The Dialogue Consultancy

Meditation Course

The 8 Week Stress Reduction Programme

This 8 week course is a powerful method for reducing stress and learning to actively participate in your health and well-being. Using the proven approach of Mindfulness you will be taught effective methods for reducing your level of stress and developing improved relaxation. In addition to meeting weekly for 8 weeks you will need to actively participate in home study exercises to support the core teaching.

Mobilise your mind and body to take charge of your life and cope more effectively with stress

This programme of Stress Reduction is based upon an American model called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction or MBSR. Two decades of published research indicate that the majority of people completing the MBSR course report:

An ability to cope more effectively with both short and long-term stressful situations.
An increased ability to relax
Lasting decreases in physical and psychological symptoms
Reduction in pain levels and an enhanced ability to cope with pain that may not go away
Greater energy and enthusiasm for life

Mindfulness is a way of learning to relate directly to whatever is happening in your life, a way of taking charge of your life, a way of doing something for yourself that no one else can do for you – consciously and systematically working with your own stress, pain, illness and the challenges and demands of everyday life.

Making a commitment to improving your health

Fortunately, mindfulness is not something that you have to ‘get’ or acquire. It is a natural human capacity – a powerful resource you can become familiar with and harness for coping, for growing, for moving towards greater levels of health and well-being.

Particiapting in the Stress Reduction Programme does require a commitment to yourself and to us. You will be asked to attend all classes and practice daily home assignments for 45 –60 minutes per day.

What will I learn?

Practical coping skills to improve your ability to handle stressful situations
Methods for being physically and mentally relaxed and at ease
Gentle, full body conditioning exercises to strengthen your body and release muscular tension
To become increasingly aware of the interplay of mind and body in health and illness
To take responsibility for improving your own health
To face change and difficult times in your life with greater ease
To discover and develop your ability to help yourself move towards greater balance, control and peace of mind.

The course is challenging and life-affirming. The instructors are skilled at creating a safe and supportive atmosphere in which to engage in learning.

Specific Course Components

As a programme participant you will receive:

Guided instruction in mindfulness meditation and simple mindful yoga exercises
A range of exercises to enhance mindful awareness in everyday life
Exercises to enhance interpersonal communication skills
Daily assignments to develop your new skills
A workbook plus guided mindfulness exercises on CD

Stress Reduction for Body and Mind

Stress can affect us in diverse ways and can be prompted by a variety of issues and problems. People participate for conditions as diverse as:

Stress – job, family or financial
Heart Disease
Cancer
Chronic Pain
High Blood Pressure
Asthma
Headaches
Sleep Disturbance
Fatigue
Anxiety and Panic
Skin Disorders

First Session: Orientation

The first session is an an orientation session. We provide you with a first hand taste of mindfulness, an opportunity to better understand the course and a chance to meet the instructors. This first session is also an opportunity to clarify if his is an appropriate course for you. Participants need to be clear that there will be exercises every week to do at home of 45mins to one hour per day. Also, if you are currently suffering with depression we would advise against attending the course.

Course structure

The course consists of eight weekly classes and one day long class held on a Saturday or Sunday. For participants who attend from organisations such as the NHS the day course is an option that we can arrange subject to group discussion.

Fees

The fee including workbook, CD 8 Classes and all day class is £250.00 This can be paid in full or in instalments. For participants who are staff from Ealing NHS this course is free!

The Dialogue Consultancy has been providing counselling and coaching to NHS staff and various private companies for the past ten years. We have recently become concerned at the increasing levels of stress in individuals and organisations and in response to this have developed The Stress Reduction Programme.

This is modelled very closely on the American MBSR Programme as it has received many clinical trials and been shown to be a highly effective way to train individuals to manage their stress.

The Mindfulness Instructors

Jonathan Whines is a Director of The Dialogue Consultancy. He is a Gestalt Psychotherapist Registered with UKCP and an Acupuncturist. He has had a life-long interest in meditation. Most recently he has participated in various Zen Retreats and was a participant on The Bangor University, Mindfulness Teacher Development programme in North Wales in 2006.

Jacqui Hughes is a Director of The Dialogue Consultancy and a lecturer on the Kingston College Degree programme in Integrative Counselling.She was a participant on The Bangor University, Mindfulness Teacher Development programme in North Wales in 2006.

Useful Reading:

Full Catastrophe Living Jon Kabat-Zinn
Heal Thy Self: Saki Santorelli

AUDIO DOWNLOAD - BODYSCAN MEDITATION:

Click here to download

CALL US NOW: 0208 892 3644 EMAIL: jonathan@dialogueconsultancy.com

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