MBTR

Frontline Yoga have collaborated with Psychologist Lisa Brown and Firefighter Paramedic Kate Duncan since 2022 to offer this life changing program with research consistently indicating significant reductions in symptoms of Post traumatic Stress, Depression, Anxiety and Stress, as well as increases in Self-Compassion and Wellbeing for course participants.

MBSR-tr is delivered by Zoom over 8 weeks.

The program is open to all current and ex-serving Defence Members and Frontline Workers able to attend the in-person retreats.

FACILITATORS

Lisa Brown

Lisa Brown is a Registered Psychologist, Yoga Teacher, Certified Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction Teacher (Brown University, USA), Mindful Self-Compassion Facilitator and Insight Dharma Teacher. She is dedicated to helping people connect with their innate capacity for healing and wellbeing through practices which integrate ancient wisdom and modern science for trauma recovery.

As an Adjunct Lecturer at Charles Sturt University, Lisa taught mindfulness and retreats for post-graduate students and has a deep interest in the conjunction of western science, Buddhadharma and earth-based wisdom traditions in health, healing and trauma recovery. Lisa has 20 years experience as a psychologist and currently works in private practice in Coffs Harbour NSW. She has experience working with the NSW Sexual Assault Service, Child Protection, Family Therapy, Aboriginal Health and Diabetes. Her training as a Yoga Teacher provides an integration of somatic healing practices with mindfulness and wellbeing to support trauma recovery.

Kate Duncan

Kate is an Insight Dharma Teacher, a Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness and Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction teacher, and an E-RYT 500 Yoga Instructor. Kate facilitates silent meditation retreats, women’s retreats and leads mindfulness-based trauma recovery programs for frontline workers. She has been a practitioner of meditation for 15 years.

As a former Firefighter Paramedic and Intensive Care Paramedic, Kate deeply understands the stress, anxiety, burn out and post traumatic stress that can accompany a frontline workers life. She is most interested in exploring how frontline workers can return to a place of safety, ease and wellbeing in the world, regardless of what they have experienced.

Kate has been deeply influenced by the role of mindfulness of the body, yoga and breath in her own recovery journey and is deeply passionate about sharing these body based practices.

Learn more about Kate at https://www.kateduncanyoga.com

BENEFITS

MBTR participants will experience:

Guided instruction in trauma sensitive Mindfulness meditation and gentle movement practices.
Group dialogue and mindful communication exercises.
Daily home practice with guided meditation recordings, workbooks and support during the program.

We aim to support your needs to develop….

An ongoing Mindfulness practice
A deeper understanding of stress physiology and the impact of trauma on your nervous system
The ability to recognise automatic mind and body reactivity to stress.
Interpersonal mindfulness and mindful communication in a safe space
Self-Compassion
Interoceptive Awareness
Applying mindfulness to daily life

UPCOMING COURSES

To express your interest in our upcoming courses, please reach out to us:

MBtr Refund Policy

More Information on MBtr:

Lisa and Kate together adapted and created Mindfulness-based Trauma Recovery (MBtr) which over five years has consistently shown significant reductions in symptoms of PTSD, Depression and Anxiety as well as increases in a sense of Wellbeing. Both Lisa and Kate are both qualified, experienced facilitators in the fields of Psychology, Trauma Recovery, Mindfulness and Compassion Meditation and Trauma Sensitive Yoga.

MBtr has been developed from the innovative work of Jon Kabat Zinn, and began at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1979. A large body of research has demonstrated consistently profound effects on health and wellbeing, including reductions in depression, anxiety and chronic pain.

The MBtr program has been adapted specifically for trauma recovery.

This course aims to teach participants to:

Practice trauma sensitive mindfulness in daily life.
Understand, experientially, the empirically supported benefits of mindfulness for trauma recovery.
Develop a greater understanding of the mind, body, and emotions.
Handle difficult emotions with ease.
Transform destructive emotional patterns and challenging relationships.
Approach difficulty with equanimity.
Learn skills and tools to support deep relaxation.
Develop a regular mindfulness meditation practice.

MBtr is suitable for anyone who wishes to cultivate these skills. As well as offering evidence-based practices for trauma recovery, this training is helpful to prevent burnout and enhance wellbeing.

The original MBSR Programme has benefited thousands of people around the world who report a variety of conditions and concerns including:

Stress Related Life Issues – Work, school, family, financial, illness, ageing, grief, uncertainty about the future and feeling ’out of control’.
Medical conditions – Chronic illness, chronic pain, high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, coronary heart disease, asthma, skin disorders and many other conditions
Psychological distress – Anxiety, trauma, depression, fatigue and sleep disturbances
Prevention and Wellbeing – Enhancement of health and wellbeing that encourages a deeper sense of equanimity in ourselves and our relationships.
This programme is challenging and life-affirming. Participating in MBSR-tr requires an ongoing commitment to yourself.

MBtr sessions include meditation training and practice, short talks, experiential exercises, small and large group discussion, gentle yoga/mindful movement and home practices. MBtr will involve eight 2.5 to 3 hour online training sessions and one three night trauma-sensitive mindfulness and yoga retreat focused completely on individual practice.

HISTORY OF MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION FOR TRAUMA RECOVERY & PREVENTION (MBSR-tr)

MBTR has been adapted specifically for Frontline Workers from the ground breaking, evidence-based Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction Program (MBSR) developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1979.

More than 40 years of research into MBSR and other Mindfulness-based interventions indicate many benefits for participants regarding reductions in Stress, Depression, Anxiety, Chronic Pain, improvements in Relationships and increases in Self-Compassion and Wellbeing.

Adaptation unique to MBTR include specific trauma sensitive practices and gentle yoga to calm the nervous system and cultivate skills and tools for relaxation in meeting and managing difficult emotions, thoughts and body sensations arising in each moment.

MBTR provides intensive and systematic training in trauma sensitive mindfulness meditation and movement practices, allowing participants to integrate into daily life what is discovered and learned through the process of participating in the program.

There is a growing body of compelling research on MBTR indicating significant reductions in symptoms for Frontline Workers experiencing symptoms of PTSD, Depression, Anxiety and Stress, as well as increases in Self-Compassion and Wellbeing.

Frontline Workers include (but are not limited to) Veterans, Police, Fire and Ambulance as well as Health and other Frontline Personnel.

WHAT OUR PARTICIPANTS SAY

I have felt the weight on my chest significantly decrease when practicing mindfulness. Kate & Lisa have given us so much opportunity to do what works best for us, which takes away the anxiety of doing things wrong. I have learned so much and am looking forward to bringing it home to my life.

I have learned that I am not alone – that there are others like me going through similar experiences in need of assistance. We are all human and we all deserve SELF LOVE and SELF CARE, I am worthy to love and care for myself and not be ashamed to do what is needed to heal.

I am learning that I am not broken. With continued practice I will be able to be more loving and present in my family and friends lives – and of course, my own life. I cannot express my gratitude enough for the opportunity to take this course and retreat a second time. It has truly been transformative for my life.