Mindfullness-based stress reduction: a series of classes

I have an opportunity to go to this series of classes not far from where I live. The cost - almost $300 - and the time commitment are significant. I wonder what people take away from similar classes? Do the classes help with unexplained anxiety?

In other words, is it worth my time and money? I am afraid that another time commitment would just add stress without resolving problems. But, I might be wrong.

I'll bet it would be helpful, sounds very cool

Look up benefits to meditation. If you can commit to the program you should benefit in numerous ways. I would do it or a similar program just for what they can teach you.

Is this another example of over purchasing on services??? Sounds quite costly I'd wonder what they could teach you that a book from the library on the topic couldn't teach you. But if you have $300 spare... (then send it this way!!!!)

I do not, that is the point, especially after skipping hourly work for two days. And I have to stat paying off my credit card debt this month. Thank you for reminding me, BlackPup - it simply is not an option for me.

Thanks others for the responses though - maybe at a better time I WILL take this class.

I would seriously consider looking at what you can find about mindfulness for free on the Internet or library if it is of interest to you. Sometimes taking things at your own pace can be more useful than going to a course.

Im wondering the same thing. It is also offered here to me for free with the clinic that I go to. My T has managed to give me homework and mindfulness is part of what I am supposed to do. Not really sure how to do this but I have to give it a try. She told me to sit in a busy area with everything going on around and instead of being took in by one thing that would normally catch my attention to listen and monitor other things going on as well. Just sit with my eyes closed and listen to the things I normally miss out on.

I know you just said you aren't going to do it right now, but...

I just took a similar course (actually possibly the same one, as is offered around the country). It was expensive ($375), but it can be considered to be a medical service (particularly since it is often offered at a hospital). Because of that, some type of health insurances cover it and some people were able to use flex spending accounts. Don't know if you have access to that sort of thing.

Our class was 8 weeks long, but very intensive (weekly 2.5 hr meetings, all day retreat, daily homework assignments and reading). Everyone but one person in the class got a TON out of it. Unfortunately, that one person was me. I know it was essentially my fault though. Something bad had happened to me (see previous thread I posted) and I was too busy crying, being upset and miserable to give the class the time and attention it needed.

So in conclusion, it needs to be the right time financially and emotionally, but if the opportunity comes up in the future, I'd say go for it!

Best,
EJ

The Jon Kabat-Zinn books are really good. He has CD's too.

EJ

Hi HB, The internet instructs me most of the time. Perhaps you can find youtube videos that may not be worth $300 of instruction, but can give you some information until you are able to afford classes.

I used to practice meditation. I forget the name of it... but it's where you focus and feel parts of your body. like you would start just focusing on your nose, feeling what the skin feels on that part of your body and moving on to the skin next to the nose, and so on. it seemed to help my anxiety but it was really kinda hard to sustain in a house with two noisy kids and unexpected time off of work.

Could you talk to the instructor about a scholarship?

The group setting sounds beneficial, I have not done it that way before. I did an hour a week for a year with a therapist @ $120/hr. (I had more money then-insurance reimbursed 20% not much) But having the teacher and other students to talk to sounds awesome. And you could meet like-minded individuals too.

If not a possibility, you could always get guided meditations on audio from the library. I've done some of those that were fabulous.

I was gonna say John Kabot-Zinn also. He is really good at teaching this, and he makes it interesting and funny. He also has a lot of free to watch videos on you tube as well. there are also a lot of other videos on mindfulness on you tube to check out, and lots of free reading materials online.

Hamster I think you would benefit from this..heck I think everyone would. I think we should be taught this stuff in elementary school, could only benefit the world IMO. But if you don't have the extra money then you can always do this on your own. If you want I can send you some links.

An added benefit of learning online is you can pick and choose who you want to learn from, and expand more on the parts that capture your interest.

I have taken basically the same course you described and for around the same price in my area (Toronto). The classes we're really good and I did get a great deal from them. The cost of medications are also quite high and I figured the $300 investment was worth trying.

I would try to get feedback from people that have taken the exact course you are taken. As with any training, if the instructor sucks, you out of luck.

I go to DBT group at the community mental health services for free.....or sliding scale payment.....that has been the best learning because even though it's held as a group, it's really a class that teaches the skills & we handle the teaching in a group setting so we learn from each other while learning from the leader.....

The most wonderful therapy experience I have ever had & it definitely didn't cost $300.

Maybe you can find a place where they offer the DBT & get involved with that & have a T who works with you on an individual bases after going to the group....all tied together.

I've decided against it. Basically, my money should be going towards stuff that helps for sure. I know that cardio exercise helps anxiety for sure. It is a given. Mindfulness - I will try free YT, but that is a maybe. So a bike - turning the commute into an exercise - is a justified expense. Workout clothes - I do not go to the gym often enough simply because I have to wait for the wash day - are a justified expense. Even an HRM, although it sounds gadgety and thus suspect, is justified: without it, on the treadmill, I hold the sensor handles and that reduces caloric expenditure (you burn more calories if you move your arms while walking/running) and makes for a weird gait. I want my heart rate to be read by the machine without holding the handles. I know that the higher the HR, the less anxiety I will have.

I will make the most out of this surefire method before trying new modalities.

Hamster that sounds like a good plan. I would say that midfulness will benifit anyone who practices it, I think it's a given. However, you are already working on quite a few changes right now. And that's more than a good start towards wellness.

I think if you keep doing what your doing you'll be able to focus on other stuff once these other things become habit and well formed routine. If you try to take on too much at once you may really feel overwhelmed and might not be able to sustain the changes for a long time to come. Slow and steady... and I am proud of you, I know you've been working hard!!

I agree. Too many changes would be overwhelming for me. Commuting by bike would already be a HUGE change for me - I have not biked seriously since teenage years, and I will need to navigate heavy roads. I will need to learn how to fix a flat myself, and I am not a dexterous person. Tough, but worth it. I would not want to add a new modality on top of it - not right away.

Its free also where I go........if you have a therapist get with him or her and see where its offered. There hundred is too much I think. I got a couple books on mindfulness from amazon.com and one is a workbook.....that might also help....You can get free shipping with 25 dollars or buy the used copies that can range real cheap to a little. I believe the shipping is 3.95 for each book.

I just saw you decided not to do it.....good choice.....bottom line its about staying in the present.......looking at what you have now.....tasting, smelling, feeling,..with no concerns about the past or the future......engulfing yourself in today...and all the joys etc that you can find...a bird, a leaf, the sound of the wind, the smell, a cup of coffee..how it tastes and smells........etc...seeing life now....observing and feeling...