🧘 Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
An 8-Week Course in Mindfulness for Stress Reduction and Well-Being
You can’t stop the waves,
Jon Kabat-Zinn
but you can learn to surf.
What This Course Is About
MBSR – Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction – is a well-established mindfulness program that has been helping people navigate stress, difficult life circumstances, and the pressures of everyday life.
Rather than trying to “get rid of” uncomfortable experiences, MBSR helps us develop a different way of relating to them: with greater presence, acceptance, and clarity.
Mindfulness means being present – even when life isn’t easy.
What to Expect
- Guided mindfulness practices, including the body scan, sitting meditation, and mindful movement
- Understanding how stress affects us and learning to respond more mindfully to thoughts, emotions, and difficult situations
- Group inquiry and shared reflection
- A day-long retreat for a more sustained period of practice together
- Guided audio practices and course materials to support your practice between sessions
Who Is This Course For?
This course is for:
- People experiencing stress, exhaustion, or a sense of inner restlessness
- Anyone interested in learning mindfulness in a practical and well-grounded way
- People looking for new ways of relating to difficult thoughts, emotions, or physical pain
- Anyone wanting to reconnect with themselves and become more present in everyday life
The course is open to everyone – no previous experience is required.
It is equally suitable as an introduction to mindfulness and as an opportunity to deepen an existing practice.
Dates, Format & Fee
| Course begins | Schedule | Format | Fee |
| Fall 2025 | 8 weekly sessions of 2.5 hours + Day-long retreat | Live online via Zoom | €490 / €440 reduced rate |
All sessions will be recorded. This allows for some flexibility if you occasionally cannot attend live.
Registration & Contact
📩 For registration or questions:
office@dennis-johnson.com
What Participants Say
💬 “I felt very supported throughout the course and came away with new perspectives on life as well as many practices that I continue to use. MBSR has broadened the way I see things—I experience life with greater awareness and clarity. Thank you for your guidance!”
💬 “Thank you for these past eight weeks. The course showed me what mindfulness can make possible—and also where there is still room for me to grow.”
💬 “I’m really glad I decided to take the course. I feel much more balanced and at ease now—and your voice in the guided meditations has become a reassuring anchor for me.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is MBSR?
MBSR was developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, and is one of the most extensively researched mindfulness-based programs for working with stress.
Is the course suitable if I’m experiencing mental health difficulties?
MBSR is not a substitute for psychotherapy or medical treatment, but mindfulness practice can be a valuable source of support. If you are unsure whether the course is right for you, please feel free to contact me.
Do I need any meditation experience?
Not at all. No previous meditation experience is needed. We’ll explore the practices together over the course of the eight weeks.
Course Details
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a well-established, research-based program that has been helping people develop healthier ways of responding to stress and challenging life circumstances for more than 40 years.
Rather than trying to eliminate difficult experiences, MBSR trains our capacity for awareness and helps us develop a different relationship with what is happening: one characterized by greater presence, acceptance, and clarity.
Through a combination of formal meditation practices, mindful movement, and an exploration of our own habitual stress patterns, the course provides a space to strengthen inner resources and experiment with new ways of responding to life’s challenges—with potential benefits for well-being, resilience, and quality of life.
📝 Learning Objectives
During the course, you will learn to:
- Respond to stressful events with greater awareness and choice rather than automatic reactivity
- Develop a greater non-judgemental perception of body sensations, thoughts, and emotions
- Cultivate and apply mindfulness in daily life
- Meet difficult emotions, fears, and physical discomfort with greater acceptance
🔎 Course Content
Session 1: Mindfulness
Session 2: Perception
Session 3: Somatic Awareness
Session 4: Stress and Stress-Physiology
Session 5: Responding to Stress and Difficult Emotions
Session 6: Mindful Communication
Session 7: Self-Care
Session 8: Mindfulness in Daily Life
Each session includes:
- Theory and insights from mindfulness research
- Guided mindfulness practices
- Inquiry and group sharing
- Guidance for your practice at home
📌 Participation Requirements
- A brief questionnaire and pre-course interview
- A willingness to set aside approximately 40 minutes each day for mindfulness practice
- Openness to reflection and sharing within a supportive group setting