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Programs by Faculty of IMP
Certificate
Program in Mindfulness and Psychotherapy Consisting of a five day-long residential program
in a retreat-like setting, a three day-long residential meditation
retreat, and weekly classes in the Boston area, this nine-month
program will comprehensively explore the integration of mindfulness
and psychotherapy. With the guidance of approximately 20 faculty
comprised of specialists in their areas, we will examine the application
of mindfulness to a wide range of clinical populations and conditions,
will compare and contrast Western and Buddhist perspectives on health
and healing, and will practice meditation together. The clinical
and academic material will be studied in a manner that embodies
the qualities of mindfulness, suffusing the inquiry with awareness,
insight, and compassion for self and others, engaging both mind
and heart. Those completing the course will receive continuing education
credits and a certificate from the Institute for Meditation and
Psychotherapy.
Buddhist
Psychology Lecture Series: Conversations at the Edge Returning for a sixth year, this monthly CE program is intended for psychotherapists who are interested in Buddhist psychology, meditation, or mindfulness. Each lecture will address theoretical and clinical issues at the interface of mindfulness and psychotherapy. Topics will include: (1) bringing mindfulness techniques to couples work, (2) mindfulness-based treatment of anxiety, 3) helping clients move mindfully from resentment to forgiveness, and 4) mindful aging. These evenings offer an opportunity to gather with colleagues in an informal setting to discuss and explore the leading edges of Buddhist psychology and modern psychotherapy. Most lecturers are long-term meditation practitioners with specific areas of clinical expertise. Didactic presentations will be followed by Q & A and discussion, moderated by Tom Pedulla, LICSW. 2 CE’s are offered each evening to psychologists,
social workers, nurses, LMFTs and LMHCs.
Buddhist Psychology
Film Series This monthly series offers the audience a lively and entertaining learning experience. The emotional challenges of everyday life, especially those found in relationships, will be brought vividly to life through the medium of film. Afterwards, a faculty member of the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy will lead a discussion focused on how Buddhist psychology and mindfulness practice can illuminate and alleviate these different forms of suffering. Attendees will learn and understand core ideas of Buddhist psychology, such as clear seeing, interconnectedness, and self-compassion. 3 CE’s are offered each evening to psychologists,
social workers, nurses, licensed marriage and family therapists,
and licensed mental health counselors.
Mindfulness-Based
Cognitive Therapy: Sitting with Depression, Sitting with Anxiety Developed by British and Canadian researchers, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy is an innovative, 8-week program that has been clinically proven to bolster recovery from depression and prevent relapse. Through guided meditation and discussion, the presenters will explore some of the ways MBCT and related mindfulness practices help people work more skillfully with the painful thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations associated with depression and anxiety and other psychological problems. No CE’s are offered for this event.
Sacred
Longing: The Transformation of Desire We live in a realm of desire, but desire need not take over our intentions merely because it is present. Instead, we can learn to feel desire as an energy in our bodies and minds. This can create the freedom we need to choose which desires we can act upon without causing harm to ourselves and others. This retreat is a course in Vipassana (Insight) Meditation, an intensive training in mindful awareness. Held within the context of silent insight meditation practice, this course offers tools to transform even the strongest desire into the energy for awakening. New intentions toward happiness can then form and flow freely. This course is suitable for both beginners and
experienced mindfulness practitioners.
The format will include 15 hours of guided meditations, talks, instruction, small group meetings, and Q and A sessions led by the teachers. There will also be periods of meditation and silent practice of the principles being taught (including during meals). Although much of the culture and atmosphere at IMS reflects the Buddhist meditative tradition, this retreat is non-sectarian and does not require any adherence to Buddhism or any other adaptation of personal faith. The only requirement is participants' willingness to learn and practice the skills taught during the course. 15 CEs are available for Psychologists and Licensed
Mental Health Counselors. An additional fee of $50 will be payable
at the end of your retreat when you receive your certificate.
Mindfulness
and the Transformation of Desire We live in the realm of desire, but desire need not take over our intentions merely because it is present. With mindfulness and self-compassion we can learn to feel desire as energy in our bodies and minds. This can create the freedom we need to choose which desires we can act upon without causing harm to ourselves and others. Even if desire is so strong that restraint causes a sense of torment, we can learn ways to engage compassionately with that torment. Even the strongest habits can be transformed, allowing us to turn towards awakening and true enjoyment of ourselves and our world. No CE’s are offered for this event.
