Master Stress with Mindfulness and Meditation

Too often, people can come to believe that the stresses they face are never-ending, beyond their control, and/or overwhelming. This may result in reduced engagement at work, a sense of being stuck, diminished health, loss of great personal potential, a sense of dissatisfaction or even short and long term disability. Dr. Doug MacLean knows that it is not the potential stressor itself, but how a person perceives and handles it, that will determine the outcome. He knows this based on many years of mindfulness practice and professional training.

You may be a person who has already taken some useful steps to reduce the experience of stress. For example, physical exercise, modifying diet, getting sufficient sleep, and finding support from friends and trusted colleagues are all known to be useful antidotes to the experience of stress. In spite of all of these best efforts, you may still experience the affects of too much stress.

People can learn how to master stress, even in high-stress situations. Based on the latest research and on an evidence based approach to reducing stress, we offer in-depth learning programs, teaching both mental and physical strategies for recognizing and mastering stress. In this way, we facilitate a reduction in stress symptoms, deep relaxation and calm, a sense of control over the workings of the mind (thoughts and emotions), improved well-being, deeper insight into life challenges, heightened perspective for what is important, and a more refined sense of who a person wants to become in the pursuit of his/her career and life goals.

At the heart of our programs is systematic training in mindfulness, usually defined as moment to moment, non judgmental awareness. With practice, the capacity for awareness will strengthen the mind and body and enable to facilitate relaxation, even under stressful conditions. Rather than potentially being carried away, stressed out, or put off balance by your own stress reactivity, you start to relate to your experience from a place of strength, calmness, and control. Imbedded in this process is a transformation of how one sees oneself and the situation – rather than being a victim of your own reactivity, you will start to experience a sense of control.

This approach is not a “quick fix” and the participants are invited to engage and practice mindfulness activities. This involves some mild physical activity accessible to most people, inner reflection, and a willingness to take responsibility.

Dr. MacLean’s approach to mastering stress is modeled on the highly acclaimed and world renowned approach to stress reduction developed by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979 at the University of Massachusetts. This is an evidenced-based approach and the following web site has documented much of the research on the programs’ effectiveness. Dr. Kabat-Ziinn’s clinic for stress reduction has now become the Centre for Mindfulness and you can learn more about it at its website www.umassmed.edu/cfm/home/index.aspx