One-on-one sessions via Zoom for those who are uncomfortable with groups or cannot commit to an 8-week course and prefer a more personalized approach. These sessions allow for flexibility and can be specifically designed around your needs. We have also adapted these online 1:1 sessions for teens and kids. Please email us for more information: mindfulness@health.ucsd.edu.
Benefits of One-on-One Sessions
Learn how to increase self-awareness and well-being
Privacy during the sessions
Sessions tailored around your own individual needs
The ability to ask questions relevant to your own needs
More in-depth support
Work at your own pace
More flexibility
Session Options
Stress Reduction Sessions
Inspired by the 8-week MBSR Program
Sessions include meditations, reflecting, and exploring your experience with your at-home practice
Must be 8 total sessions
80 minutes each
Introduction to Mindfulness Sessions
Learn what mindfulness is and how it can benefit you
Each session includes the introduction of new topics and practices
Must be 4 total sessions
50 or 80 minutes each
Custom Mindfulness and Compassion Sessions
For those looking for something different than our structured one-on-one sessions
Sessions incorporate mindfulness and compassion practices
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is an empirically validated program designed to prevent depressive relapse and reduce the impact of mood disorders. Developed by Zindel Segal, Mark Williams, and John Teasdale, MBCT integrates mindfulness meditation with cognitive therapy.
The core of MBCT involves helping participants recognize patterns of thinking associated with mood disorders while cultivating a new relationship to thoughts and emotions—viewing them as events in the mind rather than identifying with them.
The MBCT Teacher Training Intensive (TTI) is a highly interactive professional training that emphasizes the clinician’s own meditation practice and self-inquiry. Through role-play, simulated teaching environments, and patient-practitioner scenarios, participants explore how to apply mindfulness practices in clinical settings.
The curriculum integrates didactic, experiential, and small group learning, including daily meditation, mindful movement, and periods of silence. Participants examine the interaction between thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations and how these contribute to depressive relapse, while developing the skills to teach MBCT effectively.
Continuing Education
Psychologists: 30.0 CE credits through the American Psychological Association
California licensed MFTs, LPCCs, LEPs, LCSWs: 30.0 CE credits
Nurses: 36.0 contact hours through the California Board of Registered Nursing
CE credit fee: $75
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Demonstrate and lead curriculum and core therapeutic tasks for MBCT group sessions
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Curriculum Delivery
Describe the role of mindfulness meditation in regulating emotions and mood
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Mindfulness & Mood Regulation
Articulate the importance of the therapist’s ongoing mindfulness practice
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Therapist Practice
Utilize formal meditation and mindfulness as a mode of being in daily life
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Embodied Mindfulness
Demonstrate the clinical skills and perspectives necessary to facilitate MBCT groups
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Clinical Facilitation
Cancellation Policy
A refund (minus your $300 non-refundable/non-transferable deposit) will be made for cancellations submitted in writing up to 14 days prior to the event start date by emailing mindfulness@health.ucsd.edu. No refunds will be allowed within 13 days of the event start date.
Registration fees, deposits, and funds are non-transferable.
In the unlikely event that the course is cancelled, UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness is responsible only for a full refund of the registration fee. The center is not responsible for any refunds to transportation, hotel accommodations, or any miscellaneous expenses.
Refunds are processed using the same method as the original payment (unless past 180 days).
An intensive professional training providing clinicians with the knowledge, skills, and experiential foundation to deliver Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT).
Are you a mental health therapist seeking to take your expertise to another level? A transdiagnostic approach such as Mindfulness-integrated Cognitive Behavior Therapy (MiCBT) integrates mindfulness training in the Burmese Vipassana tradition with well-established cognitive and behavioural methods.
MiCBT has been shown through research to reduce symptoms across a wide range of psychological disorders, including complex comorbidities. This integration is considered a second-generation mindfulness-based intervention, incorporating transformational skills from Buddhist psychology.
Through the MiCBT Foundation course, participants deepen understanding of mindfulness insights and behavior reinforcement, explore neuroscience findings related to behavior maintenance and change, and learn to engage clients in treatment.
The course includes didactic, practical, and experiential learning, including daily meditation practice, training in mindfulness techniques, implementation of the four stages of MiCBT, and role-play of core skills in breakout sessions.
