FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT ABOUT MBSR AND DR. WEISS'S MBSR PROGRAM:

1) What is Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)?
MBSR is a self-directed way to greater awareness and control in your life. Awareness permits choice in how to respond and influence circumstances, as opposed to being carried away by current of stress.

2) What does "Mindfulness" mean?
To be mindful is to develop skills in attention and moment-to-moment awareness. You learn to transform stressful situations by going through them in a skillful way, in order to get beyond them. This is accomplished by using awareness of one's breath and body to achieve skills of relaxed observing and clarity.

3) Will the 8-week MBSR Course help a "mainstream" person to reduce stress from the workplace?
Yes, practice creates an ability to respond, rather than react, to troubling thoughts and feelings in any environment.

4) What kinds of illness would this be good for?
Relieving bodily tension that occurs with chronic physical and/or emotional conditions. Research has indicated that this course lowers levels of depression, anxiety, panic states, and physical pain.

5) How long and how often do I have to practice relaxation techniques for it to be effective?
During the Course, a commitment of 20-minutes of daily practice is recommended. Naturally, the more practice, the greater the change. After finishing the MBSR Course, many people successfully maintain their changes, simply doing a couple moments of practice throughout the day.

6) How much stress will this Course cause me to learn?
Learners generally find the short term stress of committing to daily practice while taking the Course well worth the long-term stress relief, post-Course.

7) As someone who travels a lot, can I do this Course when I'm away from home?
Yes. MBSR is easily taught in individual sessions and, therefore, can accommodate time parameters of the traveling student. The CD can be used anywhere/anytime.

8) What would keep me doing MBSR, after I finish the 8-week Course?
A great deal of progress occurs for people enrolled in the optional monthly graduate-group sessions, offered at a reduced fee.

*(J. Kabat-Zinn, "Full catastrophe living: using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain and illness." (1990).

READ DR. WEISS’S RESEARCH ON MBSR: 

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction as an Adjunct to Outpatient Psychotherapy,  The Journal of Psychotherapy & Psychosomatics (2004).

> On-line version or downloadable > PDF version

MBSR COURSE REVIEWS

"I really liked the group setting. There was an openess to everyone's experience. The CD hleped in the early stage of learning, and the reading materials were very helpful."

Student


"It's hard to believe how simple it is to improve my life and my relationships."

Homemaker


"An Excellent introduction to a simple set of tools and practices that will, over time, change the way you respond to yourself and others - a gentle reminder to be present for your life, transmitted with compassion, grace, and wit."

Sensitivity Awareness Instructor


"These techniques, when taken on wholeheartedly, will change your life."

Elementary School Teacher


"In today's world, we're always looking to go from 0 to 60 mph as quickly as possible. MBSR teaches us to go from 60 mph to 0, while maintaining awareness of the world around us."

Financial Analyst


"I'm now aware of all emotions and thoughts and am able to calmly choose how I want to respond!"

Business Owner


"Myra gave very customized suggestions to each individual so that no one in the group got lost along the way. Everyone was both equally important as both a student and teacher."

Writer


"I went to Myra Weiss' MBSR Course for help with stresses in my life. Myra helped me with that and much more."

Editor

As of Spring 2004, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is integrated into Dr. Weiss' MBSR Course, when appropriate. Dr. Weiss has received an accreditation certificate by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

For more information on MBCT, read: Segal, ZV., Williams, JMG. & Teasdale, JD. (2002). "Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: A new Approach to Preventing Relapse. NY: The Guilford Press.