Training in Mindfulness

Credentials: Training in mindfulness

Broadly speaking, mindfulness is the quality of being aware of your experience in the present moment with acceptance. Acceptance doesn’t mean you should resign yourself to the way something is, or to tolerate injustice. Instead, acceptance just means a willingness to see a situation as it is, including both the pleasant parts and not-so-pleasant parts. Sometimes being mindful results in a feeling of peace, calmness, and groundedness. Other times it involves a willingness to be present with uncomfortable feelings or experiences such as fear, pain, aversion, and prejudice. When people are aware of their present experience with acceptance--when they are willing to see a situation clearly for what it is--then they are much more likely to feel grounded, aware, and confident when responding to a situation.

I have been influenced greatly by teachings about mindfulness and the clinical applications of mindfulness. Many of the great new evidence-based therapies, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy, incorporate mindfulness practices as a core element of therapy.

I have been trained in mindfulness techniques from Buddhist teachers in the Vipassana Meditation communities as a product of attending regular sittings, listening to dharma talks, participating in multi-day meditation retreats, and reading books by Buddhist teachers. I have also been trained in mindfulness techniques through attending training programs and reading books by Psychologists about psychological theory and intervention. In particular, I have learned a great deal from Robert Beatty at the Portland Insight Meditation Center, Gil Fronsdal at the Insight Meditation Center, Noah Levine and Vinny Ferraro with Dharma Punx, and various teachers at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. Some of my favorite authors on Buddhist Psychology include Pema Chödrön, Ken Wilbur, Sogyal Rinpoche, and Thich Nhat Hanh.

The list below includes some of the silent meditation retreats I have attended, as well as select trainings that are focused specifically on mindfulness practice and science. Other trainings which are more specific to Psychological Intervention may be found on my Selected Trainings and Seminars page.

Vinyasa yoga practice

Katie Flynn, RYT

Independent study: Mindfulness and psychotherapy

Karen Davison, Psy.D.

Insight meditation retreat

Mary Grace Orr, Gil Fronsdal, Ph.D., Howie Cohn

Emotional Awareness: Overcoming the Obstacles to Psychological Balance and Compassion

Paul Ekman, Ph.D.

The wise heart and the mindful brain: Buddha meets neurobiology

Jack Kornfield, Ph.D., and Daniel Siegel, M.D.

The psychological and spiritual challenges of getting old

Sylvia Boorstein, Ph.D. and Bernice Goldmark, PhD.