Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
WHY MBSR?
Life moves fast, demands are constant, and stress can feel unrelenting. Many people juggle work, family, and personal responsibilities while navigating anxiety, chronic pain, or a sense of overwhelm. Finding balance and presence in the midst of it all can seem out of reach.
The Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course offers a practical, evidence-based approach to cultivating mindfulness. Whether you're new to mindfulness or looking to deepen your practice, MBSR provides the time, guidance, and hands-on experience needed to integrate mindfulness into daily life in a meaningful way.
WHAT TO EXPECT
This 8-week course includes:
- Understanding stress reactivity and how mindfulness fosters resilience
- Learning about the nervous system and techniques that support individual self-regulation
- Applying mindfulness to everyday situations, including communication
- Guided instruction in meditation practices
- Body awareness techniques, including the body scan and gentle mindful movement
- Group discussions and small-group exercises
- A 70-page workbook with readings, course guidance, and additional resources
- Eight weekly 2-hour sessions plus a 7-hour weekend retreat
Each class combines meditation, movement, discussion, and practical tools to help you integrate mindfulness into your routine. Between sessions, home practices deepen your learning, and the retreat provides an opportunity to immerse yourself in extended mindfulness practice.
SCHEDULE
Wednesdays, January 28 – March 18, 2026
6:30 – 8:30pm
All-Day Retreat:
Saturday March 14, 9am – 4pm
at Brightwater Environmental Education Center (Woodinville)
TEACHER
LOCATION
COST
$520 - $780 (or $130 – $195/month) (sales tax included)
- Sliding scale: Choose what’s right for you.
- Payment plan option: 4-months, no-interest.
- Scholarships available: No need to apply; just choose a scholarship tuition during registration.
Attend with a Friend Discount
When you and a friend both register for this class, you can both take 10% off! Use code "MindfulFriends" at checkout.
Curious about the benefits of MBSR?
- Reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression: Research shows that MBSR is an effective intervention for reducing the symptoms of anxiety and depression, helping individuals manage emotional distress and cultivate resilience (Hoge et al., 2013; Goyal et al., 2014).
- Improves stress management: MBSR helps participants recognize and manage their stress response, leading to improved emotional regulation and the ability to handle challenging situations with greater calm and clarity (Kabat-Zinn, 1990).
- Enhances overall well-being: Mindfulness practice through MBSR has been shown to promote a greater sense of physical and emotional well-being, including increased energy, focus, and a positive outlook (Creswell, 2017).
- Increases self-awareness: Through mindfulness meditation and reflection, participants gain insight into their habitual patterns of thought and behavior, leading to more conscious choices and greater alignment with personal values (Zeidan et al., 2010).
- Improves emotional regulation: By learning techniques to self-regulate the nervous system, participants can better manage intense emotions, reduce reactivity, and develop more balanced emotional responses (Hölzel et al., 2011).
- Fosters mindfulness in everyday life: MBSR emphasizes applying mindfulness to everyday activities such as communication, eating, and walking, helping individuals integrate mindfulness into their daily routines (Kabat-Zinn, 1990).
- Supports physical health: Studies have also shown that MBSR can reduce physical symptoms related to stress, such as chronic pain, high blood pressure, and insomnia (Cherkin et al., 2016).
Research on MBSR
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is the "gold standard" course for learning mindfulness and how to apply it to your daily life. It was designed by Jon Kabat-Zinn and the Center for Mindfulness at the UMass Medical Center in the late 1970's. Please see our MBSR page for more details about this well-researched class.
Decades of research show that MBSR reduces chronic pain and boosts the immune system; addresses painful mental states like depression and anxiety; minimizes emotional reactivity and promotes well-being; increases flexible attention and sharpens mental focus; and actually thickens grey matter in the areas of empathy and problem-solving. Happiness can be a delightful by-product.
References:
- Cherkin, D. C., et al. (2016). Effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction vs Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Usual Care on Back Pain. JAMA.
- Creswell, J. D. (2017). Mindfulness Interventions. Annual Review of Psychology.
- Goyal, M., et al. (2014). Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Internal Medicine.
- Hölzel, B. K., et al. (2011). Mindfulness Practice Leads to Increases in Regional Brain Gray Matter Density. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging.
- Hoge, E. A., et al. (2013). Mindfulness Meditation and Social Stress in Healthy Immune-Resilient Adults. Psychosomatic Medicine.
- Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness. Delta.
- Zeidan, F., et al. (2010). Mindfulness Meditation Improves Cognition: Evidence of Brief Mental Training. Consciousness and cognition.
Preparing for Class
We recommend you watching this five-minute message from Senior Teacher Tim Burnett on what our classes look and feel like before enrolling in an 8-week or residential MBSR or MSC.
If you're unsure about registering for a course, please contact the Mindfulness Northwest office. We want to be sure there is sufficient support for you and that the timing is right for taking our courses.
I had tried meditation in years past and considered myself an utter failure — enter the MBSR class through Mindfulness Northwest. The instructor held space for my process, gave me tons of information and resources about meditation and encouraged an ongoing practice that I was able to continue after completing the course. Plus, what an amazing community. Transformational.
Wondering what this class is like? You can also sign up for a FREE 90 minute introduction to mindfulness:
Less Overwhelm, More Ease: An Evening of Mindfulness
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