. They will be guided to recognize their own physical stressors and work to reduce the negative effects these stressors have on their overall well-being.
Week 3 - Mindfulness in Motion
Our inner pace and sense of balance has a direct effect on our experience with the world around us. We will examine what "drives" us and how to bring awareness to our own impulses. We will further examine the relationship between stress and it’s impact on our body function. Students will be guided through a series of exercises that will help them recognize when they are trapped in tension and apply strategies for living “at ease”.
Week 4 - Habitual Styles of Thinking
This class will introduce students to some common habitual styles of thinking, that when left unnoticed, drive behavior and cause stress and anxiety. Because these thinking patterns often occur unconsciously, mindfulness serves as a tool to notice when we might be falling into these traps. With increased awareness comes the opportunity and ability to choose to look at a situation differently and notice thoughts as simple events, rather than as facts.
Week 5 - Our Emotional Intelligence and Stress
The level of our own Emotional Intelligence has been proven to have a direct effect on our work, relationships and our over-all health and wellbeing. We will examine the correlations between our own emotional intelligence and stress. Participants will learn how to recognize their own emotions and will be taught to examine these emotions in an effort to gain further insight into how and why they stress. This knowledge and experience will allow the participant to develop more tools and strategies for reducing their stress.
Week 6 - Self-Talk and Stress
How we speak to and about ourselves has a direct effect on our emotional wellbeing. Here we take a further look inward at how our inner “self-talk” has a direct effect on our outward experiences. We will recognize what role our internal self-talk has on our work and personal relationships and further examine how habitual styles of thinking may lead to stress and anxiety. This will allow students to gain a deeper awareness and insight into who they are, when stressed and when “at ease”.
Week 7 - Between Us – Mindful Communication
Skillful communication is essential to any healthy relationship, whether it’s between spouses, family members, friends, or co-workers. Mindfulness, the practice of nonjudgmental awareness, can help us communicate more effectively and meaningfully with others in our personal and professional lives. This class will identify communication patterns and habits, uncover hidden fears that often sabotage communication and allow students the opportunity to examine how mindful communication can help them to become more truthful, compassionate and flexible in personal and work relationships.
Week 8 - A Mindful Life
This class will review the formal and informal practices taught in the previous classes. We will focus on additional applications for reducing stress and maintaining a sense of ease in this fast paced world. Participants will be guided through a series of formal and informal mindfulness training techniques aimed at developing a sustainable practice which will allow them to continue to reduce stress effectively.
Our bodies react to psychological stress by igniting our Stress Response System. Chronic stress causes the body harm and decreases its ability to rest and heal. This introductory class is designed to provide the participant with an understanding of how we stress, the real source of our stress, and its impact on our overall well-being. This will include reviewing the latest research studies and scientific evidence about stress and the effects mindfulness has in treating chronic stress and enabling us to activate our body's natural Relaxation Response; returning to a calm, natural state of being. Mindfulness guided us to our own deep internal resources to deal with stress, anxiety, depression and other challenging life situations. Each participant will learn how to recognize their own personal stress, what triggers it and how the practice of mindfulness can be used to manage stress effectively and sustainably. Finally, participants will be instructed in mindfulness exercises to put into practice immediately.
Week 2 - Body Awareness and Stress
This class will examine how mental stress creates tension in the body and the implications of this stress on concentration, focus, creativity, productivity and overall energy. Participants will learn to recognize when and how they are being negatively effected by their own personal stress. They will be guided to recognize their own physical stressors and work to reduce the negative effects these stressors have on their overall well-being.
Week 3 - Mindfulness in Motion
Our inner pace and sense of balance has a direct effect on our experience with the world around us. We will examine what "drives" us and how to bring awareness to our own impulses. We will further examine the relationship between stress and it’s impact on our body function. Students will be guided through a series of exercises that will help them recognize when they are trapped in tension and apply strategies for living “at ease”.
Week 4 - Habitual Styles of Thinking
This class will introduce students to some common habitual styles of thinking, that when left unnoticed, drive behavior and cause stress and anxiety. Because these thinking patterns often occur unconsciously, mindfulness serves as a tool to notice when we might be falling into these traps. With increased awareness comes the opportunity and ability to choose to look at a situation differently and notice thoughts as simple events, rather than as facts.
Week 5 - Our Emotional Intelligence and Stress
The level of our own Emotional Intelligence has been proven to have a direct effect on our work, relationships and our over-all health and wellbeing. We will examine the correlations between our own emotional intelligence and stress. Participants will learn how to recognize their own emotions and will be taught to examine these emotions in an effort to gain further insight into how and why they stress. This knowledge and experience will allow the participant to develop more tools and strategies for reducing their stress.
Week 6 - Self-Talk and Stress
How we speak to and about ourselves has a direct effect on our emotional wellbeing. Here we take a further look inward at how our inner “self-talk” has a direct effect on our outward experiences. We will recognize what role our internal self-talk has on our work and personal relationships and further examine how habitual styles of thinking may lead to stress and anxiety. This will allow students to gain a deeper awareness and insight into who they are, when stressed and when “at ease”.
Week 7 - Between Us – Mindful Communication
Skillful communication is essential to any healthy relationship, whether it’s between spouses, family members, friends, or co-workers. Mindfulness, the practice of nonjudgmental awareness, can help us communicate more effectively and meaningfully with others in our personal and professional lives. This class will identify communication patterns and habits, uncover hidden fears that often sabotage communication and allow students the opportunity to examine how mindful communication can help them to become more truthful, compassionate and flexible in personal and work relationships.
Week 8 - A Mindful Life
This class will review the formal and informal practices taught in the previous classes. We will focus on additional applications for reducing stress and maintaining a sense of ease in this fast paced world. Participants will be guided through a series of formal and informal mindfulness training techniques aimed at developing a sustainable practice which will allow them to continue to reduce stress effectively.