The Issue:

Life is full of stressful events such as

  • demanding work
  • headaches and backaches
  • frequent illness
  • high blood pressure
  • fatigue and sleep disturbances
  • depression or anxiety
  • irritability and mood swings

Chronic stress impairs the immune system and can contribute to serious health problems such as heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, and some cancers. It can also increase the intensity, frequency, and duration of chronic pain syndromes.

The Program:

We will teach you how to slow down, recognize the warning signs of stress reactions, and stay focused and relaxed in ways that enhance the body’s natural adaptive ability to choose healthy responses. You will learn mind-body awareness, meditation, and stretching as the foundation for a variety of stress and pain management techniques. The class format includes educational presentations, practice of various skills, and group discussions. Materials, books, and recordings are provided. The techniques are not difficult; learning them requires a strong commitment to participate in class and to practice between classes.

The program consists of eight 2½-hour classes held on a weekday, plus a 6-hour “Day of Mindfulness” retreat on one Saturday. Please plan on attending all classes.

The Outcome:

Research done at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center and at the Harvard Medical School shows that the majority of people report lasting improvement in both physical and psychological symptoms from conditions such as heart disease, migraine headaches, some autoimmune diseases, obsessive thinking, anxiety, depression, and hostility. They also report an increased ability to relax, greater energy and enthusiasm for life, improved self-esteem, and more effective coping with both short-term and long-term stress.

This program is based on the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn as presented in his best-selling book Full Catastrophe Living. Please see our page of References for more resources.

Please contact us for more information.

  • “This class has been very enlightening on how I experience events in my daily life. I feel much more objective about my emotions and daily interactions and have been able to experience my life in a much more meaningful, less judgmental way.”