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Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction - finding fresh ways of being

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction is an eight week foundational mindfulness training course which is evidence-based, practical and empowering. As seen on Catalyst TV.

8 weeks

A distance mindfulness course with a difference.

Online | Term 2 2020 | $495 inc GST | 

We offer Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction by distance education - live online -  and we think you will find it quite different to other online options - in terms of dedicated attention from a teacher, time spent in actual practice and experience in the group.

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is an evidence-based, user-friendly program that brings the principles of mindfulness meditation into everyday life by teaching specific skills and practices to help break cycles of anxiety, stress, unhappiness and exhaustion.

Openground is proud to be endorsed by Emeritus Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn – who developed MBSR at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1979 for people suffering chronic and acute stress, chronic pain and illness, and associated anxiety and depression.  As seen on ABC Catalyst TV.

What does it involve?

  • 
an individual phone interview, and ongoing support from your teacher
  • a 2.5 hour class, over eight weeks, plus one full retreat day 
(you can attend this live at an Openground course sometime, or do it at home via audio we will provide)
  • mindfulness meditation and body awareness training 

  • an exploration of your own patterns and how to transform them 

  • scientific rationale for the practice 

  • access to Openground audio app for practice and a 100 page course book

Come and see how this inspiring course can help you develop more mental, emotional, physical and psychological resilience and well-being.

Book early as our courses fill up quickly.

Be in touch if you need a discount.

 

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Focus and presence

Cultivate more concentration and capacity to be in the moment with what matters to you most, here and now.

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Emotional calming

Reduce reactivity, learn to befriend your emotions and to express them in ways that set clear and caring boundaries.

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Clarity and wisdom

See your patterns and values with more clarity so that your actions can be more beneficial to yourself and others.

Course Locations

No Upcoming Events

Register Here

FINDING YOUR COURSE

What ABC Catalyst had to say about MBSR

In late 2018, ABC's Catalyst team invited a group of 15 ordinary Australians to take part in a mindfulness experiment to see if undertaking the MBSR course could help treat conditions like chronic pain, stress, anxiety and depression that effect millions of us.  This course was  taught by Timothea Goddard - the Director of Openground.  Watch their journey here to see how the eight week MBSR course changes people's lives and brains. Or check out these shorts giving an overview of MBSR and an excerpt following Erin's journey with MS and chronic pain.

ABC SCIENCE: What is MBSR?

ABC Science - Erin's story with MS and chronic pain

How does MBSR work?

Through the cultivation of skills, attitudes and knowledge MBSR offers a tested approach to develop and quicken our innate human capacities for attention, awareness and wise action. You will learn a range of mindfulness practices to cultivate an observant, accepting and compassionate stance towards your own internal experiences including thoughts, emotions, body sensations and impulses,  and how to apply this in a practical way to immediate life challenges.

In MSBR change happens through ~

  • Physiological regulation ~ learning how to calm down and balance your nervous system
  • Emotional awareness ~ getting to know your own emotions and how to accept, explore and transform them
  • Cognitive flexibility ~ developing more concentration and clarity, and less rigidity in your beliefs and attitudes 
  • Engagement with values ~ bringing what you care about into how you live
  • Behavioural change ~ experimenting with small changes leading to bigger shifts in life

Topics by week ~

Week 1     Recognising the present moment 
Week 2     Perception and how we make sense of the world 
Week 3     Keeping the body in mind
Week 4     Investigating stressful experience and approaching the difficult 
Week 5     Finding perspective: working with emotions and thoughts
Week 6     Relationships and kindness
Week 7     Values and action
Week 8     Making mindfulness a part of your life

Testing the waters - a free consultation for you


You have probably tried a lot of things.

And while an in-depth mindfulness training can be transformative, it is not a panacea or a quick fix. You might be wondering how the scientific evidence about mindfulness can be applied to your specific situation.

