Mindfulness

Course Fee: $459 (Canadian currency)

“Mindfulness is an empirically supported clinical intervention across a wide-range of populations, a means of fostering self-care for helping professionals, and a catalyst for going beyond the profession’s focus on pathology to include positive growth and development.”

Shapiro & Carlson, 2009.

Mindfulness encourages being in the present moment, and observing what is happening with curiosity. It encourages a calm, accepting, non-judgemental stance which can benefit emotional and physical health. Hence, perhaps it’s not surprising that mindfulness is taught and used in counselling, coaching, education, medicine, management and, also, the workplace.

This certificate course will address the following: key elements of mindfulness; the mindful counsellor; mindfulness mediation and mindful movement; mindfulness-based cognitive coaching; mindfulness, self-compassion, and acceptance and commitment therapy; interpersonal mindfulness and ethical practice in counselling.

There is no prior knowledge or experience required to embark on this useful certificate course. You are free to commence at a time that suits your schedule – and to continue at your pace for a period of six months. Full tutor support is provided for this course.

Note: The Online Counselling College uses a person-centred approach, and Egan’s The Skilled Helper Model.

SYLLABUS

Module 1: An Introduction to Mindfulness

Topics Studied

  • Mindlessness
  • What does it mean to be mindful?
  • Mindfulness: Two key strategies
  • The neuroscience of mindfulness
  • Mindfulness: What the research shows
  • Nine essential qualities of mindfulness

Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives

Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:

  • Explain what it means to be mindful
  • Discuss the neuroscience of mindfulness
  • List nine qualities of mindfulness

Module 2: The Mindful Counsellor

Topics Studied

  • The mindful counsellor
  • Being mindful of our personal narrative
  • Windows of tolerance
  • Transference and counter-transference
  • Non-attachment in counselling
  • Letting go and letting be
  • Cultivating compassion for the client
  • Mindfulness-based supervision
  • The need for self-care

Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives

Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:

  • Explain what it means to be mindful of our personal narrative
  • Discuss non-attachment in counselling
  • Differentiate between letting go and letting be

Module 3: Mindfulness Meditation and Mindful Movement

Topics Studied

  • Getting started
  • Possible hindrances to mindfulness practice
  • The body scan
  • The 3-minute breathing space
  • Sound meditation
  • Sight meditation
  • Sitting with difficult thoughts meditation
  • The lake meditation
  • The raisin exercise
  • Taking a mindful walk
  • The value of journaling
  • The value of developing a feelings vocabulary

Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives

Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:

  • List some possible hindrances to mindfulness meditation
  • Describe some popular mindfulness exercises
  • Discuss the value of journaling

Module 4: Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Coaching

Topics Studied

  • The importance of remaining present
  • Negative automatic thoughts (NATS)
  • How automatic thoughts develop
  • Playing by the rules
  • Inferences and evaluations
  • The value of himework
  • Mindfulness exercise: Using the acronym “STOP”
  • Incorporating mindfulness exercises into your therapy
  • Incorporating mindfulness into your day
  • Sitting meditation

Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives

Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:

  • Describe how NATs develop
  • Explain what is meant by playing by the rules
  • Suggest ways of incorporating mindfulness into your day

Module 5: Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Topics Studied

  • The importance of self-compassion
  • The three key elements of self-compassion
  • Self-compassion exercises
  • Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
  • Applying ACT

Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives

Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:

  • Discuss the importance of self-compassion
  • List the three key elements of self-compassion
  • Apply acceptance and commitment therapy exercises and techniques

Module 6: Interpersonal Mindfulness and Ethical Practice in Counselling

Topics Studied

  • The mindful counsellor
  • Going back to our roots
  • What are some of the qualities of interpersonal mindfulness
  • Mindful communication
  • Mindful listening
  • The Aikido of communication
  • Ethical mindfulness
  • An ethical framework for good practice in counselling
  • The counsellor’s personal moral qualities

Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives

Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:

  • Describe some of the key elements associated with interpersonal mindfulness
  • Summarize what is meant by the aikido of communication
  • List the key counselling ethical principles and counsellor moral qualities

Suggested textbook for the course (to be purchased by the student)

Germer, C., Siegal, R.D., & Fulton, P.R. (Eds.) (2016). Mindfulness and psychotherapy. (2nd Ed.). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.