MBSR (mindful based stress reduction)
learn how you can control your stress in just 8 short weeks.
The alliance institute for integrative medicine is pleased to offer a mindfulness based stress reduction course facilitated by dr. Richard sears psyd.
Why should you do this?
MBSR programs have shown been shown to help reduce a variety of chronic illnesses. These include chronic pain, anxiety, sleep disturbances, fatigue, high blood pressure and headaches. Studies have shown that MBSR can aid in the treatment of auto-immune illnesses such as psoriasis as well as wound healing.
What is mindfulness and what can it do for you?
Mindfulness involves learning to pay attention to and wisely work with our thoughts, bodily sensations, and emotions. The practice is learned through simple meditation exercises, through which you eventually come to bring a richer awareness and presence into your daily life. This reduces ruminating thoughts, helping to prevent stress, anxiety, and relapses of depression. The training groups are modeled after the pioneering work of Jon Kabat-Zinn. The group consists of education, discussion, practice of mindfulness meditation, light stretching exercises, and homework assignments.
8 weekly classes
Our program consists of eight weekly classes. In addition you will be asked to do 45 minutes of "homework" each day.
Over the eight weeks of the program, the practices help you to:
- Become familiar with the workings of your mind.
- Notice the times when you are at risk of getting caught in old habits of mind that re-activate downward mood or stress spirals.
- Explore ways of releasing yourself from those old habits and, if you choose, enter a different way of being.
- Put you in touch with a different way of knowing yourself and the world.
- Notice small beauties and pleasures in the world around you instead of living in your head.
- Be kind to yourself instead of wishing things were different all the time, or driving yourself to meet impossible goals.
- Find a way so you don't have to battle with yourself all the time.
- Accept yourself as you are, rather than judging yourself all the time.
Who Can Participate?
Anyone with a desire to reduce stress and to develop more conscious living habits is invited to inquire. A commitment to attend all 8 sessions, and to do about 45 minutes of practice per day, is required. Health care and business professionals are also invited to learn these skills to be more effective in their daily work, and to help facilitate work-life balance.
Is this considered therapy?
No. Although mindfulness is often used in therapy, this is an educational and experiential class designed to teach you these important principles. You are not required to disclose any personal information in the group.
Who is the facilitator?
Richard Sears, PsyD, MBA, ABPP, is a board-certified clinical psychologist licensed in the Ohio, who has been practicing and teaching mindfulness and other forms of meditation for over 25 years. He is Director of the Center for Clinical Mindfulness and Meditation and Core Faculty in the Doctor of Psychology Program at Union Institute & University.
For information on upcoming classes call our office at 513-791-5521.
