The Institute for Mindfulness-Based Approaches, based in Germany (IMA), is a European educational institution committed to providing high-quality training for professionals in the fields of health care, mental health, education, social work, human resources and other related areas.

 We currently offer German and English-language teacher-training training programs in five European countries in mindfulness-based approaches such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). 
 Our faculty includes some of the leading researchers, teachers and innovators in the field. We also offer training seminars and retreats for professionals. Our trainings provide not only a rich field for professional development but encourage the cultivation of one´s own mindfulness practice.

Our Institute, founded in 2001, began with a teacher-training program in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, the pioneering MB-Approach developed by Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn.

In the years since 2001, the institute expanded considerably.  Our faculty has grown to 18 and hundreds of students are currently enrolled in our various programs. At the moment our largest amount of offerings are in the German-language (see www.institut-fuer-achtsamkeit.de). We also currently offer English-language trainings in Poland and Ireland.  We plan to expand our English-language trainings within Europe in the near future.

We also offer a teacher-training program in Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), founded by Professors Zindel Segal, John Teasdale and Mark J.Williams.

Our MBSR-MBCT teacher training-program is practice based and nourishing in that it asks for continued attention to one´s own mindfulness practice. The training sessions are a field not only for professional development but for deeply immersing into and teaching from one´s own experience.

We also offer mindfulness-training programs for professionals who do not have a mindfulness practice. These programs appeal to many professionals because they provide an in-depth immersion over a nine-month period where the focus is on one´s own mindfulness practice. Some professionals also take part in this program as a preparation for later taking part in our mindfulness teacher-training programs.

Our Mindfulness in Medicine and Psychotherapy continuing education training has found strong interest among professionals who are interested in integrating mindfulness into their work and into the therapeutic relationship

The IMA´s Faculty members are well-known teachers and researchers in MB-Approaches in their own countries.  All our faculty have a personal mindfulness practice extending over many years as well as extensive professional experience in the integration of mindfulness-based approaches in their respective fields.

At present, the Institute offers the following trainings:

Professional Teacher-Training Programs

in Austria, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Switzerland and Norway

in

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

Other Programs:

Mindfulness  in Psychotherapy and Medicine

Mindfulness-Training in Germany and Swizerland

--- This training will be also offered in Ireland beginning in 2012

Continuing education seminars on selected themes

Supervision for MBSR and MBCT teachers.

Retreats in Mindfulness Meditation for professionals.

The IMA is recognized as a qualified training institute by the professional teachers associations of Germany (www.mbsr-verband.de) and Switzerland (www.mbsr-verband.ch.) Graduates of the IMA’s training program may apply for membership in these professional teachers associations.

© IMA - Dr. Linda Lehrhaupt 2010