Continuing Education
Psychologists: 20.0 CE credits through the American Psychological Association
California licensed MFTs, LPCCs, LEPs, LCSWs: 20.0 CE credits
Nurses: 24.0 contact hours through the California Board of Registered Nursing
CE credit fee: $75
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Objectives
Describe the theoretical foundations of MiCBT and the Co-emergence Model of Reinforcement
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MiCBT Foundations
Explain the four stages of MiCBT and their therapeutic goals
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Four-Stage Model
Identify characteristics of client problems and markers of treatment progress
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Client Assessment
Practice systematic mindfulness meditation to enhance self-regulation
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Meditation Practice
Utilize mindfulness of breath to develop executive functions for emotion regulation
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Attention Training
Apply progressively advanced body-scanning techniques to reduce experiential avoidance
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Body Scanning
Introduce mindfulness-based exposure strategies for distressing experiences
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Exposure Techniques
Facilitate the development of equanimity and emotional balance
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Equanimity
Apply MiCBT cognitive restructuring while maintaining mindfulness practice
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Cognitive Tools
Assess mindfulness and equanimity using validated tools and outcome measures
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Measurement & Outcomes
Enhance interpersonal mindfulness and communication through experiential ownership
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Interpersonal Skills
Cultivate compassion for self and others through MiCBT practices
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Compassion
Cancellation Policy
A refund (minus $300 non-refundable deposit) will be made for cancellations submitted by emailing mindfulness@health.ucsd.edu on or before 30 days prior to the start of the course. No refunds will be allowed after this date.
Registration fees, deposits, and funds are non-transferable.
In the unlikely event that the course is cancelled, UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness is responsible only for a full refund of the registration fee and not for transportation, hotel accommodations, or any miscellaneous expenses.
Refunds are processed using the same method as payment.
A professional training course for mental health clinicians introducing the four-stage MiCBT model, integrating mindfulness meditation with cognitive-behavioral therapy.
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Enrollment requirement
CFM requires a minimum of 4 registrants. Programs with fewer than 4 will be canceled and fully refunded.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is an empirically-supported 8-week psycho-educational group intervention that teaches mindfulness meditation as a health intervention. Created by Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979, MBSR offers participants the possibility to develop a different relationship to stress resulting from chronic physical and psychological illnesses, and the daily indignities experienced as a result of racism and other forms of oppression. Research outcomes have demonstrated positive improvements in physical and psychological symptoms, as well as changes in health attitudes and behaviors.
This teacher training will provide trainees the opportunity to study and experience the foundational underpinnings, mindfulness meditations and specific exercises that are the framework of the MBSR program. The themes, rationales, intention and practice skills of each MBSR class session will be reviewed, discussed and practiced. Participant screening guidelines will be covered, and samples of client handouts will be provided. There will also be home practice for personal mindfulness practice.
This online teacher training is highly interactive. Trainees will move between experiencing MBSR sessions and practicing teaching components of the program in small groups under supervision. The training emphasizes the necessity of a personal mindfulness practice as the foundation for teaching, along with embodiment of non-judgmental present-moment awareness, kindness, compassion, and equanimity.
The training integrates didactic and experiential modules, including large and small group learning, role-play, and simulated patient-practitioner encounters. Ethical considerations in teaching MBSR are also addressed.
Continuing Education
Continuing education credits are available for an additional fee.
Psychologists: 31.25 CE credits through the American Psychological Association.
California licensed MFTs, LPCCs, LEPs, LCSWs: 31.25 CE credits.
Nurses: 37.5 contact hours through the California Board of Registered Nursing.
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Objectives
Articulate an understanding of the foundational principles of the MBSR program
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MBSR Foundations
Demonstrate basic MBSR teaching skills
presentation
Teaching Skills
Describe the role of mindfulness meditation in wellness and regulation of emotions and behaviors
brain
Mindfulness & Self-Regulation
Articulate the rationale for a teacher’s ongoing mindfulness meditation practice
activity
Personal Practice
Discuss formal and informal mindfulness practices in daily life
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Formal & Informal Practice
Cancellation Policy
A refund (minus your $300 non-refundable/non-transferable deposit) will be made for cancellations submitted in writing up to 14 days prior to the event start date by emailing mindfulness@health.ucsd.edu. No refunds will be allowed within 13 days of the event start date.
Registration fees, deposits, and funds are non-transferable.
In the unlikely event that the course is cancelled, UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness is responsible only for a full refund of the registration fee. The center is not responsible for any refunds to transportation, hotel accommodations, or any miscellaneous expenses.
Refunds are processed using the same method as the original payment (unless past 180 days).
A 10-week professional training for individuals seeking to teach Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), covering core curriculum, teaching skills, and experiential practice.
Mindfulness-integrated Cognitive Behavior Therapy (MiCBT) is a sophisticated integration of mindfulness training and cognitive-behavioral science. Grounded in evidence-based principles, MiCBT offers a four-stage, transdiagnostic treatment model that can be applied across a wide range of mental health conditions and client populations. Drawing from the Burmese Vipassana tradition of Ledi Sayadaw and U Ba Khin, MiCBT blends traditional mindfulness practices with the rigor of behavioral and cognitive methods.
