What Is MBSR? Inside the 8 Week Program That Changed How I Practice
MBSR Course Online BC: What it is and who it helps.
Next online cohort begins October 15, 2026.
Before I ever taught Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, I sat in it as a student. Twice, actually. I took my first 8 week MBSR course in Victoria years ago, and what I learned in those weeks reshaped not only my personal practice but eventually my entire way of being with myself and the way I work with people.
This October, I will be teaching my next MBSR cohort online, and since spots are limited, I want to share what this program actually is, beneath the acronym.
The basics
MBSR is an 8 week, 9 session program in mindfulness meditation and mindful hatha yoga. The curriculum was developed at the Stress Reduction Clinic and has been refined over more than three decades. It is one of the most researched mind-body programs in the world, with studies showing decreases in chronic pain, anxiety and low mood, and improvements in resilience, well-being, and the ability to meet stress with more presence and compassion.
MBSR is s a psycho-educational group, not group therapy. You will never be required to share anything you do not wish to share. And it is offered as a complement to medical and psychological treatment, not a replacement for it.
What the 8 weeks hold
Each weekly 2.5 hour session has a theme, woven through guided meditations, gentle movement, teachings, and reflection. Between sessions, you practice at home for about 45 minutes a day. That daily practice is where the course really lives, and yes, it is a real commitment. I will write more about that soon.
Midway through, we spend a full day in silence together: a 7.5 hour retreat day that many participants describe as the turning point of the course.
When you register, you also receive a one-to-one phone call with me before we begin, so I can hear your goals and history, plus you’ll receive lifetime access to the mindfulness recordings and practices that we use in the course.
Who MBSR is for
People come to MBSR carrying all kinds of things: work stress and caregiver fatigue, anxiety and anxious thoughts, chronic pain and illness, grief, or simply the sense of living on autopilot. You do not need any meditation experience. All you need is curiosity and a willingness to practice.
MBSR offers a radical way of being with ourselves, and with our continued practice we come to realize that thoughts and sensations can arise and pass, and that you can be with your inner weather without being swept away by it.
The details for this fall
My next cohort runs October 15 to December 3, 2026, online via Zoom, on Thursday evenings from 5:00 to 7:30 pm PST (the first session on Week 1 runs until 8:00). There will be two opportunities to practice in person if you live in Victoria, BC. The first class on October 15h has the option of in person, as well as the all-day retreat on November 21st. Otherwise, the course will be held on Zoom. The cost is $500, and sliding scale options are available based on need.
If you have been wondering about a different way to meet your life, this is a well-tested place to begin. I would love to practice with you.
Please click below if you would like to register for the course or learn more.
Thank you for reading!
Andrea
