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Dr. Elizabeth Slator

This course provides a broad overview of the fundamental concepts, principles, and practices of mindfulness. With interactive exercises to help students explore their own attitudes, mental habits and behaviors, Foundations of Mindfulness offers a pathway for living with more freedom, authenticity and ease. Featured components of the course include experiential exercises, guided meditations, personal reflection and interactive discussions.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Welcome to the Course
Learning to Pay Attention
Understanding the Mind/Body Connection
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Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Promotes self-awareness and emotional regulation, which are core skills for effective decision making, productivity, and physical well-being
Explores the fundamentals of mindfulness, providing a solid foundation for both beginners and those seeking to deepen their practice
Emphasizes experiential exercises and guided meditations, enabling learners to explore and develop mindfulness techniques directly
Teaches a practical approach to mindfulness that can be easily integrated into daily life
Suitable for individuals from various backgrounds, including those seeking personal growth, stress reduction, or mental well-being

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Reviews summary

Gentle foundation for mindfulness practices

According to learners, this course offers a solid and accessible introduction to mindfulness and well-being. Many appreciate the highly effective guided meditations and the course's emphasis on experiential exercises and personal reflection, which help integrate concepts into daily life. Students consistently highlight the clarity of fundamental concepts and the supportive, knowledgeable instructor. While it's lauded as excellent for true beginners seeking practical tools for stress management and presence, some more experienced practitioners may find the content too basic or slow-paced. Establishing a consistent practice requires significant self-discipline, which some learners found challenging.
Emphasizes hands-on application and personal growth.
"The experiential exercises were incredibly insightful, much more than just theoretical learning."
"I appreciated the practical advice on how to integrate mindfulness into daily routines..."
"The exercises are perfect for integrating the practice into daily life."
"It's truly a 'foundations' course, equipping me with practical tools to start my journey."
Ideal for those new to mindfulness concepts.
"Definitely recommend for true beginners."
"This course provided me with the groundwork I needed to start my mindfulness journey."
"It's an accessible introduction that doesn't overwhelm you."
"It's definitely for absolute beginners."
Some find early sections slow or repetitive.
"My only minor critique is that some of the earlier modules felt a bit slow-paced, especially if I've already read a basic book on the topic."
"Decent course, but I felt it was a bit repetitive at times, especially in the earlier sections."
Demands consistent personal effort and practice.
"I signed up for this course hoping for a significant change, but I found it required a lot of self-discipline that I struggled to maintain."
"While the content was theoretically sound, I felt it lacked enough practical, real-world application for someone with a very busy schedule."
"The course doesn't promise quick fixes, which is a good thing – it emphasizes consistent effort."
May be too fundamental for advanced practitioners.
"As someone who has practiced meditation for years, I found this course to be a bit too basic for my needs."
"While well-produced, the course didn't offer new insights for me."
"Seasoned practitioners might find it redundant."
"It doesn't delve into super advanced topics..."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Mindfulness and Well-being: Foundations with these activities:
Read Mindfulness in Plain English
Provide a foundation for the course's exploration of mindfulness by thoroughly introducing the fundamentals
Show steps
  • Read the first five chapters.
  • Summarize the main points of each chapter.
  • Reflect on how the teachings apply to your own life and practice.
Follow guided meditations on YouTube
Introduce the practice of mindfulness and provide a regular opportunity to engage in it
Show steps
  • Find a guided meditation video that resonates with you.
  • Set aside 10-15 minutes each day to practice.
  • Pay attention to your breath and body sensations.
Show all two activities