This one-day workshop provides an engaging overview of the theoretical framework that underpins MiCBT. Participants will deepen their understanding of operant conditioning and explore the neuro-behavioral mechanisms that explain how mindfulness and CBT complement one another.
Join an international community of clinicians in this learning opportunity to discover how MiCBT can enrich both your clinical work and your personal mindfulness practice—and to consider whether further training in this empirically validated approach may be right for you.
The experiential workshop will involve learning material through various modalities, including guided mindfulness meditation practices as taught in MiCBT, live demonstration of delivery of Diary of Reactive Habits, guided mindfulness interoceptive exposure tasks and experiential ownership, video demonstrations of MiCBT skills with a client during real-life therapy sessions, and live question and answer through chat.
What’s included: access to online pre-workshop content, 14 days access to the recorded workshop, and membership to the North American Chapter of the MiCBT Institute.
For the introductory workshop, no prior knowledge of mindfulness is assumed, but basic skills in cognitive and behavioral techniques are helpful. The workshop is geared toward professionals with a foundational understanding of the concepts, as the workshop is delivered at a higher psychological level.
Continuing Education
Continuing Education credits for participation in this program are available for a $50 fee.
Psychologists: This program is sponsored by UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness. The UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This course offers 6.0 CE credit.
The MiCBT Institute is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. The MiCBT Institute maintains responsibility for the program. This course offers 6.0 CE credit.
California licensed MFTs, LPCCs, LEPs, LCSWs: This activity is an approved continuing education program by the American Psychological Association. CE credit may be applied to your license renewal through the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. For those licensed outside California, please check with your local licensing board to determine if CE credit is accepted.
Nurses: UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP16351, for 7.0 contact hours.
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Objectives
Describe recent theoretical and empirical findings on mindfulness practice and its clinical effects
brain
Research & Clinical Effects
Identify the neurophenomenological foundations that support behavior maintenance and change
activity
Behavior & Change Mechanisms
Apply MiCBT methods to strengthen attention and emotion regulation
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Attention & Emotion Regulation
Utilize MiCBT techniques for behavioral regulation and reducing avoidance patterns
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Behavioral Regulation
Demonstrate how to integrate MiCBT practices to enhance interpersonal regulation and resolve conflict
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Interpersonal & Conflict Skills
Implement MiCBT strategies for transpersonal regulation and relapse prevention in clinical context
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Relapse Prevention
Cancellation Policy
A refund (minus your $50 non-refundable/non-transferable deposit) will be made for cancellations submitted in writing up to 7 days prior to the event start date by emailing mindfulness@.ucsd.edu. No refunds will be allowed within 6 days of the event start date.
Please be aware that the registration fee, deposits, and funds are non-transferable to other programs.
In the unlikely event that the course is cancelled, UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness is responsible only for a full refund of the registration fee. In regards to in-person programs, the center is not responsible for any refunds to transportation, hotel accommodations, or any miscellaneous expenses.
Refunds are processed using the same method as the original payment (unless past 180 days).
How do you typically react to difficulties in life—work stress, feeling rejected, physical problems, or financial hardship? Most of us instinctively fight negative experiences and find fault in ourselves when things go wrong. This tendency adds stress and self-criticism that can worsen anxiety, depression, and other challenges.
Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) teaches a different approach—learning to calm and support yourself when you’re struggling, much like you would for a close friend. Self-compassion is a skill that can be learned by anyone and is a courageous mental attitude that helps reduce self-judgment and emotional reactivity.
With mindful self-compassion, participants learn to recognize stress, respond with kindness, and build emotional resilience. Research shows that self-compassion can increase happiness, reduce anxiety and depression, and support healthy behavior change.
The 8-week MSC program consists of weekly sessions in a group format, along with guided practices and opportunities to integrate mindfulness and self-compassion into daily life.
Continuing Education
Certificate of Completion requires attendance at least 6 of 8 sessions and the half-day session.
CE credits are available for an additional $50 fee. Full attendance is required.
Psychologists: 24.0 CE credits through the American Psychological Association.
California licensed MFTs, LPCCs, LEPs, LCSWs: 24.0 CE credits.
Nurses: 28.5 contact hours through the California Board of Registered Nursing.
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Objectives
Describe the theory and research supporting mindful self-compassion
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Understand Self-Compassion
Relate to difficult emotions with greater moment-to-moment acceptance
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Emotional Resilience
Respond to feelings of failure or inadequacy with self-kindness
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Self-Kindness
Motivate yourself with encouragement rather than self-criticism
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Motivation Through Support
Begin to transform difficult relationships through self-validation
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Relationships & Connection
Integrate mindfulness and self-compassion practices into daily life
activity
Daily Practice Integration
Cancellation Policy
A refund (minus your $50 non-refundable/non-transferable deposit) will be made for cancellations submitted in writing up to 7 days prior to the event start date by emailing mindfulness@.ucsd.edu. No refunds will be allowed within 6 days of the event start date.
