Course Note: It is recommended that you also attend the FREEIntroduction to Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction seminar on the evening of Tuesday, 1/12, as it serves as an orientation to this MBSR program. Recommended workbook: You may wish to purchase the optional workbookThe Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Workbook by Stahl and Goldstein (approx. $15) at your local book dealer. Instructor will give optional reading assignments and exercises from this book.

Description: Each evening class will include instructional meditation practice as well as a mindful movement component (gentle yoga, walking or qigong). Through lectures and discussions you will learn how your own habitual reactions to stress create anxiety, depression and illness. You’ll then explore how to change your responses to stress. Additionally we will create a respectful and supportive class environment for personal sharing and question-and-answer time at each session. To fully benefit from the program you are encouraged to practice meditation techniques six days a week for up to 45 minutes each day. Guided recordings will be provided.

This seminar has been designed for health care professionals; however, the general public is invited to attend as well.

Upon completion of the seminar you will be able to:

• Identify components of my habits, personality and thoughts that contribute to stress in my life.
• Identify signs and symptoms of stress in my body and mind.
• Practice specific meditation practices as a routine to improve the management of stress symptoms and quality of life.
• Practice mindful movement skills as a routine to improve the management of stress symptoms and quality of life.
• Discuss new coping skills related to illness, pain, and stress-related conditions.
• Describe improved communication skills with family, friends, health care providers and work colleagues.
• Identify the relationship between stressful thoughts and uncomfortable body sensations.
• Explain the physiological effects of stress.
• Describe where and when the use of mindfulness techniques is appropriate to manage difficult situations.
• Describe and perform a meditation on the breath.
• Describe and perform a meditation on physical sensations.
• Describe and perform a meditation on sound.
• Describe and perform turning my awareness of mind-states, thoughts and emotions.
• Demonstrate a walking meditation.
• Describe how meditation has improved my concentration.

Please bring: A yoga mat and pillow.

Location: The Tuesday evening classes are located at the Bastyr Center for Natural Health Clinic, room#166, 3670 Stone Way N, Seattle. Parking in the Bastyr clinic basement parking is reserved for Clinic patients only. You may park on the street or in the lot on the corner of 38th and Woodland Park Ave N if you arrive after 5:30 p.m. The day-long retreat on Saturday, Feb 27 (9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.) is at the Bastyr University campus, room #133, 14500 Juanita Dr. NW, Kenmore.

Eligible for 22 CEUs, PDAs, and CMEs for the following professions:

ND (except those licensed in CA)
Eligibility Pending: ND (licensed in OR)
MD & PA – Category II CMEs (those licensed in WA)
ARNP & RN (licensed in WA)
LAc – NCCAOM PDAs
Eligibility Pending: LAc (licensed in CA)
LMP (licensed in WA)
Eligibility Pending: LMP NCBTMB CEs
LMFT, LMHC, LICSW & PsyD (licensed in WA)
PT & OT (licensed in WA)

Eliza Morton, LMHC, CN

Eliza Morton is a master’s level licensed mental health counselor and certified nutritionist. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Bastyr University where she later spent four years as adjunct faculty. She completed the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Professional Training Program with Bob Stahl, PhD who collaborated with Jon Kabat-Zinn to develop the widely researched MBSR program that is being offered in medical and private institutions of health all over the world.

Eliza practices the recommendations she gives to others in her own life and has undergone intensive study of Vipassana meditation. In addition to a daily meditation practice, she has completed over four months of silent meditation retreats in Washington, California, Massachusetts, Burma, and Thailand.  As a counselor, she commonly helps her clients through anxiety, depression, life transitions, trauma recovery, relationship struggles, grief and loss, self-inquiry, and personal evolution.

In Eliza’s words “With all of my heart I believe we are in this thing together. The work that we each do to understand ourselves more; to learn to love and honor ourselves, each other and the earth more; and to develop compassion for all beings is the most selfless and respectable goal to undertake. Thank you for the work you are doing. Keep it up, and I will keep up mine.” For more information about this instructor go to: www.ElizaMorton.com