Event Type Training Programs
October
Event Details
APPLICATIONS DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 1, 2021 Dates: April 2022 - May 2024 Sliding Scale: $13,700 - $3,700. Code: DPPT22 PROGRAM DATES: April 2022 - May 2024 All retreats held in-person at Spirit Rock
Event Details
APPLICATIONS DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 1, 2021
Dates: April 2022 – May 2024
Sliding Scale: $13,700 – $3,700. Code: DPPT22
PROGRAM DATES: April 2022 – May 2024
All retreats held in-person at Spirit Rock Meditation Center:
Retreat 1: April 30, 2022 to May 6, 2022
Retreat 2: November 11, 2022 to November 17, 2022
Retreat 3: April 15, 2023 to April 21, 2023
Retreat 4: November 11, 2023 to November 17, 2023
Retreat 5: April 28, 2024 to May 4, 2024
PROGRAM PREREQUISITES
- A minimum total of 50 nights residential retreat practice in the Insight Meditation (Vipassana) tradition
- A minimum total of 5 years daily dharma practice
- A letter of recommendation from a sponsoring teacher (someone who currently teaches at the Insight Meditation Society, Spirit Rock, Gaia House or is a recognized vipassana teacher), knows you and your meditation practice, and is supportive of your application to DPP
- For those who identify as white, completion of a White Awake multi-week program, either through Spirit Rock or through other respected organizations
- Personal and interpersonal maturity regardless of age, including:
- Maturity displaying emotional and relational intelligence, including the capacity to work with personal suffering
- Interpersonal maturity, to navigate relational difficulties with peers and teachers
- Interest and capacity to interact with people who will have different histories, stories and views than your own and a willingness to engage and discover with others
PROGRAM DETAILS:
Become a part of a community that will challenge, broaden, and vitalize your understanding and embodiment of the earliest Buddhist teachings. The Dedicated Practitioners Program (DPP), designed as an intensive lay practice period, offers a comprehensive curriculum on the Buddha’s early teachings over two years. In addition to attending five 6-night in-person residential retreats, participants commit to maintaining a formal daily meditative practice, monthly coursework, monthly group meetings, a monthly “dharma buddy” meeting and contact with a mentoring teacher over the full period of DPP.
While the retreats are a very powerful part of the program, most of DPP is the personal engagement with the eight-fold path in the six months between retreats. Students who participated in the past six cycles of DPP reported a profound impact on their own meditation practice, providing a focus and inspiration for deepening their understanding of Buddhism, and bringing the dharma alive in new and unexpected ways.
We use the Dharma, our meditation practice, and our Sangha to explore the ways suffering and freedom are created in our own hearts, including an exploration of the gross and subtle manifestations of social suffering, and its impact on personal and collective well-being. Our intention is to create a diverse and vibrant community of dedicated practitioners who support one another in waking up and in bringing more wise compassion into the world. We are committed to having a minimum combined 50% BIPOC and LGBTQI+ participation in DPP.
Please note: DPP is not a teacher training program. Spirit Rock does periodically offer programs such as the Community Dharma Leaders Program, which trains participants in leading community dharma communities, the Dharma & Yoga Training Program for aspiring yoga teachers, and the Mindful Leadership Program geared toward leadership in social and environmental justice.
PROGRAM COMPONENTS and REQUIREMENTS
- Attendance at all five 6-night residential retreats
- Completion of monthly readings, practices and reflections with personal engagement with the eight-fold path in the six months between retreats.
- Attending a monthly teacher-led group meeting. Traditionally DPP groups have formed in San Francisco, Marin County, the SF East Bay, Redwood City, Los Angeles, Seattle and Vancouver, BC and have met in person and now groups may be offered by zoom. The groups are asked to support the teachers with dana.
- Monthly meetings with “dharma buddies” in the program
- Maintain regular contact with mentoring teacher focusing on formal practice, DPP homework, and personal dharma development and integration. Mentoring meetings may be offered monthly or every other month, in person or by zoom at the teacher’s discretion, and will be offered held on a dana basis. We encourage you to reach out to teachers (including your sponsoring teacher) to see if they might be willing to mentor you in DPP. If needed we will support you in finding one.
- Interest and commitment to increase individual awareness of structural oppression internalized oppression and privilege (class, race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.)
- The practice of dana (generosity) to support program teachers, group leaders and mentoring teachers
- Meeting all financial obligations outlined in this application relating to program fees
- Access to email and the internet, either through your own computer, through a DPP buddy, or through a family member or friend who would be willing to pass along all the messages related to DPP.
APPLICATION TIMELINE and PROCESS
June 1 – August 15, 2021 – Applications accepted between these dates. Incomplete applications without an attached digital photo cannot be processed.
August 15, 2021 – Deadline to submit application. All applications sent after this date will be put in a waitlist reserve to only be reviewed if space opens up in the program.
October 1, 2021 – Notification of your status will be sent no later than this date via email.
November 1, 2021 – Commitment and payment deadline; 25% deposit required at time of acceptance; $100 non-refundable fee for all applicants, if cancel prior to Jan 1, 2022.
Applications will open June 1, 2021. Close August 15, 2021.
A few things to consider and gather before getting started:
- This is an online-only application. You will receive a copy of your submitted application upon its completion.
- Allow yourself at least 30 minutes or more to complete this entire application.
- Gather details on your previous retreat experience; you will have to list your retreat time; Example format: date (month/year), location of retreat (what center), teacher(s), style of retreat (metta or vipassana, etc.), # of nights.
- Digital photo of yourself (headshot/”selfie”); take or choose a digital photo of yourself to be attached at the end of the application.
- Get prior approval from your sponsoring teacher before listing them on the application. You will be asked to submit a letter of recommendation from the sponsoring teacher.
- The form is compatible with mobile, tablet and computer devices.
TUITION
Participation in DPP requires a financial commitment. Payment plans are available for all levels of the sliding scale. Scholarship support is available to help with payment of fees but it will be limited. A 25% deposit will be due upon acceptance.
Sliding Scale:
Supporter – $16,900 (guaranteed single room)
Benefactor – $13,700
Sustainer – $10,700
Base – $7,700
Scholarship Sliding Scale:
Scholarship Rate 1 – $5,700
Scholarship Rate 2 – $3,700
Tuition includes:
- Accommodations and meals at all five residential retreats
- All handouts and program materials
- Access to social media and online community building groups
Tuition does NOT include:
- Teacher support (dana)
- Transportation costs to/from your home to Spirit Rock
- Dana for mentor teacher support and monthly group teacher support
IMPORTANCE OF SANGHA
With the spread of mindfulness outside of traditional Theravadin countries, often taught by teachers with little direct contact to the Pali teachings, every generation must take time to find the roots of their understanding in the recorded words of the Buddha and his earliest community. If we study alone, we often feel a limited understanding of these ancient texts, yet together they can come more alive. Also, many past students of DPP have forged life-long friendships from within the program.
During free time around non-silent meals on the retreats, and any time in the months between retreats, students are encouraged to organize self-led student groups on topics of shared interests. This is to further extend the Dharma presented formally by the program teachers and to raise topics not covered in the formal DPP curriculum.
All who meet the prerequisites are welcome to apply. Spirit Rock and the organizers of DPP7 are deeply committed to creating a community of practitioners from diverse backgrounds and cultures – a mix of races, genders, ethnicities, classes, sexual orientations, ages, and abilities – to support each other’s Dharma practice.
Testimonials from Past DPP Participants
One of the things I’ve appreciated most about my practice on silent meditation retreats is the chance to just drop my habitual patterns of relating to people. Upon re-emerging into the world of social contact after a silent retreat, I have usually noticed subtle shifts in how I relate to people: over time, some of my habitual patterns have gotten weaker. With the interactive practices offered in the DPP, the shifts have been dramatic. Mindful interactive practices were for me a radical experience of authenticity in communication. Having experienced that level of authenticity and sharing in a safe environment, I find myself more willing to be authentic in daily life interactions. For me, the DPP has been as much about exploring community as about exploring the Dharma. The experience of trust and intimacy with such a large group of people has been extremely powerful. — Rachel
One of the greatest benefits of the DPP program was the “Dharma Buddy” element. For years I sat silent retreats with total strangers who now, thanks to DPP, are my closest friends. It doesn’t matter who you choose to be your dharma buddy; each of us is a teacher and a student in our own unique way. I started out buddying up with an acquaintance who was in the program, and then a total stranger asked to be my buddy, so we became three. And then, during the course of the two years, I deeply connected with several other people who I adopted (or perhaps they adopted me) as dharma buddies. I speak on the phone or email those is distant cities, and we visit each other. Those who are local have formed a Kalyana Mitta (Dharma Friends) group that meets monthly. By the end of the program I had more than a half dozen close dharma buddies with whom I will undoubtedly continue sharing the dharma for years to come. — David
As a parent, the DPP gave me the focus and permission to deeply commit to my practice for two years. While I was uncertain initially about the impact on my family, the depth of practice has deeply served us and I have come much closer to the parent I always wanted to be! — Maureen
Participating in DPP has been one of the best experiences of my life. After two years of guided practice and study of the dharma, I feel confident and happy to go on with my life with a sense of meaning and connectedness. This is the greatest gift from life one can get. — Alicia
QUESTIONS? Please email us.
Teacher(s)
-
Bonnie Duran, MPH, DrPH
Bonnie Duran, MPH, DrPH
View Bonnie's profile.
-
Gullu Singh
Gullu Singh
View Gullu's upcoming programs or profile.