Please be aware that the registration fee, deposits, and funds are non-transferable to other programs.
In the unlikely event that the course is cancelled, UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness is responsible only for a full refund of the registration fee. In regards to in-person programs, the center is not responsible for any refunds to transportation, hotel accommodations, or any miscellaneous expenses.
Refunds are processed using the same method as the original payment (unless past 180 days).
UC San Diego Employees: $545 ($495 if paid in full 30 days in advance)
Those who have completed a UC San Diego Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program can receive a $50 discount. Email mindfulness@health.ucsd.edu before registering to receive a discount code.
Program Summary An 8-week program that teaches mindful self-compassion skills to improve emotional resilience, reduce self-criticism, and support well-being.
Use phased schedule
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Enrollment requirement
CFM requires a minimum of 10 registrants. Programs with fewer than 10 will be canceled and fully refunded.
This training brings together MBSR/MBCT teachers to contemplate and engage in practice around their wishes for wellbeing and healing for our planet Earth.
The six sessions of the training cover all 10 MBSR/MBCT class sessions. The sessions are divided approximately in half: the first half is dedicated to Earth Awareness practice and time for sharing personal reflections and experiences; the second half allows time for considering and sharing ways of inviting Earth Awareness into the curriculum and MBSR/MBCT classroom. Teachers can share both their established ways and their discoveries around new possibilities for bringing Earth Awareness into their teaching. Together, we can engage in the challenge and the benefit of holding the Earth as a fully worthy recipient in the circle of MBSR/MBCT care, compassion and embodied action.
Teachers prepare for each meeting by engaging with practice and self-reflection prompts, reviewing selected materials, and reviewing the MBSR/MBCT curriculum for the sessions to be discussed. Teachers are encouraged to write and share between meetings and contribute to a collection of resources to support Earth Awareness. Each teacher will leave this training with a range of materials for continued inspiration.
Sessions include community building, Earth-based practice, reflection and sharing, curriculum review, and exploration of ways to bring Earth Awareness into MBSR/MBCT teaching.
This teacher development training is for MBSR and MBCT teachers. Some teaching experience is recommended.
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Objectives
Reflect on your relationship with the Earth’s polycrisis and climate emergency
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Reflect on Earth Relationship
Share and engage in mindfulness practices that support awareness, compassion, and engagement for the Earth’s wellbeing
heart
Support Earth Wellbeing
Identify ways to incorporate Earth awareness into the MBSR/MBCT curriculum and classroom
layers
Integrate Earth Awareness
Prepare and guide brief Earth-informed mindfulness practices
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Guide Earth Practices
Discuss the challenges and possibilities of inviting the Earth into mindfulness teaching
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Explore Teaching Challenges
Connect with fellow teachers to share practices, resources, and support
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Build Teaching Community
Cancellation Policy
A refund (minus your $50 non-refundable/non-transferable deposit) will be made for cancellations submitted in writing up to 7 days prior to the event start date by emailing mindfulness@.ucsd.edu. No refunds will be allowed within 6 days of the event start date.
Please be aware that the registration fee, deposits, and funds are non-transferable to other programs.
In the unlikely event that the course is cancelled, UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness is responsible only for a full refund of the registration fee. In regards to in-person programs, the center is not responsible for any refunds to transportation, hotel accommodations, or any miscellaneous expenses.
Refunds are processed using the same method as the original payment (unless past 180 days).
We are no longer accepting new applications or new MSC Teacher Certification registrants. The CMSC website is now accepting all new applications.
ALREADY ENROLLED:
If you are already enrolled in the UC San Diego MSC Teacher Certification program, here are the steps to finish becoming certified through us:
Certification Overview
The certification process involves finding a mentor and then actively participating in a series of at least fourteen 1-hour mentoring sessions with them whilst teaching two or more consecutive (not concurrent) full 8-week MSC programs with at least eight enrolled participants. Additional sessions may be required, at the mentor's discretion, to assure a high standard of teaching competence.
Prerequisites to Begin the Mentorship Process:
Be a trained MSC teacher.
Have already taught at least three 8-week MSC programs.
Have video footage of either Session 4 or 5 of a recent MSC program for the Collaborative Assessment.
Next Steps:
Contact a mentor and organize the Collaborative Assessment — which consists of at least three sessions:
Orientation session with mentor.
Mentor reviews video on their own.
Mentor and mentee create a mentorship plan.
At this point, a decision is made regarding the applicant's readiness for certification and the formal mentorship plan (for the balance of the mentorship process) is finalized and agreed upon by the mentor and mentee.