You are welcome to speak with an experienced and knowledgeable teacher to explore what you are grappling with and discuss whether doing some in-depth mindfulness training would be useful or not.

Book your free consultation now

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The mindfulness course slowly allowed me to change my thought patterns from self-criticism to self-compassion. This is allowing me to let go of the past and of things that are outside of my control and get on with life. I seem now to see things more clearly, and it has made dealing with the reality of the life I have a lot easier.

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Why learn with Openground?

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Personal attention and skilled teaching

Practicing mindfulness with an experienced teacher simply can’t be compared with using a meditation app. We take a genuine, personal approach, and our highly trained, experienced, and dedicated teachers go the extra mile to help you engage with your practice in ways that can bring real transformation.

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Evidence-based transformation

MBSR is an authentic, evidence-based program of mindfulness training, grounded in 39 years of research. Unlike many shorter mindfulness courses, which have no evidence of benefit, MBSR is globally recognised as the gold standard for mental and physical health in the field.

 

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Real value

Our immersive, eight-week courses include 28 hours of personal mindfulness training. Many short courses only give you a taste of mindfulness, and are actually more expensive than MBSR on an hourly rate basis. Our courses offer significant value, and we can also arrange serious discounts if you need a helping hand.

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MBSR Australia wide

A great option if you live in a regional area, or aren't mobile enough to travel to an ordinary class.

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Openground for all

We know how beneficial mindfulness is, and so we do our best to help people  access our courses. Openground offers course discounts wherever possible to people experiencing hardship or special circumstances – ranging from financial constraints to chronic pain or other complex needs. Talk to us if you are a current Health Care Card holder, or are experiencing genuine financial difficulty.

Significant early bird rates are also offered for our courses in some locations.

About the teacher

Mary McIntyre


Mary McIntyre - Distance Mindfulness (MBSR) teacherB.A​ ​.(Bus), Dip. Couns, Cert Sandplay Therapy & Symbol Work, Cert IV Architecture, MA​CA II

Mary has practised meditation since 1988, primarily in the Insight tradition and later in other lineages. She came to appreciate firsthand the clinical application of mindfulness meditation for anxiety, pain and stress and has facilitated  Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction groups since 2011. She is a certified teacher with MTI, Mindfulness Training Institute - Australia New Zealand . Mary is passionate about how we can achieve optimal inner and outer health through body-mind practices. She works as a counsellor / somatic psychotherapist in Brisbane and supports trainee mindfulness teachers in honing their craft.

You questions answered

  • I've tried meditation and can't do it.

    Yes, we know! Everybody has this experience when they first start mindfulness practice, and most people in your class will feel the same way. Don't worry – it won't prevent you from developing more ease and peace in your life through mindfulness training.

    We all need to start with the mind we have, and if that is a busy and preoccupied mind, then that’s the perfect place to begin. Initially, mindfulness practice is about becoming familiar with your own mind and body, and exploring ways to soothe, calm, and simply explore how you tick.

    Step-by-step throughout the course, you’ll be offered different ways of practicing so you can bring more of this way of being to support your mental health. By exploring the science of mindfulness, you’ll also discover why so many of us have such jumpy, 'jack-rabbit' minds and learn what you need to do to cultivate a calmer and clearer mind.

  • What's the difference between Openground's courses and other mindfulness stuff that is out there?

    Openground has 20 years of experience in helping people with serious mental and physical health challenges. Our programs spring from a long tradition of preventative and behavioural medicine which has been researched over decades. Much of the more recent mindfulness stuff has been watered down:
    - using videos V exploring with a dedicated teacher
    - just using an app, rather than a detailed exploration of your patterns and how to interrupt them
    - using the research about longer, intensive programs like MBSR and MBCT to "sell" more "light-on" programs
    - focussing on "well-being" rather than acknowledging just how tough mental health problems can be.

  • Who is MBSR for and what does it involve?

    Our MBSR course is for anyone who wants to reduce work, family or health-related stress, bring a greater sense of balance and meaning to their lives, and learn how to manage challenges more skillfully.

