One-on-one mentorship is a key component of development for new as well as experienced teachers of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). It provides the intimacy and support of a close connection with a seasoned senior teacher who serves as a guide. It offers a safe container for an open and honest exploration of discoveries, challenges, breakthroughs, insights, and possibilities that inevitably arise in the process of teaching mindfulness.
The MBPTI at UCSD has defined mentorship as:
“A contractual arrangement between a mentor and mentee which focuses on a mentee’s mindfulness-based teaching in secular (or as I prefer to say “mainstream”) settings and supports the ongoing development of personal practice. The purpose of this arrangement is to promote competency and best practice skills for teaching mindfulness in secular (or “mainstream”) settings and to encourage the relevance of applying the principles of mindfulness in everyday life.”
Mentorship is the 4th Step in the in the MBSR Certification Pathway as outlined by the UCSD Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute (MBPTI) MBSR Mentorship.
Valerie York-Zimmermann is a first-generation MBSR Teacher who trained at UMass Center for Mindfulness, UMass Medical School, while Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn was the Executive Director. She is the only Miami-Based Mentor on the UCSD Mentorship Team.