-
John Martin
John Martin
View John's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Kaira Jewel Lingo
Kaira Jewel Lingo
View Kaira Jewel's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Tempel Smith
Tempel Smith
View Tempel's upcoming programs or profile.
Event Details
Dates: January - December, 2022. Monthly large group sessions - Saturdays: January 22 (required!), February 26, March 26, April 30, May 21, June 25, July 23, August 27, September 24, October
Event Details
Dates: January – December, 2022.
Monthly large group sessions – Saturdays: January 22 (required!), February 26, March 26, April 30, May 21, June 25, July 23, August 27, September 24, October 22, November 19, December 17
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. US Pacific Time
Sliding Scale: $600 – $1008. Code YL1T22.
REGISTRATION OPENS: Wednesday, August 25 ~9:00 a.m. Pacific Time
Teaching Team: Led by Vinny Ferraro, with Frank Ostaseski and Victoria Cary
DESCRIPTION
This year-long program, based on the book A Year to Live by Stephen Levine, is designed for people of all ages, regardless of life stage. In community, we will focus on waking up and living life more fully through the exploration of death as spiritual practice.
In our largely death-denying modern culture, few are encouraged to actively contemplate the inevitability of our death, or that it could happen at any time. The Buddha recommended that we do just that, not to frighten us, but to use death as an object of contemplation to help us awaken to the fragile, fleeting, and precious nature of our lives.
Ultimately, this is a year-long practice in forgiveness, gratitude and letting go. Through guided meditations, inquiry and small group discussions, we will be guided, with the support of community, through a process of living this year as if it were our last. All are warmly welcome!
Program includes:
• Teachings: Monthly (12) large group sessions
• Community support: Monthly (12) home group sessions with home group sangha
• Home practices: Guided meditations, readings, reflections
• Access: Video and audio recordings
PARTICIPATION COMMITMENT*
• Attend at least 10 of 12 monthly large group sessions – must attend the first session. The first session is required(!) to establish the safety of the container and respect the shared commitment of our “Y2L” sangha.
• Participate in home group sessions as skillfully as possible
• Complete homework assignments, practices, and readings
• Attend at least one program orientation session (required!)
*If you are unable to make this commitment at this time, please wait and join us for a future iteration.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Choosing the fee you can reasonably afford helps make courses available to all, regardless of ability to pay. All are welcome! No one will be turned away for lack of funds, as space allows. If you are in need of financial assistance, please email registration@spiritrock.org. We generally offer financial assistance for training programs one time per year per person.
CANCELLATION FEES
• $100 cancel fee* – On or before January 18, by 5:00pm PT
• Open credit or tax deductible donation – January 19 until February 27 (after the second class)
• No refunds – February 28 and beyond
*fees reduced for scholarship participants
QUESTIONS? Please email us.
Teacher(s)
-
Frank Ostaseski
Frank Ostaseski
View Frank's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Victoria Cary
Victoria Cary
View Victoria's profile.
-
Vinny Ferraro
Vinny Ferraro
View Vinny's upcoming programs or profile.
Event Details
Dates: Jan - May 2022; Jan 8 & 9 (2 days), Feb 12, March 12, April 9, April 30 & May 1 (2 days). Time: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Sliding
Event Details
- Dates: Jan – May 2022; Jan 8 & 9 (2 days), Feb 12, March 12, April 9, April 30 & May 1 (2 days).
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sliding Scale: $450 – $2,000. Code BP1T22.
Continuing Education Credits: 18 CE credits available for $180 for psychologists and California licensed MFTs, LCSWs, LEPs, LPCCs, nurses, and chiropractors, licensed by the APA, California BBS, BRN, or BCE.*
PREREQUISITE
This training is designed for therapists, educators and those in allied fields. Participants are recommended to have attended at least one (1) multi-day residential retreat or multi-day online retreat with an Insight Meditation teacher or community (e.g. Spirit Rock, Insight Meditation Society, Insight Retreat Center, etc.) prior to the start of the training.
DESCRIPTION
Only when one has truly made oneself a patient can one become a healer. In practicing mindfulness meditation and studying Buddhist psychology, we become the patient. So much goodness unfolds from this sincerity. Through our practice, we come to understand ourselves, affirm ourselves, and ultimately, transform ourselves. Our own transformation is then leveraged for the welfare of the people we serve.
The classic description of empathy—to stand in someone else’s shoes—presumes that we already know what it is like to stand in our own shoes. With striking clarity, mindfulness reveals what it’s like to stand in our own experience. The intimacy of this encounter with ourselves provides a basis for deep compassion and accurate empathy. This program is not primarily about learning techniques to add to one’s therapeutic repertoire: it is a recognition that, in an important sense, you are the intervention and cultivation of your own being enhances your effectiveness. Techniques flow from your direct understanding and their power depends on the sincerity of your efforts.
This four-month training for therapists, educators and those in allied fields, will provide an immersion in Buddhist psychology and the meditation practices that illuminate our minds, foster goodness and transform habits that compound suffering. We’ll dive into the scientific research on mindfulness and its increasing prominence in psychotherapeutic interventions exploring data regarding the efficacy of mindfulness and the mechanisms through which mindfulness confers its benefits. The training will examine the convergences and tensions between clinical research and Buddhist psychology and describe ways to integrate mindfulness into treatment. We’ll consider possible contraindications of mindfulness and how to tailor the intervention to individuals. It is an attempt to foster a dialogue between the sacred power of Buddhist practice and the scientific study of health, psychological distress and behavior change. Please join us.
PRE-COURSE WORK
Once accepted into the program, all participants will be given access to Foundational Buddhist Teachings, an online course consisting of five daylong retreats. Students are encouraged to review this course material prior to the class to ensure all participants can join our course with a level of shared understanding regarding foundational Buddhist concepts and terms.
PROGRAM DATES
Program training period is January – May 2021. Specific training dates below.
All meeting times are: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time.
- Jan 8 & 9 (2 days)
- Feb 12
- March 12
- April 9
- April 30 & May 1 (2 days)
PARTICIPATION AND ATTENDANCE GUIDELINES
Your participation in this training is important. The cohesion of the group is an important aspect of this training, so participation serves both your own development as well as the group. We ask that you commit to the dates and to participate wholeheartedly.
In addition to course meetings, participants will have opportunities to participate in smaller consult groups with the teacher throughout the program term.
For participants wishing to receive CE credits: In order to receive Continuing Education Credits, participants must attend all sessions live, on time, and in full. Your attendance is tracked carefully to grant your CE credits. Board regulations prohibit partial credit for partial attendance, therefore, incomplete attendance nullifies CE credit eligibility. No exceptions. More information on Continuing Education (CE) credits below.
For participants not wishing to receive CE credits: Attendance at both two-day retreats (January and May) is mandatory. We expect that all participants will also attend each monthly daylong, however, we understand that sometimes there are unavoidable emergencies.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
We generally only offer financial assistance one time a year per person. Choosing the fee you can reasonably afford helps make courses available to all, regardless of ability to pay. No one turned away for lack of funds, as space allows. If you are in need of financial assistance, please email registration@spiritrock.org.
CANCELLATION FEES:
$50 cancel fee* = if cancel >1 week prior to program start
$100 cancel fee* = if cancel between 1 week and 2 days prior to program start
No refunds = if cancel <2 days prior to program start
(*fees reduced for scholarship folks)
QUESTIONS? Please email us.
Continuing Education
Continuing Education (CE) credit available:
This program offers 18 CE credits for $180 for psychologists, health & wellness coaches, and California licensed MFTs, LCSWs, LEPs, LPCCs, nurses, and chiropractors. Please review our Continuing Education Credit information page. to determine if your association or board will accept credits offered by Spirit Rock.*
Teachings are appropriate for health care professionals as well as the general public.
Learning Objectives for participating health care professionals-
At the end of the program you will be better able to:
- Describe at least two of the overlaps and differences between mindfulness-based treatment and Buddhist psychology;
- Describe the three clusters of meditative practice: attentional, constructive, deconstructive;
- List five types of emotion regulation;
- Describe the relevance of equanimity for emotional regulation;
- Describe how evolutionary biology informs contemporary understandings of emotion;
- Describe the parallels between Buddhist practice and exposure therapy;
- Explain the role of inflexible self-definition in the generation of difficult emotion;
- Explain the role of the brain’s default mode network and self-referential thought in emotional regulation;
- Describe Buddhist approaches to shame;
- Explain the differences between self-esteem and self-compassion;
- Describe how Buddhist practice is relevant for enhancing the therapeutic alliance;
- Describe three ways in which clinician mindfulness helps manage countertransference;
- Describe Buddhist approaches to anxiety.
Continuing Education content level: Intermediate
CEC Schedule: (All times in US Pacific Time)
Full attendance is required daily 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The CEC instructional sessions are highlighted below.
January 8 – No CECs – full attendance required
January 9
10:00 – 10:45 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
3:45 – 4:30 p.m. – Discourse
February 12
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
March 12
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
April 9
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
April 30
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
May 1 – No CECs – full attendance required
*Please note:
- For those with a different license or with a license from a different licensing board, please contact your licensing board directly to ask if CE credit from the above-approved sponsors is accepted. Spirit Rock does not confirm applicability of credit for those with licenses different than those listed above. Spirit Rock is a provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP16905 for 18 contact hours.
- Credit is awarded for instructional time only and does not include extended silent meditation, if offered.
- For full Provider information, and additional CEC information, including attendance requirements, cancellation, and grievance policies, please visit our Continuing Education Credit information page.
Teacher(s)
-
Matthew Brensilver, PhD
Matthew Brensilver, PhD
View Matthew's upcoming programs or profile.
