Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for Lawyers and Legal Professionals: 8-Week Program at Northeastern University School of Law

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for Lawyers and Legal Professionals 

Presented by The Mindfulness Center at Brown University School of Public Health
Hosted at and Sponsored by Northeastern University School of Law and the Mindfulness in Law Society/New England Chapter

Wednesday, September 18, 6:30– 7:45PM
Orientation and Informational Session open to anyone interested in learning more about the program and required for those who do participate.

October 2 to November 20, 2019
8-week program – schedule below

Registration Deadline: September 30

Location: Northeastern University School of Law, 416 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115.
(Corner of Forsyth and Huntington, Library Sunroom on First Floor. Visible Signage will direct you.) 

For more information and to register, please visit www.brown.edu/public-health/mindfulness/class/mindfulness-based-stress-reduction-lawyers-and-legal-professionals

The internationally acclaimed MBSR is the most widely researched mindfulness curriculum in the world and an evidence-based program that has been taught for 40 years. It is being offered specifically to members of the legal profession to support health and well-being in a profession that is increasingly more challenging and stressful. In 2016, two significant studies on lawyer and law student well-being were published that highlighted what many legal professionals have known anecdotally, that there are alarmingly high rates of anxiety, depression, stress and difficulties including work addiction, social alienation, sleep deprivation, job dissatisfaction, complaints of work-life conflict, incivility and a narrowing of values.

In response to these studies, a National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being was created, consisting of representatives from the ABA, Lawyer Assistance Programs, Conference of Chief Judges, etc. The Report of the Task Force and the recent ABA Well-being Toolkit for Lawyers, both highlight the benefits of mindfulness for health and well-being. The Task Force Report provides:

“Mindfulness can enhance a host of competencies related to lawyer effectiveness, including increased focus and concentration, working memory, critical cognitive skills, reduced burnout, and ethical and rational decision-making.”

The curriculum consists of mindfulness practice, dialogue, reflection and themes such as: working with thoughts and emotions, habitual conditioned stress reactivity and how mindfulness can interrupt deep habit patterns, stress physiology, neuroscience and mindful communication. Daily home practice of 45 minutes to one hour is a key element of this course.

Research on MBSR consistently demonstrates positive outcomes associated with:

• decreased levels of perceived stress
• increased self-awareness, often leading to more skillful responses
• emotional regulation
• improved attentional focus
• reduction of symptoms for various physical and behavioral health conditions including anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and heart disease
• positive changes in risk factors that may lead to more serious chronic ailments

“I took this program in 2009 and it was truly transformative. Apart from learning to identify and engage stress, and how learned patterns of coping can sometimes amplify stress, I believe that it helped me be a better lawyer (and hopefully a better teacher). It gave me a method and space to listen and observe.  After meditation, I was amazed at what I heard and saw, and how much I had been missing.”
~Neil Leifer ’81, Adjunct Professor of Law, Northeastern University School of Law

Join us to explore how mindfulness may support you in sustaining yourself in your work and living life more fully, with greater ease and joy.

COURSE SCHEDULE

This course consists of 8 classes, each 2.5 hours, and one all day Saturday retreat.
Classes meet Wednesdays from 6:00 – 8:30pm (with one exception).

Classes: October 2, 10*, 16, 23, 30, November 6, 13, 20
*Thursday

Full-day Retreat: Saturday, November 2, 8:45am – 4:30pm

COURSE COST
Choose $300 or $565 or $725. Sliding scale pricing. Please pay more, if you can, to help support those less able to pay. Thank you.

TEACHER
This course will be taught by Brenda Fingold, JD, a certified mindfulness-based stress reduction teacher and the director of Workplace and Leadership Education at Brown University’s Mindfulness Center. She is a graduate of New York University School of Law and spent 17 years at a large Boston law firm as a litigator and then Partner Responsible for Training and Professional Development.

If you have questions or would like more information, contact the Mindfulness Center at Brown University at mindfulnesscenter@brown.edu.

Sponsored by: