ABOUT MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION (MBSR)

Dr. Jon-Kabat-Zinn pioneered the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program (MBSR) at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in 1979 and thirty years later over 250 medical centres in North America offer variations of the program. This well-established behavioural medicine program was designed to teach individuals with chronic pain and debilitating illness effective methods for alleviating their physical and mental distress, enabling them to more actively participate in their health, well-being, and life.

Through intensive training in mindfulness meditation and gentle yoga, participants learn how to use their innate resources and abilities to respond to stress, pain, and illness more effectively with calmness and clarity.

Published research shows that tens of thousands of people with chronic pain, cancer, arthritis, anxiety, emotional distress, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, fibromyalgia, sleep disturbance, other chronic medical conditions, caregiver stress, job stress, financial stress, and family stress have significantly benefited upon the completion of the program.

Reported benefits include reduction in pain levels, an enhanced ability to cope with chronic pain, lasting decreases in physical and psychological symptoms, improved capacity to effectively cope with stressful situations, increased energy, increased ability to relax, and an increased ability to experience enthusiasm for life.

Please visit http://www.umassmed.edu/cfm for more information.

The  interest in the health  benefits of practicing meditation and yoga has escalated in recent years due to the increase in consistent documentation of the physical and mental health benefits. Similar programs have been incorporated into many domains including:

• programs for general stress management
• help for people with eating and weight management problems
• mindfulness-based relapse prevention for people recovering from addiction
• mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for relapse prevention for people recovering from depression
• mindful parenting
• mindfulness in education
• retreats for business leaders and corporate executives
• training of professional athletes to improve performance