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MBSR Online Course Description

This is a 100% free, teacher-led, online 8-week MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) course with weekly live sessions.

What Is MBSR?

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is an approach that incorporates mindfulness to assist people struggling with life's difficulties, demands, stresses and physical or mental challenges.

Great for beginners and advanced meditators alike. 


This MBSR course is designed to help you:

  • Respond rather than react to stress
  • Change habitual reactivity patterns
  • Cultivate self-awareness
  • Engage with life in the present moment and live more fully
  • Learn the most established secular mindfulness program


Developed by Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn in the late 1970s to help patients with chronic pain, using elements of Buddhist traditions, the purely secular program has been implemented in many fields, such as; healthy ageing, pain management, depression relapse prevention, addictive behaviours and general struggles with the challenges of life.


How is this online MBSR course structured?


The MBSR course is an eight-week workshop taught by a certified trainer, encompassing these three techniques: mindfulness meditation and mindfulness practices, body scanning and simple yoga postures/ mindful movement.

  • Each week, a live online gathering will introduce the week's central theme, mindfulness practices, group exercises, meditations, reflections, and conversations.
  • There are practices throughout the week, like daily meditation, journaling, and some reading.
  • The participants can share their experiences in the group and our MBSR forum.
  • The teacher is available for questions and guidance throughout the course.
  • The maximum group size is ten people.


"You can't stop the waves but you can learn how to surf"

MBSR won't stop the challenges of life, but it will help you navigate the ups and down more skillfully.

  • How your brain works

    Understand the brain and body, thoughts, emotions and the functions of our nervous system. Psychology and neuroscience show how it's all connected.

  • Acceptance proceeds change

    Seeing clearly and accepting where we are, allows us to take the first step. Acceptance is the solid ground from where we can act.

  • We are not our thoughts

    Our thoughts are powerful. They can support us and our journey or take over our lives. The choice is ours! Learn how to take back the steering wheel.

FAQ - Frequently asked questions about the free MBSR online course

  • Is the MBSR online course really free?

    Yes! You only need to sign up for happiness.com to attend, which is also free! The group course starting from the first of September 2021 is free. However, if you prefer a private class matching your availability, it is also available for a fee. The fee is on a sliding scale depending on your financial possibilities.

  • What is Mindfulness?

    Mindfulness is the practice of purposely bringing one's attention in the present moment without judgment, a skill one develops through meditation or other training. (Wikipedia). Jon Kabat-Zinn, the founder of the MBSR program, defines mindfulness as “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.”

  • What is the requirement for joining the free MBSR online course?

    You need to be available for all of our 8 two hour online meetings. A decent internet connection, Zoom and a webcam are important for those meetings. A free orientation meeting with the MBSR online course instructor Tine Steiß is mandatory.

  • What are the dates for the MBSR live sessions?

    The 2h MBSR live sessions happen weekly. The next course will presumably start in October. Please get in touch for enrollment and details.

MBSR course curriculum

An overview of the structure and topics of the 8 week course

Week 1: What is mindfulness? - There is more right with us than wrong

Week 2: Perception and creative responding - How we perceive the world and ourselves

Week 3: Mindfulness of the breath and the body in movement - There is both pleasure and power in being present

Week 4: Learning about our patterns of stress reactivity - Wherever you go, there you are

Week 5: Working with stress - Mindful responding instead of reacting

Week 6: Stressful communications - Interpersonal Mindfulness

Week 7: Lifestyle choices - How can I best take care of myself?

Week 8: A mindful life - Keeping your mindfulness alive

Each week will start with the introduction of the topic during a live 2h online group session. There will be recordings of guided meditations, small daily practices, and additional reading material/ videos throughout the week.