Applicants for Certification must have successfully completed a formal mentorship plan co-created with their mentor. The minimum duration is fourteen individual mentorship sessions — at least three sessions for the Collaborative Assessment process, and at least eleven sessions over the course of teaching at least two consecutive (not concurrent) courses. The plan may include more sessions at the discretion of the mentor.
Collaborative Assessment (CA)
The purpose of the CA is to establish a foundation for a mentorship plan based upon three sources of input: (1) the mentee's teaching needs first and foremost, (2) objective data about the mentee's teaching to date, and (3) the expert assessment of the mentor.
The specific data used for any particular CA should include a full session video recording of the mentee teaching Session 4 or 5 of a recent MSC 8-week course. Further data that may be used (at the discretion of the mentor) could include anonymous course evaluations from previous participants or a self-assessment using the MSC version of the MBI-TAC.
The CA counts as three mentorship sessions because, in addition to the two face-to-face meetings, there is a separate session for the mentor to review the video footage individually. The standard fee for the CA is $465 (3 sessions at $155 per session).
The Three CA Sessions:
Session 1 — Orientation: The mentor and mentee get to know each other; the mentee shares goals or concerns for mentorship; the mentor shares their philosophy and approach to mentorship along with a discussion of the assessment process.
Between sessions — Mentor review: The mentor reviews the recording and formulates a draft Mentorship Plan, which may include specific learning objectives, general areas of focus, and the recommended number of subsequent mentorship sessions.
Session 2 — Plan review: The mentor presents the Mentorship Plan and the mentor and mentee discuss it. The agreed-upon plan is incorporated into a formal Mentor/Mentee agreement, payment is arranged, and the signed form is forwarded to the MBPTI.
Mentorship Fees:
While the financial arrangement is between you and your mentor, UCSD-approved mentors have agreed to a standard rate of $155/hour for US-based mentees, with the full set of fourteen sessions paid up front unless other arrangements are required. If the fee presents a financial hardship, discuss this with potential mentors to reach a mutually agreeable rate — these are highly experienced teachers and trainers and these rates are consistent with others in the field.
Session Recordings Required for Mentorship
Mentees are expected to record all MSC sessions during the mentorship process. Mentorship sessions will specifically require recordings of at least the following:
Video recordings of you teaching two 20-minute segments of inquiry — one from MSC Sessions 1–4 and one from Sessions 4–8.
Video recording of you teaching one exercise from MSC (with inquiry).
Video recording of you teaching a 20-minute sitting meditation practice.
Video recording of you teaching a 15-minute didactic portion of the MSC program.
Four audio recordings of guided meditations (CD or mp3 format) — recordings you create for your participants to listen to at home.
Finalizing Your Certification
Upon completing all requirements, submit a formal letter of application for Teacher Certification to CMSC. Your mentor will also submit a letter of recommendation at this time.
Your Letter Must Include Documentation of:
The date you received your Trained Teacher Certificate in MSC.
Location and number of participants in all MSC courses taught, and copies of all course evaluations from the most recent course.
A character reference from a colleague in your field, meditation teacher, or similar professional familiar with your work.
Your personal mindfulness meditation practice, self-compassion and/or loving-kindness meditation practice, and attendance at silent teacher-led retreats, naming the teacher(s) and location.
An application review fee of $500 will be charged for the Certification review process. The mentor will also forward a letter of recommendation to the Committee noting the key elements of the mentorship, their assessment of the mentee's teaching competence, and (if necessary) a recommendation regarding Certification.
Review Outcome:
Your request will be reviewed by the Committee and upon approval, you will be issued a letter confirming you have satisfied all the necessary requirements for Teacher Certification status and will receive an MSC Teaching Certificate.
If any remediation is recommended prior to Certification, there will be an additional $150 re-review fee once the remediation has been completed.
If a mentee wishes to appeal a mentor's decision, an ad hoc review committee of two MSC mentors who have not mentored the applicant will make the final determination.
Mindfulness, the act of being fully aware in the moment of oneself and one's environment, has been practiced by many cultures around the world for thousands of years. For that reason, it is important that the cadre of the Center's certified MBSR teachers is representative of many cultures and backgrounds. Diversifying the teaching team is therefore both a value and a priority of the program's administrators. In keeping with that priority, while all applicants will be fully, fairly and objectively considered, applicants of color are particularly encouraged to apply to the Teacher Qualification and Certification Program.
Please read through the requirements and phases below if you are seeking to pursue the MBSR Qualification/Certification through the UCSD Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute (MBPTI). If you have questions, please email us at mindfulness@health.ucsd.edu.
Phase 1: Teacher Qualification
The purpose of Teacher Qualification is to establish a basic level of training and proficiency sufficient to be able to teach Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) to the general public. Achieving Teacher Qualification status is needed in order to move on to receiving Teacher Certification.