November
Event Details
APPLICATIONS DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 1, 2021 Dates: April 2022 - May 2024 Sliding Scale: $13,700 - $3,700. Code: DPPT22 PROGRAM DATES: April 2022 - May 2024 All retreats held in-person at Spirit Rock
Event Details
APPLICATIONS DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 1, 2021
Dates: April 2022 – May 2024
Sliding Scale: $13,700 – $3,700. Code: DPPT22
PROGRAM DATES: April 2022 – May 2024
All retreats held in-person at Spirit Rock Meditation Center:
Retreat 1: April 30, 2022 to May 6, 2022
Retreat 2: November 11, 2022 to November 17, 2022
Retreat 3: April 15, 2023 to April 21, 2023
Retreat 4: November 11, 2023 to November 17, 2023
Retreat 5: April 28, 2024 to May 4, 2024
PROGRAM PREREQUISITES
- A minimum total of 50 nights residential retreat practice in the Insight Meditation (Vipassana) tradition
- A minimum total of 5 years daily dharma practice
- A letter of recommendation from a sponsoring teacher (someone who currently teaches at the Insight Meditation Society, Spirit Rock, Gaia House or is a recognized vipassana teacher), knows you and your meditation practice, and is supportive of your application to DPP
- For those who identify as white, completion of a White Awake multi-week program, either through Spirit Rock or through other respected organizations
- Personal and interpersonal maturity regardless of age, including:
- Maturity displaying emotional and relational intelligence, including the capacity to work with personal suffering
- Interpersonal maturity, to navigate relational difficulties with peers and teachers
- Interest and capacity to interact with people who will have different histories, stories and views than your own and a willingness to engage and discover with others
PROGRAM DETAILS:
Become a part of a community that will challenge, broaden, and vitalize your understanding and embodiment of the earliest Buddhist teachings. The Dedicated Practitioners Program (DPP), designed as an intensive lay practice period, offers a comprehensive curriculum on the Buddha’s early teachings over two years. In addition to attending five 6-night in-person residential retreats, participants commit to maintaining a formal daily meditative practice, monthly coursework, monthly group meetings, a monthly “dharma buddy” meeting and contact with a mentoring teacher over the full period of DPP.
While the retreats are a very powerful part of the program, most of DPP is the personal engagement with the eight-fold path in the six months between retreats. Students who participated in the past six cycles of DPP reported a profound impact on their own meditation practice, providing a focus and inspiration for deepening their understanding of Buddhism, and bringing the dharma alive in new and unexpected ways.
We use the Dharma, our meditation practice, and our Sangha to explore the ways suffering and freedom are created in our own hearts, including an exploration of the gross and subtle manifestations of social suffering, and its impact on personal and collective well-being. Our intention is to create a diverse and vibrant community of dedicated practitioners who support one another in waking up and in bringing more wise compassion into the world. We are committed to having a minimum combined 50% BIPOC and LGBTQI+ participation in DPP.
Please note: DPP is not a teacher training program. Spirit Rock does periodically offer programs such as the Community Dharma Leaders Program, which trains participants in leading community dharma communities, the Dharma & Yoga Training Program for aspiring yoga teachers, and the Mindful Leadership Program geared toward leadership in social and environmental justice.
PROGRAM COMPONENTS and REQUIREMENTS
- Attendance at all five 6-night residential retreats
- Completion of monthly readings, practices and reflections with personal engagement with the eight-fold path in the six months between retreats.
- Attending a monthly teacher-led group meeting. Traditionally DPP groups have formed in San Francisco, Marin County, the SF East Bay, Redwood City, Los Angeles, Seattle and Vancouver, BC and have met in person and now groups may be offered by zoom. The groups are asked to support the teachers with dana.
- Monthly meetings with “dharma buddies” in the program
- Maintain regular contact with mentoring teacher focusing on formal practice, DPP homework, and personal dharma development and integration. Mentoring meetings may be offered monthly or every other month, in person or by zoom at the teacher’s discretion, and will be offered held on a dana basis. We encourage you to reach out to teachers (including your sponsoring teacher) to see if they might be willing to mentor you in DPP. If needed we will support you in finding one.
- Interest and commitment to increase individual awareness of structural oppression internalized oppression and privilege (class, race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.)
- The practice of dana (generosity) to support program teachers, group leaders and mentoring teachers
- Meeting all financial obligations outlined in this application relating to program fees
- Access to email and the internet, either through your own computer, through a DPP buddy, or through a family member or friend who would be willing to pass along all the messages related to DPP.
APPLICATION TIMELINE and PROCESS
June 1 – August 15, 2021 – Applications accepted between these dates. Incomplete applications without an attached digital photo cannot be processed.
August 15, 2021 – Deadline to submit application. All applications sent after this date will be put in a waitlist reserve to only be reviewed if space opens up in the program.
October 1, 2021 – Notification of your status will be sent no later than this date via email.
November 1, 2021 – Commitment and payment deadline; 25% deposit required at time of acceptance; $100 non-refundable fee for all applicants, if cancel prior to Jan 1, 2022.
Applications will open June 1, 2021. Close August 15, 2021.
A few things to consider and gather before getting started:
- This is an online-only application. You will receive a copy of your submitted application upon its completion.
- Allow yourself at least 30 minutes or more to complete this entire application.
- Gather details on your previous retreat experience; you will have to list your retreat time; Example format: date (month/year), location of retreat (what center), teacher(s), style of retreat (metta or vipassana, etc.), # of nights.
- Digital photo of yourself (headshot/”selfie”); take or choose a digital photo of yourself to be attached at the end of the application.
- Get prior approval from your sponsoring teacher before listing them on the application. You will be asked to submit a letter of recommendation from the sponsoring teacher.
- The form is compatible with mobile, tablet and computer devices.
TUITION
Participation in DPP requires a financial commitment. Payment plans are available for all levels of the sliding scale. Scholarship support is available to help with payment of fees but it will be limited. A 25% deposit will be due upon acceptance.
Sliding Scale:
Supporter – $16,900 (guaranteed single room)
Benefactor – $13,700
Sustainer – $10,700
Base – $7,700
Scholarship Sliding Scale:
Scholarship Rate 1 – $5,700
Scholarship Rate 2 – $3,700
Tuition includes:
- Accommodations and meals at all five residential retreats
- All handouts and program materials
- Access to social media and online community building groups
Tuition does NOT include:
- Teacher support (dana)
- Transportation costs to/from your home to Spirit Rock
- Dana for mentor teacher support and monthly group teacher support
IMPORTANCE OF SANGHA
With the spread of mindfulness outside of traditional Theravadin countries, often taught by teachers with little direct contact to the Pali teachings, every generation must take time to find the roots of their understanding in the recorded words of the Buddha and his earliest community. If we study alone, we often feel a limited understanding of these ancient texts, yet together they can come more alive. Also, many past students of DPP have forged life-long friendships from within the program.
During free time around non-silent meals on the retreats, and any time in the months between retreats, students are encouraged to organize self-led student groups on topics of shared interests. This is to further extend the Dharma presented formally by the program teachers and to raise topics not covered in the formal DPP curriculum.
All who meet the prerequisites are welcome to apply. Spirit Rock and the organizers of DPP7 are deeply committed to creating a community of practitioners from diverse backgrounds and cultures – a mix of races, genders, ethnicities, classes, sexual orientations, ages, and abilities – to support each other’s Dharma practice.
Testimonials from Past DPP Participants
One of the things I’ve appreciated most about my practice on silent meditation retreats is the chance to just drop my habitual patterns of relating to people. Upon re-emerging into the world of social contact after a silent retreat, I have usually noticed subtle shifts in how I relate to people: over time, some of my habitual patterns have gotten weaker. With the interactive practices offered in the DPP, the shifts have been dramatic. Mindful interactive practices were for me a radical experience of authenticity in communication. Having experienced that level of authenticity and sharing in a safe environment, I find myself more willing to be authentic in daily life interactions. For me, the DPP has been as much about exploring community as about exploring the Dharma. The experience of trust and intimacy with such a large group of people has been extremely powerful. — Rachel
One of the greatest benefits of the DPP program was the “Dharma Buddy” element. For years I sat silent retreats with total strangers who now, thanks to DPP, are my closest friends. It doesn’t matter who you choose to be your dharma buddy; each of us is a teacher and a student in our own unique way. I started out buddying up with an acquaintance who was in the program, and then a total stranger asked to be my buddy, so we became three. And then, during the course of the two years, I deeply connected with several other people who I adopted (or perhaps they adopted me) as dharma buddies. I speak on the phone or email those is distant cities, and we visit each other. Those who are local have formed a Kalyana Mitta (Dharma Friends) group that meets monthly. By the end of the program I had more than a half dozen close dharma buddies with whom I will undoubtedly continue sharing the dharma for years to come. — David
As a parent, the DPP gave me the focus and permission to deeply commit to my practice for two years. While I was uncertain initially about the impact on my family, the depth of practice has deeply served us and I have come much closer to the parent I always wanted to be! — Maureen
Participating in DPP has been one of the best experiences of my life. After two years of guided practice and study of the dharma, I feel confident and happy to go on with my life with a sense of meaning and connectedness. This is the greatest gift from life one can get. — Alicia
QUESTIONS? Please email us.
Teacher(s)
-
Bonnie Duran, MPH, DrPH
Bonnie Duran, MPH, DrPH
View Bonnie's profile.
-
Gullu Singh
Gullu Singh
View Gullu's upcoming programs or profile.
