This 9-session, 20.25-hour program is open to MBSR teachers of all experience levels: whether you’ve taught 1 or 100 MBSR courses, you are invited to apply for a seat in this program. No matter when you initially trained to teach MBSR, or through which organization you trained (or maybe you’re still in the process of training), hopefully you never want to stop learning—about teaching MBSR and about yourself as an MBSR teacher. Mentorship, and being in collegial relationship with other MBSR teachers, is a crucial part of that ongoing learning.

During our 9 sessions, we will explore assumptions about what MBSR is and what it is not; about what “good teaching” of MBSR is and isn’t; about what it means to practice mindfulness and MBSR; about your personal and professional experience of teaching MBSR; about your personal meditation practice, and more. You will be invited to occasionally practice-teach parts of the MBSR curriculum, and to receive feedback from your teaching colleagues and Rebecca. We will also hold space for exploring what is alive for you around teaching MBSR.

As a participant, you will be expected to—

Show up. Your presence and participation matters. Sessions will not be recorded. Our live interaction and in-the-moment bonding will provide the buoyancy for good learning, good community, and good care-taking of ourselves and each other.

Practice-teach. While you won’t teach during every session, there will be opportunities for you, with “beginner’s mind,” to teach various aspects of the MBSR curriculum. This will require you to consider what may have become habitual (perhaps even stale) in your MBSR teaching, and explore fresh ways to take the teacher’s seat.

Receive and offer feedback. The feedback process is grounded in deep caring and respect for something that all MBSR teachers want—to provide excellent teaching that benefits those we teach.

Explore MBSR curricula. Whether the curriculum you trained with is many years old or was developed only recently, we’ll explore MBSR curricula overtly (page by page) and essentially (what can’t be pointed to on the page).

Inquire and speak your truth. We will learn from each other if we all show up ready to truly wonder; to speak to what we know and don’t know, and what we think and feel; and to listen deeply as our colleagues do the same.

Maintain a daily practice. We will consider how your own formal and informal practices of mindfulness are informing your teaching of MBSR and your enjoyment of teaching MBSR. Are you having fun?

Complete weekly explorations. Plan to spend between 2 and 4 hours on your own each week, exploring, wondering, reading and studying, planning your occasional practice teaching, and more.

Prerequisites
You have trained to teach MBSR
You have taught MBSR