Requirements for MBSR Teacher Qualification — Steps 1–3:
Completion of the 10-Week MBSR Teacher Training (MBSR TT) or the 6-day MBSR Teacher Training Intensive (MBSR TTI) or the equivalent (as determined by the review committee). To take the MBSR TT program, you must have taken the 8-Week MBSR program and attended a teacher-led silent mindfulness meditation retreat of at least five nights.
Complete the formal application to enroll in the UCSD MBPTI as a "Teacher in Training," accompanied by a non-refundable application fee of $200 plus a Mentorship Administration Fee of $180 ($10 per session for the required 18 sessions of individual mentorship required for Qualification).
Upon acceptance of your application in the MBPTI, you will receive a Provisional Certificate of Qualification that will be replaced by a full certificate upon completion of the following two requirements and approval of your application as described below.
After Acceptance — Steps 4 & 5 (completed concurrently):
Teach at least two live, in-person 8-week MBSR courses with at least ten participants in each.
Complete at least 18 hours of mentorship with an approved UCSD MBSR Mentor during your teaching of the two 8-week MBSR courses. Review mentor details on our MBSR Mentorship Page for more information, including the special requirements for mentees who co-teach their first programs. Some of these mentorship hours will be used by the mentor to review recordings of your teaching independently. Once you have agreed to work with a mentor, you will complete a written agreement establishing the details of your work together before proceeding.
Mentorship Will Include:
Audio and/or video recordings of you guiding mindfulness meditation practices, mindful yoga, teaching a didactic portion of the MBSR program, and approximately 30 minutes of mindful inquiry.
Submission of your teaching materials, including all participant handouts. Please request your Mentor send a letter of recommendation supporting your application and readiness to teach directly to the Committee.
Formal Letter of Application for Qualification Must Include:
Date you attended the MBSR foundational training.
Mentor's name and dates of mentorship.
Number of participants in each of the MBSR courses taught.
Your personal mindfulness meditation practice, mindful movement practice, and attendance at silent teacher-led retreats, denoting teacher(s) names and location.
Please also request that your Mentor send a letter of recommendation supporting your application and readiness to teach directly to the Committee.
Submit your formal letter of application to the UCSD Teacher Qualification and Certification Committee at mindfulness@health.ucsd.edu. Please also make the following payments: the application fee of $750 plus an additional $100 Mentorship Administration Fee if you intend to pursue Certification through the Institute ($10 per session for the 10 sessions of mentorship required for Certification). Email us at mindfulness@health.ucsd.edu to have these added to your registration.
Your request will be reviewed by the Committee, and upon approval, you will be issued a certificate confirming you have satisfied all the necessary modules for full Teacher Qualification status. If the committee determines that you do not meet criteria for Teacher Qualification, you will be provided with feedback and a proposed remediation plan. (Resubmission after satisfying the requirements can be made for an additional fee of $150.)
What You Can Say When You Have Achieved Qualified Status:
Upon receipt of your formal Teacher Qualification Certificate, you may market and represent yourself as a "Qualified Teacher of MBSR" as defined by the UCSD Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute.
If you enrolled in the institute before August 1, 2021 and would like to apply for Teacher Certification status, please re-enroll here and inform us by emailing mindfulness@health.ucsd.edu.
Phase 2: Teacher Certification
Obtaining the MBSR Teacher Qualification is a prerequisite to formal certification status (Phase 1 above). Certification is a process of ensuring that an MBSR teacher has achieved a level of teaching that clearly demonstrates competency and best practice skills. Download a summary of the process.
Mindfulness‐Based Interventions Teaching Assessment Criteria (MBI:TAC) is used in assessing the competence and adherence of mindfulness‐based class-based teaching.
If you enrolled in the institute before August 1, 2021 and would like to apply for Teacher Certification status, please re-enroll here and email mindfulness@health.ucsd.edu to inform us.
Requirements for MBSR Teacher Certification — Steps 1–5:
Will have been granted the MBSR Teacher Qualification Certificate (Phase 1 above).
Will have taught a minimum of five additional live, in-person MBSR 8-week courses.
At least 10 hours of mentorship (beyond that required for Teacher Qualification) while teaching an 8-Week MBSR course, with an approved MBSR Mentor (see list here). Mentorship will include:
Video recordings of you teaching at least one full session of the MBSR program (usually Session 4 or 5).
Audio recordings of a 40-minute body scan, a 40-minute sitting meditation practice, and two 30-minute mindful yoga practices (lying down and standing sequences) — the recordings your participants listen to at home.
An established mindfulness meditation practice (daily formal sitting practice, informal practice), a mindful movement practice (yoga, t'ai chi, qigong), and continued yearly attendance at a teacher-led silent meditation retreat of at least five nights.
