Commitment Required for a 6-8 week course
Mindfulness courses are not designed to be a “quick fix”, relaxation classes or group therapy sessions. Nor are they simply a meditation class. Offering instead the opportunity to learn (or deepen) a valuable life skill. Like any new skill, mindfulness requires a significant personal commitment both to attending all classes and developing a regular meditation practice at home. This includes a commitment to 30 minutes meditation daily for the duration of the course alongside a willingness to explore mindfulness within your day to day live.
As each class builds on the preceding week, we would recommend that anyone who misses a class attends a “catch up session”. We are happy to accommodate this in the case of illness etc., but regret that if more than two classes are missed, or two classes in a row, you may not be able to finish the course. Catch ups are usually provided on a one-to-one/small group basis, either prior to or following the following week’s class and take 30 minutes to complete. There is a nominal charge of £15 for this service.
We would also strongly advise not missing weeks 5 and 6. We therefore recommend carefully checking the course schedule before reserving a place.
Covid-19: We would encourage those suffering from Covid-19 to rest as much as possible. Please let us know if you are unwell so that we can agree how best to proceed, be that catch up sessions so that you may continue with the current course or the possibility of deferring onto a subsequent course/refund if you prefer. Whilst we normally charge £15 for catch up sessions we appreciate these are difficult times for many hence will offer these sessions on a donation basis. Also, catch up sessions may include delegates from different groups so as to make best use of our time.
Is it the right time for me to practice mindfulness?
It is not unusual for people to turn to mindfulness during periods of change and/or difficulty with many often finding mindfulness courses both more challenging and more rewarding than they expected.
There are however times when attending a group mindfulness course might not be beneficial. UMASS (the university from which Mindfulness-Based Interventions originate) list the following as areas requiring particular care ‘addiction, early recovery, untreated psychosis, acute depression, suicidality, PTSD, social anxiety, recent loss’.
These circumstances or conditions do not necessarily rule out the possibility of attending a class as suitability is very much influenced by;
- Your current psychological health
- The extent to which you have previously explored areas of particular difficulty and
- The support networks that you have around you, such as friends, family and mental health professionals
We would ask that if any of these apply that they are clearly stated on your booking form alongside details of the points above. The booking form is also an opportunity to make us aware of any other additional needs you may have. If you are currently receiving treatment for an ongoing mental health problem we strongly advise that you discuss your course attendance with your mental health professional before booking.
For those attending courses we would also strongly recommend not making any changes to any medication during or immediately after a course – however well you may be feeling at that time. Instead giving yourself time to fully establish your mindfulness practice and any new routines associated with it before considering subsequent changes with a trained healthcare professional.
Please contact us to discuss any questions or concerns you may have regarding workshop and/or course suitability. We are happy to discuss your particular circumstances and how you may best be supported. If a course is not felt to be suitable at this time alternatives will be offered including, for example, suggesting healthcare professionals who integrate mindfulness into their work.
Using Zoom
This course or event is being offered via Zoom.
Your confirmation of booking email will include a link to access the session.
If required please use the link below to access a 1 minute guidance video ‘Join a Meeting’ on how to use Zoom https://zoom.us/resources
We’ve been surprised by how easily both we and others have adapted to Zoom, if you do experience any technical difficulties though, Zoom also offer a troubleshootingpage. https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/sections/200305593-Troubleshooting
The 15 minutes prior to each session will be an opportunity for us to help you in finding your way around Zoom once in the online meeting room.
We will not however be able to respond to requests for help in finding the meeting link/accessing the meeting room at this point. If you do not receive the Eventbrite email at the time of booking please email relax@yorkmbsr.co.uk, allowing for 24 – 48 hour response times.
Practising Presence
Mindfulness is the cultivation of present moment awareness. To cultivate increased awareness in this way we first need to develop a stability of attention.
So as to ensure the best learning environment for yourselves and others we ask that you
- treat this session as you would a face to face event, being there in person (recordings will not be made/offered) with your camera function enabled.
- limit distractions as best you can, ensuring that
- mobiles are both on airplane mode and out of sight
- other applications are closed/notifications deactivated so that you will not be interrupted by emails etc.
- colleagues and/or family are aware that you are in a live training session, maybe putting a note on the door to remind people if need be.
Also, a few other tips people have found helpful
- please sit where you will be comfortable, ideally where your back can be straight, on a chair is fine, or on the floor if your prefer
- as with face to face events there’s an element of people arriving and finding their way around, we encourage you to give yourself plenty of time and maybe have a glass of water or cup of tea/coffee to help you manage any ‘tech’ moments and settle in!
- using headphones if you have them will help limit distractions in your own environment and improve sound quality
- it’s a good idea to be plugged into the mains – Zoom calls tend to use a lot of battery.
Frequently Asked Questions…
What further information will I receive?
On booking you will receive an automated email confirming your place and containing instructions on how to access the Online Training Room.
What is your cancellation policy?
If you decide to cancel your place on a 6-8 week course, you will receive:
- your full course fee, minus a £20 administration charge, if we receive notice from you at least 14 days before the 1st class
- 75% of your course fee if notice is given before the 2nd class
- 50% of your course fee if notice is given before the 3rd class
- No refunds will be issued after the 3rd class
If you decide to cancel your place on a single-day event, you will receive:
- A full refund (minus a £5 administration fee) provided we receive notice of your cancellation at least 14 days’ before the event date
- A 50% refund if we receive 13 – 7 days’ notice
- No refund if we receive less than 7 days’ notice
In the case that the course/event is cancelled by The Northern Centre for Mindfulness and Compassion, all fees will be refunded in full.
Covid-19: Please be aware that we will be applying our cancellation policy reasonably and flexibly during the Coronavirus Pandemic. Please let us know if you are unwell so that we can agree how best to proceed; be that a refund in line with our policy above, catch up sessions so that you may continue with the current course or the possibility of deferring onto a subsequent course if you prefer. If we as instructors become unwell, we will either arrange cover or for sessions to be rearranged. If this not possible we will offer the possibility of either deferring to a later course or receiving a refund.
I am considering training to teach mindfulness, will this course enable me to do this?
For those looking to teach mindfulness we would recommend having a look at the UK Network for Mindfulness Based Teacher Training Organisations which gives guidance on good practice and teacher training organisations within the UK. An 8-week MBSR, MBCT or 10-week MBLC course is generally considered a good starting point (including attendance on a day retreat) and often a pre-requisite to attending teaching training. Given several of our courses are adaptations of the traditional 8 week format, if you are looking to follow a particular training route it is worth checking any stipulated pre-requisites with your training provider.
My organisation are interested in/supportive of mindfulness – do you offer in-house training?
Yes we offer a full range of in-house mindfulness training, including stress reduction, resilience, change management, compassionate care, creativity and leadership development. Introductory workshops are an important first step for those wishing to offer mindfulness training. Please see our workplace webpage or get in touch for further information. We have also agreed employee discounts with a number of local organisations. If you are unsure as to whether or not your organisation has this offer in place please check with your HR/Staff Benefits/Management team.
What is your privacy policy?
We recognize the importance of protecting your personal information and are committed to processing it responsibly and in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). Please click on the link below to see our Privacy Statement which describes what happens to any personal data that you give to us, or any that we may collect from or about you. It applies to all courses and services, and instances where we collect your personal data: https://yorkmbsr.co.uk/privacy-policy
Is there disabled access to the venue?
n/a – Online
If you have a question which has not been answered,
further FAQs are available here or you can contact us directly at relax@yorkmbsr.co.uk.
