Learn to teach the wisdom of mindfulness, the artful care of compassion, and the science of well-being.
Much more than meditation teacher training, this comprehensive 5 to 8-month cross-training in stress reduction, resilience and self-healing gives participants the knowledge, experience and confidence to teach mindfulness meditation, compassion meditation, and embodied practices along with clear instruction in the science of well-being.
Benefits
- Learn to teach CBRT, an evidence-based program developed and field-tested over 20-years.
- Make a difference by enlivening your community, workplace or professional practice with more compassion, resilience and wellbeing.
- Gain a deeper understanding of the science behind why the practices of mindfulness, compassion and embodiment work.
- Build your teaching confidence through peer-to-peer teach backs as well as supervised group instruction.
- Deepen your own contemplative practice through guided meditations, teachings and group discussions.
- Join a community of supportive like-minded professionals. Past students have included: social workers, psychologists, nurses, mental health counselors, physicians, palliative care workers, art therapists, educators, school counselors and administrators, executive coaches, organizational consultants, human resource professionals, faith-based counselors and ministers, community workers and lay caregivers.
What People Are Saying
“…an extremely well conceptualized, designed and executed program (both levels). I found particularly noteworthy how much I could personally gain ( knowledge/ experience) by teaching a group myself; I expected it but not to the extent it happened. All in all a truly profound experience on many levels.”
“The CBRT Teacher Training was a journey into both my development as a teacher and into my own personal growth. I felt very supported by the teachers and the practical aspect helped me gain confidence in my own teaching as well as the opportunity to learn with and from my peers. It has been life changing and I am now teaching the CBRT internationally.”
“The CBRT teacher training program provided me with the skills, structure and confidence to begin teaching meditation. After many years as a practitioner I’m now able to teach different types of meditation and breathwork and explain the benefits to students at many experience levels. I will be sharing the material from this course for years to come. ”
What You’ll Learn
Learn to explain and guide eight progressive practices of mindfulness and compassion, along with a series of coordinated breath and posture practices that help the autonomic nervous system support the process of contemplative stress-reduction, self-healing and building resilience
Learn to define and explain in clear, simple terms: the nature of stress and the four phase cycle of stress and trauma; mindfulness and its four scopes of practice; compassion and its four practices and levels; resilience along with its four progressive states and traits
Learn to explain how current neuropsychology shows the power of contemplative methods to turn the self-enclosed processing of stress and trauma into the prosocial processing that fuels open engagement and resilience at all levels of mind and brain.
Learn how to transform a contemplative skills learning group into an emotionally open and caring community that can spark and sustain the growth of each participant towards greater well-being, engagement, and purpose
Learn how to integrate contemplative practice into your life and work to deliver Compassion-Based Resilience Training—CBRT—to groups large and small, whether in healthcare, education, business, or community service settings
Curriculum at a Glance
Mindfulness
The training begins with four mindfulness-based personal healing modules that break the cycle of stress and lead to a more balanced and rejuvenated state of well-being.
Module I – Embracing Suffering with Body Mindfulness
Practice Body Mindfulness to reconnect with our inner lives and begin releasing the survival habits of stress, trauma and reactivity.
Module II – Stopping Reactive Habits with Mindful Sensitivity
Practice Mindful Sensitivity to deepen the capacity for conscious self-regulation and cultivate balanced awareness.
Module III – Breaking Free of Stress with Mindful Awareness
Practice Mindful Awareness to cut through the mesh of reactive habits and stress instincts that normally block the full openness and clarity of our mind.
Module IV – Mindful Insight: The Lifelong Path of Self-Healing
Practice Mindful Insight to cut the roots of reactivity and grow proactive new ways of being in the world. The training continues with four compassion-based relational healing modules that build resilience, prevent burnout and increase our capacity to care for ourselves and others.
Compassion
The training continues with four compassion-based relational healing modules that build resilience, prevent burnout and increase our capacity to care for ourselves and others.
Module V – Disarming Social Stress and Bias with Equal Empathy
Practice Equal Empathy to unlearn implicit social survival biases while deepening and expanding our sense of connection to others.
Module VI – Healing Reactive Emotions and Beliefs with Self-Compassion
Practice Self-Compassion to develop a wise, caring mind that orients to our common humanity.
Module VII – Cultivating Prosocial Emotions with Wise Give and Take
Practice Wise Give and Take to explore our boundless human potential for care and strengthen our social muscles of love, joy and equanimity.
Module VIII – Embodying a Resilient Self and Life with Caring Imagery
Practice role model visualizations to stretch our sense of self into a fully empowered, resilient and compassionate self.
Program Details
The program is divided into two levels.
Level 1
- 5 months
- Covers the eight CBRT modules in-depth
- Weekly live online 90-minute meetings that include: lecture, group discussion, breakout groups and practice sessions with peers
- Student portal with 24 pre-recorded class summary videos, 16 recorded guided meditations, a student manual and supplementary scientific and scholarly readings
- Weekly self-study: daily meditation practices and assigned readings
- Requirements for the training include a daily meditation practice for at least two years and some familiarity with the positive health benefits of contemplative living
Level 2
- 3 months
- Level 1 graduates receive guidance and support setting up and leading their own CBRT group
- Students receive 3 group supervisions and 1 one-on-one supervision with core CBRT faculty
- Students are required to write a short reflection paper describing their experience of running their group
- Graduates of Level 2 are certified as CBRT Teachers and become part of the Certified CBRT Teacher Network
To be certified as a CBRT Teacher, students need to complete both Level 1 and Level 2.
Certified Teacher Network
Graduates of Level 2 are automatically enrolled in the certified teacher network for 1 year after graduation* which includes:
- A yearly online retreat with core faculty open to all graduates
- A dedicated website with all the tools needed to teach your own CBRT class: a student manual, 24 pre-recorded class videos, 16 guided meditations, and a collection of research articles
- Marketing material templates to promote your classes
- Teacher photo and bio listed on the Nalanda Institute website
- Monthly video conference with other certified teachers
- Opportunities to teach CBRT through Nalanda Institute
- Access to CBRT core faculty for ongoing support
*After one year, students are asked to pay a $100 admin fee to keep their community membership active.
Program Requirements
- Students participate in 1.5 hour weekly live online meetings
- 10–15 minutes of daily meditation
- 30 minutes to an hour of assigned reading and watching video instruction
Schedule
Registration for Level 1 is currently closed. You may sign up below to be notified when the next class is open.
Registration for Level 2 is open through October 15, 2024. To register please contact Fiona Brandon at fiona@nalandainstitute.org.
For any questions about the program, please contact Fiona Brandon: fiona@nalandainstitute.org.