by Claire Kidd | Sep 27, 2022 | All Blog Posts
We are now at the halfway point of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction teacher training course and I am really enjoying the course. I love our zoom group; they are a kind, friendly bunch and it is a safe non-judgmental space for sharing learning and leading practices and inquiry.
We have a WhatsApp group where we ask questions, seek clarification and offer each other support. There are also smaller ‘buddy’ groups where some of us meet regularly online to do practices with each other, give feedback and discuss relevant information. Peer support and feedback really helps with the process and is an important learning tool.
I felt quite moved in our last teaching session when we did a whole group ‘mindful movement’ practice where we all took it in turns to focus on an area of the body, then hand over to the next person. It flowed so smoothly and everyone’s contribution was amazing. It felt like one of those perfect, serendipitous moments, never to be repeated again. I never knew that leaning on zoom in this way would be so rewarding.
Some of us are planning to teach our first 8-week MBSR course, arranging supervision, seeking out venues or setting up online forums and engaging with prospective participants. Others are taking it slowly and at a pace that suits them. This is one of the benefits of this course as you’re not restricted to a final deadline to qualify so if you want to take more than a year, you can do so.
The support from our tutor Karen Atkinson at MindfulnessUK is fantastic and I’m just about to sign up to join the Community Membership, which gives access to networking and training events, peer sitting groups, retreats and resources to support your teaching.
If you’re considering doing an MBSR teacher training course but are a bit unsure, I can really recommend this course. I’m looking forward to getting to the teaching and supervision stage and will update with my reflections on that next time.
If you have any queries about this course then please contact the friendly MindfulnessUK team at info@mindfulnessuk.com or give us a call on 01823 697890.
by Claire Kidd | Jul 21, 2022 | All Blog Posts
The team at MindfulnessUK are extremely proud to have taught so many incredible teachers, over many years, in every sector. We really value hearing about their teaching and any feedback on the teaching materials provided during their course.
When you train to become a mindfulness teacher with MindfulnessUK you are invited to join our community. We’re with you at every stage, from practitioner to seasoned teacher, and will continue to support by sending up-to-date materials and resources.
It’s important to continuously share insights, for example, working with trauma-informed mindfulness. This is something that Karen Atkinson, co-Founder and Senior Partner at MinfulnessUK, has been doing for over 20 years. The team teach and train with these skills underpinning their work. Karen wanted to share these considerations in a more explicit and comprehensive way to ensure all students and graduates are well equipped to teach within their own areas of specialism.
We recently sent all our Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Teacher Training and Integrating Mindfulness and Compassion graduates updated teacher training notes. Helping them in continuing to support others at this most challenging of times.
This is what some of our graduates said:
“Since finishing the IMC, I completed the MBSR teaching component and slowly but surely chipping away at the extensive portfolio. I’m looking forward to the Process of Inquiry workshop in October. I work for the NHS as a pediatric OT and was keen to provide an offering within the Trust I work for. So now I am providing a ‘mindful moment’ every Monday, Wednesday and Friday lunchtime. Staff click on a Teams link to have guided meditation and mindful movement with me which is a privilege and a joy . Feedback has certainly been very encouraging which is heartening.” Cath Gibney
“I did a workplace session this week as part of well-being week and had my first mindfulness client. I also led a session on a yoga retreat and I have my website up and running, and my marketing materials printed. Over the next 6 months I hope to promote my new Facebook page and have some calls for schools going to run the CMR course.” Dionne
Continuous Support And Improvement Is Important To Us.
Without it sounding like a cliché we do genuinely want to look after our students and graduates alike and offer them support both during and after their course. Currently we have an Alumni Community that students and graduates can join, offering monthly sitting groups, a closed Facebook group and a portal containing practices, notes and much more.
We listen to our students and have heard the wish and desire to feel more connected to each other so we will be launching our newly imagined community after the summer break….watch this space!!
It’s never easy to set up your own business but with so much fear-driven anxiety in the world right now, the need for people to feel less separate and more connected to themselves, others and their planet is essential to support mental and emotional health and well-being.
There has never been a better time to explore a career in mindfulness and compassion and support others in every sector of society. We’re experiencing a paradigm shift, would you like to contribute to it?
We have a number of mindfulness and compassion teacher training and continuous professional development courses starting in September and October this year to help you do just this, please visit our website to find out more or contact info@mindfulnessuk.com.
