Alternatives to the Master’s Programme? A Guide for Training to Teach Mindfulness

The Master’s programme in Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy is a two-year degree from the University of Oxford, a joint collaboration between the Department of Psychiatry, the Department of Continuing Education and the Oxford Mindfulness Centre. Designed primarily for clinicians and those with experience in mental health, the MSt combines the chance to learn practical teaching skills with academic rigour and the opportunity to engage in current research in the field.

The Master’s degree is ideal for experienced practitioners, but may not be the best pathway for everyone looking to train as a mindfulness teacher. Thankfully, there are other options to train to teach MBCT. The Oxford Mindfulness Centre offers some alternatives.

The Foundational Training is a one year programme suitable for both clinicians and non-clinicians. All participants are expected to come to the course with an established meditation practice, and are supported in strengthening and developing this practice throughout the programme. Students complete a five-day experiential MBCT course in their first term, attend a four-day silent retreat in their second term, and are encouraged to regularly discuss and reflect upon their personal practice through the year. This experiential aspect of the programme is support by expert-led teaching days in important themes such as facilitating enquiry, leading practices and Buddhist Psychology. Participants also engage in teaching practice, in pairs and groups, including an exploration of working with group dynamics, and at the end of the programme all students are assessed using the MBI-TAC Assessment Criteria, and provided with individual feedback on teaching strengths and areas for development. Undertaking Foundational training is the second step of the OMC training pathway, providing trainee teachers with the skills and confidence to deliver the MBCT programme safely and effectively, before going onto develop these skills as an apprentice teacher. The course runs annually from September to July, and the next intake will be for September 2018, with applications opening in January of that year.

If you are interested in training to teach MBCT, but are not sure about committing to a full one or two year course, the OMC also offers an introductory 7-day Intensive Foundational workshop. This residential training allows participants to experience the 8-session programme of MBCT, to practise teaching elements of the programme to one another in pairs, with feedback from the trainers and each other. Participants are expected to have some prior knowledge and experience of mindfulness and of cognitive therapy, and to have a serious interest in bringing MBCT into their lives and work. If you choose this training route you may need to undertake further structured training in teaching MBCT, in order to develop competency as described by the MBI-TAC criteria, depending upon your skills and prior experience/training. Some of this might be gained through attending workshops in core MBCT skills eg: Enquiry, and theoretical underpinnings such as Buddhist Psychology, which compared to the 11 month Foundational training, this course does not provide in the same depth.