Career center

Learners who complete Mindfulness and Well-being: Foundations will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Psychologist
The Foundations of Mindfulness course could prove useful to those who want to pursue a career as a psychologist. This course discusses the fundamental concepts of mindfulness, which can help psychologists better understand the mental habits and behaviors of their patients. The course also includes experiential exercises and guided meditations that can help psychologists develop their own mindfulness practices, which can be beneficial for their own well-being and for building rapport with patients.
Social Worker
The Foundations of Mindfulness course could prove useful to those pursuing a career as a social worker. The course discusses the fundamental concepts of mindfulness, which can help social workers better understand the mental and emotional needs of their clients. The course also includes experiential exercises and guided meditations that can help social workers develop their own mindfulness practices, which can be beneficial for their own well-being and for building rapport with clients.
Acupuncturist
The Foundations of Mindfulness course may prove useful to those pursuing a career as an acupuncturist. The course discusses the fundamental concepts of mindfulness, which can help acupuncturists better understand the mind-body connection and the role of mindfulness in healing.
Chiropractor
The Foundations of Mindfulness course may prove useful to those pursuing a career as a chiropractor. The course discusses the fundamental concepts of mindfulness, which can help chiropractors better understand the mind-body connection and the role of mindfulness in healing.
Meditation Instructor
The Foundations of Mindfulness course can be helpful for meditation instructors who want to deepen their knowledge of mindfulness and meditation practices. The course covers the fundamental concepts of mindfulness, which can help meditation instructors better understand the mental and physical benefits of meditation for their students. The course also includes experiential exercises and guided meditations that can help meditation instructors develop their own mindfulness practices, which can be beneficial for their own well-being and for building rapport with students.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Teacher
The Foundations of Mindfulness course can be helpful for mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) teachers who want to deepen their knowledge of mindfulness and meditation practices. The course covers the fundamental concepts of mindfulness, which can help MBSR teachers better understand the mental and physical benefits of MBSR for their students. The course also includes experiential exercises and guided meditations that can help MBSR teachers develop their own mindfulness practices, which can be beneficial for their own well-being and for building rapport with students.
Life Coach
The Foundations of Mindfulness course may be helpful to those pursuing a career as a life coach. The course covers topics such as mindfulness, self-awareness, and emotional regulation, which can provide a solid foundation for understanding the principles of life coaching and how to help clients achieve their goals.
Registered Nurse
The Foundations of Mindfulness course may be useful to those pursuing a career as a registered nurse. The course covers topics such as mindfulness and well-being, which can provide a strong foundation for understanding the importance of self-care and compassion in the nursing profession.
Yoga Instructor
The Foundations of Mindfulness course can be helpful for yoga instructors who want to deepen their knowledge of mindfulness and meditation practices. The course covers the fundamental concepts of mindfulness, which can help yoga instructors better understand the mental and physical benefits of yoga and meditation for their students. The course also includes experiential exercises and guided meditations that can help yoga instructors develop their own mindfulness practices, which can be beneficial for their own well-being and for building rapport with students.
Wellness Consultant
The Foundations of Mindfulness course may be useful to those pursuing a career as a wellness consultant. The course covers topics such as mindfulness and well-being, which can provide a strong foundation for understanding the principles of wellness and how to promote it in others.
Massage Therapist
The Foundations of Mindfulness course may be useful to those pursuing a career as a massage therapist. The course covers topics such as mindfulness and well-being, which can provide a strong foundation for understanding the importance of self-care and compassion in the massage therapy profession.
Meditation Teacher
The Foundations of Mindfulness course can be helpful for meditation teachers who want to deepen their knowledge of mindfulness and meditation practices. The course covers the fundamental concepts of mindfulness, which can help meditation teachers better understand the mental and physical benefits of meditation for their students. The course also includes experiential exercises and guided meditations that can help meditation teachers develop their own mindfulness practices, which can be beneficial for their own well-being and for building rapport with students.
Health Coach
This Mindfulness and Well-Being course could be useful for aspiring health coaches, as it covers topics such as understanding the mind-body connection and the importance of mindfulness in overall wellness. This knowledge can help health coaches better understand the needs of their clients and develop personalized plans to improve their health and well-being.
Neuroscientist
This Foundations of Mindfulness course may be useful to those pursuing a career in neuroscience. The course discusses topics such as the mind-body connection and understanding the mind. This knowledge can be valuable for neuroscientists who study the brain and its functions.
Therapist
This Mindfulness and Well-Being course may be useful to someone pursuing a career as a therapist. The course can be helpful to therapists as it covers topics such as understanding mindfulness, the mind-body connection and how to establish a practice. These principles can be valuable to therapists when working with clients who may be experiencing mental health issues.

Reading list

We've selected 20 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Mindfulness and Well-being: Foundations.
Explores the use of mindfulness meditation to manage depression. It helpful resource for those who are struggling with depression and want to learn how to cope with it in a more effective way. The book also includes exercises and guided meditations that can be used to supplement the course material.
Provides a mindfulness-based approach to overcoming depression. It valuable resource for anyone struggling with depression and is also helpful for those who want to learn more about the role of mindfulness in mental health.
Offers a spiritual perspective on mindfulness and encourages readers to live in the present moment. It popular book that has been translated into over 30 languages and good choice for those who are interested in exploring the spiritual dimensions of mindfulness.
Provides a comprehensive overview of mindfulness meditation. It great resource for those who want to learn more about the theory and practice of mindfulness. The book also includes exercises and guided meditations that can be used to supplement the course material.
Provides a detailed overview of Vipassana meditation, a type of mindfulness meditation that is practiced in the Theravada Buddhist tradition. It valuable resource for anyone interested in learning more about Vipassana meditation.
Offers a collection of talks given by Shunryu Suzuki, a Zen Buddhist teacher. It provides insights into the practice of Zen meditation and good choice for those who are interested in learning more about Zen Buddhism.
Provides a comprehensive overview of mindfulness and its benefits. It includes practical exercises and meditations that can be used to develop a mindfulness practice.
Provides a comprehensive overview of mindfulness-based psychotherapy, with chapters on the history, theory, and practice of MBCT.
Provides a practical guide to mindfulness meditation. It good choice for beginners who are new to meditation and is also a valuable resource for experienced practitioners.
Provides a practical guide to self-compassion, with exercises and techniques that can be used to reduce self-criticism and increase self-acceptance.
Offers a secular perspective on spirituality. It good choice for those who are interested in exploring the spiritual dimensions of mindfulness without a religious context.
Provides a comprehensive overview of the neuroscience of mindfulness, with chapters on the effects of mindfulness meditation on the brain and body.

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