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Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

8-week Course & Retreat Day

Why do this course?

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Developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn over 4 decades ago, the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course is being taught all over the world and has changed the lives of millions of people for the better, sometimes dramatically so. Extensive scientific research into the effectiveness of this course has demonstrated that it leads to a wide range of benefits on mental, emotional and physical levels. 

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The structure and approach in the MBSR course really helps people to really ‘get’ mindfulness and to experience the many benefits that are possible from living more mindfully.

 

You will have almost 2 months to learn and practice mindfulness with the weekly regular support and guidance of a qualified and very experienced mindfulness teacher, and with the stimulation and fun of being part of a group. This will give you sufficient time to really take in all the different aspects of mindfulness, to learn how to apply mindfulness in your daily life effectively, and to make being mindful a new habit.

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What will you learn in this course?
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  • What mindfulness ‘is’, and what it is not

  • How to actually bring yourself into the present moment, and why that matters

  • The role our (often uncounscious) thinking plays in how we feel and behave, and how we can find more freedom from our own thoughts

  • How to cultivate positive mind states

  • Discovering how our mind and body interact with each other, and why good body awareness is crucial for our wellbeing

  • Understanding what is meant by the ‘acceptance’ aspect of mindfulness, and how it can transform any kind of difficulty, including chronic health conditions

  • Learning to much better understand, be comfortable with and manage difficult emotions like stress, anxiety, depression and irritability

  • How to transform the influence of negative thought patterns

  • How to be kind to yourself, instead of beating yourself up or feeling you are never ‘good enough’

  • What we know about the neuroscience of mindfulness: how mindfulness changes our brain

  • How to utilize mindfulness to improve our relationships with other people

  • Reflecting on what really matters to you in your life, and how you can live more in alignment with that

  • How to make mindfulness an ongoing part of your life

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A full outline of the course can be found here

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I have paused the running of the MBSR course for now as I am too busy with my psychotherapy work. 

I can run the course on an individual basis or for a small group, please do be in touch if you are interested in that. 

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Facilitator: My name is Astrid de Ruiter, and I am an internationally certified Mindfulness teacher. I have had the privilige of teaching  mindfulness courses for over 15 years. 

I am also a registered counsellor/psychotherapist in private practice with over 15 years of experience. You can find out more about me here

 

What does the course consist of?
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  • 8 weekly sessions of 2.5 hr 

  • A one day retreat

  • An inspiring and easy to read 100+ pages course book

  • Access to a range of guided mindfulness meditation practices

  • Emails with additional information

  • Individual support where needed

  • And your commitment to creating a happier life for yourself, by practicing mindfulness meditation every day!

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Weekly sessions offer a supportive, safe and stimulating environment, and are a combination of guided mindfulness practices, easy to understand theory, group discussions and exercises. 

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Participants of an Openground MBSR course were followed in an episode of ABC Catalyst. 

Watch it here

MBSR course on ABC Catalyst
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ABC Catalyst followed a group of 15 people doing the MBSR course. You can watch their inspiring journey on ABC iView (Click on the image to watch).

Proven benefits of mindfulness:

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  1. Reduces stress

  2. Helps to ease anxiety, stress,  depression and other neg. emotions

  3. Improves focus and efficiency

  4. Hardwires the brain to be more calm and less reactive

  5. Improves sleep

  6. Improves the quality of our relationships

  7. Helps us feel happy and more fulfilled

  8. Improves our physical health

  9. Reduces chronic pain

  10. Can help to slow ageing and extend life

  11. Makes you more self-compassionate

  12. Makes you less biased and more objective

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Cost: flexible payment options!
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You can register now with a deposit of just $50 and trial the first week. At the first session, you will recieve all the course materials. The full fee for the course is $475/ $395 concession. We have very flexible payment arrangements available, and further discounts are possible for those experiencing financial hardship. Feel free to contact me to find out more. 

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