I didn't know a lot about Mindfulness but I signed up with some hopes about where it might take me personally and professionally. When I was accepted into the program, I didn't tell many people or if I did, I would preface it by saying, "it might sound really flaky but I am taking a post-graduate certificate in mindfulness". Within a month, I found myself proudly talking about how I have gone back to school and was sharing what I was learning. This program is rigorous and challenging and I think at the end of it, I am going to say it has been life-changing for me as well.
This unique program orientation led to a special pilot initiative this year to place MBTL students on field experiences in organizations to deliver mindfulness to frontline workers serving high-risk and marginalized populations across the Fraser Valley. Reimaging how mindfulness can be taught and how it can promote community — not just individual —well-being are the reasons why the landmark community outreach projects were backed by a UFV Strategic Initiative Fund (SIF) grant in 2019.
Read more on the UFV Today Blog.
The first course in the MBTL program has offered more than I had hoped for, with demanding coursework and challenging but fun group collaboration. Learning about the mindfulness practice both from the Buddhist and contemporary secular-scientific perspective provided a stronger foundation for using language and facilitating mindfulness sessions. The personal Mindfulness Planning integrates learning and fosters personal insights - beneficial for anyone interested in teaching mindfulness.
The MBTL program took my passion and practice for mindfulness and reinforced it with structure, evidenced-based research, and social learning that continues to elevate the development offerings I provide both within and outside of the workplace.