Providing effective stress reduction training.
CREDENTIALS:
- Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (M.B.S.R.) trainer, University of Massachusetts Medical School
- Mindfulness Based Eating Awareness (MB-EAT) trainer, Indiana State University
- Master Life Coach, Specializing in Anxiety Reduction, Certified Coaches Federation, Toronto
- Chronic Disease Self-Management trainer, Stafford University, California
- Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (M.B.C.T.) trainer, University of Toronto
- Asian trained Vipassana & Jhana Meditation Teacher, Kandy, Sri Lanka
- Member of the Professional Speakers Federation
His mindfulness training is well received in businesses, educational & health care sectors.
CLIENTS:
- York University
- City of Kitchener
- University of Waterloo
- Online Mindfulness courses
- Inland Revenue, New Zealand
- Department of National Defense
- St Joseph Hospital, Guelph, Ontario
- Private mindfulness consulting practice
- Mindfulness consultant for University of Florida
- Complementary Healing Arts Clinic, Cambridge, Ontario
- The Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
M.B.S.R. Training Course (overview)
Phone- 519-648-2985
Email- themindfulcoach@gmail.com
Certified Life Coach
Member of the Canadian Mental Health Association.
April 28, 2014
To Whom It May Concern:
In 2003, after completing a 30-day silent meditation retreat at the Forest Refuge (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts with Joseph Goldstein. I first learned about the MBSR teachers program.
I was drawn to the mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program, because of its proven method to reduce stress and improve the quality of our daily lives. I was impressed with the curriculum content and I found the course material was well laid out, effective and not religious.
Most importantly, after doing yoga for 18 years and teaching meditation for 16 years, I have found my voice in teaching mindfulness and stress reduction.
I have found that the M.B.S.R. program offers simple and effective tools that can be used to help ourselves and others. A comment that I often hear from participants of the M.B.S.R. training is “It has changed my life”
In addition to my qualifications, I bring my own personal experience of managing ageing, medical challenges and life issues through mindfulness.
My personal meditation practice includes:
Morning: Yoga, Body Scanning and Heartmath/Mindfulness
Evening: Mindfulness of- Body Sensations, Mental Formations and Yoga Nidra
Bedtime: Appreciation & Forgiveness
Weekly: Guelph Meditation Group, have met for meditation and discussion since 1990.
Monthly: Connect with my meditation teacher for practice or attend a day of mindfulness.
Mindfulness Training & Retreat History:
| Year | Teacher | Location | Days |
| 1999, Jun. | Mary Jo Meadows | Guelph, ON | 5 |
| 1999, Sep. | Shinzen Young | Guelph, ON | 5 |
| 2000, Aug. | Amata Gavesi | Kandy, Sri Lanka | 28 |
| 2001, Aug. | Ajahn Viradhammo | Hockley Valley, ON | 10 |
| 2002, Aug. | Ajahn Viradhammo | Hockley Valley, ON | 10 |
| 2003, Feb. | Joseph Goldstein | Barre, MA | 8 |
| 2003, Jun. | Joseph Goldstein | Barre, MA | 30 |
| 2004, Jun. | Joseph Goldstein | Barre, MA | 30 |
| 2005, Mar. | Ajahn Viradhammo | Ottawa, ON | 10 |
| 2005, Jul. | Tara Brach | Richmond, VA | 7 |
| 2006, Mar. | Ajahn Viradhammo | Ottawa, ON | 10 |
| 2007, Feb. | Tara Brach | Barre, MA | 8 |
| 2007, Jun. | M.B.S.R. Teacher Training | University of Massachusetts | 10 |
| 2009, Jan. | M.B.C.T. Teacher Training | University of Toronto | 8 |
| 2010, Jan. | Tara Brach | Barre, MA | 1 wk |
| 2012, Apr. | Certified Life Coach | Toronto, ON | 1 wk |
| 2013, Feb. | Centering Prayer | Niskayuna, NY | 1 wk |
| 2013, Sep. | Cert. Master Life Coach | On-line | 10 wks |
Plus, several 3-7 day silent retreats 2014- 2017
*In addition, please find an attached appendices of approx. 31, mindfulness meditation retreats attended from 1999 to 2007. (link to retreat history)
The following is a description and brief history of my personal psychological and spiritual development.In 1975, I started taking psychology courses e.g. Family of Origin through the University of Waterloo. For the next 20 years I drew on works of Virginia M. Satir, Carl G. Young, Robert A. Johnson etc. I attended Dream, Creative Drawing, Intensive Journaling, and Male Spirituality workshops and retreats.
However, the stress in my life reached an all time high when in 1990 my wife was diagnosed with cancer. For the next 5 years I struggled with increased job workloads and responsibilities, back injury, many lengthy family illnesses of both our parents, while raising teenagers. In 1995 on the advice of my doctor, I resigned from an enjoyable 25-year career.
Sensing that there were better ways to manage these stressors, I began doing yoga to help heal the body. In 1998 the Yoga teacher introduced mindfulness meditation. After attending a weekend vipassana meditation retreat and experiencing my energy being restored I knew that mindfulness meditation was going to be very helpful in managing my stress. Later, I traveled to Sri Lanka for deeper meditation teachings.
After practicing meditation there for sometime, I was trained by a Theravadan nun to be a meditation teacher. Initially, I freely offered support to those who were interested in developing meditation skills. I have found the blending of western science, yoga, meditation and community have been most helpful. I have built a community website www.caringawareness.com that offers Stress Reduction Resources, Stress Management, Community form, 170 audio and meditation talks. All of which are free.
In 2007, I started my own company. Stress Reduction Training. The mindfulness stress management offerings are well received in the business, educational & health care communities such as the, Rotman School of Management, University of Waterloo, York University, City of Kitchener, St Joseph Health Care, Complementary Healing Arts Clinic and also private businesses.
Most recently the company focus is on:
- Training Educators
- Mindfulness Consulting
- Mindfulness Online Training
We have also built three new mindfulness websites www.themindfulcoach.com, http://www.mbsrtraining.com and www.mindfulnessforseniors.com for mindfulness training.
The following is a brief description and history of my yoga and other bodywork training and practice.
Since 1996 I have had a personal yoga practice to help bring healing back to the body. I started with Patricia Walden’s yoga tapes and later took training from a Vanda Scaravelli inspired teacher @ Esther Meyers Yoga Studio in Toronto, who emphasizes the importance of the breath, being grounded and awareness of the body. I practice yoga and meditation when I get up in the morning and later throughout the day as required.
Yoga is also used in all the Inner Stress Management and Mindfulness Training workshops that I teach.
My credentials as follows:
- Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (M.B.S.R.) trainer, University of Massachusetts Medical School
- Mindfulness Based Eating Awareness (MB-EAT) Trainer, Indiana State University
- Master Life Coach, Specializing in Stress Management and Life/Work balance, Certified Coaches Federation, Toronto
- Chronic Disease Self-Management Trainer, Stafford University, California
- Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (M.B.C.T.) trainer, University of Toronto
- Asian trained Vipassana & Jhana Meditation Teacher, Kandy, Sri Lanka
- Member of the Professional Speakers Federation
Memberships:
Canadian Mental Health Association.
Mindfulness Toronto: A group of mindfulness-based professionals in the Greater Toronto Area
Summary
I find it most rewarding when people report back the difference mindfulness has made in their lives. I am very thankful to all the teachers who have helped me along the way and now I would like to help others.
My goal for teaching mindfulness is:
“To provide practical & enjoyable training.”
Sincerely,
G. Ross Clark
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