York - MBSR 8-week mindfulness course (Thursday evenings - Spring)

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is an 8 week group course teaching mindfulness meditation as an effective and dependable counter-balance to the stresses of life.

Course Overview

MBSR provides a gradual introduction to mindfulness meditation and stress reduction techniques over eight weekly classes. Each class includes guided meditations, group discussions and practical exercises led by an experienced facilitator in a warm, friendly atmosphere with a maximum of 14 participants.

Reported benefits of attending this course include:

• A greater capacity for relaxation and calmness
• Less worry, anxiety and depression
• Enhanced emotional control, resourcefulness and resilience
• Improved self-confidence and creativity
• Better sleep quality

Who Should Attend

This course is suitable for beginners, as well as those wishing to refresh their mindfulness practice.

We have a diverse range of participants on our MBSR courses, from students and parents of young children, to corporate directors and healthcare professionals. Participants join for a variety of reasons; from simply taking the time to prioritise their wellbeing, to those who wish to adopt a complementary approach to managing health concerns such as high blood pressure, IBS, CFS/ME, fibromyalgia, anxiety and depression.

Commitment Required

Please note that MBSR 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 2nd February to 30th March (excluding a half-term break on 23rd February). Each class will be between 2 and 2.5 hours long and will take place on Thursdays from 6:30pm to 8:30pm/9pm.

Course Facilitator

The facilitator for this course is Sally Roberts.

A self-confessed workaholic, it was only in response to ill health that Sally first found herself drawn to mindfulness. In the years since, she has been inspired by the transformation she has seen in herself and others, and the growing base of empirical research supporting the effectiveness of MBSR and MBCT. Sally joined the York MBSR team in 2011 and now enjoys sharing mindfulness with others as a mindfulness instructor. To date, over 250 people have completed mindfulness courses with Sally.

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 rooms used and disabled toilets are all on ground floor level.

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 course is generally considered a good starting point and often a pre-requisite to attending teaching training. If you are looking to follow a particular training route it is worth checking any stipulated pre-requisites.