Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction for Teens (MBSR-T)
Do you or your child have the tools needed to manage the daily stresses of adolescent life? Situations including social anxiety/stress, test anxiety, sports performance stress, and college prep stress call for healthy life management tools.
Science is growing in the field of meditation and mindfulness. We know that practicing these self care skills has shown to increase concentration and focus and actually change our brains. Thanks to neuroplasticity, our brains are continuously capable of change and growth in the executive control regions that govern attention/concentration. Meditation and mindfulness practice will serve you and those around you for a lifetime!
Definition: Mindfulness is noticing your thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations in the present moment without judgment in as many moments of your life as possible. Simple, but not easy!
MBSR-T was created by Gina M. Biegel, MA, LMFT in 2004 and is also known as the Stressed Teens program. MBSR-T has strong foundations in developmental theory and considers the cognitive and attentional abilities of a high school teenager. Laurie was personally trained by Gina Biegel.
I have worked with teens for 5+ years as faculty at Fusion Academy, a private high school, and by being a parent! I strive to create a safe and welcoming environment for teens to explore how to slow down, listen to their bodies, make more thoughtful decisions and be less judgmental of themselves and others.
The MBSR-T program is offered in eight 90-minute weekly sessions.
During this engaging, 8-week, small group course teens will use the techniques and practices of mindfulness to intentionally focus attention and observe their own emotions and behaviors from moment to moment.
Students will learn to use mindfulness in daily life to enhance their experiences in real time. Through mindful practices, students learn to manage emotions, bring mindful attention to activities of daily living, self care, discern between caring vs. worrying, be aware of thoughts versus reacting, and more. Students will also learn the basics of meditation, its benefits and how to cultivate a personal practice.
The course includes a take home workbook and MP3 practice recordings.
Students will:
Gain clarity around how stress is perceived and appraised
Improve their sense of control in life
Improve communication skills in relationships: peer and familial
Shift perspective around self-confidence, self-esteem and self-worth
Gain skills to increase focus and attention in all of life’s situations in school and at home, including homework and test taking
Next course offering:
Fall 2020, Manhattan Beach, CA
Learn more about mindfulness and teens —
A fun video on the power of mindfulness — share this with your teen!