March start dates, Transformative Mindfulness at Ottawa Mindfulness Clinic
Transformative Mindfulness courses are being offered at the Ottawa Mindfulness Clinic in 2016!
March 15 – April 5, Tuesdays 6-8 pm.
Week 1 – Exploring Challenges – turn towards where and how suffering is held.
Week 2 – Intuitive Body-Scan – explore the whole body through mindful visualization and exploration, document images, wisdom and insight about what is held in the body.
Week 3 – Transforming Challenges – learn to ask for help to transform the many aspects of suffering, root causes to challenges.
Week 4 – Enhancing Positive Qualities – build your strength and resilience by connecting with positive attributes that are present but in need of growth and grounding.
Week 5 – Transforming Inner Conflict – explore how two, or more, opposing situations are in conflict and experienced through sensation, body, thought and emotion, asking for resolution and seeking clarity through transformative visualizations.
Week 6 – Integration – explore what tools are still needed and where to practice the five core tools of Transformative Mindfulness Methods.
This group will help individuals directly explore and transform suffering that is held in the body and mind through noticing, feeling, visualization and external expression through words and images.
Pain, anxiety or depression is often felt in the body and can become overwhelming. Once a practice of mindfulness begins to slow down and stabilize the mind a lot can come up. As awareness increases and the ability to notice more clearly one’s experience arises this course can help address those challenges mindfully and skillfully. Using mindfulness to notice thoughts, feelings and emotions related to suffering is an essential step to reclaim the power of the mind and body.
Transformative Mindfulness Methods is a specific form of guided receptive meditation that is used to get to the root causes of suffering. Using the focus and attention of the mind participants are guided towards psychological, physical and emotional suffering that is held in the body. Once an area of suffering is indentified, further exploration for images, feelings, words and colours helps to understand the nature and origins of suffering. Finally, with the application of self-compassion, pain and suffering change in such a way that is beneficial, leaving insight and wisdom.  The whole process combines mindful noticing as well as cultivation of a connection to ones’ highest sense of self or inspiration. By asking for help from our own most insightful and inspirational connection we become our own helpers. This process also uses external expression of words, colours and images as a therapeutic tool for insight and transformation.
If you have practiced mindfulness, or simply have a deep wish to change how you relate to suffering, this group will help to build tools that you can use throughout your life. These tools work especially well for those who have started to develop a relationship with their bodies to notice where and how the body reacts to situations by which they are challenged.
6 Weeks will teach the 5 core tools of Transformative Mindfulness Methods so that individuals can heal and practice techniques that will help to reduce suffering.
This group is facilitated as a private psychotherapy practice by Craig Mackie, MSW, RSW (#819225) and is supervised by Dr. Lynette Monteiro, C.Psych. (lic. # 2956). Please check with your insurance company to see if supervised psychotherapy is covered.
For more information about Transformative Mindfulness: www.transformativemindfulness.com
The Ottawa Mindfulness Clinic: https://ottawamindfulnessclinic.wordpress.com/
Pre-registration for these courses is necessary. Please email craig@essentialchange.net for the registration package.
Location: Ottawa Mindfulness Clinic, 595 Montreal Rd, Unit 301.
Cost $500 – Many insurance companies will cover this as a part of mental health extended benefits.