When: 31 May 2024 - 2 Jun 2024
Where: The Kairos Centre
Tutor: Frits Koster
About the training:
It is not always easy to communicate in a wise and compassionate way but if we are able to speak and listen with an open and non-judgmental attitude, our work and life will be less exhausting and both participants and clients will benefit. The workshop "Interpersonal Mindfulness" offers you the opportunity to deepen your own mindfulness practice and to get to know a method that supports you in developing mindfulness, empathy and compassion in the interpersonal sphere.
It is based on the practice of Insight Dialogue (ID) as developed by Gregory Kramer (see www.insightdialogue.org). With Kramer’s permission, two leading mindfulness trainers from the USA, Florence Meleo-Meyer and Phyllis Hicks, have designed a programme based on the principles of ID and intended for mainstream settings. This training is called the Interpersonal Mindfulness Program (IMP) and applies the six guidelines of ID into secular domains of work, such as health and education.
This workshop is aimed at mindfulness teachers who would not easily be able to participate in a regular eight-week IMP training course. Health care professionals, coaches and other professionals who work with people are also welcome. This experiential exploration of practices and key elements of IMP will partly take place in a retreat atmosphere.
Objectives:
- Becoming familiar with interpersonal mindfulness experientially. - Deepening one's own mindfulness practice and applying it to communication in general.
- Deepening competence in teaching mindfulness and broadening understanding of how Interpersonal Mindfulness can be used when teaching a Mindfulness-Based Programme (MBP), such as MBSR, MBCT or MBCL. Content:
- Practising with the interpersonal mindfulness guidelines (in pairs or in groups of 3/4) as used in Insight Dialogue: "Pausing", "Relaxing", "Opening", "Attuning to Emergence", "Listening Deeply" and "Speaking the Truth".
- Exploring life themes in meditative dialogue (e.g. reactivity in body and mind, ageing, evaluating, comparing, feelings of superiority and inferiority, desire, different roles in private and social life, change and cultivating healing qualities in communication).
- Refreshing and deepening the practice of mindfulness and compassion.
Scientific background:
Empathy is an important quality in any teacher-student relationship and, as scientific studies have shown, is also very important in the therapist-client relationship (Hick & Bien, 2008; Wilson & Dufrene, 2008). Professionals who work with people are often susceptible to empathy fatigue. Here, MBP‘s can prevent empathy fatigue and other symptoms of burnout and contribute to increased self-compassion, wise self-regulation and empathy skills (Karpowicz et al., 2009; Saunders et al., 2007; Shapiro et al., 2005, 2007). In addition, Porges (2011) and Siegel (2007) have shown that attentive and careful interpersonal attunement has calming effects and leads to a deep inner resonance at the neurobiological level (Porges, 2011; Siegel, 2007). Click here for a first feasibility study on IMP in which Frits Koster was involved as teacher.
Further teacher training to become an IMP teacher:
This workshop is recognised as one of the requirements for participation in the ‘Interpersonal Mindfulness Teacher Training Programme‘ under the direction of Florence Meleo-Meyer and Phyllis Hicks. With 24 hours of practice it replaces the participation in an 8-week Interpersonal Mindfulness Training. Please note that the workshop does not replace participation in an Insight Dialogue Retreat, which is a further prerequisite for the IMP Teacher Training Programme.
Recommended reading:
· Kramer, G. (2007). Insight Dialogue - The Interpersonal Path to Freedom. Boston, MA: Shambhala. · Koster, F., Heynekamp, J.H., & Norton, V. (editors, 2023): Mindful Communication – Speaking and Listening with Wisdom and Compassion. London: Routledge.
Who is the Training for?:
The workshop ‘Interpersonal Mindfulness’ is suitable for all who have followed a foundational Mindfulness-Based Programme such as MBSR or MBCT before. All MBP teachers, as well as healthcare professionals, teachers, coaches and other professionals, who wish to experientially deepen the practice of mindfulness in an interpersonal way are welcome.
Pre-requisites:
- Attendance at a mindfulness-based programme such as MBCT or MBSR.
Participants must commit to the entire online training. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, we are unable to negotiate late arrivals or early leaving. If this is not possible, please contact us to discuss before submitting an application.
What to bring and wear:
Please bring equipment to support your practice e.g. mat, cushion, blanket.
The trainers:
Frits Koster's biography is in a link at the top of this page - just click on his name to find out more about him.
Location:
The Kairos Centre is an urban oasis in south-west London situated within acres of landscaped gardens and overlooking the historic Richmond Park (please note that while the programme has no religious affiliation the venue it is held at is a Christian retreat centre).
Timings:
The workshop runs Friday and Saturday 9am – 6pm and Sunday 9am - 3pm.
Please note all times are UK, BST (British Summer Time).
Our rates:
Our rates have no hidden extras.
Standard rate - £390
Please note this does not include accommodation. You can book accommodation directly with the Kairos Centre or find an alternative if needed.
Bursary-assisted places are available on this event until three months before the event starts. If it is less than three months before the start date of the event, please get in touch to discuss if an application is possible. When applying for a bursary-assisted place, please first register on the event and select the fee ‘I’m applying for a bursary- assisted place’. Once you have registered for the event you will also need to complete and return a bursary application form.
To find out more about our bursary schemes, criteria for bursary applications and to complete the bursary application form please visit: https://home.mindfulness-network.org/bursaries/
Employer’s rate: Recognising the administrative overhead of dealing with employers, we will add a £50 surcharge if the employer is paying directly; where possible we would advise applicants to pay themselves and reclaim on expenses to avoid the charge.
The application and payment process:
Our application and payment process involves the following steps:
- We receive your application form and assess it to ensure that this event is suitable for you. We endeavour to make assessments within a week.
- Upon offering you a place we will then invoice for the full amount.
- Your place is fully confirmed once we receive your full payment.
- We will email you the joining instructions in advance of the course.
Payment and cancellation policy:
Please read our Terms and Conditions for information regarding payments and cancellations.
Other information:
Please see the British Association of Mindfulness-Based Approaches (BAMBA) for good practice guidelines and other information for mindfulness-based teachers.
Certificate of Attendance. Please note that we give a Bangor University Certificate of Attendance that details the nature of the course and the hours involved. However, this does not constitute an authorisation to teach mindfulness-based approaches. The development and interest in the potential of mindfulness within a range of settings is rapidly growing and training processes are therefore becoming more structured. Within the UK, though, there are currently no formal qualifications/certification processes which regulate competency in teaching mindfulness-based approaches. This requires those of us working in this developing field to inquire deeply into our own practice, our integrity and our intentions, as well as the boundaries of our skills, competencies and understandings.
Contact us:
Please feel free to email us at training@mindfulness-network.org to discuss any questions you may have about the course or whether it is appropriate for you at this time. We will ensure that your query reaches the correct person.
Click here to sign up to this event.