Mindfulness
and Psychotherapy All patients come to therapy to alleviate their suffering. However, clinical and scientific evidence suggests that ‘what we resist, persists,’ or even amplifies. The challenge of psychotherapy is how to turn toward emotional pain, safely and effectively, together with our clients. Three core skills of mindfulness meditation can be cultivated to support this tricky endeavor: (1) single-focus awareness, (2) open-field awareness, and (3) compassion. A key element in mindfulness-oriented psychotherapy is self-compassion—opening to our own emotional difficulties with kindness, rather than criticizing or blaming ourselves when things go wrong. Since mindfulness is a visceral, non-conceptual experience, this day-long program will be an ‘educational retreat’—weaving talks, meditation, clinical vignettes, research, and discussion. 6 CE’s are offered for psychologists,
social workers, nurses, and mental health counselors.
The
Mindful Path to Self-Compassion This retreat takes place in the beautiful Berkshires in western Massachusetts. It is a weekend immersion in mindful self-compassion and is open to therapists and non-therapists alike. Mindful self-compassion entails being warm and understanding toward ourselves when we suffer, fail, or feel inadequate, rather than rejecting ourselves or beating up on ourselves with self-criticism. There is compelling scientific evidence for using self-compassion to cultivate emotional resilience and general well-being. By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to integrate more self-kindness in their everyday lives. Special emphasis will be given to the skillful application of loving-kindness meditation. Therapists will be able to teach self-compassion skills to their clients and practice mindful self-compassion to deepen therapeutic presence and enjoy their clinical work more fully. 8 CE’s are available to professional groups.
The
Mindful Path to Self-Compassion Self-compassion is the ground of emotional healing. It involves generating kindness and respect toward ourselves as imperfect humans, and learning to be present with the inevitable struggles of life with greater ease. This workshop will provide simple tools for responding in a kind, compassionate way whenever we suffer, fail, or feel inadequate. We all want to avoid pain, but letting it in—and responding compassionately to our own imperfections without judgment or self-blame—are essential steps toward living happier, more fulfilling lives. 5 CE’s are offered for psychologists,
social workers, mental health counselors, and marriage and family
therapists.
Mindfulness:
An Educational Retreat To incorporate mindfulness into our work and personal lives, we need an intuitive, visceral understanding of the practice as well as an intellectual foundation. In this symposium, participants will develop a solid theoretical understanding of mindfulness from both the Buddhist and western scientific perspectives. Also, participants will receive instruction in mindfulness meditation and be given the opportunity for personal practice in a relaxed and supportive atmosphere. Through lecture, demonstration, experiential exercise, and small group discussion, participants will examine how mindfulness practice can enhance therapeutic presence and transform their understanding of the causes of psychological suffering across the diagnostic spectrum. Participants will learn when and how to introduce various mindfulness techniques to their clients or patients. They will also learn to utilize special techniques for treating anxiety, chronic pain, stress-related medical disorders and interpersonal conflicts, and to develop creative ways to work with obstacles to mindfulness practice. 15 CE’s are offered to physicians, psychologists,
counselors/educators, nurses, social workers, and marriage and family
therapists.
This
Very Moment: Mindfulness in Psychotherapy This experiential workshop will explore the many ways that mindfulness practice can enrich psychotherapy, enliven interpersonal relationships, and contribute to personal well-being. Psychotherapists, human-service professionals, and other psychologically minded people interested in personal development are all welcome to attend. You will learn:
Mindfulness
and Psychotherapy An 8 Week Interactive Online Continuing Education Course sponsored by the National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine. This intensive online course taught by Ronald Siegel, PsyD explores the use of mindfulness to enhance therapeutic relationships and enrich psychotherapy. Participants will learn to practice mindfulness themselves; to use mindfulness to work with loneliness, alienation, illness and loss; and to apply mindfulness to the treatment of depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and childhood distress. There will be extensive opportunities for peer and teacher feedback regarding both personal and professional applications of mindfulness practices. CE’s are offered to physicians (up to
24), psychologists (24), counselors/educators (24), nurses (26.4),
social workers (24), and family therapists (24).
