Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

MIND–BODY HEALTH

Guided by Kyle Cheveldayoff

Join the next MBCT

8 Week – Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) Course

Change your mind. Change your life. For those who are challenged with bouts of depression, chronic unhappiness, anxiety, stress related symptoms impacting quality of life, and those wanting to create more peace and balance within the mind. Please read this information below to ensure you are willing and ready to participate in this 8-weeks of mindfulness-meditation.

Downloadable version: MBCT Information Sheet

Click HERE to see some of the clinical research on areas that MBCT has been found effective.

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is now a gold-standard method used world-wide that teaches the techniques of “mindfulness-meditation” over an 8-week period of training the mind to relax, become quiet, and consciously activate the “parasympathetic” nervous system (the “Relaxation-system”). This teaches the conscious part of the mind to over-ride the “sympathetic” nervous system (the “Stress-system” sometimes called the fight/flight/freeze system).

Over the past two decades MBCT has been shown clinically to positively impact many stress-related disorders by combining aspects of cognitive therapy and meditative practices to cultivate new levels of awareness and attitudes by training the mind to be more aware of the present moment and detach from unwanted thoughts. These skills are then applied to everyday life to reduce the negative biological effects that cause stress-related disorders. Stressful thoughts are now estimated to cause 60-90% of all disease. If you are unable to control your stressful thoughts, this course will assist you.

What MBCT will do for your mind & thoughts

Teach you concentration, whereby your attention can be focused and not fragmented.
Awareness and mindfulness of thoughts, emotions, body sensations, and impulses, which allow for a new pattern of acceptance towards aspects of your life.
Being in the moment, which is a practice that enables you to recognize when there is a need to incorporate concentration and mindfulness in response to a difficult situation or event.
Decentering of thoughts, feelings, body sensations, and impulses which allows you to relate to them as events passing in your mind rather than identifying with them in a negative way.
Accepting what is, teaches the mind to undercut automatic thoughts that in turn create negative mental habits. This facilitates the sixth element which is…
Letting go, which will teach you how the body scan and mindfulness of breath can interrupt when the mind begins to wander. This will allow you to detach from unwanted thoughts and instead be more grounded, calm, and in control of your present moment.
A sense of being rather than doing, allows you to detach from vigilantly monitoring of current states that often have false expectations.
The awareness related to manifestation of problems in the body. This is the medium for relating to experiences differently, as emotions often manifest through bodily dysfunctions.

What you will learn

MBCT is a ‘skills-based’ training course to learn meditation and is NOT a ‘talk therapy’ program sharing in stories of the past.
To develop a better understanding of the internal workings of your mind and foster cognitive/conscious stress management techniques.
To recognise patterns and mental habits – and realize that there are alternatives to these old sub-conscious programs.
To notice your thoughts, emotions, and body sensations (the Big Three). Then learn to observe them, with less attachment.
To recognise early internal warning signs (e.g. anxiety) and take helpful action when you spot them.
To put less effort into trying to ‘fix’ things and ‘striving’ for results.
To be a kinder and gentler person towards yourself and others.

Registration Details

8 Weeks, 2 hours per week
Next class starting January 13, 2021 from 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Held via Zoom video in the comfort of your own home.
Cost of $695 unless pre-approved through Medavie Blue Cross (receipts provided for extended health insurance reimbursement)
Veteran Affairs Canada, Canadian Armed Forces and RCMP, please contact us directly to determine coverage.

Click to Register

FAQ’s

Is this a ‘learn to meditate’ program?

There is a strong meditation component that is taught during the program however MBCT combines mindfulness techniques which also include breathing exercises, periods of mild stretching, and many elements of cognitive behaviour therapy to help break the negative thought patterns.

I’ve tried to meditate before and it never works for me. What do I do?

At first, practicing meditation may feel strange or unfamiliar – as best you can, try to keep an open mind to this program. Meditation and mindfulness exercise is training for the mind, just like physical exercise is training for the body. It gets easier with practice. This is partly why the course needs to be 8-week long… to get that muscle/mind memory!

How long does it take for me to see changes?

It is not obvious at the beginning which practices will be most helpful – you may not see the initial benefits for weeks (like physical exercise), but try to persevere even if you find things difficult in the beginning. People respond differently and at different rates, but by the end you’ll notice positive changes

Will I need to practice at home?

We do ask that you practice daily exercises for 30-60 minutes each day, at home, over the entire 8-week course. It can seem very daunting to be asked to practice this much each day, however by endeavouring to do this you have the best chance of benefiting from the course. Again, consider training your mind to training your body. It is cumulative and takes persistence to see noticeable results.

What if I become overwhelmed and feel like giving up?

You may find yourself wanting to give up at times. This is common when learning something new. Please speak to your course teacher to discuss any particular issues that are making it difficult for you. These areas will be discussed as a group during the course.

I’m uncomfortable sharing my feelings in a group environment.

At times people in the group will be sharing certain Thoughts, Emotions, and Body Sensations that arose during the meditation process (the Big Three). Some people feel apprehensive about being in a group and talking about these areas. However, there can also be immense benefits from learning from other people with similar experiences and seeing that you are not alone. Keep in mind, this is not a training course where you will be talking about your past problems. Instead, we will be discussing what thoughts, emotions, and body sensations arise in the moment.

How do I deal with any emotional issues that come up as a result of this program?

During the course you may face emotional issues that you would prefer to avoid. Difficulties you might experience during meditation are often informative. You will learn a different way of ‘responding’ to these difficulties, instead of ‘reacting’ in ways of past that were less helpful.