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About the Pre-Course Orientation
Once your deposit has been received, and prior to attending an 8-week course, the teacher will contact you to arrange an orientation phone call. The reason for this is to ensure you are informed about what to expect from participating in this course and to make sure this is a suitable time for you to attend this 8-week course. By the end of the conversation you can decide whether or not to proceed, together with the teacher. It is an intensive course and at times can be challenging, so it’s our ethical responsibility to set this time aside to link up and discuss this with you.
If you decide not to go ahead during this call, your deposit will be refunded in full.
Click “Book Now” below to pay your €100 Deposit.
When it has been received the teacher will contact you to arrange an orientation phone call.
The 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Programme (MBSR)
The 8-week MBSR was developed in 1979 at the University of Massachusetts (UMass) by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, a micro-biologist working at the university’s Medical Centre. A few years in he founded the Center for Mindfulness (CFM) there. He initially intended the programme to be used with patients at the hospital with a broad spectrum of physical and psychological challenges – chronic pain, chronic conditions, anxiety and depression related to illness and illness brought on by anxiety and depression, and so forth. The premise behind the programme is that, to paraphrase Jon Jabat-Zinn, there is more right with us than wrong with us, as long as we are breathing. So the issue is not our medical condition, whatever that might be, but rather how we are relating to the challenges in our lives, whatever they might be. Since 1979 the programme has grown and thousands of people have undertaken it in hospitals, clinics, schools, prisons, companies and various community and commercial settings all across the United States and Canada, and thence to the rest of the world. The original components of the course structure – adherence to the spirit of the original CFM curriculum, a pre-course orientation, 8 weekly classes of between 2.5 and 3 hours in length and a full Day of Mindfulness practice between weeks 5 & 7 of the 8 week course – have not changed in nearly 40 years.
Research has shown that MBSR is beneficial to patients with medical conditions (including chronic illness and pain, high blood pressure,cancer, vascular and respiratory disorders and many others), psychological distress (including anxiety, panic, depression, fatigue, and sleep disturbances) as well as in preventative medicine and wellness programmes. MBSR has become part of a newly recognised field of integrative medicine within behavioural medicine and general health care. A central tenet of MBSR is that we are active participants in our own well being, no matter what the condition of our body and mind.
BSc (Environmental Science), Grad Dip Psychotherapy, Dip Counselling Skills, Dip in Mindfulness Based Interventions, Dip in Mindful Communication, Director of the Mindfulness Teacher's Association of Ireland.
Mindfulness Teacher, Supervisor, Course Co-ordinator for The Mindfulness Centre for Professional Training, Director of Mindfulness Teachers Association of Ireland.
Erica trained with the founders of The Mindfulness Centre for Professional Training in 2015 and is now a Course coordinator with the centre. She trained to teach Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). She trained also in Mindful Communication with Greenzone Institute in 2018 to lead groups. She is a supervisor and trained in MBI TAC. She is currently studying a MSc in Psychotherapy. She sits on the board for The Mindfulness Teachers Association of Ireland.
Mindfulness Training in the Workplace
Along with colleagues from the teaching team with The Mindfulness Centre , Erica facilitates online sessions and courses which are tailored mindfulness and compassion-based trainings using the latest researh and neuroscience designed for work places and organisations.
Therapeutic Approach
Erica has a HDip in psychotherapy and is currently undergoing a MSc in Psychotherapy and her understanding of the therapeutic relationship and developmental theory informs her mindfulness work.
Previous Experience
Erica has worked for many years in the eco-tourism industry followed by a number of years in banking. Working and understanding the culture in corporate organisations has been foundational in her application of mindfulness and compassion based intervention in the workplace.
Qualifications
Dip. Mindfulness Based Interventions (Mindfulness Centre for Professional Training), Supervision training, Diploma in Mindful Communication, paws.b teacher(Mindfulness in Schools Project), BSc. Environmental Science, H.Dip.Psychotherapies Studies, Cert. Counselling skills.
Mindfulness Teaching and Training
I teach the following mindfulness courses:
I meet the requirements of the Good Practice Guidelines for Teaching Mindfulness-Based Courses published by the Mindfulness Teachers Association of Ireland To view these, go to good practice guidelines
Personal Practice
I’ve had a personal meditation practice since 2010. My foundational practices are mindfulness, vipassana and compassion based inquiries. I have regularly attended silent meditation retreats and I have one-to-one weekly guidance from an experienced supervisor when teaching 8 week courses.
Interests
Erica spends most of spare time learning about burgeoning relational sciences (infant and adult attachment, relational neuroscience, polyvagal theory, trauma, and depth psychology). As a child she found solace in nature and in particular wildflowers & trees. She has a particular interest in grief work and how this might play an key role in the way that we engage in social mindfulness with regards to biodiversity loss and the climate crisis. She is one of seven daughters and has three girls of her own and is very interested in how mindfulness and self compassion can be used to support women. She loves poetry, film, reading, walking with her Tibetan Terrier in the woods and believes very deeply the power of groups.
