Frequently Asked Questions

The MBSR Online Training is self-paced, allowing you to start the program at any time that suits you.

You can take as long as you like to complete the program. There is no strict 8-week deadline.

Yes, you have full flexibility to navigate back and forth to any section within the course at any time.

Yes, you have full access to the training for life. You can also download all audio teaching and practice files to use at a later date. Additionally, you can repeat the course for free at a later date (e.g., in 2-3 years) if you wish to refresh your practice.

To get the full benefit of the Mindfulness Training, we suggest:

• Following the user instructions provided with each lesson.
• Practicing 30-45 minutes per day.
• Not doing more than one lesson per week to allow for integration.

You can download all audio talks and meditations directly from the course platform. To download a file, look for the three dots on the right side of the file identifier and tap them. Below is a key to the file identifiers:

• Download – Indicates a downloadable file. Tap the three dots on the right to download.
• # – Lesson and topic number (e.g., 1.02, 2.05).
• Type – Content type (e.g., gm-Guided Meditation, bs-Body Scan, gr-Guided Reflection, talk, read-Read by a digital reader).
• Source – Origin of the content (e.g., ross, mbsrwb-MBSR workbook).
• Keywords – Relevant keywords (e.g., stopping, dropping, awareness).
• Max – Indicates audio has been optimized.
• Length – Duration (e.g., 3m for 3 minutes).

At present, Mindfulness teachers are not formally regulated, and there are no singular governing or regulatory bodies. However, MBSR trainers generally deliver a set curriculum with standard core content and delivery methods that have been widely researched and proven effective.

In order to teach Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), teachers typically follow the curriculum developed at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Certified MBSR teachers usually complete a three-stage training process:

• Attendance & participation in an MBSR / MBCT course.
• Attendance at teacher training.
• Co-teaching several times with experienced teachers.

No. Completing an 8-week MBSR program alone does not qualify you to teach the full MBSR program.

To become a fully certified MBSR teacher, you must first be accepted and then trained through a recognized institution, such as the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

However, completing this 8-week www.MBSRtraining.com program fulfills the first requirement for being accepted into a formal MBSR teacher training program.

Upon completion of this 80-hour MBSRtraining.com Online program, you can receive a Certificate of Completion. With this Certificate of Completion, you are able to offer aspects of MBSR to individuals and groups, but you cannot represent yourself as a fully certified MBSR teacher.

The general path for becoming a certified MBSR teacher typically involves several phases:

MBSR Teacher Training Path

Phase 1: Beginnings

• Completion of an 8-week or intensive MBSR course as a participant.
• Participation in at least one silent, teacher-led, 5-10 day Mindfulness Meditation Retreat.
• Daily meditation practice for at least one year.

Phase 2: Ongoing Training

• Practicum in MBSR.
• Preliminary teaching experience (short classes and workshops).
• Ongoing relevant personal and and professional education and training; regular Mindfulness Meditation and retreat practice; and Yoga and other body-awareness practice.

Phase 3: Developing Teaching Skills

• Co-teaching with a designated Mentoring Teacher for 2-3 MBSR course offerings (Alternatively, a Teacher Development Intensive Course could be completed in lieu of mentoring).
• Review of a video of your teaching of Week 5.
• Completion of online teaching modules (if available/developed).
• Completion of a second silent, teacher-led, 5-10 day Mindfulness Meditation Retreat.

By successfully completing the above, you will have the minimum qualifications for beginning to teach the complete MBSR course on your own.

We understand your concern about validating participation and learning in an online, self-paced format. We have mechanisms in place to ensure engagement and progress:

• Topic Timers: The MBSR Training online program has the ability to set timers for each of the 8 weeks of the program. This helps ensure that participants do not rush through the material. For example, if Lesson 1 is completed on Sunday, May 1st, plus 6 days of practice, Lesson 2 would then become available on Sunday, May 8th.
• Lesson Topic Timers: Each of the 12 lesson topics can also have timers installed. For instance, if a meditation lesson topic (e.g., 3.6) is 15 minutes long, the student cannot advance to the next lesson topic (e.g., 3.7) until the 15 minutes have elapsed.
• Monitoring: The progress of each person can be monitored by the system.
• Certificate of Participation: The Certificate of Participation signifies that the student has completed the program diligently and has not rushed ahead through the content.

The retreat is designed to be done in a setting that you prefer. We provide a comfortable six-hour schedule for you to follow.

To get the most benefit from the mindfulness retreat, please consider limiting all “electronic” distractions during this time. If you choose to do the retreat at home, we suggest informing family members and friends that you will not be available for the 6-hour duration.