What is MBSR? 

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a program designed to teach a skill called mindfulness. MBSR teaches people practices they can use over the course of their life to reduce stress and promote health and wellness.  Mindfulness is a term that refers to non-judgmental, present moment attention. With original roots based in Eastern traditions, the introduction of MBSR to allopathic medicine in the United States first occurred in 1979, when Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn founded the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. There are over 250 hospitals nationwide offering stress reduction programs based on mindfulness.

Benefits of MBSR include:

• Improved quality of life (school, job)
• Reduced tension, fear, frustration
• Better coping with life stressors
• Improved sleep
• Possible reduced need for pain medications
• Reduced risk of relapse of depression

2013 MBSR Schedule

Wednesdays, 9:30-12:00, January 9^th through February 27^th 

Instructor: Kurt Hoelting, M.Div

Location: Seattle

Wednesdays, 9:30-12:00, March 6^th through April 24^th 

Instructor: Kurt Hoelting, M.Div

Location: Seattle

Thursdays, 9:30-12:00, April 4^th through May 23^rd 

Instructor: Lisa Hardmeyer

Location: American Lake

Thursdays, 2:00-4:30pm, April 4^th through May 23^rd 

Instructor: Lisa Hardmeyer

Location: American Lake

Thursdays, 9:30-12:00, April 4^th through May 23^rd 

Instructor: Carolyn McManus, PT, MA

Location: Seattle

Tuesdays, 9:30-12:00, May 28^th through July 16^th 

Instructor: Jonas Batt, MA, LMHCA

Location: American Lake

Tuesdays, 9:30-12:00, May 28^th through July 16^th 

Instructor: Lisa Hardmeyer

Location: Seattle

Thursdays, 9:30-12:00, August 8^th through September 27^th 

Instructor: Carolyn McManus, PT, MA

Location: Seattle

Loving Kindness Meditation (Seattle Only)

When a person experiences trauma, chronic pain and other life difficulties, it can become more difficult to feel kindness for self and others.  Emotional numbing, anger, shame, guilt, social isolation, and disrupted interpersonal relationships can result. Most traditional therapies emphasize reduction of painful thoughts and feelings.

 Loving Kindness Meditation (LKM) takes a different approach.  Rather than focusing on decreasing unpleasant experiences,  LKM emphasizes the expansion of positive emotions.  This is achieved through meditation exercises that draw attention to one’s own capacity for basic goodwill, compassion, and kindness toward oneself and others, even in stressful or hurtful circumstances.

Research shows that regular LKM practice may result in an improved health and well-being, as well as symptom reduction.

2013 LKM Schedule

Thursdays, 9:00-10:30am, January 10^th through March 28^th 

Instructor: David Kearney, MD & Tracy Simpson, PhD

Location: Seattle

Fridays, 9:00-10:30am, January 25^th through April 12^th 

Instructors: Carolyn McManus, PT, MA & Jonas Batt, MA, LMHCA

Location: Seattle

Fridays, 9:00-10:30am, April 19^th through July 5^th 

Instructor: Carolyn McManus, PT, MA

Location: Seattle

Fridays, 9:00-10:30am, July 12^th through September 27^th 

Instructors: Carolyn McManus, PT, MA & Jonas Batt, MA, LMHCA

Location: Seattle

Mindfulness Classes for MBSR and LKM Alum (Seattle Only) 

We now have additional Mindfulness Classes available for Veterans who have completed the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program or Loving Kindness Meditation (LKM) program. These classes are intended to provide support for additional growth and learning after a person completes MBSR or LKM.

• Classes are held every other week and last two hours per class.
• Classes are offered in modules of four classes.  We ask that you sign up and commit to attend the entire module of four classes.  Attending all four classes in the module will help to ensure a stable group of participants,  which helps to provide a supportive environment.
• Each module of four classes will cover a basic theme, but will also discuss mindfulness practice in general.  The themes covered are intended to be universal – they apply to us all in varying degrees! These themes are designed to help Veterans apply mindfulness skills in multiple areas of life.
• You can reserve a place in each module by calling the MBSR Coordinator, Michelle Martinez, at (206) 277-1721, and she will make an appointment for you.  These appointments are eligible for Travel pay, just like the MBSR groups.

Contact Us

If you are interested in learning more about the program, please contact Michelle Martinez, MBSR Coordinator, phone: (206) 277-1721