Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

Being mindful begins right where you are. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, or MBSR, is an eight-week guided course for bringing healthy choices to life, being offered to the community through Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine.

Everyone experiences the effects of stress. In some situations, like during a formal exam or interview, stress can help people to focus and perform better. In others, particularly over extended periods of time, stress can compromise health and threaten someone’s sense of wellbeing.

The body is designed to respond to stress by solving the challenges that come its way. Stress mobilizes the body’s natural fight, flight or freeze response, which may include physical changes such as an increased heart rate or more rapid breathing. Over time, especially when someone finds themselves being constantly stressed, the body’s natural defense and coping mechanisms may weaken and lead someone to not feel well or to become sick.

Mindfulness is the capacity to pay attention, on purpose, in the present moment and without judgment. Mindfulness, as taught through the MBSR course, offers a potential solution to reduce stress and its potential harmful effects.

The first half of each MBSR class provides an extended period of practice, incorporating different forms of guided meditation as well as gentle standing and lying-down yoga. The second half of each class is dedicated to group discussion (inquiry) – exploring participants’ direct experiences with the formal and informal practices being taught during each class as well as their experiences from daily home practice (45 to 60 minutes). Each week’s practices build upon each of the previous weeks’ lessons.

MBSR courses are generally offered in the fall, winter and spring each year.

Tuition and Fees

Fees for the MBSR 8-week course are as follows. The $25 orientation fee is required prior to attending the MBSR 8-week course.

• Orientation

  • $25, non-refundable

• MBSR 8-week course (must attend orientation first; starts 1-2 weeks after orientation; payment due prior to the first MBSR session)

  • MBSR course fee: Participant paying $300

  • Penn State Student, Resident physician, MBSR alumni course fee: Participant paying $200

  • $150 scholarship: Participant paying $150

  • $200 scholarship: Participant paying $100

Scholarships for the MBSR 8-week course are offered to every participant as needed in a 1:1 conversation during orientation and can be adjusted to fit any budget.

Participation Requirements

Participants will need a laptop, smartphone or tablet with reliable internet connection. A quiet, protected space within the home is recommended.

No prior mindfulness training or meditation experience is required for this introductory course.

Psychology (APA)

Continuing Education credits have been approved for licensed psychologists. Penn State College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Penn State College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Full attendance at the sessions and evaluation of each individual session attended is required to receive CE credit for psychologists. Partial credit will not be awarded. Late arrivals or early departures will preclude awarding of CE credits.

Nurses

Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is approved as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Please note that no continuing education credits are offered for the first half of the all-day silent retreat.