Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
•Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention from moment to moment in a non judgemental way. Like so many things in our lives, living mindfully and reaping the benefits of doing so takes daily practice. Often, mindfulness practices like meditation, yoga, and others, are done in relative solitude. An important element of living a mindful life, however, comes when we practice with others.
What are MBSR classes?
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) classes are an 8-week group experience where participants engage weekly in sitting, lying, and walking meditations, as well as light, mindful yoga. We learn from each other through group discussions and more traditional classroom instruction by addressing the principles of mindfulness and the ways the human body and brain respond to stress. Through the wise application of mindfulness principles, class participants can minimize stress and better manage what remains by practicing the skills together during class and individually between classes.
Why MBSR?
MBSR was developed in 1979 by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical School as a complementary intervention for patients with chronic heart conditions and chronic pain. The results were so encouraging that referrals began coming in for patients struggling with a wider variety of physical and emotional conditions. Since then, research on the benefits of MBSR has grown steadily and millions more people from all over the world have benefited from the MBSR experience.
How much does MBSR cost?
MBSR is offered all over the world! Typically, teachers or institutions offer the 8-week program for a flat rate of several hundred dollars per participant. This limits the pool of people who can register to those with significant financial resources. To make the experience accessible to as many people as possible, I collect a $100 fee from each participant at the time of registration (limited scholarship support is available for those who can’t afford this reduced fee). This fee covers my expenses when I teach the class, but it doesn’t compensate me for teaching. So, I rely on and trust in the generosity of MBSR participants. In a tradition called Dāna, wandering teachers were encouraged to freely offer mindfulness instruction to anyone that was willing to receive it. In return, the tradition of Dāna also encouraged those who received the instruction to offer something to the teacher that was congruent with the value of what they learned and with their financial reality. In observance of the Dāna tradition, MBSR participants will have the opportunity to offer something for the teaching following the completion of the 8-week MBSR experience.
Choose an MBSR class session that works for you
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2024 Session 1: COMPLETED
Thursdays from 6:00 to 8:30 PM
January 25th – March 14th, 2024
Retreat day, Saturday March 2nd, 2024, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.Classes meet in the Wellness Room at the UNL College of Law.
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2024 Session 2: Registration Closed – Postponed
Thursdays from 6:00 to 8:30 PM
May 9th – June 27th, 2024
Retreat day, Saturday June 15th, 2024, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.Classes meet in the Wellness Room at the UNL College of Law.
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2024 Session 3: REGISTRATION OPEN!
Thursdays from 6:00 to 8:30 PM
October 3rd – November 21st
Retreat day, Saturday November 9th, 2024, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.Classes meet in the Wellness Room at the UNL College of Law.
Register for your preferred class session
To Register, either select the “Register Now” text below or scroll down to “Individual MBSR Classes” and select the “Sign Up” button. On the “Get in touch” form, enter your contact information, select the “MBSR Classes” option in the dropdown menu, and identify which MBSR session you prefer. Then, submit the form.
What happens next? After Drew receives your registration request, he’ll send you an email link to a secure portal where you can complete your registration or request to be on the waiting list.
Individual MBSR Classes
Drew offers 8-week MBSR classes multiple times each year. Practicing mindfulness retrains our brains, reducing stress, emotional reactivity, and increasing general wellbeing, leading us to more harmonious lives.
Benefits
- Learn about mindfulness as a beginner
- Deepen your practice as a seasoned practitioner
- Discover and maintain relief from your stress
- Minimize anxiety, depression, and irritability
- Better manage chronic health conditions
- Boost attention, focus, and concentration
- Improve your overall well being
Complete the contact form to register for MBSR with Drew.
What happens next? After Drew receives your registration request, he’ll send you an email link to a secure portal where you can complete your registration or request to be on the waiting list.
Business/Organization MBSR Classes
Participating in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) classes can benefit teams, clubs, businesses, and other organizations.
Potential Benefits
- Decrease stress reactivity
- Increase productivity and reliability
- Create more effective communicators
- Decrease paid and unpaid down-time
- Improve conflict resolution
MBSR for Healthcare Professionals
Healthcare professionals may be able to earn continuing education credit for their participation in Drew’s MBSR classes.
Objectives
- Articulate the key aspects of mindfulness
- Differentiate MBSR from relaxation and other distraction techniques
- Apply mindfulness techniques
- Integrate mindfulness into social interaction
- Articulate the potential benefits
- Implement brief mindfulness practices
5-minute Guided Meditation Sample
If you’re new to mindfulness meditation, here’s a chance to give it a try. It takes just 5 minutes. You can even download it if you like it. Find a safe and relatively quiet place where you are unlikely to be disturbed. Silence your phone notifications and click the link below to experience a few moments of mindfulness.
Self-control is a trait highly valued in many societies. However, individuals with excessive self-control can struggle with issues such as social isolation, poor interpersonal functioning, perfectionism, rigidity, risk aversion, and lack of emotional expression.
Drew Buss, MS Ed
Psychotherapist and Mindfulness Teacher
Drew Buss, MS Ed., is a psychotherapist in Lincoln, NE. He started counseling in Nebraska in 1996 and began his formal mindfulness practice in 2011.
He is a fully Certified Teacher of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction as trained through the University of California San Diego School of Medicine’s Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute and a Certified Mindfulness Teacher – Professional through the International Mindfulness Teachers Association.