2 Day Advanced Mindfulness Training

Presented by Donald Altman, M.A., LPC

Thursday, November 8, 2018 – Friday, November 9, 2018  |  Calgary, ab

Date & Location

In this in-depth, two-day workshop, national mindfulness teacher and author Donald Altman will demonstrate a variety of powerful clinical tools—from grounding and attention focusing skills to metacognitive awareness and mindfulness skills—for helping clients to rewire the brain as they overcome clinical anxiety, depression, chronic pain, PTSD, addictive cravings, and stress-related symptoms. One in four Canadians will suffer from at least one anxiety disorders in their lifetime. Anxiety disorders, clinical depression and chronic pain can shatter clients lives and relationships. This highly experiential workshop utilizes practical and evidence-based mindfulness tools that radically alter clients’ habitual and conditioned reactions to these and other forms of suffering.

Drawing upon brain science and concepts from Interpersonal Neurobiology, this workshop will make brain science easy to understand for your clients. You’ll be able to clearly demonstrate for clients how they can regulate emotions and rewire their brains through practices such as focused attention, selective memory, and strengths-based storytelling. In addition, you will learn how to adapt these many tools for different populations in order to create a clear roadmap to wellness for clients. In all, this two-day training will have you returning to your practice with a comprehensive menu of transformative mindfulness tools to draw from—and that clients can use to regulate emotions and find calm.

Donald is known for creating compelling experiential and participatory trainings. Whether you are experienced in mindfulness or are new to these techniques, this special two day workshop is certain to get you enthused and excited about experiencing and using mindfulness for joy, calm, and healing in your own life, as well as in your therapy practice. You won’t want to miss out on this unique mindfulness training opportunity.

Who Should Attend

Clinical Professionals: All mental health professionals including, but not limited to Clinical Counsellors, Psychologists, Psychotherapists, Social Workers, Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Hospice and Palliative Care Workers, School Counsellors, Youth Workers, Mental Health Workers, Addiction Specialists, Marital & Family Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists, Vocational Rehabilitation Consultants and all professionals looking to enhance their therapeutic skills.

Agenda

Mindfulness & Cutting Edge Research

• Mindfulness as a metacognitive skill
• Negative effects of a wandering mind
• Breathing reduces rumination and anxiety
• Useful (and free) web resources

Introduce Mindfulness to Your Clients

Expand Your Mindfulness Vocabulary

• Help clients understand mindfulness
• Find the right metaphor
• Using clients’ learning styles
• * Practice: Getting into the Present Moment

The Power of Sense Grounding

Anxiety reduction with sense grounding

• Mindfulness for transitioning between activities
• Physical grounding method of dropping into the body
• Integrates progressive muscle relaxation
• Good for spatial, visual, hands-on learning styles
• * Practice: Palm the Present Moment

Brain Basics, Metacognition, and Interpersonal Neurobiology,

Emotional Regulation for Depression and Anxiety

• Balance the brain’s default survival mode
• Effects of cortisol on learning and immune system
• Visual Brain Model for clients
• The brain’s mindfulness module
• Train the brain for calm response and metacognition
• Navy Seals, arousal control & parasympathetic nervous system
• Heart rate variability & relaxation response
• * Practice: The Power of Breath
• Enhancing effectiveness of a breathing practice
• * Practice: Ask Clients the 3-Minute Question

The Behavioural Side of Mindfulness

Core lifestyle skills awareness training

• Sleep hygiene
• Managing sleep
• Sleep rituals and strategies
• Healthy eating/nutrition
• Caffeine, protein, neurotransmitters, and the brain
• Exercise
• Manage Technology
• How weapons of mass distraction may be rewiring the brain
• * Practice: Assessment of Technology and Time
• Focus the mind (useful for ADHD)
• Integrate breath with a word/image
• * Practice: Be the Pebble

Mindful Laughter for Depression and Grief

Tools for the “terminally serious”

• Research on laughter and mood
• Biochemistry of laughter & human laughter response
• Laughter yoga and laughter in therapy
• * Practice: The Lightness of Laughter

Learning Objectives

1. Describe and define mindfulness in a broader way for the client
2. Summarize the basics lessons of Interpersonal Neurobiology and how mindfulness can rewire the brain
3. Explain the effects of stress and cortisol, and how diaphragmatic breathing turns on the parasympathetic nervous system
4. Demonstrate how to use stories as a way to shift awareness, enhance relationships, and recognize strengths
5. Use key mindful body practices that lead to better self-care and cognitive brain function
6. Describe multiple evidence-based methods for shifting attention that produce greater positive emotions moment by moment
7. Discuss the difference between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ stress, and the 4-methods for reducing stress

Your Presenter

Donald Altman, M.A., LPC

Donald Altman, M.A., LPC, was a staff writer for an EMMY-Award winning children’s television show (“The Magic Door,” CBS Chicago), won an American Medical Writer’s Association Award and has had articles appear in New Age Journal, the Los Angeles Times, and Independent Business Magazine. Donald reaches out to the professional community by serving as the vice president of The Center for Mindful Eating. Donald works extensively with mindful meditation in his own life, as well as offering these tools to others through his books and classes. He teaches mindfulness and spiritual values around the country. He is dedicated to bringing these ancient practices in tune with modern living and to invite wellness into our stress-filled lives. An avid motorcyclist, he enjoys riding his motorcycle along the beautiful Oregon coast.  Donald is a psychotherapist, award-winning writer, former Buddhist monk, teacher and an adjunct professor at Lewis and Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling. He is also a faculty member of the Interpersonal Neurobiology program at Portland State University and teaches various classes blending mindfulness and Interpersonal Neurobiology. A prolific writer whose career spans more than 25 years, Donald has authored several pioneering books on mindfulness. The Mindfulness Code was named as “One of the Best Spiritual Books of 2010.”

Testimonials

“Speaker was engaging, calm and enjoyed his style of presentation. He appeared to embody authentic mindfulness what he teaches. Thanks! “
– Edmonton, AB | December 4 – 5, 2017

“Well prepared, organized, such care and attention to materials and thoughtful in words, active presentation. So generous with materials, references, tips, books, research and with sharing all he has found helpful. Kind, attentive, grounded. He lives and practice mindfulness. All levels of professional practice skills have left with vast amount of useful materials.”
– Edmonton, AB | December 4 – 5, 2017

“Donald is a passionate and authentic speaker. He is engaging and makes the material he teaches easily to understand and implement into daily life and / or work with clients.”
– Edmonton, AB | December 4 – 5, 2017

“Donald is so knowledgeable and uses so many practices ways to teach mindfulness. It was great to experience mindfulness in this way! Thank you!”
– Edmonton, AB | December 4 – 5, 2017

“Thanks for sharing your wisdom Donald! How you organized lecture time, group sharing, videos, etc. really enhanced in being able to absorb the material/content. Thanks again, I have more tools to share with my clients.”
– Edmonton, AB | December 4 – 5, 2017

“I learned so much, and really enjoyed the 2 days. I was constantly impressed with the speaker.”
– Edmonton, AB | December 4 – 5, 2017

“This workshop will help me personally and help my clients. So helpful, so powerful.”
– Edmonton, AB | December 4 – 5, 2017

Registration & Fees