-
John Martin
John Martin
View John's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Kaira Jewel Lingo
Kaira Jewel Lingo
View Kaira Jewel's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Tempel Smith
Tempel Smith
View Tempel's upcoming programs or profile.
Event Details
Dates: January - December, 2022. Monthly large group sessions - Saturdays: January 22 (required!), February 26, March 26, April 30, May 21, June 25, July 23, August 27, September 24, October
Event Details
Dates: January – December, 2022.
Monthly large group sessions – Saturdays: January 22 (required!), February 26, March 26, April 30, May 21, June 25, July 23, August 27, September 24, October 22, November 19, December 17
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. US Pacific Time
Sliding Scale: $600 – $1008. Code YL1T22.
REGISTRATION OPENS: Wednesday, August 25 ~9:00 a.m. Pacific Time
Teaching Team: Led by Vinny Ferraro, with Frank Ostaseski and Victoria Cary
DESCRIPTION
This year-long program, based on the book A Year to Live by Stephen Levine, is designed for people of all ages, regardless of life stage. In community, we will focus on waking up and living life more fully through the exploration of death as spiritual practice.
In our largely death-denying modern culture, few are encouraged to actively contemplate the inevitability of our death, or that it could happen at any time. The Buddha recommended that we do just that, not to frighten us, but to use death as an object of contemplation to help us awaken to the fragile, fleeting, and precious nature of our lives.
Ultimately, this is a year-long practice in forgiveness, gratitude and letting go. Through guided meditations, inquiry and small group discussions, we will be guided, with the support of community, through a process of living this year as if it were our last. All are warmly welcome!
Program includes:
• Teachings: Monthly (12) large group sessions
• Community support: Monthly (12) home group sessions with home group sangha
• Home practices: Guided meditations, readings, reflections
• Access: Video and audio recordings
PARTICIPATION COMMITMENT*
• Attend at least 10 of 12 monthly large group sessions – must attend the first session. The first session is required(!) to establish the safety of the container and respect the shared commitment of our “Y2L” sangha.
• Participate in home group sessions as skillfully as possible
• Complete homework assignments, practices, and readings
• Attend at least one program orientation session (required!)
*If you are unable to make this commitment at this time, please wait and join us for a future iteration.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Choosing the fee you can reasonably afford helps make courses available to all, regardless of ability to pay. All are welcome! No one will be turned away for lack of funds, as space allows. If you are in need of financial assistance, please email registration@spiritrock.org. We generally offer financial assistance for training programs one time per year per person.
CANCELLATION FEES
• $100 cancel fee* – On or before January 18, by 5:00pm PT
• Open credit or tax deductible donation – January 19 until February 27 (after the second class)
• No refunds – February 28 and beyond
*fees reduced for scholarship participants
QUESTIONS? Please email us.
Teacher(s)
-
Frank Ostaseski
Frank Ostaseski
View Frank's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Victoria Cary
Victoria Cary
View Victoria's profile.
-
Vinny Ferraro
Vinny Ferraro
View Vinny's upcoming programs or profile.
Event Details
Dates: Jan - May 2022; Jan 8 & 9 (2 days), Feb 12, March 12, April 9, April 30 & May 1 (2 days). Time: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Sliding
Event Details
- Dates: Jan – May 2022; Jan 8 & 9 (2 days), Feb 12, March 12, April 9, April 30 & May 1 (2 days).
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sliding Scale: $450 – $2,000. Code BP1T22.
Continuing Education Credits: 18 CE credits available for $180 for psychologists and California licensed MFTs, LCSWs, LEPs, LPCCs, nurses, and chiropractors, licensed by the APA, California BBS, BRN, or BCE.*
PREREQUISITE
This training is designed for therapists, educators and those in allied fields. Participants are recommended to have attended at least one (1) multi-day residential retreat or multi-day online retreat with an Insight Meditation teacher or community (e.g. Spirit Rock, Insight Meditation Society, Insight Retreat Center, etc.) prior to the start of the training.
DESCRIPTION
Only when one has truly made oneself a patient can one become a healer. In practicing mindfulness meditation and studying Buddhist psychology, we become the patient. So much goodness unfolds from this sincerity. Through our practice, we come to understand ourselves, affirm ourselves, and ultimately, transform ourselves. Our own transformation is then leveraged for the welfare of the people we serve.
The classic description of empathy—to stand in someone else’s shoes—presumes that we already know what it is like to stand in our own shoes. With striking clarity, mindfulness reveals what it’s like to stand in our own experience. The intimacy of this encounter with ourselves provides a basis for deep compassion and accurate empathy. This program is not primarily about learning techniques to add to one’s therapeutic repertoire: it is a recognition that, in an important sense, you are the intervention and cultivation of your own being enhances your effectiveness. Techniques flow from your direct understanding and their power depends on the sincerity of your efforts.
This four-month training for therapists, educators and those in allied fields, will provide an immersion in Buddhist psychology and the meditation practices that illuminate our minds, foster goodness and transform habits that compound suffering. We’ll dive into the scientific research on mindfulness and its increasing prominence in psychotherapeutic interventions exploring data regarding the efficacy of mindfulness and the mechanisms through which mindfulness confers its benefits. The training will examine the convergences and tensions between clinical research and Buddhist psychology and describe ways to integrate mindfulness into treatment. We’ll consider possible contraindications of mindfulness and how to tailor the intervention to individuals. It is an attempt to foster a dialogue between the sacred power of Buddhist practice and the scientific study of health, psychological distress and behavior change. Please join us.
PRE-COURSE WORK
Once accepted into the program, all participants will be given access to Foundational Buddhist Teachings, an online course consisting of five daylong retreats. Students are encouraged to review this course material prior to the class to ensure all participants can join our course with a level of shared understanding regarding foundational Buddhist concepts and terms.
PROGRAM DATES
Program training period is January – May 2021. Specific training dates below.
All meeting times are: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time.
- Jan 8 & 9 (2 days)
- Feb 12
- March 12
- April 9
- April 30 & May 1 (2 days)
PARTICIPATION AND ATTENDANCE GUIDELINES
Your participation in this training is important. The cohesion of the group is an important aspect of this training, so participation serves both your own development as well as the group. We ask that you commit to the dates and to participate wholeheartedly.
In addition to course meetings, participants will have opportunities to participate in smaller consult groups with the teacher throughout the program term.
For participants wishing to receive CE credits: In order to receive Continuing Education Credits, participants must attend all sessions live, on time, and in full. Your attendance is tracked carefully to grant your CE credits. Board regulations prohibit partial credit for partial attendance, therefore, incomplete attendance nullifies CE credit eligibility. No exceptions. More information on Continuing Education (CE) credits below.
For participants not wishing to receive CE credits: Attendance at both two-day retreats (January and May) is mandatory. We expect that all participants will also attend each monthly daylong, however, we understand that sometimes there are unavoidable emergencies.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
We generally only offer financial assistance one time a year per person. Choosing the fee you can reasonably afford helps make courses available to all, regardless of ability to pay. No one turned away for lack of funds, as space allows. If you are in need of financial assistance, please email registration@spiritrock.org.
CANCELLATION FEES:
$50 cancel fee* = if cancel >1 week prior to program start
$100 cancel fee* = if cancel between 1 week and 2 days prior to program start
No refunds = if cancel <2 days prior to program start
(*fees reduced for scholarship folks)
QUESTIONS? Please email us.
Continuing Education
Continuing Education (CE) credit available:
This program offers 18 CE credits for $180 for psychologists, health & wellness coaches, and California licensed MFTs, LCSWs, LEPs, LPCCs, nurses, and chiropractors. Please review our Continuing Education Credit information page. to determine if your association or board will accept credits offered by Spirit Rock.*
Teachings are appropriate for health care professionals as well as the general public.
Learning Objectives for participating health care professionals-
At the end of the program you will be better able to:
- Describe at least two of the overlaps and differences between mindfulness-based treatment and Buddhist psychology;
- Describe the three clusters of meditative practice: attentional, constructive, deconstructive;
- List five types of emotion regulation;
- Describe the relevance of equanimity for emotional regulation;
- Describe how evolutionary biology informs contemporary understandings of emotion;
- Describe the parallels between Buddhist practice and exposure therapy;
- Explain the role of inflexible self-definition in the generation of difficult emotion;
- Explain the role of the brain’s default mode network and self-referential thought in emotional regulation;
- Describe Buddhist approaches to shame;
- Explain the differences between self-esteem and self-compassion;
- Describe how Buddhist practice is relevant for enhancing the therapeutic alliance;
- Describe three ways in which clinician mindfulness helps manage countertransference;
- Describe Buddhist approaches to anxiety.
Continuing Education content level: Intermediate
CEC Schedule: (All times in US Pacific Time)
Full attendance is required daily 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The CEC instructional sessions are highlighted below.
January 8 – No CECs – full attendance required
January 9
10:00 – 10:45 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
3:45 – 4:30 p.m. – Discourse
February 12
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
March 12
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
April 9
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
April 30
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
May 1 – No CECs – full attendance required
*Please note:
- For those with a different license or with a license from a different licensing board, please contact your licensing board directly to ask if CE credit from the above-approved sponsors is accepted. Spirit Rock does not confirm applicability of credit for those with licenses different than those listed above. Spirit Rock is a provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP16905 for 18 contact hours.
- Credit is awarded for instructional time only and does not include extended silent meditation, if offered.
- For full Provider information, and additional CEC information, including attendance requirements, cancellation, and grievance policies, please visit our Continuing Education Credit information page.
