Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction: 8 Week Course

WITH JESS OKANYA PATEL, MA
Enrollment is Open, Course Sept. 18- Nov. 20, 2021

Photographs by Sam Interrante
Photographs by Sam Interrante

The 8-week MBSR course is an evidence-based, intensive exploration of the practice of mindfulness. People participate in the MBSR course for many reasons—to relieve stress of all kinds, to ease emotional and physical pain, to live and love more fully, and to establish a regular practice of mindfulness. No experience is necessary and all levels are welcome.

HOW DOES THE MBSR WORK?
Through the regular training in mindfulness that an MBSR course offers, people become familiar with their own behavior patterns, especially in relation to stressful situations. They also learn that though they cannot always change the circumstances in which they find themselves, they can choose how to respond to them. In MBSR this process is described as going from reacting to responding, with the latter involving a clearer perception of the circumstances through being in touch with the thoughts, sensations and emotions that are present
MBSR COURSE DESCRIPTION
The standard MBSR course consists of eight, weekly sessions of 2.5 hours each, plus an all-day session after the sixth week that is a retreat day.

Each weekly session starts with a mindfulness exercise that the participants have learned during the previous session. The main exercises of the MBSR program are the body scan, gentle mindful movement, and sitting meditation. Through the course of the program, participants will practice one of these exercises every day. In addition, there are various exercises centered on incorporating mindfulness practice into daily life. Other exercises train mindful awareness in relation to thoughts, sensations and emotions. Some topics in an MBSR course are: mindful communication, working with difficult emotions and how perception influences our relationship to stressful events.
TUITION
We have created a sliding scale to accommodate more people. Generosity policy applies – to cover costs for our small business and the venue, and so that people with fewer financial resources can be accommodated, please pay at the highest level available to you. If tier 3 is financially prohibitive, Please email us so we can find a way for you to participate. Payment Plans Available.

TIER 1: $550 ($18 PER CLASS HOUR)
TIER 2: $500 ($16 PER CLASS HOUR
TIER 3: $450 ($15 PER CLASS HOUR)
Jess Okanya Patel is qualified to teach MBSR through East Coast Mindfulness. In addition, she has completed a Masters degree in Mindfulness Studies from Lesley University. Jess brings a warm, inviting and gentle approach to her teaching. She makes any individual she is connecting with to feel valued and seen. Being mindful is the practice of being present – so simple, and so very difficult. While we want to be awake and aware in the moments of our life, too often we aren’t, and instead shift to autopilot, shut down emotionally, or settle for simply getting through the day. Yet this timeless moment is accessible to us all. It’s our human birthright. Being awake to the experience of our own life allows us to have the clarity needed to draw from the wisdom, courage, and strength that already lies within us. JessOkanyaPatel.com