Formal Letter of Application for Certification Must Include:
The dates of all MBSR teacher trainings sponsored by UCSD (or equivalent), and when you obtained Teacher Qualification (Phase 1).
Your mentor's name and dates of mentorship.
The dates, location, and number of participants of all additional MBSR courses taught.
Also submit the following materials to your Mentor:
Teaching materials and participant handouts.
CDs and a video of you teaching the following: two half-hour segments of mindful inquiry, 40-minute sitting meditation practice, mindful yoga, and a didactic portion of the MBSR (e.g., Session 4: Stress Reactivity).
Please request that your Mentor send a letter of recommendation supporting your application and readiness for Teacher Certification directly to the Committee. In addition, submit letters of recommendation from two professionals in your field. Also document your personal mindfulness meditation practice and attendance at silent teacher-led retreats, naming the teacher(s) and location.
Submit your formal letter of application to the UCSD Teacher Qualification and Certification Committee at mindfulness@health.ucsd.edu. You must also pay an application fee of $1,000 — please email us to add this to your registration. Your request will be reviewed by the Committee and upon approval, you will be issued a letter confirming you have satisfied all the necessary requirements for Teacher Certification status along with a Teaching Certificate.
What You Can Say When You Have Achieved Certified Status:
Upon receipt of your formal Teacher Certification, you may market and represent yourself as a "Certified Teacher of MBSR" as defined by the UCSD Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute.
Estimated Fees for MBSR Teacher Qualification & Certification
6-Day MBSR Teacher Training Intensive (MBSR TTI) or Online 10-Week MBSR Teacher Training (MBSR TT)
$1,975
Online 10-Week MBSR Teacher Training Practicum (MBSR TTP)
$715
MBPTI Initial Enrollment Fee
$200
Mentorship Administration Fee for Qualification
$180
18 Sessions of Individual Mentorship for Qualification
$2,790
Teacher Qualification Review Fee
$750
Mentorship Administration Fee for Certification
$100
10 Sessions of Individual Mentorship for Certification
$1,550
5-Day Advanced Teacher Training Intensive (MBSR ATTI) or 6-Week Online Advanced Teacher Training (MBSR ATT)
$1,750
Teacher Certification Review Fee
$1,000
Total Estimated Cost
$11,010
A service charge will be added to all credit card payment transactions.
There will be additional room & board charges for in-person training programs.
These program amounts are subject to change — the above is an estimate.
Please read through the requirements and phases below if you are seeking to pursue the MBCT Qualification/Certification through the UCSD Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute (MBPTI). If you have questions, please email us at mindfulness@health.ucsd.edu.
Phase 1: Teacher Qualification
The purpose of Teacher Qualification is to establish a basic level of training and proficiency sufficient to be able to offer Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) to the general public. Achieving Teacher Qualification status is needed in order to move on to applying for the MBCT Teacher Certification.
Requirements for MBCT Teacher Qualification:
Attend an 8-Week MBCT program.
Completion of a 5-day MBCT professional training retreat (this retreat has certain prerequisites required for admission). Alternatively, a "mentored pathway" equivalent with a minimum duration of 12 months will be considered (e.g., attending three 8-week MBCT courses — the first as a participant, the second as trainee, the third as co-teacher — as well as attending workshops on theoretical and practical aspects of teaching the core practices and curriculum). Those who choose the "mentored pathway" must also satisfy the pre-requisites for the 5-day retreat.
Formal application to enroll in the UCSD MBPTI as a "Teacher in Training" accompanied by a non-refundable application fee of $200 plus a Mentorship Administration Fee of $200 ($10 per session for the required 20 sessions of individual mentorship required for Qualification).
Upon acceptance of your application in the MBPTI, you will receive a Provisional Certificate of Qualification that will be replaced by a full certificate upon completion of the following requirements and approval of your application as described below.
After Acceptance — Complete All of the Following:
Teach at least two 8-week MBCT groups and complete at least 20 hours of mentorship with an MBPTI-approved MBCT Mentor during your teaching of those two courses. (Review MBPTI-approved mentors, relevant policies and procedures will be shared upon request or acceptance, including the policies for mentees who are co-teaching their first programs.)
Attend a 5–7 night Silent Retreat (teacher-led meditation).
Mentorship Will Include:
At least 16 weekly meetings (in person or via phone or web), including one session before each 8-week MBCT program commences and one upon its conclusion, plus four other sessions for mentor review of recordings or other purposes.
Review of audio and/or audio/visual recordings of you guiding mindfulness meditation practices (body scan, sitting practice, 3-minute breathing space, walking meditation), mindful yoga, teaching a didactic portion of the MBCT program, and leading inquiry.
Submission of your teaching materials to the Mentor, including all participant handouts and feedback evaluations.
Formal Letter of Application for Qualification Must Include:
Dates, location, and trainers' names of the MBCT training you attended.
