On the other side of a storm is the strength that comes from having navigated through it. Raise your sail and begin.” ― Gregory S. Williams

Vallecitos is reopening! Needless to say, these have been an extremely challenging few years for many of us—from which we’re just beginning to recover. Although mindfulness offers much more than stress reduction, might some peace and tranquility be welcome right now?

This intensive residential retreat, set in the wild mountains of New Mexico, will offer calming and settling practices to soothe and heal our nervous systems. We’ll explore the stressors of this past year, making room to acknowledge and release some of the ragged, unmetabolized emotions that may have accumulated.

During our time together you will learn tools to restore balance to your heart and mind. We will study varied meditative postures, breathing practices, exploratory exercises, and both stillness and movement techniques designed to investigate challenging emotions and integrate difficult experiences.

This course provides a safe, nurturing container in which to explore these practices with colleagues. The teaching is experience-near, focusing on the development of mindfulness and compassion practices and their relevance in our work with others, including providing accurate empathy and therapeutic presence. There will be daily mindfulness meditation instruction and three to four hours of structured practice each day, plus study modules most afternoons in combination with dyadic or small group discussion. The rest of the time we will observe silence, including during meals, to facilitate a deeper contemplative experience.

We’ll discuss how to use these practices ourselves to be more present and responsive in our personal lives and clinical work, as well as how to share them with our clients to help them work creatively with the distress of the pandemic.

Let’s gather together and support one another as a community of spiritual friends. In addition to receiving mindfulness teachings, instruction, and guided meditations, this retreat will offer ample opportunities to participate in small group discussions and explore personal practice questions.

20 CEs will be offered for psychologists, social workers and mental health counselors.

CONTINUING EDUCATION

• Psychologists: The Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Institute of Meditation and Psychotherapy maintains responsibility for the program and its content. This course offers 20 hours of credit.
• Social Workers: This program is pending approval by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS for 20.0 continuing education contact hours.
• Nurses:  This program carries 20 Contact Hours and meets the specifications of the MASSACHUSETTS BOARD OF REGISTRATION OF NURSING (244 CMR).
• Licensed Mental Health Counselors: The Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy is recognized by the National Board for Certified Counselors to sponsor continuing education for National Certified Counselors. We adhere to NBCC Continuing Education Guidelines. This course is approved for 20 contact hours, Provider #6048 and is applicable for Commonwealth of Massachusetts Counseling/Allied Mental Health and PDP accreditation.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of the program, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the three core components of mindfulness practice.
2. Identify the evolutionary roots and mechanisms of compassion toward self and others.
3. Demonstrate an experiential understanding of mindfulness and compassion interventions through personal practice.
4. Specify how a therapist can best choose which mindfulness exercises are most appropriate for different arousal states.
5. Describe how to use mindful movement to release anxiety-related tension.
6. Identify how mindfulness and compassion practices can enhance emotional regulation.
7. Discuss ways to assist clients to integrate mindfulness practice in their lives, especially during uncertain times.
8. Describe the use of mindfulness and compassion practices to support parasympathetic activation and calm sympathetic activation.
9. Specify contraindications for various mindfulness and compassion practices.

We require all people who visit the land to be fully vaccinated. We will require a copy of your vaccination card prior to arrival. Vallecitos reserves the right to modify, cancel or close at any time.