Phase 1: Trained Teacher

The purpose of Phase One is to establish a basic level of training and proficiency sufficient to be able to teach Mindful Eating-Conscious Living (ME-CL) to the general public. Achieving these requirements will establish you as a Trained Teacher of ME-CL and is a prerequisite to becoming a Certified Teacher.

Requirements for ME-CL Trained Teacher are the following:

• Completion of ME-CL1 Foundational training or equivalent*.
• Make formal application to the Center for Mindful Eating-Conscious Living as a Teacher-in-Training accompanied by a non-refundable application fee of $150.
• Completion of ME-CL2 training.
• Teach one 8-week ME-CL program during which you have 12 hours of mentoring** with an approved ME-CL mentor.

Mentorship will include the following:

• Submission of your curriculum and teaching materials including participant handouts.
• Submission of your audio and/or video recordings of you guiding a meditation, a mindful eating exercise, a mindful movement, teaching a didactic portion of the ME-CL program, and leading inquiry.

Upon completion of these requirements, the mentee may apply for a Trained Teacher Certificate from Mindful Eating-Conscious Living. This certificate indicates that he or she has fulfilled the necessary requirements and is now trained to teach or co-teach the ME-CL curriculum, and can apply for teacher certification. Mindful Eating-Conscious Living reserves the right not to grant a certificate if it is determined that the mentee has not successfully completed the requirements and/or needs further consultation or remediation.

A trained teacher is authorized to advertise as a “Trained Teacher of ME-CL.” You can be listed as a Trained Teacher of ME-CL on www.me-cl.com.

Phase 2: Teacher Certification

Certification is a process of ensuring that an ME-CL teacher has achieved a level of teaching that clearly demonstrates competency and best practice skills.***

Once you have completed Phase 1 and been awarded Trained Teacher of ME-CL status you may enroll in Phase Two by by registering online in the UCSD Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute (MBPTI) to pursue Certification. Enrollment includes a non-refundable application fee of $200, plus a $120 Mentorship Administration Fee ($10 per session for the 12 mentorship sessions in the phase). Whether you are remaining with your current mentor or are choosing to transition to a new mentor, complete and sign a written agreement establishing the details of your work together. Complete the enrollment process for Phase Two: Teacher Certification through UCSD MBPTI below.

Requirements for ME-CL Teacher Certification are the following:

• Will have been granted Trained Teacher of ME-CL status.
• Have taught a minimum of three 8-week ME-CL program.
• 12 hours of mentorship (beyond that which is necessary for Phase One) with an approved ME-CL mentor during the time you are teaching your fourth (or more) 8-week ME-CL program. Please review the ME-CL Mentorship page to find a mentor.

Mentorship will include the following:

• Review of your program curriculum and handouts
• Review of audio/CDs, and a video of you teaching a 20-minute meditation, 30-minute mindful movement practice, a mindful eating exercise, 20-minute segment of mindful inquiry, and a didactic portion of the ME-CL program.

Upon completing these requirements, please submit a formal letter of application for ME-CL Teacher Certification to the UCSD Teacher Qualification and Certification Committee (mindfulness@ucsd.edu).

Your letter must include documentation of the following:

• the dates of all ME-CL teacher trainings sponsored by UCSD  (or equivalent)
• your mentor’s name and dates of mentorship for Phase I
• the dates, location and number of participants of all ME-CL programs taught
• your personal mindfulness meditation practices
• the dates, location and names of the teachers of the silent retreats you attended.

Please ask your mentor to send a letter of recommendation supporting your application and readiness  for Teacher Certification directly to the Committee.

In addition please submit letters of recommendation from two professionals in your field and three letters of recommendation from participants in your most recent ME-CL class.

Please include an application fee for $500.

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 and will be issues a ME-CL Certified Teacher Certificate.

Note: A teacher who is certified is authorized to advertise as a “Certified Teacher of ME-CL” and you are authorized to call your program “Mindful Eating-Conscious Living.” You and your programs can be listed on www.me-cl.com. You can also be listed in the directory of certified ME-CL teachers on the UCSD website.

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* Equivalency will be determined by the review committee.

** While your financial agreement for mentoring is between you and your mentor, we have asked the UCSD-approved mentors to agree to a standard hourly rate of $155 and that the mentee pay for the full set of 12 sessions up front, unless other arrangements are made. We understand that people have varying financial circumstances. If the fee is a financial hardship, you are encouraged to discuss this with your mentor and explore the possibility of a fee that is acceptable to both parties.

***It is required throughout the entire certification process that all applicants maintain an established, ongoing formal and informal mindfulness meditation practice and a mindful movement practice (such as yoga, qigong, tai chi). Additionally, it is expected that you will attend yearly 5-7 day teacher-led silent meditation retreats. Mindfulness-based professional trainings do not fulfill this. Parents of young children, care-givers and others with special circumstances can request an adapted schedule for attendance at silent meditation retreats.

Estimated Fees for ME-CL Teacher Certification

ME-CL1 5-Day Foundational Training Registration	$895
CMECL Application Fee	$150
ME-C2 4-Day Advanced Training Registration	$795
12 Sessions of Individual Mentorship for Trained Teacher Status	$1865
MBPTI Application Fee	$200
Mentorship Administration Fee	$120
12 Sessions of Individual Mentorship for Certification	$1865
Teacher Certification Review Fee	$500
TOTAL ESTIMATED COST	$6390

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