Dates of your mentorship sessions and your mentor's name.
Location and number of participants in the MBCT course(s) taught.
Documentation of your personal mindfulness meditation practice, mindful movement practice, and attendance at silent teacher-led retreats, denoting teacher names and location.
Please also request your Mentor to send a letter of recommendation supporting your application and readiness to teach directly to the Committee.
Please include an application fee of $750 plus an additional $100 Mentorship Administration Fee if you intend to pursue Certification through the Institute ($10 per session for the 10 sessions of mentorship required for Certification).
Your request will be reviewed by the Committee and upon approval, you will be issued a certificate confirming you have satisfied all the necessary modules for full Teacher Qualification status. If the committee determines that you do not meet criteria for Teacher Qualification, you will be provided with feedback and a proposed remediation plan. (Resubmission after satisfying the requirements can be made for an additional fee of $150.)
What You Can Say When You Have Achieved Qualified Status:
Upon receipt of your formal Teacher Qualification Certificate, you may market and represent yourself as a "Qualified Teacher of MBCT" as defined by the UCSD Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute, and you should clearly indicate that you are a trainee in the UCSD MBPTI (if you are pursuing Certification).
If you enrolled in the institute before August 1, 2021 and would like to apply for Teacher Certification status, please re-enroll here and inform us by emailing mindfulness@health.ucsd.edu.
Phase 2: Teacher Certification
Certification is a process of ensuring that an MBCT teacher has achieved a level of teaching that clearly demonstrates competency and best practice skills.
Requirements for MBCT Teacher Certification:
Will have been granted the MBCT Teacher Qualification.
Will have taught a minimum of three MBCT 8-week courses beyond the two required for Teacher Qualification status.
Completion of the Advanced MBCT Teacher Training Intensive (MBCT ATTI).
At least 10 hours of mentorship (beyond that required for Teacher Qualification) with an MBPTI-approved MBCT Mentor.
An established mindfulness meditation practice (daily formal sitting practice, informal practice).
A mindful movement practice (yoga, t'ai chi, qigong).
Attendance at a 5–7 night Silent Retreat.
Mentorship Will Include:
Ten weekly meetings (in person or via phone or web), including one session before the 8-week MBCT program commences and one upon its conclusion, plus two other sessions for review of recordings or other purposes:
Video recordings of you teaching a full session of the MBCT program (usually Session 4 or 5).
Video recording of you teaching a 40-minute sitting meditation practice and a mindful yoga practice.
Video recording of you teaching a didactic portion of the MBCT program (e.g., Session 6: Thoughts Are Not Facts).
Formal Letter of Application for Certification Must Include:
Documentation of all of the above requirements.
Your mentor's name and dates of mentorship.
Location and number of participants in the MBCT course(s) taught.
Documentation of your personal mindfulness meditation practice and attendance at silent teacher-led retreats, naming the teacher(s) and location.
Also submit to your mentor: your participant handouts and recordings, and either the videos recorded for mentorship or new recordings of the same course elements. In addition, submit letters of recommendation from two professionals in your field.
Pay the application fee of $1,000. Your request will be reviewed by the Committee and upon approval, you will be issued a letter confirming you have satisfied all necessary requirements for MBCT Teacher Certification status and will receive a Teaching Certificate.
What You Can Say When You Have Achieved Certification Status:
Upon receipt of your formal Teacher Certification, you may market and represent yourself as a "Certified Teacher of MBCT" as defined by the UCSD Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute.
Post-Certification Recommendations
Ongoing adherence to the framework for ethical conduct as outlined within your profession.
Continued yearly attendance at residential teacher-led mindfulness meditation retreats.
Engagement in an ongoing peer consultation process with an experienced mindfulness-based teacher, which includes receiving periodic feedback on teaching through video recordings, supervisor sitting in on MBCT sessions, or co-facilitating with built-in feedback sessions.
Ongoing peer consultation with mindfulness-based colleagues, built and maintained as a means to share experiences and learn collaboratively.
Engagement in further training to develop skills and understanding in delivering mindfulness-based approaches, including keeping up to date with the current evidence base.
Estimated Fees for MBCT Teacher Certification
MBCT 5-Day Foundational Teacher Training Registration
$1,450
MBPTI Initial Enrollment Fee
$200
Mentorship Administration Fee for Qualification
$200
20 Sessions of Individual Mentorship for Qualification
$3,100
Teacher Qualification Review Fee
$750
Mentorship Administration Fee for Certification
$100
10 Sessions of Individual Mentorship for Certification
$1,550
Advanced MBCT Teacher Training Intensive Registration
$1,600
Teacher Certification Review Fee
$1,000
Total Estimated Cost
$9,950
Note: A service charge will be added to all payment transactions.