9 reasons to engage in a Mindfulness Teacher Training

Has mindfulness transformed your life in a positive way and are you looking for ways to deepen the practice and pass it on to others? 

Mindfulness training programmes have attained solid ground in many areas of life: personal development, work, health, education, leadership, parenting, childbirth etc. 

As mindfulness is becoming more mainstream, there is a growing need for professionalism. While more people are starting to teach mindfulness, there is an increasing need for teachers with a solid background and certified training skills. 

Brussels Mindfulness offers a Mindfulness Teacher Training programme in 1,5 years, starting in October 2023 – with lead teacher Lot Heijke, Sandrine Rauter, Beate Trück, Yvonne Tuinte, Evelyn Rodtmann and Peter Paanacker. Completion of all parts of the programme leads to a Certificate of Competency in Teaching Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Programme (MBSR). 

Even if you are not planning to become a mindfulness teacher (yet) there are many reasons why it is an enriching experience for your personal growth and a truly nourishing gift for yourself.

Are you unsure whether this could be the right training for you? 

Here is a checklist to help you to take that decision: 

1. You want to deepen your practice and understanding of mindfulness. The training will provide you with a significant boost of your practice and increase your learning about mindfulness. You will learn about the Buddhist foundations of mindfulness, cognitive psychology and psycho-education, trauma-sensitive mindfulness, group processes, the practice of yoga, the process of inquiry and so much more. 
   
   
2. You would like to make new friends who are interested in meditation. There is something about spending 2 years with a group of like-minded meditators, sharing life lessons, struggles and learning together. Your peers will watch you grow and change and before you know it, they will become almost like family. Upon completion of the training, some of the course work groups turned into intervision groups where participants continue to support each other in their teaching practice. 
   
   
3. You are looking for a change in your life. Maybe you are searching for ways to change career or you are simply looking for new ways to live a more balanced life. This training can support you in becoming the person you would like to be and in stepping away from the daily busy load to tune into what truly matters for you. 
   
   
4. You want to increase your wellbeing and boost your mental growth. A teacher training teaches you how to listen to yourself in a deep, intuitive way so that you can take steps to feel more fulfilled and flourish in life. By listening to the different teachers, you will be inspired by their way of teaching, living and walking the talk.
   
   
5. You want to share mindfulness with others in a skilful way. The best way to share something is to learn how to teach it. Sharing mindfulness can happen in many ways: Either you would like to teach 8-week mindfulness trainings to individuals and/or companies. Or you are a coach/therapist and would like to bring mindfulness into your work with clients. It can also be that you would like to bring mindfulness into the organisation where you work in a professional way, for example by leading short meditation sessions. 
   
   
6. You want to figure out what it is that you have to offer the world. By engaging in a teacher training with other soul searchers, you will start to understand what it is that you are here to do. This isn’t something most people figure out in a lifetime. A training can be a helpful tool in becoming wiser early on in life and reap the benefits for a long time. 
   
   
7. You want to make an investment in the future of your whole self. Teacher trainings aren’t cheap, but you will not regret this experience. You will grow, learn, evolve – and you will be able to teach a mindfulness course once you have graduated and earn the fee right back. 
   
   
8. You want to be kinder to and take better care of yourself. We are often so harsh on ourselves and our constant self-criticism makes us even more exhausted. It is a radical act of love to learn to accept yourself first and to treat yourself like a good friend. By taking good care of yourself you make sure your energy bucket remains full so you can keep giving to others. The residential setting of our teacher training will help you to come to rest and to feel nourished by the practices, the sharing with like-minded people, the walks in the fields and the delicious food cooked with love by our personal cook.
   
   
9. You are looking for a new way to earn extra income. Teaching mindfulness is not only rewarding, it is also a great way to earn additional income. Not only individuals, but also more and more companies are using mindfulness to help prevent burnout and  boost resilience at the workplace. 

If some of this relates to you, you can find out more about our Teacher Training here or watch our video below:

Some feedback from former participants of the training

"When I engaged in the training I was not sure if I would like to become a mindfulness teacher. I only wanted to deepen my journey in a structured way with like-minded people. The training has given me so much more than what I was expecting. It has been transformative, enriching and given me an enormous number of tools and skills. At my work people have asked me to guide lunch-time meditation sessions and they keep on asking for more. It is such a joyful and deeply rewarding experience to provide these sessions that now I am seriously considering of giving an 8-week course."
– Course participant 

"This Teacher Training is so much more than I expected it to be. Learning about Mindfulness and MBSR is one thing. Becoming a well-equipped teacher is another and - if you ask me - essential criterium when you aspire to add value and coach people towards growth in (mindfulness) trainings. I'm happy to see this often very practical training is at the core of this. What I appreciate a lot personally is that this training is not only about the 'good news show' of mindfulness. We also spend time exploring criticism, different opinions, available research, history and future of mindfulness training." 
– Niels Piette, course participant. 

"I am so grateful that I have chosen this training. Jake is such a wonderful teacher and he really knows how to teach in a way to engage everyone. It is really fun to come to the modules and meet the other participants who have become real friends for me. The morning and evening meditation sessions are wonderful moments to deepen my practice and to come to rest. The location is a total bliss with wonderful food and its beautiful meditation hall. This will change your life for ever- in a positive direction- an absolute must if you are interested in mental growth and wellbeing!" 
– Course participant

 "The teacher training combines passion for mindfulness with a professional approach to teaching it. It strengthened my own meditation practice and gave me excellent guidance on how to practically implement an MBSR course. I would sign up straight away again!" 
– Silke Lalvani, course participant. 

"The Teacher Training programme has been one of the best learning experiences in my life. It sets very high academic standards in an environment that fosters openness, creativity and a deep human bond." 
– Elena Prokhorova, course participant.