University of Toronto

Applied Mindfulness Meditation

The growing interest in mindfulness meditation has found application in three streams represented within this program: mindfulness meditation and psychotherapy, enabling learning in education, and mindfulness meditation in business and organizational leadership. Students will have the opportunity to explore these three applications while beginning or deepening their own personal mindfulness meditation practice.

Grounded in the comparative literatures of mindfulness, neuroscience, social and health sciences, comparative religion and theology, educational theory and occupational health, this program is intended to teach mindfulness meditation practices with a focus on its various applications within a wide range of personal and professional domains.

Whether you are interested in building a historical perspective of Mindfulness Meditation, learning psychotherapeutic strategies, developing healthier work environments as communities, examining the protocols of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, or perhaps enhancing your mentorship and/or teaching abilities -- this certificate program will foster the development of your practice, knowledge, skills, and sensitivities.

Prerequisites: No experience in Mindfulness Meditation is required to enrol in this program.

Certificate Requirements:
There are two certificates for this program:

1. Foundations in Applied Mindfulness Meditation (Level A)

2. Applied Mindfulness Meditation Specialist (Level B).

Students must complete four modules per level to obtain each certificate.

Levels A and B can be completed concurrently, but the B level certificate will not be issued until the A level certificate has been completed.

Exceptions:
Individuals with experience in Mindfulness Meditation who do not wish to obtain the Certificate may register for A or B courses with permission from the Program Directors.

Students of the TAPE (Toronto Advanced Professional Educators) program: If you were unable to complete your certification, we welcome you to continue your studies with the Applied Mindfulness Meditation program. You may request advanced standing based on your TAPE credits. Please be prepared to provide a record of your TAPE registration history. Contact Program Co-Directors Michele Chaban (michele.chaban@utoronto.ca) and Dekyi-Lee Oldershaw (dekyilee.oldershaw@utoronto.ca) to request equivalent credits.

There are two levels of certification:

Level A: Foundations of Practice
Courses at this level explore the history and practice(s) of mindfulness and mindfulness meditation, traditional and contemporary medicine, as well as case and research-based practice. There is also an exploration of the neuroscience foundations of Mindfulness Meditation.

Level B: Specialization in Applied Mindfulness Meditation
With the foundations in place, Level B courses will lead students to apply the knowledge from Level A towards a more specialized application. To enhance mentorship and resources, students entering level B will be asked to declare an area of interest from one of the following:

            1. Clinical Mindfulness and Psychotherapy 
            2. Mindfulness in Education 
            3. The Mind at Work

All modules integrate mindfulness meditation theory and practice, case-based studies, critical and contemplative literatures.