Rebalance Life: Six-Week Mindfulness Course

Location: Wellness Centre Wollongong
Full Dates: coming soon

This course is adapted from the Mindfulness for Life program (Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy for Life, MBCT-L). The Mindfulness for Life program is an evidence-based course, developed in the light of research at the University of Oxford and other leading research centres. An original course handbook will be shared with participants.  

This is a six-week program that includes a group-based session (1 hour and 15 minutes) and home practices (10-20 minutes) each week.

The program integrates mindfulness practices and cognitive-behavioural skills, aiming to protect and promote mental health in the general population. It teaches another way of living that responds to challenges with kindness and curiosity rather than habitual patterns of thoughts and behaviours. And it also guides you in how to savour each moment and send generosity to others, which leads to a joyful and meaningful life.  

This course is not being offered as a treatment for any specific physical or psychological problems. Please do not sign up for this training if you are currently experiencing severe physical or mental health problems.

What will you learn 
In general, you can learn the following aspects through our sessions and your home practices:

Stepping out of automatic pilot and bringing awareness to daily activities that maybe overlooked.
Paying attention to the breath or another anchor that feels steady and grounded. 
De-centring personal experience and clearly noticing body sensations, thoughts, emotions, and impulses. 
Responding to suffering (e.g., stress) with compassion rather than reacting in unhelpful thinking and behavioural patterns. 

How will you learn
This is a six-week program that includes a group-based session (1 hour and 15 minutes) and home practices (10-20 minutes) each week. A printed course handbook is provided in the first session. Each session has a theme that is woven into meditation practices, cognitive exercises, and discussions:

• Session 1: Waking up from autopilot
• Session 2: Another way of being: keeping the body in mind
• Session 3: Gathering the scattered mind
• Session 4: Recognising, allowing, and responding skilfully
• Session 5: How can I best take care of myself?
• Session 6: Mindfulness for life

Home practices are explained at the end of each session. Specifically, home practices include formal meditation and informal mindfulness practices. In the next session, you are invited to share your practice experience such as delights and difficulties. Teachers will share recordings for the guided meditation practices. 

Who is it for?
This course is intended for those wishing to enhance their general physical and mental wellbeing. It is suitable for you if:

• You are new to mindfulness.
• You have tried mindfulness before – perhaps listened to an app or read a book – and you
• want to experience doing a course in a group, led by a professional teacher.
• You have done a different mindfulness course (e.g., the Introducing Mindfulness Course)
• before and would like to experience a new course.

Entry requirements

• You are eligible to attend this course if you:
• Are over 18 years old.
• Can commit to attending at least 4 of the 6 sessions.
• Do not have severe physical or mental health problems (please fill out the Pre-Course Health
• Questionnaire).

What happens after you complete the course?
The Wellness Centre provides Confirmation of Attendance letters to participants who fully attend at least 4 of the 6 sessions.
You will be invited to give feedback (not compulsory).
In the last session, you will be given information about ways to continue your mindfulness journey.

What may be the benefits:
We hope you could experience some of the following benefits through the 6-week sessions
and your home practices:

• Improved positive emotions and quality of life
• Having a stronger sense of purpose in life
• Being more self-compassionate and resilient in difficult times
• Reduced feelings of stress, depression, and anxiety.
• Less rumination and worry

What may be the challenges:
Although you may face some of the following challenges, it is important to believe that all difficulties both in this course and in life can be transformed into opportunities for growth.
You may feel strange while practising meditation. However, it is important to notice that the program is a secular mindfulness course rather than any spiritual practices.
Benefits cannot be seen immediately. It takes time for practice to reveal its potentials. That is why the program includes 8-week sessions, home practices, and a practice day. It can be challenging to stay in a group. The program is a group-based learning journey that cultivates a sense of common humanity. No one is alone to suffer.
About the Teacher
Wei Wang comes from China. She is a mindfulness practitioner and a qualified mindfulness
teacher. She enjoys practising mindfulness in the early morning. She has spent 18 months
receiving professional mindfulness teacher training at the Oxford Mindfulness Foundation.
Wei is also a PhD student studying mindfulness and elite athlete mental health at the University of Wollongong. She is looking forward to sharing mindfulness with more people.
As Thich Nhat Hanh said, “Peace is every step, we shall walk hand in hand’.
You can read her mindfulness story through this link HERE

Frequently asked questions:
What happens during sessions?
This is a 6-week program that includes 6 group-based sessions and home practices. Each session has a theme that is woven into meditation practices, cognitive exercises, and discussions.
What happens if I cannot attend all sessions?
The course unfolds from session to session. Try to attend every session. However, if you are not able to attend all sessions, please let the teacher know. She will help you catch up with what you’ve missed.
The Wellness Centre provides Confirmation of Attendance letters to participants who fully attend at least 4 of the 6 sessions.
What does home practice involve?
Home practices include formal meditation and informal mindfulness practices. Teachers will share recordings for the guided meditation practices. It can take around 20 minutes to finish all practices every day. The teacher understands that time commitment can be difficult for some participants, and thus she shares some shorter guided meditation practices (10-15
minutes). Please let the teacher know if you have any difficulties with home practice.
Is this an evidence-based mindfulness course?
Yes. The course is adapted from the Mindfulness for Life Program, which has shown some
positive mental health outcomes. A link to an academic paper
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijchp.2021.100227
The original program has been introduced to different populations worldwide such as the UK,
China, Spain, and America.
What is the difference between this course and the Mindfulness for Life course?
The Mindfulness for Life course is more intensive than this course. In order to make the Mindfulness for Life course more feasible to people who have lots of commitments to their work and family, the teacher adapts it to a shorter but still potentially effective course.
What is the difference between this course and the Introducing Mindfulness Course?
Compared to the Introducing Mindfulness Course, the course is a longer program that includes more and deeper mindfulness practices and cognitive-behavioural exercises. You begin to dive into the ocean of mindfulness.
Who is the teacher?
Wei Wang comes from China and has spent 18 months receiving mindfulness teacher training at the Oxford Mindfulness Foundation. She is a trained and qualified mindfulness teacher. Wei is also a PhD student studying mindfulness and elite athlete mental health at the UOW.

Any questions or enquires please fill out the Contact Us form below and we will reply very soon !