Thoughts on the UCSD MBTI Advanced Teacher Trainingrowing into the Heart of MBSR”
In September of this year we’ll be offering the MBSR Advanced Teacher Training, also known as “Growing into the Hear of MBSR.” The newest version of this training was co-created by myself, Allan Goldstein, and Steve Hickman, PsyD –Founding Director of the UCSD Mindfulness-Based training Institute (MBTI). It is informed by several streams that I felt moved to share with you. Earlier that year Steve and I had taught our newest version of the Initial training (the MBSR Teacher Training Intensive- TTI). After knowing each other and being trusted friends and colleagues for many years, for the first time Steve and I actually got to see each other teach! As we discussed the training, before hand, we had many rich discussions (that is if you’re an MBSR teacher otherwise you might think “what the heck are they talking about?”) We talked about things, that we were going to demonstrate at the training, everything from “How do you teach the raisin exercise? How do you present the role of Perception?. What do you do in class six? to- “How do you deal with a difficult student who won’t stop talking?” And on through all the aspects of the curriculum. Then best of all, Steve and I got to see each other teach! When the actual teacher training came to be. I enjoyed and learned so much from watching Steve present things in a different way than I, and he felt the same way.
A few years before, I was invited by a dear friend and very experienced UMASS Certified MBSR teacher and teacher trainer, to co-teach a 10 week MBSR practicum with her. Part of this practicum is that the teacher trainees are part of a current MBSR (open to the public) program. Later we process and learn from it. My friend told me that one reason she invited me to co teach with her, is after 10 years, she wanted to “check her teaching”. Because, as she said “We all develop some ‘drift’ in the program, based on our preferences, aversions and student feedback”, and she wanted a fresh set of eyes. I was so moved by her humility and desire to continue to grow and change as a teacher even though this was not “required”. I felt the same way and over the next 10 weeks we challenged each other, affirmed each other and learned so much from each other.
I’ve had other opportunities like this as well, when I became a UMASS Teacher Trainer, I got to learn and grow with senior teachers who had spent years with Jon Kabat–Zinn and processing it with each other.
I found myself changing the way I taught certain things, as I learned from all of them, and looking at where and when I had some ‘drift’ of my own. I felt a whole new excitement and freshness about teaching. After that I found this wish that other teachers, who were somewhat isolated, and didn’t have a strong MBSR teaching sangha- community to discuss these things with either, to have this opportunity too.
So as we developed this particular training we both had this foremost in our minds and hearts. We rolled it out in October 2018 and it was a great success. In it we learned from each other, taught each other and were encouraged to practice new ways of trying different ways of teaching the same material in a safe supportive environment. It quickly became a safe place to delve into the intentions behind each practice, inquiry, or topic.
During this new ATTI, participants have a chance to look inside and see what might be informing the way they did things and why. People made strong connections which continue to this day.
One participant shared, “This training far exceed my expectations, the first thing I felt was a sense of “coming home” as I met MBSR teachers from around the world, there was an immediate connection. Steve and Beth created a strong sense of safety so I could explore ways of teaching that were becoming a little stale, scared me, or places where I felt somewhat weak, but had never really spoken about with anyone,since my initial mentorship had passed. It was a truly enriching program. I’m so glad I participated, it has been and is a life changing experience”
So whether or not you are on the certification pathway, already certified, early in your teaching, or have been teaching for while, you might consider this training for the enriching experience I’ve been so fortunate to have.
Please learn more here: https://mbpti.org/mbpti-events/mbsr-mbct-atti-sep2019/
So as we developed this particular training we both had this foremost in our minds and hearts. We rolled it out in October 2018 and it was a great success. In it we learned from each other, taught each other and were encouraged to practice new ways of trying different ways of teaching the same material in a safe supportive environment. It quickly became a safe place to delve into the intentions behind each practice, inquiry, or topic.