MBSR Training in Australia

Oasis Institute
#1

Hi there,

I’m very keen to undertake training to teach MBSR. I work in allied health in Australia, and also teach yoga, but I am at the very beginning of the CFM training pathway (yet to complete any of the steps!).

I visit the USA once a year with my husband, and we have plans to move there at some stage in the next 5 years, as he is American. No fixed dates as yet.

I was wondering if the training offered in Australia would certify me to teach MBSR in the USA? If not, are there options for (very) long distance education through the CFM? I would like to teach here, and be able to continue teaching when we do move to the states.

Happy to continue this discussion by email if that would be easier :-)

Many thanks,
Emily

#2

Hello, Emily,

Thanks for your question. The first step on the pathway is to complete the pre-requisites for teacher training. The first pre-requisite is to take the 8-week MBSR course. There are instructors offering the MBSR course in Australia, so you can accomplish this first piece locally.

Beyond that, you’ll want to establish a daily practice and take a 5-10 day silent teacher-led mindfulness meditation retreat. Once this is done, you can apply to our teacher training pathway. I’m not familiar with teacher training offerings in Australia, so can’t answer your question about whether they certify teachers to teach MBSR. This is research you would need to do if you are curious.

For more information about the teacher training approach through the Center for Mindfulness, please study what you find right here in the Oasis Institute community room, and at our website at this link:

http://www.umassmed.edu/cfm/training/

all the best,
Margaret

#3

Hi Emily, I have looked into this as I am living in Sth Australia. The Mindfulness Training Institute offers MBSR training based in Australia. The pre-requisites are the same except that they wont accept completion of an online course and an intensive but only a face to face 8 week course. I am actually travelling to the US to complete the training there as I feel this would give me the best recognition. The path begins the same way just which fork you wish to take is your choice. Kind Regards Andrew

#4

Thank you Margaret. I can absolutely start an 8 week course here and attend a retreat, this should give me time to figure out the best training path at that point.

After further research, I found the following on one of the pages of the Australian training site:

“To be clear, at this point, the CFM does not accredit any other training programs in MBSR other than their own OASIS program (except the one run by a senior CMF teacher, Bob Stahl, in California.) Neither do they recognize any aspects of other training programs across the world; to be certified by the CFM, you now have to attend each level of their training pathway, none of which are offered in Australia.”

Seems if I want to teach in the US at some stage, it would be best to train with CFM!

Many thanks,
Emily

#5

Thank you Andrew! Your reply lead me to investigate further and I found this page on the MTIA website: http://www.mtia.org.au/australian-teacher-certification-in-an-international-context

Which contained this paragraph:

“To be clear, at this point, the CFM does not accredit any other training programs in MBSR other than their own OASIS program (except the one run by a senior CMF teacher, Bob Stahl, in California.) Neither do they recognize any aspects of other training programs across the world; to be certified by the CFM, you now have to attend each level of their training pathway, none of which are offered in Australia.”

Clears things up a little. If I only want to teach in Australia, MTIA would be fine, but if I hope to teach MBSR in the USA, then CFM is the way to go.

All the best with your training!
-Emily

#6

Thanks to all for bringing this information to the forum. Just exactly as we hoped! I do love what a mutually supportive community can be found, gathered around the work of offering mindfulness in the world.

All my best,
Margaret

#7

Hi Emily,

I have trained as a teacher under the stewardship of Openground and continue to teach and have no intention of being certified as for me it would not be of benefit. Openground run courses around Australia and I would highly recommend them for doing an MBSR course.

It looks as though you have been to the MTIA website and I would encourage you to do the training through them where you have ongoing support in Australia.

#8

HI Emily,

I am one of the Directors of Training in MTIA and am certified with the CFM. Do be in touch if you wish to discuss the MTIA program. At the moment there is no restriction on teaching MSBR in the US if you have been trained elsewhere, and I doubt there will be. MTIA and the CFM are involved in international discussions to make clear for students what constitutes thorough training in the MBIs. This will take time of course. And while may organisations may recognise various other trainings as being of substance and of value, there still may not be mutual recognition in terms of being certified by a training organisation that you did not train with. Hope this helps and I look forward to connecting soon. Have a look here - myself and Bob Stahl (a CFM teacher) are offering a silent retreat in April of next year in Australia.
http://www.mtia.org.au/silent-retreat
This could meet your prerequisite retreat for either training pathway. There are good MBSR eight week courses available in Adelaide too.

Best

Timothea

1 Like
#9

Hi Timothea,

Thank you for your kind reply :-) This certainly does help. I’m based in Sydney, and think I will start with an Openground 8 week course in term 2 next year (as I will be in the US visiting family in term 1!). I will take you up on your offer and get in touch if I have questions about the course next year, the MTIA training does look fantastic and comprehensive.

All the best,
Emily