Skip to main content

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a structured program designed to help you build a mindfulness practice through guided techniques like body awareness, sitting and walking meditation, and gentle movement. It supports your overall well-being by increasing emotional resilience and management of stress, anxiety, and physical pain. 

Originally developed by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979, MBSR has been offered in schools, hospitals, and workplaces around the world as a down-to-earth way to bring mindfulness into everyday life. 

What to Expect 

MBSR is an eight-week course that meets once a week for 2.5 hours, plus a full-day retreat. You’ll be invited to practice mindfulness at home for about 45 to 60 minutes a day. Consistent attendance and practice are key to getting the most out of the experience. 

We understand that life happens. If you need to miss one session due to illness or an emergency, that’s okay. If you need to miss two or more, you can retake the course at another time at no extra cost. Please let your instructor know about any absences. 

Is MBSR Right for Me? 

MBSR includes walking meditation and mindfulness movement, which is a gentle form of yoga. These practices are accessible to most people, regardless of experience, fitness, or ability. If you have any concerns about participating, feel free to reach out to the instructor to talk through your options.  

MBSR is an educational program designed to support personal awareness and well-being. It is not a substitute for therapy or medical treatment. If you are currently managing conditions such as PTSD, clinical depression, anxiety, or substance use, it’s a good idea to check in with your therapist or counselor before enrolling. 

If you are interested in MBSR but want to experience a more condensed version of the program prior to committing to the eight-week course, check out mindfulNU, an introductory course designed by ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ students and staff specifically for the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ community. 

Instructor 

eric budzynskiEric Budzynski ’01 is most importantly a human being and also serves as the Associate Director of Religious & Spiritual Life at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ University where he’s been an integral part of the community for over 15 years. A ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ alum of the Bienen School of Music, Eric’s career began in church music ministry at the age of 12, where he combined his love of music with a dedication to contemplative prayer and ritual practice. 

Raised in a devout Catholic family, Eric’s early experiences in church life sparked a passion for sacred music and spiritual experience. However, as a gay man, he encountered challenges in reconciling his identity with his role in the Church. These experiences led Eric to seek new ways to integrate his spiritual life with his personal truth, eventually finding a new kind of vocation through his role at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½. 

Eric has expanded his focus beyond music to include spiritual direction, mindfulness, and contemplative practices into the core of his work at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½, guiding students, staff, and faculty to discover their own journeys of spiritual well-being. His spirituality doesn’t claim one identity over another but continues to cultivate an evolving path of interspiritual growth. This is grounded in the belief that spiritual practice is a path to healing, self-acceptance, and transformation. 

Outside of his professional life, Eric is an America’s Test Kitchen enthusiast, an avid video gamer, lazy gardener, burgeoning accordionist, and a daily peripatetic.