30 Dec 2024 UAMS to offer Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program

Posted at 7:09 PMh in News by

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Mindfulness Program is offering its Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program starting Feb. 8.

The MBSR program is a scientifically backed program designed to reduce stress, enhance emotional well-being and improve overall quality of life. Participants learn mindfulness techniques that foster positivity, inner strength and peace, while providing useful skills for navigating difficulty, stress, illness and pain.

The program is an eight-week, nine-session training that blends mindfulness meditation, body awareness, gentle yoga and practical strategies for managing life’s challenges. Classes meet weekly in person for about two hours and for an all-day session toward the end of the course.

Orientation is 6-7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 3. Classes one through eight meet from 8-10:30 a.m. Feb. 8, 15, 22, March 1, 15, 22, 29 and April 5. The all-day retreat is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, March 23. The class will meet in person; further details will be sent upon registration.

The cost for the course is $300 and covers materials. UAMS employees may take the course for $250. Couples or families can receive a group rate of $225 per person. Scholarships are also available.

To register or apply for a scholarship, visit mindfulness.uams.edu/mbsr/. For questions, contact [email protected].

MBSR was developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., in 1979 at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and is a form of mindfulness and meditation that is well-documented and supported by scientific studies. Participants learn different meditative tools to mindfully explore healthier relationships with the day-to-day challenges and demands of life.

Elements include:

  • Guided mindfulness meditation practices
  • Gentle stretching and mindful movement exercises
  • Group dialogue and discussions aimed at enhancing awareness in everyday life
  • Mentored instructions on MBSR meditation practices
  • Printed and digital materials and resources, such as workbooks and MP3 files.

The course is taught by Feliciano “Pele” Yu Jr., M.D., a professor of pediatrics, biomedical informatics and public health at UAMS, director of the UAMS Mindfulness Program and certified Koru Mindfulness teacher who has completed the MBSR Teacher Training Intensive through the University of California San Diego Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute.