Mindfulness-Based Compassionate Care (MBCC)

‘For someone to develop genuine compassion towards others, first he or she must have a basis upon which to cultivate compassion, and that basis is the ability to connect to one’s own feelings and to care for one’s own welfare… Caring for others requires caring for oneself’ HH Dalai Lama, 2000

The greater our capacity for self care - the greater our capacity to be present for those we care for.  This 8-week group course cultivates self-care and the capacity to be compassionately present allowing us to connect with those we care for in a deeper and more peaceful way.       

Course Overview

What patients and those we care for need most is to feel truly heard and cared for by those who care for them.  Sharing a life journey with such intimacy can offer profound opportunities for personal growth and transformation, but is often fraught with difficulties as we are confronted by our own fears and struggles.

Participants will learn and experience mindfulness, meditation and compassionate reflection skills to inform and nurture their own self-care and capacity for being present with another.  Through a contemplative approach to caring within an atmosphere of acceptance, non-judgment and compassionate presence, the carer, cared for and families can reconnect with their own sources of strength, meaning and hope bringing healing and a greater sense of peace for all.

Participants will learn:

• How to apply and integrate contemplative skills that foster a greater sense of self-awareness and well-being.
• To stay present with an open and compassionate heart in amongst difficulties.
• Practical resources for preventing burnout and enhancing your caring capacity.
• Strengthen your resilience to alleivate stress and heal exhaustion.

Each class includes guided meditations, group discussions and practical exercises led by an experienced facilitator in a warm, friendly atmosphere with a maximum of 12 participants.  

Who Can Attend 

This course is open to all those in a caring capacity including carers, therapists, parents, nurses, other healthcare professionals and for anyone wishing to take a more compassionate approach to caring for self and others.

Taught in a secular format this course is suitable for people of all faiths and people who do not identify with a particular religious or spiritual tradition.  This course is suitable for beginners, as well as those wishing to refresh their mindfulness practice. 

Commitment Required

Please note that MBCC is not designed to be a "quick fix", relaxation class or group therapy session. This course teaches a valuable life skill, the development of which requires a personal commitment to attending all eight classes and maintaining a regular meditation practice at home. Also, as each class builds on the preceding week, it is important that anyone who misses a class attends a "catch up session". We are happy to accommodate this in the case of illness etc., but regret that if more than two classes are missed you may not be able to finish the course. We therefore recommend carefully checking the course schedule below before reserving a place.  Thank you.  

Course Schedule 

This course will be taught over eight classes from 25th January to 22nd March. PLEASE NOTE there is a break in the course on 15th February. Each class will be 2 hours long and will take place on Thursdays from 10:00am - 12:00pm.

Course Facilitator

The facilitator for this course is Robert Broughton.  

Robert is a professional mindfulness, well-being and emotional intelligence coach, specialising in stress and neurobiology having trained with some of the field leading researchers in the US and the UK. 

Robert's background includes 35 years of personal meditation study and practice.  Over the past eight years he has taught over 80 mindfulness courses in a variety of settings including schools, universities, charities and for the NHS.  Robert founded The Northern Centre for Mindfulness and Compassion in 2009 and continues to take the lead in both managing the business and instructing courses. To date, over 750 hundred people have completed mindfulness courses with Robert.

Frequently Asked Questions... 

What if I miss a class?  

We are happy to provide catch up sessions for delegates who miss a class.  Catch ups are usually provided on a one-to-one basis with the course instructor and take 30 minutes to complete.  There is a nominal charge of £15 for this service. 

Is there disabled access to the venue?

There is disabled access to the venue. The room is on the first floor, accessible by lift.  

What further information will I receive?  

All our delegates receive "Joining Advice" one week before their course commences.  This email will include information on the class schedule, venue and facilities, and a link to our "pre-course questionnaire" which we would be grateful if you could complete before the course commences.    

What is your cancellation policy?

If you decide to cancel your place on this course, we will refund...

• Your full course fee, minus a £20 administration charge, if we receive notice from you at least 7 days before the 1st class
• 75% of your course fee if notice is given before the 2nd class
• 50% of your course fee if notice is given before the 3rd class
• No refunds will be issued after the 3rd class

In the case that the course is cancelled by York MBSR, all course fees will be refunded in full.

I am considering training to teach mindfulness, will an MBSR course enable me to do this?

For those looking to teach mindfulness we would recommend having a look at the UK Network for Mindfulness Based Teacher Training Organisations which gives guidance on good practice and teacher training organisations within the UK. An 8-week MBSR, MBCT course or 10-week MBLC is generally considered a good starting point and often a pre-requisite to attending teaching training. Please note however that our MBCT courses are restricted to those who suffer personally from depression and as such we don't offer places on our MBCT courses for those seeking professional development. We would recommend instead attending either an MBSR or MBLC course. If you are looking to follow a particular training route it is worth checking any stipulated pre-requisites with your training provider.