Table 4 Content of MBSR group sessions
Session | Theme | Content of group sessions | Homework |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Automatic pilot | • Introduction • Raisin-eating exercise • Body scan | • Body scan • Attention to routine activity • Eating one meal mindfully |
2 | Perceiving clearly | • Body scan • Imagery exercise to demonstrate the relationship between thoughts and feelings • Sitting meditation, paying attention to breathing | • Body scan • Attention to breath • Awareness of pleasant events • Attention to routine activity |
3 | From doing to being: a mode of doing and a mode of being | • Lying-down yoga exercises • Sitting meditation with a focus on breathing, bodily sensations, sounds • Pleasant events • Seeing exercise to demonstrate the difference between observation and interpretation • Three-minute breathing space (mini-meditation) | • Body scan • Lying-down yoga exercises • Attention to breath • Awareness of unpleasant events |
4 | Be present | • Three-minute breathing space (mini-meditation) • Standing yoga exercises • Unpleasant events; interrelatedness of bodily sensations, feelings, and thoughts • Sitting meditation with a focus on breathing, bodily sensations, sounds, feelings/ emotions, and thoughts | • Body scan • Standing yoga exercises • Sitting meditation • Three-minute breathing space • Awareness of stress reactions |
5 | Recognising and allowing what really is: reacting versus responding | • Three-minute breathing space (mini-meditation) • Walking meditation • Sitting meditation with a focus on breathing, bodily sensations, sounds, feelings/ emotions, thoughts, and random attention • Automatic stress reactions and stress response • Mid-term evaluation | • Meditation by choice • Three-minute breathing space • Awareness of difficult situations • Awareness of reactions in difficult situations |
6 | Mindful communication | • Standing yoga exercises • Sitting meditation with a focus on breathing, bodily sensations, sounds, feelings/ emotions, thoughts, and random attention • Mindful communication exercises | • Meditation by choice • Three-minute breathing space |
Day of silence | Deepen mindfulness skills in silence | • Various meditation exercises • Silent lunch and tea break |  |
7 | Taking care of yourself: balance in life | • Standing/lying yoga exercises • Sitting meditation • Communication exercises | • Meditation exercises without CD • Attention to routine activities |
8 | The rest of your life | • Different exercises • Own menu of mindfulness exercises • Maintaining practice: review of supports • Reflection on training • Saying goodbye | • Further sources of information |