Welcome experienced MBSR Teachers!
Mindfulness, the act of being fully aware in the moment of oneself and one’s environment, has been practiced by many cultures around the world for thousands of years. For that reason, it is important that the cadre of the Center's certified MBSR teachers is representative of many cultures and backgrounds. Diversifying the teaching team is therefore both a value and a priority of the program’s administrators. In keeping with that priority, while all applicants will be fully, fairly and objectively considered, applicants of color are particularly encouraged to apply to the Teacher Qualification and Certification Program.
Please read through the below requirements/phases first if you are seeking to pursue the MBSR Qualification/Certification through the UCSD Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute (MBPTI). If you have questions, please email us at mindfulness@health.ucsd.edu.
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Phase 1: Teacher Qualification
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The purpose of Teacher Qualification is to establish a basic level of training and proficiency sufficient to be able to teach Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) to the general public. Achieving Teacher Qualification status is needed in order to move on to receiving Teacher Certification.
Requirements/Steps for MBSR Teacher Qualification are the following:
1. Completion of the 10-Week MBSR Teacher Training (MBSR TT) or the 6-day MBSR Teacher Training Intensive (MBSR TTI) or the equivalent* (as determined by the review committee). To take the MBSR TT program, you must have taken the 8-Week MBSR program and have attended a teacher-led silent mindfulness meditation retreat of at least five nights. More information can be found here.
2. Completion of the Online 10-week MBSR Teacher Training Practicum after taking the MBSR TT.
3. Complete the formal application to enroll in the UCSD Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute (MBPTI) as a “Teacher in Training” accompanied by a non-refundable application fee of $200 plus a mentorship administration fee of $180 ($10 per session for the required 18 sessions of individual mentorship required for Qualification).
Upon acceptance of your application in the MBPTI, you will receive a Provisional Certificate of Qualification that will be replaced by a full certificate of Qualification upon completion of the following two requirements and approval of your application for qualification as described below.
4. Teach at least two live, in-person 8-week MBSR courses with at least ten participants in each. Step #4 must be done at the same time as step #5 (mentorship).
5. Completion of at least 18 hours of mentorship with an approved UCSD MBSR Mentor during your teaching of the two 8-week MBSR courses. Review mentor details on our MBSR Mentorship Page for more information, including the special requirements for mentees who co-teach their first programs. Some of these mentorship hours will be used by the mentor to review recordings of your teaching independently without you being present. Once you have reached out to a mentor and settled on working together, you will complete and sign a written agreement with the mentor that establishes the details of your work together, and then you can proceed.
Mentorship will include the following:
- Audio and/or video recordings of you guiding mindfulness meditation practices; mindful yoga, teaching a didactic portion of the MBSR program and approximately 30 minutes of mindful inquiry.
- Submission of your teaching materials which will include all participant handouts. Please request your Mentor send a letter of recommendation supporting your application and readiness to teach directly to the Committee.
- Download the MBSR Mentorship Packet here.
Upon completing these requirements above, please submit a formal letter of application for Teacher Qualification to the UCSD Teacher Qualification and Certification Committee (mindfulness@health.ucsd.edu).
Your letter must include documentation of the following:
- Date you attended the MBSR foundational training
- Mentor’s name and dates of mentorship,
- Number of participants in each of the MBSR courses taught.
- Your personal mindfulness meditation practice, mindful movement practice and attendance at silent teacher-led retreats, denoting teacher(s) names and location.
Please request that your mentor send a letter of recommendation supporting your application and readiness to teach directly to the Committee.
Please also make the following payments: the application fee for $750 plus an additional $100 Mentorship Administration Fee if you intend to pursue Certification through the Institute ($10 per session for the 10 sessions of mentorship required for Certification). Please email us at mindfulness@health.ucsd.edu to have these added to your registration.
Your request will be reviewed by the committee, and upon approval, you will be issued with a certificate confirming you have satisfied all the necessary modules for full Teacher Qualification status. If the committee determines that you do not meet criteria for Teacher Qualification, you will be provided with feedback and a proposed remediation plan. (Resubmission for consideration after satisfying the requirements can be made for an additional resubmission fee of $150.)
What You Can Say When You Have Achieved Qualified Status:
Upon receipt of your formal Teacher Qualification Certificate, you may market and represent yourself as a “Qualified Teacher of MBSR” as defined by the UCSD Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute.