Teacher(s)
-
Matthew Brensilver, PhD
Matthew Brensilver, PhD
View Matthew's upcoming programs or profile.
December
Event Details
APPLICATIONS DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 1, 2021 Dates: April 2022 - May 2024 Sliding Scale: $13,700 - $3,700. Code: DPPT22 PROGRAM DATES: April 2022 - May 2024 All retreats held in-person at Spirit Rock
Event Details
APPLICATIONS DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 1, 2021
Dates: April 2022 – May 2024
Sliding Scale: $13,700 – $3,700. Code: DPPT22
PROGRAM DATES: April 2022 – May 2024
All retreats held in-person at Spirit Rock Meditation Center:
Retreat 1: April 30, 2022 to May 6, 2022
Retreat 2: November 11, 2022 to November 17, 2022
Retreat 3: April 15, 2023 to April 21, 2023
Retreat 4: November 11, 2023 to November 17, 2023
Retreat 5: April 28, 2024 to May 4, 2024
PROGRAM PREREQUISITES
- A minimum total of 50 nights residential retreat practice in the Insight Meditation (Vipassana) tradition
- A minimum total of 5 years daily dharma practice
- A letter of recommendation from a sponsoring teacher (someone who currently teaches at the Insight Meditation Society, Spirit Rock, Gaia House or is a recognized vipassana teacher), knows you and your meditation practice, and is supportive of your application to DPP
- For those who identify as white, completion of a White Awake multi-week program, either through Spirit Rock or through other respected organizations
- Personal and interpersonal maturity regardless of age, including:
- Maturity displaying emotional and relational intelligence, including the capacity to work with personal suffering
- Interpersonal maturity, to navigate relational difficulties with peers and teachers
- Interest and capacity to interact with people who will have different histories, stories and views than your own and a willingness to engage and discover with others
PROGRAM DETAILS:
Become a part of a community that will challenge, broaden, and vitalize your understanding and embodiment of the earliest Buddhist teachings. The Dedicated Practitioners Program (DPP), designed as an intensive lay practice period, offers a comprehensive curriculum on the Buddha’s early teachings over two years. In addition to attending five 6-night in-person residential retreats, participants commit to maintaining a formal daily meditative practice, monthly coursework, monthly group meetings, a monthly “dharma buddy” meeting and contact with a mentoring teacher over the full period of DPP.
While the retreats are a very powerful part of the program, most of DPP is the personal engagement with the eight-fold path in the six months between retreats. Students who participated in the past six cycles of DPP reported a profound impact on their own meditation practice, providing a focus and inspiration for deepening their understanding of Buddhism, and bringing the dharma alive in new and unexpected ways.
We use the Dharma, our meditation practice, and our Sangha to explore the ways suffering and freedom are created in our own hearts, including an exploration of the gross and subtle manifestations of social suffering, and its impact on personal and collective well-being. Our intention is to create a diverse and vibrant community of dedicated practitioners who support one another in waking up and in bringing more wise compassion into the world. We are committed to having a minimum combined 50% BIPOC and LGBTQI+ participation in DPP.
Please note: DPP is not a teacher training program. Spirit Rock does periodically offer programs such as the Community Dharma Leaders Program, which trains participants in leading community dharma communities, the Dharma & Yoga Training Program for aspiring yoga teachers, and the Mindful Leadership Program geared toward leadership in social and environmental justice.
PROGRAM COMPONENTS and REQUIREMENTS
- Attendance at all five 6-night residential retreats
- Completion of monthly readings, practices and reflections with personal engagement with the eight-fold path in the six months between retreats.
- Attending a monthly teacher-led group meeting. Traditionally DPP groups have formed in San Francisco, Marin County, the SF East Bay, Redwood City, Los Angeles, Seattle and Vancouver, BC and have met in person and now groups may be offered by zoom. The groups are asked to support the teachers with dana.
- Monthly meetings with “dharma buddies” in the program
- Maintain regular contact with mentoring teacher focusing on formal practice, DPP homework, and personal dharma development and integration. Mentoring meetings may be offered monthly or every other month, in person or by zoom at the teacher’s discretion, and will be offered held on a dana basis. We encourage you to reach out to teachers (including your sponsoring teacher) to see if they might be willing to mentor you in DPP. If needed we will support you in finding one.
- Interest and commitment to increase individual awareness of structural oppression internalized oppression and privilege (class, race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.)
- The practice of dana (generosity) to support program teachers, group leaders and mentoring teachers
- Meeting all financial obligations outlined in this application relating to program fees
- Access to email and the internet, either through your own computer, through a DPP buddy, or through a family member or friend who would be willing to pass along all the messages related to DPP.
APPLICATION TIMELINE and PROCESS
June 1 – August 15, 2021 – Applications accepted between these dates. Incomplete applications without an attached digital photo cannot be processed.
August 15, 2021 – Deadline to submit application. All applications sent after this date will be put in a waitlist reserve to only be reviewed if space opens up in the program.
October 1, 2021 – Notification of your status will be sent no later than this date via email.
November 1, 2021 – Commitment and payment deadline; 25% deposit required at time of acceptance; $100 non-refundable fee for all applicants, if cancel prior to Jan 1, 2022.
Applications will open June 1, 2021. Close August 15, 2021.
A few things to consider and gather before getting started:
- This is an online-only application. You will receive a copy of your submitted application upon its completion.
- Allow yourself at least 30 minutes or more to complete this entire application.
- Gather details on your previous retreat experience; you will have to list your retreat time; Example format: date (month/year), location of retreat (what center), teacher(s), style of retreat (metta or vipassana, etc.), # of nights.
- Digital photo of yourself (headshot/”selfie”); take or choose a digital photo of yourself to be attached at the end of the application.
- Get prior approval from your sponsoring teacher before listing them on the application. You will be asked to submit a letter of recommendation from the sponsoring teacher.
- The form is compatible with mobile, tablet and computer devices.
TUITION
Participation in DPP requires a financial commitment. Payment plans are available for all levels of the sliding scale. Scholarship support is available to help with payment of fees but it will be limited. A 25% deposit will be due upon acceptance.
Sliding Scale:
Supporter – $16,900 (guaranteed single room)
Benefactor – $13,700
Sustainer – $10,700
Base – $7,700
Scholarship Sliding Scale:
Scholarship Rate 1 – $5,700
Scholarship Rate 2 – $3,700
Tuition includes:
- Accommodations and meals at all five residential retreats
- All handouts and program materials
- Access to social media and online community building groups
Tuition does NOT include:
- Teacher support (dana)
- Transportation costs to/from your home to Spirit Rock
- Dana for mentor teacher support and monthly group teacher support
IMPORTANCE OF SANGHA
With the spread of mindfulness outside of traditional Theravadin countries, often taught by teachers with little direct contact to the Pali teachings, every generation must take time to find the roots of their understanding in the recorded words of the Buddha and his earliest community. If we study alone, we often feel a limited understanding of these ancient texts, yet together they can come more alive. Also, many past students of DPP have forged life-long friendships from within the program.
During free time around non-silent meals on the retreats, and any time in the months between retreats, students are encouraged to organize self-led student groups on topics of shared interests. This is to further extend the Dharma presented formally by the program teachers and to raise topics not covered in the formal DPP curriculum.
All who meet the prerequisites are welcome to apply. Spirit Rock and the organizers of DPP7 are deeply committed to creating a community of practitioners from diverse backgrounds and cultures – a mix of races, genders, ethnicities, classes, sexual orientations, ages, and abilities – to support each other’s Dharma practice.
Testimonials from Past DPP Participants
One of the things I’ve appreciated most about my practice on silent meditation retreats is the chance to just drop my habitual patterns of relating to people. Upon re-emerging into the world of social contact after a silent retreat, I have usually noticed subtle shifts in how I relate to people: over time, some of my habitual patterns have gotten weaker. With the interactive practices offered in the DPP, the shifts have been dramatic. Mindful interactive practices were for me a radical experience of authenticity in communication. Having experienced that level of authenticity and sharing in a safe environment, I find myself more willing to be authentic in daily life interactions. For me, the DPP has been as much about exploring community as about exploring the Dharma. The experience of trust and intimacy with such a large group of people has been extremely powerful. — Rachel
One of the greatest benefits of the DPP program was the “Dharma Buddy” element. For years I sat silent retreats with total strangers who now, thanks to DPP, are my closest friends. It doesn’t matter who you choose to be your dharma buddy; each of us is a teacher and a student in our own unique way. I started out buddying up with an acquaintance who was in the program, and then a total stranger asked to be my buddy, so we became three. And then, during the course of the two years, I deeply connected with several other people who I adopted (or perhaps they adopted me) as dharma buddies. I speak on the phone or email those is distant cities, and we visit each other. Those who are local have formed a Kalyana Mitta (Dharma Friends) group that meets monthly. By the end of the program I had more than a half dozen close dharma buddies with whom I will undoubtedly continue sharing the dharma for years to come. — David
As a parent, the DPP gave me the focus and permission to deeply commit to my practice for two years. While I was uncertain initially about the impact on my family, the depth of practice has deeply served us and I have come much closer to the parent I always wanted to be! — Maureen
Participating in DPP has been one of the best experiences of my life. After two years of guided practice and study of the dharma, I feel confident and happy to go on with my life with a sense of meaning and connectedness. This is the greatest gift from life one can get. — Alicia
QUESTIONS? Please email us.
Teacher(s)
-
Bonnie Duran, MPH, DrPH
Bonnie Duran, MPH, DrPH
View Bonnie's profile.
-
Gullu Singh
Gullu Singh
View Gullu's upcoming programs or profile.
