Week 1B: Mindfulness - Practical Approaches for Health Care Practitioners and their Patients

Confirmed date and Location: July 13-17, 2009, Deerhurst Resort, Huntsville

Our seminars run from 9:00 to 12:15 daily, allowing registrants to make use of the resort amenities in the afternoons.

Overview:

"Mindfulness" is appearing everywhere these days and yet most health care practitioners have little knowledge or experience with it. This course will provide participants with didactic and experiential learning regarding mindfulness. Participants will have the opportunity to try a variety of mindfulness practices that form the basis for current clinical programs such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression, and mindfulness-based eating awareness therapy. Evidence for the values of these interventions will be described. Indications and contra-indications as well as an approach to evaluating the potential value of these programs will be described. Opportunities for further training in these practices will be outlined as this course will not be sufficient to lead mindfulness programs. The course will parallel a MBSR program with a substantial portion of each class spent in formal meditation practices. Participants will leave the course with a variety of practical mindfulness practices that they can use in their own lives or recommend for patients

Topics:

What is mindfulness? Formal practices that cultivate mindfulness (body scan, sitting or lying meditation, walking meditation, eating meditation, loving kindness meditation, visualization practices that support mindfulness). Informal practices that cultivate mindfulness (i.e. attention to daily activities). What is the evidence for the value of mindfulness based interventions? What is the current scientific understanding of what happens with meditation? Indications and contraindications to referring patients to mindfulness programs. Things to look for in referring to mindfulness programs and teachers. Bringing mindfulness to daily life.

Faculty:

Susan Abbey MD, FRCP(C) is a psychiatrist whose work is at the interface of medicine and psychiatry. She teaches MBSR at the University Health Network and is a collaborator in studies of the usefulness of MBSR in the management of hypertension and distress associated with systemic lupus erythematosus.  She has a personal mindfulness practice that helps her cope with the challenges of a busy professional life and two young children.

Accreditation:

This educational program meets the accreditation criteria of The College of Family Physicians of Canada, and has been accredited for 15 MAINPRO-M1 credits. This educational program is approved as an Accredited Group Learning Activity under Section 1 of the Framework of CPD options for the Maintenance of Certification Program of The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, for a maximum of 15 hours. Each physician should claim only those hours of credit that he/she actually spent in the educational activity. This educational program is designated for a maximum of 15 hours in Category 1 credit towards the AMA Physician's Recognition Award. Each physician should claim only those hours of credit that he/she actually spent in the educational activity.

Study Credits:

We are in the process of applying for accreditation for this program. The program offered in this week previously met the accreditation criteria of the College of Family Physicians of Canada, and 15 MAINPRO-M1 credits. As an organization accredited by the Committee of Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools, the Continuing Medical Education Program at McMaster University would designate 15 Category 1 credits of the Physician's Recognition Award of the American Medical Association for each weekly seminar. Professional development credits may be given to Social Workers and Nurses. Attendees are advised to retain their letters of attendance.