Please take note of the following:
If you enrolled in the institute before August 1, 2021 and would like to apply for the Teacher Certification status, please re-enroll here and inform us by emailing mindfulness@health.ucsd.edu.
- Phase 2: Teacher Certification
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Obtaining the MBSR Teacher Qualification is a prerequisite to formal certification status (Phase 1 above). Certification is a process of ensuring that an MBSR teacher has achieved a level of teaching that clearly demonstrates competency and best practice skills. Download a summary of the process.
Mindfulness‐Based Interventions Teaching Assessment Criteria (MBI:TAC)
is used in assessing the competence and adherence of mindfulness‐based class-based teaching.Please take note of the following:
If you enrolled in the institute before August 1, 2021 and would like to apply for the Teacher Certification status, please re-enroll (sign up) using the following the link and email mindfulness@health.ucsd.edu to inform us.
Requirements/Steps for MBSR Teacher Certification are the following:
1. Will have been granted the MBSR Teacher Qualification Certificate (Phase 1 above).
2. Will have taught a minimum of five additional live, in-person MBSR 8-week courses.
3. Completion of the 6-Week Online MBSR Advanced Teacher Training (MBSR ATT) or the 5-day Advanced Training Intensive for MBSR Teachers (or equivalent).
4. At least 10 hours of mentorship (beyond that required for Teacher Qualification) while teaching an 8-Week MBSR course, with an approved MBSR Mentor (see list here).
- Mentorship will include: video recordings of you teaching at least one full session of the MBSR program (usually Session 4 or 5)
- Submission of your audio recordings of a 40-minute body scan, a 40-minute sitting meditation practice, and two 30-minute mindful yoga practices (lying down and standing sequences). These are the recordings your participants listen to at home.
5. Will have an established a mindfulness meditation practice (daily formal sitting practice, informal practice), a mindful movement practice (yoga, t’ai chi, qigong), and continued yearly attendance of a teacher-led silent meditation retreat of at least five nights with formal mindfulness meditation practices.
Upon completing these requirements above, please submit a formal letter of application for Teacher Certification to the UCSD Teacher Qualification and Certification Committee (mindfulness@health.ucsd.edu).
Your letter must include documentation of the following:
- The dates of all MBSR teacher trainings sponsored by UCSD (or equivalent), and when you obtained teacher Qualification (Phase 1)
- Your mentor’s name and dates of mentorship
- The dates, location, and number of participants of all additional MBSR courses taught
You are also required to submit the following materials to your mentor:
- Teaching materials
- Participant handouts
- CDs, and a video of you teaching the following: two half-hour segments of mindful inquiry, 40 minute sitting meditation practice, mindful yoga, didactic portion of the MBSR, e.g. Session 4: Stress Reactivity.
Please request that your mentor send a letter of recommendation supporting your application and readiness for Teacher Certification directly to the Committee.
In addition to the letter from your mentor, please submit letters of recommendation from two professionals in your field.
Also document your personal mindfulness meditation practice and attendance at silent teacher-led retreats, naming the teacher(s) and location.
Finally, you must pay an application fee of $1000. Please email us at mindfulness@health.ucsd.edu to add this to your registration.
Your request will be reviewed by the Committee and upon approval, you will be issued with a letter confirming you have satisfied all the necessary modules for Teacher Certification status and will be issued with a Teaching Certificate.
What You Can Say When You Have Achieved Certified Status:
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Estimated Fees
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Estimated Fees for MBSR Teacher Qualification and Certification
6-day MBSR Teacher Training Intensive (MBSR TTI) Registration or the Online 10-week MBSR Teacher Training (MBSR TT) Registration $1,975 Online 10-week MBSR Teacher Training Practicum (MBSR TTP) $715 MBPTI Initial Enrollment Fee $200 Mentorship Administration Fee for Qualification $180 18 sessions of Individual Mentorship for Qualification $2,790 Teacher Qualification Review Fee $750 Mentorship Administration Fee for Certification $100 10 sessions of Individual Mentorship for Certification $1,550 5-day Advanced Teacher Training Intensive (MBSR ATTI) Registration or 6-Week Online Advanced Teacher Training for MBSR Teachers (MBSR ATT) $1,750 Teacher Certification Review Fee $1,000 Total Estimated Cost $11,010 Note: A service charge will be added to all credit card payment transactions.
There will be additional room & board charge for the in-person training programs.
These program amounts above are subject to change - above is an estimate.
