Teen Mindfulness program

Note: Registration for Fall 2018 is now closed. 2019 dates TBA

Tuesdays starting October 16th, 2018 :

The eight-week Mindful Awareness and Resilience Skills for Adolescence (MARS-A) was co-developed by Dr. Dzung Vo and Dr. Jake Locke at BC Children’s Hospital. It is a skills-based group that draws on two programs developed for adults:

1. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program for coping with pain, illness, and the demands of daily life.

2. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy that is used for coping with depressive symptoms and preventing depressive relapse.

MARS-A is a modified combination the above two programs to reflect adolescent developmental concerns.

The MARS-A program is intended for participants interested in learning skills to manage and cope with stable, non-acute depression and/or anxiety (current or prior). In addition, it is intended to for managing stress, pain, and mood symptoms related to chronic medical conditions.

Some of the goals in the program include:

Teaching skills to manage stress and pain associated with chronic medical conditions.
Help prevent relapse of depression.
Develop better self-regulation and attention control.

The group sessions will be educational and instructional in nature (i.e., not a traditional group therapy).

Criteria:

Ages 14-18.
A willingness to participate in group mindfulness practices.
A reasonable degree of motivation is required.
MARS-A is intended as a supplement, not a replacement, for standard care.

Every participant will require to have either an individual therapist (counsellor or psychologist even if not in active therapy) or a physician outside of the group. The therapist or physician needs to be available and agrees to follow-up if significant concerns or distress arises during the program.

Exclusions:

Acute/unstable depression.
Acute suicidality.
Active substance abuse.
Psychosis.
Significant cognitive/developmental disability.
Severe disruptive behaviour.

Format:

Participation in this MARS-A involves meeting for a total of nine group sessions, plus, either a FREE 60-minute group information session or a FREE 30-minute consultation with the parent or legal guardian. Here are the the breakdown of the total hours:

1. Teen and parent or legal guardian attend either an information session or a consultation session.
2. Teen attends the eight Tuesday afternoon sessions (1.5 hrs each).
3. Teen attends one Saturday afternoon session (3 hrs).

Please see detailed schedule below.

A safe environment will be created to systematically explore the use of mindfulness to deal with pain, illness, and the demands of daily life. This will include guided instructions, short lectures, and space for group sharing and questions.

The program requires a commitment to attend the sessions and engage in the daily practices given.

Location:

Centre For Mindfulness Canada
#107-3711 Delbrook Avenue
North Vancouver, BC V7N 3Z4

Note: Location is near public transit and there is also plenty of free parking available in the Delbrook Plaza and on Delbrook Avenue.

Free Consultation:

All MARS-A teen participants are required to either attend either a FREE 60-minute group information session or attend a 30-minute consultation with one parent or legal guardian. If you were not able to attend the group orientation held on October 9th, then a FREE 30-minute consultation will be scheduled prior to the start of the program.

MBSR Schedule (2018):

Session 1
Session 2
Session 3
Session 4
Session 5
Session 6
Session 7
Session 8
Session 9

Tuesday, Oct. 16
Tuesday, Oct. 23
Tuesday, Oct. 30
Tuesday, Nov. 6
Saturday, Nov. 10
Tuesday, Nov 13
Tuesday, Nov. 20
Tuesday, Nov. 27
Tuesday, Dec. 4

4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm * (Extended session on a Saturday)
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm

*Please make note of the date in asterisks as it deviates from the regular schedule.

Fee:

$350 total

Note: Please do not send a payment until you receive an e-mail confirmation of your registration status from me.

Helpful Fee Info:

I am a Registered Psychologist with the College of Psychologists of BC. Some Extended Health plans cover Psychologist Services. Otherwise, non-reimbursed Psychologist fees are tax deductible according to Canada Revenue Agency.

Payment method:

INTERAC e-Transfer (preferred), cheque, money order, or cash.

Payment procedure:

Applications will be reviewed within one business day of online submission. You will then be notified of your application status. If your application is accepted, then a $50 non-refundable payment is required to hold your seat. The balance (i.e., $300) will then be due by October 16th. Or, you can make the full payment of $350 upon confirmation of your registration.

You can also contact me if you need to make a special payment arrangement.

Refund policy:

Refunds for this MARS-A program are provided for cancellations made prior to session #1 (i.e., before October 16th, 2018), less the $50 processing fee. After that, no refunds will be issued unfortunately. Thank you for your understanding.

How to apply:

Here are the steps for registration:

1. Teen and a parent or legal guardian to fill the online registration form below.  Filling the application together can support a healthy dialogue.

2. Your application will be reviewed within one business day of your online submission. You will then be notified of your application status.

3. If you missed the group information session, then the teen and one parent or legal guardian attends a FREE 30-minute consultation.

The information below is only viewed by me (Dr. Kasim Al-Mashat) and is confidential. As a Registered Psychologist, I adhere to the highest standards of practice.

Mindful Awareness and Resilience Skills for Adolescents (MARS-A) Fall 2018