-
John Martin
John Martin
View John's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Kaira Jewel Lingo
Kaira Jewel Lingo
View Kaira Jewel's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Tempel Smith
Tempel Smith
View Tempel's upcoming programs or profile.
Event Details
Dates: January - December, 2022. Monthly large group sessions - Saturdays: January 22 (required!), February 26, March 26, April 30, May 21, June 25, July 23, August 27, September 24, October
Event Details
Dates: January – December, 2022.
Monthly large group sessions – Saturdays: January 22 (required!), February 26, March 26, April 30, May 21, June 25, July 23, August 27, September 24, October 22, November 19, December 17
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. US Pacific Time
Sliding Scale: $600 – $1008. Code YL1T22.
REGISTRATION OPENS: Wednesday, August 25 ~9:00 a.m. Pacific Time
Teaching Team: Led by Vinny Ferraro, with Frank Ostaseski and Victoria Cary
DESCRIPTION
This year-long program, based on the book A Year to Live by Stephen Levine, is designed for people of all ages, regardless of life stage. In community, we will focus on waking up and living life more fully through the exploration of death as spiritual practice.
In our largely death-denying modern culture, few are encouraged to actively contemplate the inevitability of our death, or that it could happen at any time. The Buddha recommended that we do just that, not to frighten us, but to use death as an object of contemplation to help us awaken to the fragile, fleeting, and precious nature of our lives.
Ultimately, this is a year-long practice in forgiveness, gratitude and letting go. Through guided meditations, inquiry and small group discussions, we will be guided, with the support of community, through a process of living this year as if it were our last. All are warmly welcome!
Program includes:
• Teachings: Monthly (12) large group sessions
• Community support: Monthly (12) home group sessions with home group sangha
• Home practices: Guided meditations, readings, reflections
• Access: Video and audio recordings
PARTICIPATION COMMITMENT*
• Attend at least 10 of 12 monthly large group sessions – must attend the first session. The first session is required(!) to establish the safety of the container and respect the shared commitment of our “Y2L” sangha.
• Participate in home group sessions as skillfully as possible
• Complete homework assignments, practices, and readings
• Attend at least one program orientation session (required!)
*If you are unable to make this commitment at this time, please wait and join us for a future iteration.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Choosing the fee you can reasonably afford helps make courses available to all, regardless of ability to pay. All are welcome! No one will be turned away for lack of funds, as space allows. If you are in need of financial assistance, please email registration@spiritrock.org. We generally offer financial assistance for training programs one time per year per person.
CANCELLATION FEES
• $100 cancel fee* – On or before January 18, by 5:00pm PT
• Open credit or tax deductible donation – January 19 until February 27 (after the second class)
• No refunds – February 28 and beyond
*fees reduced for scholarship participants
QUESTIONS? Please email us.
Teacher(s)
-
Frank Ostaseski
Frank Ostaseski
View Frank's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Victoria Cary
Victoria Cary
View Victoria's profile.
-
Vinny Ferraro
Vinny Ferraro
View Vinny's upcoming programs or profile.
Event Details
Dates: Jan - May 2022; Jan 8 & 9 (2 days), Feb 12, March 12, April 9, April 30 & May 1 (2 days). Time: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Sliding
Event Details
- Dates: Jan – May 2022; Jan 8 & 9 (2 days), Feb 12, March 12, April 9, April 30 & May 1 (2 days).
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sliding Scale: $450 – $2,000. Code BP1T22.
Continuing Education Credits: 18 CE credits available for $180 for psychologists and California licensed MFTs, LCSWs, LEPs, LPCCs, nurses, and chiropractors, licensed by the APA, California BBS, BRN, or BCE.*
PREREQUISITE
This training is designed for therapists, educators and those in allied fields. Participants are recommended to have attended at least one (1) multi-day residential retreat or multi-day online retreat with an Insight Meditation teacher or community (e.g. Spirit Rock, Insight Meditation Society, Insight Retreat Center, etc.) prior to the start of the training.
DESCRIPTION
Only when one has truly made oneself a patient can one become a healer. In practicing mindfulness meditation and studying Buddhist psychology, we become the patient. So much goodness unfolds from this sincerity. Through our practice, we come to understand ourselves, affirm ourselves, and ultimately, transform ourselves. Our own transformation is then leveraged for the welfare of the people we serve.
The classic description of empathy—to stand in someone else’s shoes—presumes that we already know what it is like to stand in our own shoes. With striking clarity, mindfulness reveals what it’s like to stand in our own experience. The intimacy of this encounter with ourselves provides a basis for deep compassion and accurate empathy. This program is not primarily about learning techniques to add to one’s therapeutic repertoire: it is a recognition that, in an important sense, you are the intervention and cultivation of your own being enhances your effectiveness. Techniques flow from your direct understanding and their power depends on the sincerity of your efforts.
This four-month training for therapists, educators and those in allied fields, will provide an immersion in Buddhist psychology and the meditation practices that illuminate our minds, foster goodness and transform habits that compound suffering. We’ll dive into the scientific research on mindfulness and its increasing prominence in psychotherapeutic interventions exploring data regarding the efficacy of mindfulness and the mechanisms through which mindfulness confers its benefits. The training will examine the convergences and tensions between clinical research and Buddhist psychology and describe ways to integrate mindfulness into treatment. We’ll consider possible contraindications of mindfulness and how to tailor the intervention to individuals. It is an attempt to foster a dialogue between the sacred power of Buddhist practice and the scientific study of health, psychological distress and behavior change. Please join us.
PRE-COURSE WORK
Once accepted into the program, all participants will be given access to Foundational Buddhist Teachings, an online course consisting of five daylong retreats. Students are encouraged to review this course material prior to the class to ensure all participants can join our course with a level of shared understanding regarding foundational Buddhist concepts and terms.
PROGRAM DATES
Program training period is January – May 2021. Specific training dates below.
All meeting times are: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time.
- Jan 8 & 9 (2 days)
- Feb 12
- March 12
- April 9
- April 30 & May 1 (2 days)
PARTICIPATION AND ATTENDANCE GUIDELINES
Your participation in this training is important. The cohesion of the group is an important aspect of this training, so participation serves both your own development as well as the group. We ask that you commit to the dates and to participate wholeheartedly.
In addition to course meetings, participants will have opportunities to participate in smaller consult groups with the teacher throughout the program term.
For participants wishing to receive CE credits: In order to receive Continuing Education Credits, participants must attend all sessions live, on time, and in full. Your attendance is tracked carefully to grant your CE credits. Board regulations prohibit partial credit for partial attendance, therefore, incomplete attendance nullifies CE credit eligibility. No exceptions. More information on Continuing Education (CE) credits below.
For participants not wishing to receive CE credits: Attendance at both two-day retreats (January and May) is mandatory. We expect that all participants will also attend each monthly daylong, however, we understand that sometimes there are unavoidable emergencies.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
We generally only offer financial assistance one time a year per person. Choosing the fee you can reasonably afford helps make courses available to all, regardless of ability to pay. No one turned away for lack of funds, as space allows. If you are in need of financial assistance, please email registration@spiritrock.org.
CANCELLATION FEES:
$50 cancel fee* = if cancel >1 week prior to program start
$100 cancel fee* = if cancel between 1 week and 2 days prior to program start
No refunds = if cancel <2 days prior to program start
(*fees reduced for scholarship folks)
QUESTIONS? Please email us.
Continuing Education
Continuing Education (CE) credit available:
This program offers 18 CE credits for $180 for psychologists, health & wellness coaches, and California licensed MFTs, LCSWs, LEPs, LPCCs, nurses, and chiropractors. Please review our Continuing Education Credit information page. to determine if your association or board will accept credits offered by Spirit Rock.*
Teachings are appropriate for health care professionals as well as the general public.
Learning Objectives for participating health care professionals-
At the end of the program you will be better able to:
- Describe at least two of the overlaps and differences between mindfulness-based treatment and Buddhist psychology;
- Describe the three clusters of meditative practice: attentional, constructive, deconstructive;
- List five types of emotion regulation;
- Describe the relevance of equanimity for emotional regulation;
- Describe how evolutionary biology informs contemporary understandings of emotion;
- Describe the parallels between Buddhist practice and exposure therapy;
- Explain the role of inflexible self-definition in the generation of difficult emotion;
- Explain the role of the brain’s default mode network and self-referential thought in emotional regulation;
- Describe Buddhist approaches to shame;
- Explain the differences between self-esteem and self-compassion;
- Describe how Buddhist practice is relevant for enhancing the therapeutic alliance;
- Describe three ways in which clinician mindfulness helps manage countertransference;
- Describe Buddhist approaches to anxiety.
Continuing Education content level: Intermediate
CEC Schedule: (All times in US Pacific Time)
Full attendance is required daily 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The CEC instructional sessions are highlighted below.
January 8 – No CECs – full attendance required
January 9
10:00 – 10:45 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
3:45 – 4:30 p.m. – Discourse
February 12
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
March 12
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
April 9
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
April 30
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
May 1 – No CECs – full attendance required
*Please note:
- For those with a different license or with a license from a different licensing board, please contact your licensing board directly to ask if CE credit from the above-approved sponsors is accepted. Spirit Rock does not confirm applicability of credit for those with licenses different than those listed above. Spirit Rock is a provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP16905 for 18 contact hours.
- Credit is awarded for instructional time only and does not include extended silent meditation, if offered.
- For full Provider information, and additional CEC information, including attendance requirements, cancellation, and grievance policies, please visit our Continuing Education Credit information page.
