Requirements for participation in a MBCL Foundational Offering

Since MBCL has been developed as a follow-on course for those with basic mindfulness skills a sound personal mindfulness practice is central to participation in a MBCL foundational offering .

We also recommend that you attend a MBSR, MBCT or breathworks course in advance and read one of the following publications on MBCL:

• Mindfulness-Based Compassionate Living. A new training programme to deepen mindfulness with heartfulness by Erik van den Brink & Frits Koster, 2015
  

• A Practical Guide to Mindfulness-Based Compassionate Living – Living with heart. by Erik van den Brink and Frits Koster, with Victoria Norton, 2018

Interest in the application of compassion in medicine, psychiatry, social work, educational institutions etc. is also welcome.

Please note: The MBCL Foundational Offerings are not suitable for participants without experience in mindfulness meditation. It is also not recommended for people with acute medical or mental health problems.

Prerequisites for participation in the Online MBCL TT Programme

The MBCL TT Programme is currently taking place in various countries in Europe and offered for professionals already familiar with mindfulness practice and mindfulness-based work. All applicants are required to have participated in only one of the following foundational experiential offerings:

• An MBCL Foundation Course (in person or online, minimum 3 days) as offered by the MBCL Tutors. Courses in various countries and languages can be found here: www.mbcl-international.net
• An 8-Week MBCL training (in person or online) with a certified MBCL teacher. Trainings in various countries and languages can be found here: www.mbcl-international.net
• An experiential MBCL Retreat - Retreats in various countries and languages can be found here: www.mbcl-international.net

Here you find the list of certified MBCL teachers.

Important:

• Participants must be familiar with using the online ZOOM video platform and willing to engage in mindful inquiry into their experiences by online sharing in larger and smaller groups. This includes interpersonal work in two´s or three´s in breakout rooms.
• Participants must have adequate communication skills in English.
• Participants are responsible for ensuring a good internet connection and a suitable PC, laptop or other device with adequate video and sound systems. Use of a smart phone is not recommended.
• Participants should be willing to spend a minimum of 11 hours of their own time to do preparatory work in-between sessions, individually and in small groups. They should also allow for reading time and individual practice time.

Participants are required to study in advance:

• Required Reading: A Practical Guide to Mindfulness-Based Compassionate Living - Living with Heart by Erik van den Brink & Frits Koster, with Victoria Norton (Routledge, 2018), a self-help guide and workbook to be used by participants of a standard MBCL course.
• Optional Reading: Mindfulness-Based Compassionate Living – A New Training Programme to Deepen Mindfulness with Heartfulness by Erik van den Brink & Frits Koster (Routledge, 2015), a textbook for professionals which includes a middle part with practical guidance taking the reader through the course experientially.
 Both books come with downloadable audios and worksheets.

MBCL Teaching Qualification

Two Paths...

1) EITHER:

The participant must be qualified as a mindfulness teacher (MBSR or MBCT, or equivalent, e.g. Breathworks) from a recognized training institute. On successful completion of the MBCL TT Programme, and following a minimum of 3 hours of supervision during teaching MBCL to groups, one can obtain A-registration as an MBCL teacher and offer the formal MBCL-programme as an advanced course to participants who completed a basic mindfulness course (MBSR/MBCT/Breathworks)[i]

Those who have almost completed their mindfulness teacher training can also apply for the MBCL TT programme. However, they will only obtain their MBCL A-registration following completion of their mindfulness teacher training and full professional registration as a mindfulness teacher.

2) OR:

The participant may be qualified in a (mental) health or other helping profession without MBSR/MBCT teacher qualification. They should have followed basic training and gained experience in mindfulness-based interventions (e.g. ACT, DBT, MBCT) and/or wish to do the MBCL training to deepen their own practice and their therapeutic or counselling skills with mindfulness-based and compassion-focused interventions.

For this group the minimum requirements are that one has followed an eight-week MBSR/MBCT course and has at least one year regular practice in mindfulness meditation. Those belonging to this group can obtain B-registration as a professional who has been trained in guiding exercises and working with material from the MBCL programme and applies this in their own work setting within the ethical guidelines of their profession, individually or in groups.

Please note: One can only register as a certified MBCL-teacher and offer the full MBCL programme under its name, when one is also a certified MBSR or MBCT teacher.

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[i] This is in line with the Good Practice Guidelines for Mindfulness-Based teaching in the UK. As this is a postgraduate education one is expected to have the professional integrity and responsibility to judge when one is ready to offer MBCL independently. Those who do not feel confident to do so as yet after the TT, are advised to seek further schooling and supervision and/or obtain experience as a co-teacher.