Brett Ferrigan is the Director of mbsr.us, and a senior teacher in Shambhala International. Brett leads mind and body preventive health programs and mindfulness retreats internationally and is a certified yoga instructor.
An Introduction to Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a practical, scientifically-supported program to reduce stress, facilitate relaxation, and promote physical health and emotional well-being.
“For most people,†notes Brett Ferrigan, Director of mbsr.us, “stress is often the silent elephant in the room.  We invite participants to start with the question, ‘Could I be 5% happier if I experienced less stress in my life?’ And for most people that answer is ‘yes.’ We find asking this question is often the beginning of a lively, beautiful and meaningful exploration.â€
Stress can be defined as our perception of a threat to our physical or psychological well-being coupled with the thought, “I can’t handle it.â€
Inspired by the work of Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, the 8-week MBSR course offers tools for engaging with all the demands of daily life–  including illness, chronic pain, personal crisis–or the ongoing challenges of a “full catastrophe.â€
“By relating directly with our bodies and emotions,†Ferrigan notes, “we can discover how mindfulness can directly affect both the quality and happiness of our lives.â€
MBSR is a program of practical, scientifically-supported teachings and exercises to reduce stress, encourage relaxation, and support physical health and emotional well-being.
Studies have shown that MBSR offers potential benefits for all types of participants and historically students have experienced improvement from a wide range of chronic disorders and diseases.
Mindfulness practice is also ideal for cultivating greater awareness of the unity of mind and body, as well as of the ways the unconscious thoughts, feelings, and behaviors can undermine emotional, physical, and spiritual health. Studies can be found at the University of Massachusetts Medical School:
 For information about local upcoming MBSR classes, please visit: www.mbsr.us
www.mbsr.us 1660 Southern Boulevard, Suites H-J, West Palm Beach, FL 33406
561/ 281-2788