Implementing Mindfulness in Therapy

Mindfulness has become a popular therapy approach in recent years, and this workshop is designed to provide therapists and health care providers an introduction to mindfulness and how to integrate it in therapeutic work.

Mindfulness can serve as a main therapy approach or as a support and complementary therapy to medical treatment and psychotherapy. This workshop will address the following topics:

The principles and practices of mindfulness
Participants will learn the theory underlying mindfulness approaches, based on Buddhist philosophy and psychology, and will be introduced to the pioneering work of Jon Kabat-Zinn, the founder of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program (MBSR) that implements mindfulness approaches for therapeutic and healing purposes. The workshop will include a brief overview of 30 years of research on the benefits of mindfulness practice.Participants will also engage in a variety of experiential mindfulness meditation practices – both personal and interpersonal.

Interpersonal mindfulness
Six guidelines for speaking with awareness, for deep listening, and for staying mindful in relationships will be introduced and practiced in dyads and small groups. Participants will learn how to use mindfulness to remain calm, present, compassionate and attentive during the tensions and difficulties that arise in therapy.

Implementing mindfulness in therapy
Ms. Schweitzer will present anecdotes and examples from her therapeutic work that illustrate the various effects that the mindfulness approach has on clients. Group dialogue will address the implementation of mind¬fulness in therapy and the discussion will address diagnoses and conditions that can benefit from the mindfulness approach, and clarify how to present mindfulness to clients and practice with them.

Date: Saturday, September 17, 2011

Time: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Location: Lewis & Clark College Graduate Campus, Conference Center Room 107

Instructor: Yael Schweitzer, MSW, LCSW, BC-DMT.

Noncredit/CEU: 7 CEUs, $125 if registered by 9/2, $140 after; $40 for students

Registration Form

About the Instructor

Yael Schweitzer, M.S.W., LCSW, BC-DMT is a licensed clinical social worker, group and movement therapist, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction teacher, and co-developer of the Interpersonal Mindfulness Program. She has been teaching and incorporating mindfulness approaches in her therapeutic work for over 25 years. To find out more about Yael’s work please visit www.yaelschweitzer.com.