Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teaches "the art of facing life's difficulties in ways that lead to effective solutions and to inner peace and harmony."  -Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD

MBSR is an 8 week program now offered at CMC-Mercy and co-sponsored by Charlotte AHEC that teaches mindfulness in order to learn greater balance and effective strategies for an improved sense of wellness in one's own life.  Since its founding in 1979 at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, thousands of people have participated in MBSR courses offered around the world, including at leading medical centers such as Duke, Stanford and the Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center for Integrative Medicine.  Over the past three decades extensive research has now been done looking at the effectiveness of MBSR.  The research shows that most people who complete this type of course find:

            • An increased ability to relax
            • Improved self-esteem
            • Greater energy and enthusiasm for life
            • Improved ability to cope more effectively with both short and
              long-term stressful situations
            • Reductions in pain levels and/or an enhanced ability to cope with
              pain that may not go away

MBSR is designed for anyone wishing to gain greater levels of health or general well-being.  People choose a MBSR class for many reasons, such as:

            • Stress
            • Fatigue
            • Sleep problems
            • Headaches
            • Anxiety or depression
            • GI problems
            • High blood pressure or heart disease
            • Cancer
            • Chronic Illness or pain
            • Simply to improve well-being

The class is a complement, not a substitute, for regular medical care.