Customizing
Mindfulness for Individual Psychotherapy This course is offered by the APA Online Academy and is an edited version of a workshop presented at the American Psychological Association annual convention in 2008. A Powerpoint presentation and numerous downloadable handouts accompany the audio track. This is an introductory workshop for clinicians who wish to apply mindfulness in individual psychotherapy. Participants will learn how to design mindfulness techniques for patients to practice between therapy sessions, and how to use mindfulness to foster therapeutic connection. Topics discussed include the three core mindfulness meditation skills (concentration, mindfulness, loving-kindness), the basic structure of mindfulness techniques (stop, observe, return), stages of acceptance of discomfort (aversion, curiosity, tolerance, willingness, friendship), and key clinical questions asked by mindfulness-oriented psychotherapists. 4 CE credits are available for psychologists,
and a certificate may be downloaded and printed immediately upon
completion.
Meditation
and Psychotherapy: Refining the Art The objective of this course is to explore recent understanding of how the principles and practices of meditation can be integrated into effective psychotherapy. After attending this course, participants will be able to identify key issues in the meditative treatment of diverse conditions and populations. Attendees will be able to outline advantages and limitations of using meditation in psychotherapy, illustrate key clinical decisions that impact treatment outcome, describe recent discoveries in the neurobiology of meditation, explain techniques for retraining the brain, and discuss strategies for mindful living, This course is intended for health and mental health clinicians, researchers, educators, and others interested in the behavioral sciences. 14 CE’s are available for physicians,
psychologists, social workers, marrige and family therapists, counselors,
educators, and nurses.
Insight
Meditation Society (IMS) Meditation is currently one of the most widely used and researched of all psychotherapy methods. The Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy is currently offering CE’s for the didactic portion of meditation retreats at IMS, to help mental health professionals learn more about practicing and teaching mindfulness meditation.
Cultivating
Compassionate Presence: An Intensive Mindfulness Retreat for Mental
Health Professionals This retreat takes place at a magnificent 135-acre wilderness ranch and retreat center located 8,880 feet above sea level in the San Juan Mountains, 50 miles west of scenic Taos, New Mexico. Many clinicians have studied mindfulness and its clinical applications, but have not had the opportunity to personally dive more deeply into mindfulness and compassion practices. This course offers an opportunity to explore these practices with colleagues more intensively in a retreat environment. The teaching will be experience-near, focusing on how mindfulness practice can both deepen our understanding of psychological suffering and enhance our capacity for therapeutic presence and empathy. There will be study modules most afternoons, and regular opportunities for group discussion and individual meetings with teachers. The rest of the time we will observe silence, including during meals, to facilitate a deeper contemplative experience. Mornings and evenings will be devoted to guided sitting and walking meditation, and there will be one completely silent retreat day during the course. 20 CE’s are available to psychologists,
social workers and nurses.
Mindful
Self-Compassion Training: Pilot Project How would you feel if somebody told you that you were “average”—average looking, average intelligence, average talent? Most probably it would hurt your feelings and affect your self-esteem. In our culture, we’re taught we need to be exceptional and we’re hard on ourselves when we’re not: “You’re so stupid!” “What a loser!” “No one will love you.” Sound familiar? We all do that to some extent. But what would happen if you were kind to yourself—at least as kind as you are to others—when you notice the ways you’re less-than-perfect? And how do you respond to life’s problems—work pressure, illness, rejection, overdue bills? In difficult situations, it’s easy for us to become overwhelmed with strong emotions such as fear, anger, sadness, or shame. Then we amplify our stress by telling ourselves: “This is not supposed to be happening to me!” But what if you took a different approach, accepting that “this is happening” while reminding yourself that all people have their struggles? What if you took a moment to soothe and comfort yourself when life becomes difficult, rather than troubling yourself further. In other words, what if you learned the art of mindful self-compassion? In this 8-session training (plus a 6-hour retreat), you’ll learn: • how to stop being so hard on yourself
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The Institute for Meditation and
Psychotherapy
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