    The MBSR course involves:
    - an individual phone interview with your teacher
    - a 2.5 hour class, once a week for eight weeks, plus one full retreat day
    - yoga and body awareness training
    - an exploration of your own patterns of thinking, feeling and action, and how to transform them
    - brief lectures and discussions
    - individual feedback and support
    - scientific rationale for the practice
    - your commitment to daily homework practice using audio tracks and a course book.

  • Why is it important to practice?

    Mindfulness is not just a good idea – it’s a practice!

    A with any new skill – like learning to swim, do Pilates or play golf – just hearing or reading about mindfulness can only take you so far. Experience and practice are the two things that will lead to lasting and profound changes.

    For the training to make a real difference to your mental health, ask yourself if you are willing to make a commitment to undertake some formal practice each day over the eight weeks of your course. This will make all the difference to your satisfaction with the course, the benefits you experience, and your life.

    Training in mindfulness will equip you with a very portable set of skills that you can practice anywhere, anytime. Give it a go and let's see what happens!

  • Why not just use a mindfulness app or do a short course?

    We may not like it, but real change takes time. This is why your training for stress and burnout, anxiety, depression and trauma unfolds over eight weeks plus a whole day retreat – a total of 27 hours of training, as well as your home practice.

    Promises of a quick fix are always tempting. There are many pre-recorded short courses about recently, that don't have the clinical evidence behind them. If you have tried these and only had minimal benefit, that makes sense.
    We encourage you to do some research of your own. If you are quite stressed, or you’re facing some big challenges, you may find greater benefit in an in-depth, evidence-based program.

    Change happens through practice, and evidence suggests that for clinical conditions eight weeks is an optimum time for new cognitive, emotional, neurological and behavioural changes to become embedded. Our experience is that practice develops most effectively and sustainably when there is an ongoing personal relationship with a teacher who really knows their stuff.

  • I am a health professional. How will MBSR help me in my work?

    MBSR and MBCT can assist with your capacity for listening, empathy, compassion and genuine curiosity. It can also help you see into our own patterns that can get in the way of being truly helpful.
    However these programs are not a professional training program for using mindfulness with clients. We welcome you to join the course as a participant, leave your professional hat at the door, and immerse yourself in mindfulness practice. Our courses present an opportunity to learn about mindfulness from the inside out, by engaging in the group process and learning from your fellow participants.

    There are good ethical and professional reasons to develop an in-depth understanding of your own personal mindfulness practice before teaching others. A sustained mindfulness practice, including completing an MBSR course and a teacher-led silent mindfulness retreat, is a pre-requisite for training to teach

  • I can’t afford the full course fee. Do you offer payment plans or discounts?

    We are a not-for-profit committed to making the programs accessible to as many people as possible. So, we offer some heavily discounted places and payment plans for our courses for people who genuinely can't afford the full fee.
    Please click on the DISCOUNTS tab on the course booking page to request a discount. We are proud of the fact that we have never turned anyone away from doing the program just because they couldn’t afford the full fees.

  • What if I need to miss a class or the Day of Mindfulness?

    In some locations, there are a few courses happening simultaneously, so you could arrange to attend one of the other locations for that week. If that is not possible in your area, the course book is quite detailed in terms of covering the material each week, and you will be able to keep practicing and arrange to check in with your teacher by phone or email about your process that week.

    Missing the Day of Mindfulness is also sometimes inevitable. However, this day-long retreat is held every quarter, so you can always attend next time.

  • What’s the difference between doing the MSBR course to learn mindfulness and doing an intensive silent retreat?

    Both of these can be valuable pathways for learning mindfulness meditation. However, many people find the intensive retreat process more manageable after they have built some basic practice skills.

    One of the advantages of choosing the more gradual, eight-week process is learning to integrate your practice into day-to-day life, and creating mindful habits in the way you relate to yourself, your family, work colleagues and the world.