This specialist training is for mindfulness teachers currently working or interested in working with people with cancer or with a life-threatening illness.
It takes place over 5 days with nearly 2 weeks between modules, giving you the opportunity to bring what you learn into your work with clients and patients as well as within your everyday life.
Together with Christina Shennan – a highly experienced MBCT-Ca teacher, trainer and supervisor – Guest Trainer Trish Bartley will support you in an exploration of the values, practice and approach of mindfulness and cancer, based on the Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy for Cancer (MBCT-Ca) programme she developed.
The training offers you a unique opportunity to develop your skills, to be inspired, to learn and to connect with others working in psycho-oncology, cancer support, palliative care and other community, health, and education contexts.
Learning outcomes:
By the end of this training, you’ll have explored the intention, approach and unique aspects of the MBCT-Ca programme, paying particular attention to your learning around:
- Ways of adapting the core practices as they are guided for cancer participants.
- The brief practices and processes that have been created within MBCT-Ca that are highly relevant to one-to-one work and health care support.
- Ways of emphasising and working with kindness and self-compassion.
- Understanding the model that underpins MBCT-Ca and the place of the four practice movements of Intention; Coming Back; Turning Towards; and Kindness.
- How to work with the body with course participants with cancer participants and support the embodiment of the teacher and in the context of serious physical illness.
- Exploring the teaching implications of working with this population and how we can support ourselves as teachers.
At the end of the training, you’ll receive a “Certificate of Attendance”.
What to expect on this course
Much of your learning will come from your experience of being taught the MBCT-Ca programme on the training and reflecting and discussing the rationale for what we do and why it’s important in the context of cancer and life-threatening illness.
The training includes:
- Practice
- Dialogue and inquiry in both smaller peer groups and the large group
- MBCT-Ca exercises and processes
- Discussion and reflection in small and large groups
- Teaching presentation sessions
You’ll have the opportunity to experience aspects of the programme as if you’re a participant as well as to engage in teaching the brief practices to your peers.
In order to receive a “Certificate of Attendance” at the end of the training, you’ll need to commit to 100% of online training including breakout rooms, with your camera on.
Full course dates
The training will take place over 6 days on the following dates and UK Times.
Module 1:
- Friday 21 November 2025 12:30-16:00
- Saturday 22 November 2025 08:00-16:00
- Sunday 23 November 2025 08:00-16:00
Break
Module 2:
- Thursday 05 December 2025 12:30-16:00
- Friday 06 December 2025 08:00-16:00
- Saturday 07 December 2025 08:00-13:00
Entry criteria – who can apply for this course?
You can apply for this course if you:
- Have undertaken basic foundational mindfulness teacher training.
- Are able to speak, write, and understand English to a level where you can fully take part in all parts of the training without the need for extra translation support.
- Have strong internet, the right equipment and the technical skills to join an online training programme via Zoom, with the video always on.
- Have a private indoor space where you can take part in the training without being interrupted or overheard by other people.
Please note:
This is a training designed for those who teach mindfulness. It’s not appropriate for those who have had cancer themselves and want some personal mindfulness training for their own well-being.
