The Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Vanderbilt offers courses on Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). The first session of the new year is currently underway, and the next session begins March 24.
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, illness and the challenges and demands of everyday life.
The MBSR course schedule consists of eight weekly classes and one day-long class on a Saturday. This highly participatory, practical course includes:
- Guided instruction in mindfulness meditation practices;
- Gentle stretching and mindful yoga;
- Group dialogue and discussions aimed at enhancing awareness in everyday life;
- Daily home assignments; and
- A CD of four home practices and a home practice manual.
Note: If you are an individual living with chronic pain, please be aware that we have a mindfulness class that is specifically designed for your situation (please refer to MAPPS groups on our website).
Orientations is required for each session. All sessions meet on Tuesdays from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The cost is $375.
Sessions:
- Session 1: Jan. 6—March 3
- Session 2: March 24—May 19
- Session 3: June 16—Aug. 11
- Session 4: Sept. 1—Oct. 27
Facilitators:
- Karen Pilkerton, RN has practiced mindfulness meditation for ten years and has extensive silent retreat experience. She has a special interest in teaching MBSR and Qigong to parents of children with developmental disabilities and has worked with Vanderbilt’s Kennedy Center in the Parent Child Stress Intervention Project. In addition, Karen is trained to teach the Search Inside Yourself mindfulness curriculum at Vanderbilt.
- Elmo Shade, M.Ed. C.P.L.P, A.C.C. holds a Masters of Education Degree from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and a Certified Professional in Learning and Performance distinction from the American Society of Training & Development. He is a graduate of the Mindfulness for Professionals Program at Duke Integrative Medicine and the Cultivating Leadership Presence Program at the Institute of Mindful Leadership. Elmo serves as an Executive and Mindfulness-based Coach at Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School and Belmont University.
Contact: Lori Ryden, (615) 343-1170