Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

At its most basic, mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to each moment of life with wisdom and compassion.

Mindfulness is knowing what is happening, when it is happening – both within you in the form of thoughts, emotions and physical sensations, as well as what is happening in the environment around you.

Formal mindfulness practices use a focal point, such as the breath or the gentle movement of the body, to give the mind a place to focus. This focus requires the supportive work of attention and concentration—two key skills that naturally grow through the practice of mindfulness.

Ultimately, the purpose of any formal mindfulness practice is to integrate this ability to be more present into each moment of daily life. It is a powerful way to reduce stress, develop greater balance, and gain the ability to respond to life’s challenges with increased flexibility.

Read more about mindfulness

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction is an 8-week, experiential course designed to walk you through a series of mindfulness practices in a supportive group environment. At the end of the course, each participant has learned what they need to design a flexible, daily mindfulness practice that can be successfully integrated into their unique life circumstances.

The daylong session provides participants the unique opportunity to incorporate all they have learned into an extended practice period.

Each week, participants engage with a set of mindfulness practices that build on one another, offering variety and challenge. Practices include sitting meditation, body scan, and gentle movement.

Participants learn how to apply mindfulness to daily life through weekly instruction, group practice, and dialogue, along with daily assignments and guided audio meditations.

The 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction was created in 1979 by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. From the beginning of the first course over 40 years ago until now, the effectiveness of the MBSR course has been subjected to many rigorous scientific studies. In fact, there is more published research on MBSR than any other stress reduction program to date.

The research has demonstrated again and again that when practiced consistently, mindfulness reduces stress and improves immune function. A reduction in stress and an increase in the immune response create a foundation for improved health and well-being in many other areas of life. Mindfulness and its effectiveness has been studied in numerous areas.

Read more about mindfulness or view research articles or books.

It’s very important that you have a clear understanding of what the program is designed to offer, as well as what will be expected from you as a participant, prior to committing to the MBSR program. Our brief informational video on this page addresses all those details. 

We also offer free introductory classes on a regular basis prior to the beginning of each 8-week course. Attendance at one of the free intro classes will allow you to learn the basics of mindfulness and experience a short mindfulness practice. This is also a time to meet the instructor and ask any questions you might have to help determine if mindfulness practice or the MBSR course is right for you.

If you are unable to attend a free class, please contact us to arrange a separate consultation.

Tuition for our 8-week online courses is offered on a sliding scale with 3 levels: $250 (subsidized), $350 (our-cost), or $450 (benefactor). The course fee includes upgraded access to meditation audio files, digital downloads, and the course handbook through the MetaFi app.

We offer payment plans on any tuition tier and have a limited number of scholarships available for each course cycle. Contact our office to inquire.

The course is not prorated according to the number of sessions attended.

When registration is open, you sign up online through the buttons on this page.

You can contact us by phone at 616-361-3660 or by email at info@grcfm.com to register or for more information. Please indicate the title and start date of the course you wish you register for.

For mindfulness to have a lasting impact on stress, as well as other areas of your life, a daily mindfulness practice is crucial.

While participating in the 8-week course, you will be given daily homework assignments with handouts and audio meditations designed to support your home practice. While participating in the course, the homework will require up to 45 minutes to 1 hour of your day.

However, studies have shown that once the practices of mindfulness are properly understood, consistency is the most important aspect of mindfulness. When you have completed the 8-week course, a consistent, daily practice—whether 15 minutes or an hour a day—is what will support you in making ongoing changes in your life.

Classes are open to all individuals. However, it is not recommended that you participate in the course if you are currently experiencing an episode of severe depression or have been treated for substance abuse in the past year. Exceptions can be made under the guidance of a healthcare professional.

You can participate if you are currently taking antidepressants and/or other prescription medication. If you have concerns about your participation in the program, it is best to contact your healthcare provider prior to registering for a course.

You can fully participate in the 8-week MBSR course even if you have physical limitations. Each of the mindfulness practices can be modified according to what your body can do in the moment. Body awareness is a key component of the stress reduction program. We can greatly reduce stress and injury when we understand and respect our own physical limits, as well as our capabilities.

While we understand the desire to learn these concepts in a private setting, we do not offer individual sessions at this time.

We strongly encourage you to consider participating in the group format for several reasons. Learning how to practice mindfulness with a group of individuals provides energy and support as you learn a new skill. It is also very helpful to be able to share and discuss your own experiences, as well as the experiences of your classmates, as you learn how to integrate the practice of mindfulness into your daily life. Finally, it is very helpful to understand that while each person’s story is unique, stress is a common human condition that all of us experience. With this knowledge, we can begin to feel less alone and more a part of the human community.

We do not accept insurance at this time. However, you may be able to use a Health Savings Account or a similar type plan to cover the cost of the class. Please contact your health insurance company. We can provide a letter describing the program for your physician and/or insurance company.

If you don’t leave your first class eager to learn more, we will refund your registration! 

The practice of mindfulness meditation is classified as a form of complementary medicine. Although mindfulness is an important component of the Buddhist tradition, MBSR and our other programs do not not reference or rely on any specific religious or faith system.

Our courses are taught with a clear focus on using mindfulness as a way to train one’s attention on the present moment through the observation of physical sensations, thoughts, and emotions. This crucial information enables you to respond to life with a greater sense of clarity and choice.

One of the best ways to learn how to pay attention is to slow down. By slowing down, you are able to begin to look more closely at what is happening in the body, the mind, and the emotions. As a part of the MBSR course, you will practice various forms of mindfulness meditation simply as a means of slowing down and observing the present moment. In this way, meditation can become a way of life—whether eating, exercising, talking, or sleeping.

Most religious and faith systems have their own unique set of practices designed to cultivate slowness, and because of this, many people find that the practice of mindfulness complements their own faith system or spiritual journey.

Related reading: Do Christianity and Mindfulness Go Together? by Irene Kraegel, PsyD