Participant Experience

“My first intro to mindfulness practice and it's made a lasting impression on how I react to and handle stress. She taught us techniques to use on a daily basis to calm our anxious thoughts and worries about past and possible future events and instead, stay focused on the here and now. She is a dedicated teacher and very invested in each and every student. She has a very gentle soothing voice and she often shared poems, quotations and stories that enriched our classes. This experience was truly life changing.”   Rose - MBSR Graduate

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"Personally speaking, in a nutshell, your class was life-changing.   -   In the most profound ways.

All these suffocating questions I had around who am I, what am I doing, what is this all about, why is it so much work just trying to tread water? I came in with an overwhelming sense of self-doubt, spurred on by my Always On mentality towards getting through my to do list. I was going through the motions of life, never pausing to really reflect on any of it. You and MBSR curriculum provided me a framework, perspective and tools to simply listen to myself and answer all those swirling questions from an authentic honest place with clarity I've never experienced before. Prior to taking your class it was like I was looking at life through frosted glass windows--I could see the rough shapes and kinda make sense of what was going on, whereas, your class made everything crystal clear. The answers weren't always easy to accept, but I knew they were genuine. There's a lot to think about, but I've also learned to let it come to me. I've learned to let go because constant striving and clinging actually doesn't get me closer to my goals. It certainly doesn't make me happier.

Since leaving your class, I've upheld my practice. Going deeper and approaching these personal insights intentionally with loving kindness.

It's led me leave what I thought was my dream job to one that had everyone questioning my sanity. But I've never been more confident in what I'm doing, and I know it's going to be amazing. It's already amazing. I've never had more responsibility, but I've also never been less stressed in mind, body and spirit. With renewed balance and a growing awareness of the present, I feel so much more fulfilled in life than I ever have.

I've recommended your class to everyone who has recognized this fundamental change in me, as I've come to understand soooo many people feel the way I felt. I believe every human being could benefit from taking your class.

I've never been one for group discussions, especially among complete strangers, and the thought of doing it in such a vulnerable and intimate setting freaked me out at first. But you were so thoughtful in not just making it easy and comfortable, but also showing how much more powerful and self-validating it was doing it as a small group seeking common relief from similar vantage points.

Your classes, your guided meditations, the curated contextual resources of inspiration, your guidance in unpacking personal insights; all of it, was so exceptional. Like I said, it has changed my life forever. Thank You."

Ben - MBSR Graduate
 

"I found the skills I acquired from class and the personal insight I gained, were very helpful in dealing with a series of expected and stressful events. Thank you again for letting me join the spring series at the last minute. It was a life changing experience and something I look forward to continuing to build on."  

Erika - MBSR Graduate
 

"The 8 week MBSR course with Nancy was an incredible experience. I was able to gain awareness of my patterns while being gentle to myself. I continue to practice mindfulness on a regular basis and find great insights with each sitting!"

Maria Paz - MBSR Graduate
 

"I have taken a lot of mindfulness classes before, but Nancy's MBSR class really set the foundation of what mindfulness is, and feels very comprehensive connecting mind, body and soul. It really taught me the benefits of being mindful in little things we do every day, such as brushing your teeth, or even to meditate for a short period of time. The class puts me on the path of establishing time for myself in small ways that led to a big result of being at peace and mindful."

Weina - MBSR Graduate
 

"I attended Nancy's Summer 2016 MBSR class, with a lot of hesitancy about where I was in life and also about how this class would evolve. When "sharing" is involved, I am always hyper alert to a fellow student hijacking the class.  Genuinely caring and attentive, Nancy was exceedingly skillful in allowing persons to be heard AND leading all of us through the MBSR class experiences.  Nancy was keenly attuned equally to students' desires to maintain privacy and to creating a safe and trusting space for emotions to surface. 

I entered the class with the "icky" issues of aging, big health problems, and depression.  Nancy created a safe and trusting environment, where over the 8 weeks of the class, I was able to meet myself "where I am" and to allow the grief and emotion to rise up without being overwhelmed.  I began a new relationship with myself which claims priority, and feels like a cross between a mother's love for her child and an eternal song of gratitude. It sounds flippant to say I left the MBSR class with incredible tools at the ready to deal with life's situations, big and small, with resiliency and self understanding.  Truthfully, that is exactly what happened."

... and a little story. "I had an MRI (nothing serious). It was about 35 minutes long and I did a body scan and in the clanging and banging parts, I did Mindful Awareness -- what does it look like?  what color is it?  what is it's shape.  Amazing experience and so grounded! I told the tech I wouldn't be chatty, but I think he was seriously surprised when I came out of the tube in post-meditation calm!" 
Joan - MBSR Graduate  
 

Welcoming, calming, authentic, facilitated discussion in a positive and focused manner. Good at redirecting, while providing a safe atmosphere for sharing. 

Bea - MBSR Ongoing Support Group