Teacher(s)
-
Matthew Brensilver, PhD
Matthew Brensilver, PhD
View Matthew's upcoming programs or profile.
January
Event Details
Dates: January - December, 2022. Monthly large group sessions - Saturdays: January 22 (required!), February 26, March 26, April 30, May 21, June 25, July 23, August 27, September 24, October
Event Details
Dates: January – December, 2022.
Monthly large group sessions – Saturdays: January 22 (required!), February 26, March 26, April 30, May 21, June 25, July 23, August 27, September 24, October 22, November 19, December 17
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. US Pacific Time
Sliding Scale: $600 – $1008. Code YL1T22.
REGISTRATION OPENS: Wednesday, August 25 ~9:00 a.m. Pacific Time
Teaching Team: Led by Vinny Ferraro, with Frank Ostaseski and Victoria Cary
DESCRIPTION
This year-long program, based on the book A Year to Live by Stephen Levine, is designed for people of all ages, regardless of life stage. In community, we will focus on waking up and living life more fully through the exploration of death as spiritual practice.
In our largely death-denying modern culture, few are encouraged to actively contemplate the inevitability of our death, or that it could happen at any time. The Buddha recommended that we do just that, not to frighten us, but to use death as an object of contemplation to help us awaken to the fragile, fleeting, and precious nature of our lives.
Ultimately, this is a year-long practice in forgiveness, gratitude and letting go. Through guided meditations, inquiry and small group discussions, we will be guided, with the support of community, through a process of living this year as if it were our last. All are warmly welcome!
Program includes:
• Teachings: Monthly (12) large group sessions
• Community support: Monthly (12) home group sessions with home group sangha
• Home practices: Guided meditations, readings, reflections
• Access: Video and audio recordings
PARTICIPATION COMMITMENT*
• Attend at least 10 of 12 monthly large group sessions – must attend the first session. The first session is required(!) to establish the safety of the container and respect the shared commitment of our “Y2L” sangha.
• Participate in home group sessions as skillfully as possible
• Complete homework assignments, practices, and readings
• Attend at least one program orientation session (required!)
*If you are unable to make this commitment at this time, please wait and join us for a future iteration.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Choosing the fee you can reasonably afford helps make courses available to all, regardless of ability to pay. All are welcome! No one will be turned away for lack of funds, as space allows. If you are in need of financial assistance, please email registration@spiritrock.org. We generally offer financial assistance for training programs one time per year per person.
CANCELLATION FEES
• $100 cancel fee* – On or before January 18, by 5:00pm PT
• Open credit or tax deductible donation – January 19 until February 27 (after the second class)
• No refunds – February 28 and beyond
*fees reduced for scholarship participants
QUESTIONS? Please email us.
Teacher(s)
-
Frank Ostaseski
Frank Ostaseski
View Frank's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Victoria Cary
Victoria Cary
View Victoria's profile.
-
Vinny Ferraro
Vinny Ferraro
View Vinny's upcoming programs or profile.
Event Details
Dates: Jan - May 2022; Jan 8 & 9 (2 days), Feb 12, March 12, April 9, April 30 & May 1 (2 days). Time: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Sliding
Event Details
- Dates: Jan – May 2022; Jan 8 & 9 (2 days), Feb 12, March 12, April 9, April 30 & May 1 (2 days).
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sliding Scale: $450 – $2,000. Code BP1T22.
Continuing Education Credits: 18 CE credits available for $180 for psychologists and California licensed MFTs, LCSWs, LEPs, LPCCs, nurses, and chiropractors, licensed by the APA, California BBS, BRN, or BCE.*
PREREQUISITE
This training is designed for therapists, educators and those in allied fields. Participants are recommended to have attended at least one (1) multi-day residential retreat or multi-day online retreat with an Insight Meditation teacher or community (e.g. Spirit Rock, Insight Meditation Society, Insight Retreat Center, etc.) prior to the start of the training.
DESCRIPTION
Only when one has truly made oneself a patient can one become a healer. In practicing mindfulness meditation and studying Buddhist psychology, we become the patient. So much goodness unfolds from this sincerity. Through our practice, we come to understand ourselves, affirm ourselves, and ultimately, transform ourselves. Our own transformation is then leveraged for the welfare of the people we serve.
The classic description of empathy—to stand in someone else’s shoes—presumes that we already know what it is like to stand in our own shoes. With striking clarity, mindfulness reveals what it’s like to stand in our own experience. The intimacy of this encounter with ourselves provides a basis for deep compassion and accurate empathy. This program is not primarily about learning techniques to add to one’s therapeutic repertoire: it is a recognition that, in an important sense, you are the intervention and cultivation of your own being enhances your effectiveness. Techniques flow from your direct understanding and their power depends on the sincerity of your efforts.
This four-month training for therapists, educators and those in allied fields, will provide an immersion in Buddhist psychology and the meditation practices that illuminate our minds, foster goodness and transform habits that compound suffering. We’ll dive into the scientific research on mindfulness and its increasing prominence in psychotherapeutic interventions exploring data regarding the efficacy of mindfulness and the mechanisms through which mindfulness confers its benefits. The training will examine the convergences and tensions between clinical research and Buddhist psychology and describe ways to integrate mindfulness into treatment. We’ll consider possible contraindications of mindfulness and how to tailor the intervention to individuals. It is an attempt to foster a dialogue between the sacred power of Buddhist practice and the scientific study of health, psychological distress and behavior change. Please join us.
PRE-COURSE WORK
Once accepted into the program, all participants will be given access to Foundational Buddhist Teachings, an online course consisting of five daylong retreats. Students are encouraged to review this course material prior to the class to ensure all participants can join our course with a level of shared understanding regarding foundational Buddhist concepts and terms.
PROGRAM DATES
Program training period is January – May 2021. Specific training dates below.
All meeting times are: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time.
- Jan 8 & 9 (2 days)
- Feb 12
- March 12
- April 9
- April 30 & May 1 (2 days)
PARTICIPATION AND ATTENDANCE GUIDELINES
Your participation in this training is important. The cohesion of the group is an important aspect of this training, so participation serves both your own development as well as the group. We ask that you commit to the dates and to participate wholeheartedly.
In addition to course meetings, participants will have opportunities to participate in smaller consult groups with the teacher throughout the program term.
For participants wishing to receive CE credits: In order to receive Continuing Education Credits, participants must attend all sessions live, on time, and in full. Your attendance is tracked carefully to grant your CE credits. Board regulations prohibit partial credit for partial attendance, therefore, incomplete attendance nullifies CE credit eligibility. No exceptions. More information on Continuing Education (CE) credits below.
For participants not wishing to receive CE credits: Attendance at both two-day retreats (January and May) is mandatory. We expect that all participants will also attend each monthly daylong, however, we understand that sometimes there are unavoidable emergencies.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
We generally only offer financial assistance one time a year per person. Choosing the fee you can reasonably afford helps make courses available to all, regardless of ability to pay. No one turned away for lack of funds, as space allows. If you are in need of financial assistance, please email registration@spiritrock.org.
CANCELLATION FEES:
$50 cancel fee* = if cancel >1 week prior to program start
$100 cancel fee* = if cancel between 1 week and 2 days prior to program start
No refunds = if cancel <2 days prior to program start
(*fees reduced for scholarship folks)
QUESTIONS? Please email us.
Continuing Education
Continuing Education (CE) credit available:
This program offers 18 CE credits for $180 for psychologists, health & wellness coaches, and California licensed MFTs, LCSWs, LEPs, LPCCs, nurses, and chiropractors. Please review our Continuing Education Credit information page. to determine if your association or board will accept credits offered by Spirit Rock.*
Teachings are appropriate for health care professionals as well as the general public.
Learning Objectives for participating health care professionals-
At the end of the program you will be better able to:
- Describe at least two of the overlaps and differences between mindfulness-based treatment and Buddhist psychology;
- Describe the three clusters of meditative practice: attentional, constructive, deconstructive;
- List five types of emotion regulation;
- Describe the relevance of equanimity for emotional regulation;
- Describe how evolutionary biology informs contemporary understandings of emotion;
- Describe the parallels between Buddhist practice and exposure therapy;
- Explain the role of inflexible self-definition in the generation of difficult emotion;
- Explain the role of the brain’s default mode network and self-referential thought in emotional regulation;
- Describe Buddhist approaches to shame;
- Explain the differences between self-esteem and self-compassion;
- Describe how Buddhist practice is relevant for enhancing the therapeutic alliance;
- Describe three ways in which clinician mindfulness helps manage countertransference;
- Describe Buddhist approaches to anxiety.
Continuing Education content level: Intermediate
CEC Schedule: (All times in US Pacific Time)
Full attendance is required daily 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The CEC instructional sessions are highlighted below.
January 8 – No CECs – full attendance required
January 9
10:00 – 10:45 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
3:45 – 4:30 p.m. – Discourse
February 12
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
March 12
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
April 9
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
April 30
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
May 1 – No CECs – full attendance required
*Please note:
- For those with a different license or with a license from a different licensing board, please contact your licensing board directly to ask if CE credit from the above-approved sponsors is accepted. Spirit Rock does not confirm applicability of credit for those with licenses different than those listed above. Spirit Rock is a provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP16905 for 18 contact hours.
- Credit is awarded for instructional time only and does not include extended silent meditation, if offered.
- For full Provider information, and additional CEC information, including attendance requirements, cancellation, and grievance policies, please visit our Continuing Education Credit information page.
Teacher(s)
-
Matthew Brensilver, PhD
Matthew Brensilver, PhD
View Matthew's upcoming programs or profile.
