Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

Date: Every Monday since 26.10.2020 till 14.12.2020

Time: 6 PM - 8 PM

Retreat day: 5.12.2020, 10 AM - 4 PM
Location: Department of Psychology and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, University Campus, Kamenice 5, A1, 4th floor
Maximum amount of participants: 18

Price: the program is offered for free
Language: English

Who is it for?

The program is primarily aimed for medical students of Masaryk University, but if there is enough space left, other students from Masaryk University are welcome too. It is offered for those with a strong dedication to follow the whole 8-week curriculum and with a willingness to invest necessary time and effort for it to be effective and valuable.

Is the program for me?

• Exhaustion of the mind, facilitated by a hectic lifestyle of today's society, often causes many people to experience stress, anxiety, recurrent depression or to feel generally ‘dissatisfied’ with life. A mindfulness program can help to develop skills to better respond to the ‘ups and downs’ of everyday living at the University, as well as in life in general. Previous participants say that their course helped them to be more in the present moment, realise that they are not their thoughts, and be kinder to themselves.
• The program is not being offered as a treatment for any specific physical or psychological conditions. It is not suitable for people who are currently experiencing very severe problems in these areas.

What skills will I learn during the MBCT program?

• MBCT is a skills-based program rather than group therapy.
• To develop a better understanding of the workings of your mind.
• To recognise patterns / mental habits – and realise that there are alternatives.
• To stand back a little from distressing thoughts and feelings.
• To recognise early warning signs and take helpful action when you spot them.
• To put less effort into trying to ‘fix’ things and strive for results.
• To be kinder and gentler towards yourself.

Does it work?

• Research shows that practising mindfulness has many benefits. There is strong evidence that mindfulness-based programs reduce anxiety, depression, and stress and help people cope with illness and pain (Goldberg 2018, Kuyken 2016, Khoury 2013).
• In health care professionals, mindfulness programs have shown to improve emotional stability, mood, increase empathy and lower symptoms of burnout. (Lomas 2018, Krasner 2009, Dean 2007)
• Neuroscientific research shows that mindfulness is associated with structural and functional changes in parts of the brain related to attention control, self-awareness and emotion regulation. (Tang 2015)

Who will teach me?

MUDr. Rastislav Šumec, Ph.D. is an apprentice teacher trained at Oxford Mindfulness Centre, University of Oxford. He works under supervision and adheres to Good Practice Guidelines for mindfulness teachers in UK, as wells as their ethical codex. He is also a neurologist working in St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno and holds the doctoral degree from neuroscience. He is an active member of a research team in Brno, exploring the effect of mindfulness-based programs on cognition and mood.

If you have any questions, please ask us at mindfulness@med.muni.cz