This course follows the recognised MBSR curricula. MBSR is the gold standard in mindfulness training and is the most widely researched and validated mindfulness programme available in the world. There are over 100 randomised control studies on MBSR showing its effectiveness in developing resilience such as: increasing productivity, sharpening focus, improving sleep, relieving pain, managing anxiety, coping with illness, and feeling a deeper sense of peace. And participants completing an MBSR programme report having more energy and enthusiasm, more ability to relax, more self-confidence, greater clarity, concentration and ability to handle stressful situations.

So what exactly is resilience?

When you have resilience, you know how to gather inner strength to resource you in the face of challenges. Resilience is the ability to bounce back from setbacks such as disappointments, heartache, uncertainty and loss. When you are depleted of resilience, you might dwell on difficulties, feel swamped or overwhelmed or turn to unhealthy coping strategies such as withdrawing or binging.

Resilience is not about having a thick skin or blunting your emotions. Resilience will not make your problems go away or stop you feeling anything. Resilience gives you flexibility to step back to get perspective, see beyond difficulties, and find enjoyment in life no matter what gets thrown your way.

It is not your knowledge or ability at what you do in life that brings fulfillment, it is your psychological willingness to embrace all of life – including the difficulties that are inevitable in everyone’s lifetime, for example: bereavement, ill-health, and life changes you would prefer not to happen. Resilience is the courage to face the stress head on, not to see mistakes as failure, having clarity of mind to see solutions, adjusting to change with dignity, collaborating well with others, and enjoying your successes with ownership and humility.

Mindfulness is a proven way to enhance your resiliency by strengthening your natural ability to enjoy life and open up to your potential.

The MBSR curricula covers:

• Week 1. What is mindfulness?
• Week 2. Gathering the scattered mind - The power of being present, living all your moments.
• Week 3. Learning about your patterns of reacting to life’s challenges.
• Week 4. Coping with challenges - Using mindfulness to Respond instead of Reacting.
• Week 5. Dealing with difficult emotions / sensation. RAIN: Recognise/Accept/Investigate/Non-identify)
• Week 6. Mindfulness and communication. Working with difficult situation.
• All day session. Deepening mindfulness. Developing mindfulness over a wider period of time to allow the possibility of greater awareness and self-knowledge as a basis to face future challenges in your life more skillfully.
• Week 7. Cultivating compassion. Being your own encouraging coach.
• Week 8. Bringing it all together in a personal plan. The beginning of the rest of your mindful life.

MBSR does not involve:

• Group therapy. You will not be asked to bring personal problems or talk about your childhood. Only your everyday ordinary experience will be discussed. Sometimes this can raise difficult thoughts and feelings which can be discussed in the context of mindfulness and the course content.
• Clearing your mind for becomeing more relaxed. Sometimes these are by-products of MBCT but this is not the goal. Mindfulness is about knowing yourself better and being able to manage yourself more skillfully.
  

Further information:

Visit website: http://eastlondonmindfulness.uk/mbsr-london/

Costs: £260, £220 early bird (book by 7th January 2016). Cost includes workbook and MP3/DVD guided meditations.
Dates & times: Tuesdays 7:15pm until 9:30pm: April 25, May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, June 6 & 13. All-day session Sunday 4th May from 11am until 5pm.

Terms and conditions: http://eastlondonmindfulness.uk/tcs