On October4th, the Chicago Area Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teachers Sangha met to continue discussing the ways they are applying MBSR and other forms of mindfulness and meditation in their work, share recent training experiences and resources, exchange information about upcoming classes they are offering to the public and discuss plans for future endeavors.   There are now approximately 35 people in the Chicago area who have completed training in MBSR or one if it’s variations; Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, Mindfulness-based Relapse Prevention, and Mindfulness-based Eating. 

The teachers represent a broad array of professions; physicians, psychologists, social workers and psychotherapists, addiction counselors, nurses, personal coaches,  corporate training and leadership consultants, yoga instructors, fitness trainers, and even an engineer.  The range of  professions represented by the teachers is indicative of the broad appeal and successful application of mindfulness-based practices to a variety of human challenges.  Originally designed by Jon Kabat-Zinn PhD.  at the Stress Reduction Clinic of the  University of Massachusetts Medical Center (www.umassmed.edu  ) to provide relief to individuals with chronic medical conditions, mindfulness-based practices have brought the wisdom of ancient belief systems such as Buddhism into the modern age.  Their wide-spread use is indicative of the healing effect and soothing presence mindfulness provides to the stress and strain of contemporary life and the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual dis-eases that result.

I completed my initial professional training in MBSR with Jon Kabat-Zinn and Saki Santorelli, Ed.D,  Director of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society three years ago in Mt. Madonna, California and recently returned from Omega Institue where I received additional training in Mindfulness-based eating (MB-Eat) with Jean Kristeller of Indiana State University and Char Wilkins.  A separate blog post provides information about that training. 

Several teachers announced upcoming classes they will be teaching in the Chicago area this fall including Sheila Dixon who will be teaching MBSR in Evanston beginning this month.  For information on her class, contact her at sqdixon@aol.com    The teachers group (Sangha) will continue meeting once a month through June of 2010 prior to taking a summer break.  Details about the meetings, resources, classes and events shared by the teachers will be posted here.  For additional information on MBSR and other mindfulness classes in the Chicago area, or if you are trained and wish to join the group,  leave a comment below or contact me at info@happyhealthywhole.com.