MBSR Course Dates
Tuesdays, 7-9pm - Online, Zoom classes
May 18 - July 6; Retreat day, Sat, June 26, 1-6pm - This course is now full
Sept 28 - Nov 30; Retreat day, Sat, Nov 20, 1-6pm
Saturdays, 9.30-11.30am - Dorking, Surrey
May 22 - July 10; Retreat day, Sunday, June 27, 1-6pm - This course is now full
Oct 2 - Dec 4; Retreat day, Sat, Nov 21, 1-6pm
If the Dorking course is curtailed due to Covid restrictions, it will be run online. Participants can transfer to the next in-person course if they prefer.
Benefits from the mindfulness meditation course
The MBSR mindful stress reduction course has been shown to help people with:
- Stress, anxiety and depression
- Sleep difficulties
- Physical pain and illness
- Body image
- Relationships
- Compulsive behaviours such as over-eating.
Through mindfulness training people can discover:
- How to stay calm and feel more in control
- How to stop over thinking
- How to manage anger
- How to deal with fear
- Increased confidence and self-compassion
- More energy for life
- That others have similar concerns.
What's involved in an MBSR course
Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) helps us learn new ways of responding to challenges more effectively. The combination of mindfulness and self compassion enables us to live with greater ease, dealing skilfully with difficulties as they occur. The course is aimed at beginners, but MBSR graduates are welcome to attend on a drop-in basis.
The course is based on the core MBSR practices as developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn. It's an evidence-based, scientifically-proven programme that offers secular mindfulness training, including how to meditate.
Each week a new topic is introduced. We practise different guided meditations, such as the mindfulness body scan, and learn other mindfulness techniques.
Week 1: What is mindfulness? Body scan practice
Week 2: How we interpret events
Week 3: Mindful yoga movement - resting in the present
Week 4: How we react to stress
Week 5: Thoughts and over-thinking
Week 6: Communication, relationships and coping with emotions
Retreat Day
Week 7: Lifestyle choices - how we care for ourselves, compulsive behaviours
Week 8: A mindful life - how to maintain what you've learned
Home Practice
Home practice plays an important part in the course. As mindfulness is an experiential practice, its benefits come through regular practice. To gain the most from the MBSR course, it's suggested that you do around 30 minutes a day, six days a week. This can be done at any time and also broken into two shorter periods.
Hear from Catherine - why meditate?
"If you want to conquer the anxiety of life,
live in the moment,
live in the breath."
Mindfulness Course cost
£225 - in-person course
£195 - online course
(23 hours of teaching)
Includes orientation session, 8 classes, 5-hour retreat day, participant handbook, MP3s of meditations, email or phone support between sessions.
Discounts
We don't want anyone to miss one of our courses due to financial difficulties. We offer a limited number of places at a reduced rate or free for those on low incomes. Please get in touch to learn more.
Directions to our usual Surrey venues
Old Pixham School, Dorking RH4 1PJ
Free Trials
The taster session will give you a chance to find out a little about what mindfulness actually is, and to see how it might help at this current time. We'll practise a simple mindfulness meditation and you can find out more about the 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course - for the online course, it's a chance to see how the classes can be delivered in this way as a Zoom class. This is similar to what happens in our introduction to mindfulness course, which is run as an ongoing weekly meditation practice group every Tuesday morning as a Zoom class. Please get in touch if you'd like to come to a free trial, so we can send you the Zoom link. Contact us to reserve a space as numbers are limited.
"I am learning to label my thoughts, to relax, to be objective. I feel the course is excellent and I really look forward to the sessions.” Jane, Art teacher
"I am learning to manage difficult situations in a better way by meditation practice. Course literature is excellent." Christine
Learning mindfulness via Zoom classes
Mindfulness training is very suitable for online learning via Zoom classes and Catherine is trained to teach MBSR online. There are many benefits to participating in mindfulness classes online:
- You don't need to travel anywhere!
- You can connect with others as much or little as you wish, and be part of a supportive small group.
- If everyone agrees, sessions can be recorded so you can listen later if you have to miss a class.
- Listening to meditations using headphones can be more powerful and intimate than when listening in a room.
Classes are delivered via Zoom, which is easy to use. No technical expertise is necessary but we're happy to help if you're new to Zoom. There's no need to download anything - you simply get emailed a link to click on before each class. You can also connect with your phone.
Mindfulness online introduction course
The meditation practice sessions on Tuesday mornings are an excellent introduction to mindfulness. Sessions are designed for anyone new to mindfulness meditation, as well as those with more experience. (The Monday meditation practice group is for MBSR or MBCT/MSC graduates only).
Each session includes guided meditations and has a different focus, such as self compassion, over thinking, sleep difficulties and gratitude.
Over a two month course you can explore different ways of relating to your thoughts and emotions, and how to stay calm in the midst of difficulties.
It can be time to yourself, to connect with others, or just to relax.
Tuesdays, 9.30am
£60 for two months, come when you like
Free trial session
No charge to anyone in a current MBSR course
Limited number of free places, conditions apply
Catherine, preparing for a lesson
One-to-one coaching
and small group sessions
For more personal sessions, the one-to-one or small group experiences may be for you. We're happy to tailor mindfulness training for your needs. Small group sessions are available in and around Reigate, Redhill and Dorking, Surrey, and further afield for longer events.
Catherine has worked with children and teenagers on a one-to-one basis for many years. Sessions cost £45 per hour for adults, and £40 for under-eighteens, with a 10% discount when three sessions are booked. Sessions can also be taken online through Zoom or Skype. One to one coaching with children and teens is sometimes done during a walk in our lovely Surrey countryside around Brockham; parents are welcome to come too.