February
Event Details
Dates: January - December, 2022. Monthly large group sessions - Saturdays: January 22 (required!), February 26, March 26, April 30, May 21, June 25, July 23, August 27, September 24, October
Event Details
Dates: January – December, 2022.
Monthly large group sessions – Saturdays: January 22 (required!), February 26, March 26, April 30, May 21, June 25, July 23, August 27, September 24, October 22, November 19, December 17
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. US Pacific Time
Sliding Scale: $600 – $1008. Code YL1T22.
REGISTRATION OPENS: Wednesday, August 25 ~9:00 a.m. Pacific Time
Teaching Team: Led by Vinny Ferraro, with Frank Ostaseski and Victoria Cary
DESCRIPTION
This year-long program, based on the book A Year to Live by Stephen Levine, is designed for people of all ages, regardless of life stage. In community, we will focus on waking up and living life more fully through the exploration of death as spiritual practice.
In our largely death-denying modern culture, few are encouraged to actively contemplate the inevitability of our death, or that it could happen at any time. The Buddha recommended that we do just that, not to frighten us, but to use death as an object of contemplation to help us awaken to the fragile, fleeting, and precious nature of our lives.
Ultimately, this is a year-long practice in forgiveness, gratitude and letting go. Through guided meditations, inquiry and small group discussions, we will be guided, with the support of community, through a process of living this year as if it were our last. All are warmly welcome!
Program includes:
• Teachings: Monthly (12) large group sessions
• Community support: Monthly (12) home group sessions with home group sangha
• Home practices: Guided meditations, readings, reflections
• Access: Video and audio recordings
PARTICIPATION COMMITMENT*
• Attend at least 10 of 12 monthly large group sessions – must attend the first session. The first session is required(!) to establish the safety of the container and respect the shared commitment of our “Y2L” sangha.
• Participate in home group sessions as skillfully as possible
• Complete homework assignments, practices, and readings
• Attend at least one program orientation session (required!)
*If you are unable to make this commitment at this time, please wait and join us for a future iteration.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Choosing the fee you can reasonably afford helps make courses available to all, regardless of ability to pay. All are welcome! No one will be turned away for lack of funds, as space allows. If you are in need of financial assistance, please email registration@spiritrock.org. We generally offer financial assistance for training programs one time per year per person.
CANCELLATION FEES
• $100 cancel fee* – On or before January 18, by 5:00pm PT
• Open credit or tax deductible donation – January 19 until February 27 (after the second class)
• No refunds – February 28 and beyond
*fees reduced for scholarship participants
QUESTIONS? Please email us.
Teacher(s)
-
Frank Ostaseski
Frank Ostaseski
View Frank's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Victoria Cary
Victoria Cary
View Victoria's profile.
-
Vinny Ferraro
Vinny Ferraro
View Vinny's upcoming programs or profile.
Event Details
Dates: Jan - May 2022; Jan 8 & 9 (2 days), Feb 12, March 12, April 9, April 30 & May 1 (2 days). Time: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Sliding
Event Details
- Dates: Jan – May 2022; Jan 8 & 9 (2 days), Feb 12, March 12, April 9, April 30 & May 1 (2 days).
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sliding Scale: $450 – $2,000. Code BP1T22.
Continuing Education Credits: 18 CE credits available for $180 for psychologists and California licensed MFTs, LCSWs, LEPs, LPCCs, nurses, and chiropractors, licensed by the APA, California BBS, BRN, or BCE.*
PREREQUISITE
This training is designed for therapists, educators and those in allied fields. Participants are recommended to have attended at least one (1) multi-day residential retreat or multi-day online retreat with an Insight Meditation teacher or community (e.g. Spirit Rock, Insight Meditation Society, Insight Retreat Center, etc.) prior to the start of the training.
DESCRIPTION
Only when one has truly made oneself a patient can one become a healer. In practicing mindfulness meditation and studying Buddhist psychology, we become the patient. So much goodness unfolds from this sincerity. Through our practice, we come to understand ourselves, affirm ourselves, and ultimately, transform ourselves. Our own transformation is then leveraged for the welfare of the people we serve.
The classic description of empathy—to stand in someone else’s shoes—presumes that we already know what it is like to stand in our own shoes. With striking clarity, mindfulness reveals what it’s like to stand in our own experience. The intimacy of this encounter with ourselves provides a basis for deep compassion and accurate empathy. This program is not primarily about learning techniques to add to one’s therapeutic repertoire: it is a recognition that, in an important sense, you are the intervention and cultivation of your own being enhances your effectiveness. Techniques flow from your direct understanding and their power depends on the sincerity of your efforts.
This four-month training for therapists, educators and those in allied fields, will provide an immersion in Buddhist psychology and the meditation practices that illuminate our minds, foster goodness and transform habits that compound suffering. We’ll dive into the scientific research on mindfulness and its increasing prominence in psychotherapeutic interventions exploring data regarding the efficacy of mindfulness and the mechanisms through which mindfulness confers its benefits. The training will examine the convergences and tensions between clinical research and Buddhist psychology and describe ways to integrate mindfulness into treatment. We’ll consider possible contraindications of mindfulness and how to tailor the intervention to individuals. It is an attempt to foster a dialogue between the sacred power of Buddhist practice and the scientific study of health, psychological distress and behavior change. Please join us.
PRE-COURSE WORK
Once accepted into the program, all participants will be given access to Foundational Buddhist Teachings, an online course consisting of five daylong retreats. Students are encouraged to review this course material prior to the class to ensure all participants can join our course with a level of shared understanding regarding foundational Buddhist concepts and terms.
PROGRAM DATES
Program training period is January – May 2021. Specific training dates below.
All meeting times are: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time.
- Jan 8 & 9 (2 days)
- Feb 12
- March 12
- April 9
- April 30 & May 1 (2 days)
PARTICIPATION AND ATTENDANCE GUIDELINES
Your participation in this training is important. The cohesion of the group is an important aspect of this training, so participation serves both your own development as well as the group. We ask that you commit to the dates and to participate wholeheartedly.
In addition to course meetings, participants will have opportunities to participate in smaller consult groups with the teacher throughout the program term.
For participants wishing to receive CE credits: In order to receive Continuing Education Credits, participants must attend all sessions live, on time, and in full. Your attendance is tracked carefully to grant your CE credits. Board regulations prohibit partial credit for partial attendance, therefore, incomplete attendance nullifies CE credit eligibility. No exceptions. More information on Continuing Education (CE) credits below.
For participants not wishing to receive CE credits: Attendance at both two-day retreats (January and May) is mandatory. We expect that all participants will also attend each monthly daylong, however, we understand that sometimes there are unavoidable emergencies.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
We generally only offer financial assistance one time a year per person. Choosing the fee you can reasonably afford helps make courses available to all, regardless of ability to pay. No one turned away for lack of funds, as space allows. If you are in need of financial assistance, please email registration@spiritrock.org.
CANCELLATION FEES:
$50 cancel fee* = if cancel >1 week prior to program start
$100 cancel fee* = if cancel between 1 week and 2 days prior to program start
No refunds = if cancel <2 days prior to program start
(*fees reduced for scholarship folks)
QUESTIONS? Please email us.
Continuing Education
Continuing Education (CE) credit available:
This program offers 18 CE credits for $180 for psychologists, health & wellness coaches, and California licensed MFTs, LCSWs, LEPs, LPCCs, nurses, and chiropractors. Please review our Continuing Education Credit information page. to determine if your association or board will accept credits offered by Spirit Rock.*
Teachings are appropriate for health care professionals as well as the general public.
Learning Objectives for participating health care professionals-
At the end of the program you will be better able to:
- Describe at least two of the overlaps and differences between mindfulness-based treatment and Buddhist psychology;
- Describe the three clusters of meditative practice: attentional, constructive, deconstructive;
- List five types of emotion regulation;
- Describe the relevance of equanimity for emotional regulation;
- Describe how evolutionary biology informs contemporary understandings of emotion;
- Describe the parallels between Buddhist practice and exposure therapy;
- Explain the role of inflexible self-definition in the generation of difficult emotion;
- Explain the role of the brain’s default mode network and self-referential thought in emotional regulation;
- Describe Buddhist approaches to shame;
- Explain the differences between self-esteem and self-compassion;
- Describe how Buddhist practice is relevant for enhancing the therapeutic alliance;
- Describe three ways in which clinician mindfulness helps manage countertransference;
- Describe Buddhist approaches to anxiety.
Continuing Education content level: Intermediate
CEC Schedule: (All times in US Pacific Time)
Full attendance is required daily 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The CEC instructional sessions are highlighted below.
January 8 – No CECs – full attendance required
January 9
10:00 – 10:45 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
3:45 – 4:30 p.m. – Discourse
February 12
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
March 12
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
April 9
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
April 30
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Discourse
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Discourse
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Guided Meditation
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Discourse
May 1 – No CECs – full attendance required
*Please note:
- For those with a different license or with a license from a different licensing board, please contact your licensing board directly to ask if CE credit from the above-approved sponsors is accepted. Spirit Rock does not confirm applicability of credit for those with licenses different than those listed above. Spirit Rock is a provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP16905 for 18 contact hours.
- Credit is awarded for instructional time only and does not include extended silent meditation, if offered.
- For full Provider information, and additional CEC information, including attendance requirements, cancellation, and grievance policies, please visit our Continuing Education Credit information page.
Teacher(s)
-
Matthew Brensilver, PhD
Matthew Brensilver, PhD
View Matthew's upcoming programs or profile.