A 7-week eCourse to create room to breathe in all aspects of your life.

Are you a health professional who feels that stress and overwhelm are impacting your work and health?

If you are, it’s not surprising. Not only are you expected to see patients or lead staff, but on top of that you take part in committees, do administrative tasks, work to improve patient satisfaction and safety, learn the new EMR, all while keeping up with the latest medical and nursing science.

 And you try to do it all. And be at your best.

But probably you worry. A lot. And that can cost you. Maybe in more ways than you realize.

And the statistics show it. Burnout rates among doctors and nurses is between 35%-45%. And the link between stress and medical errors,  poor decision making, compassion fatigue, and patient complaints, is undeniable. 

Not to worry! There are ways you can have greater ease, steady energy, sleep better and have more fun at work.   

It’s Mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention in a particular way. This precise way of attending to your breath, your emotions and sensations draws your attention inward. In the words of one of my nurse participants, “it’s been nothing short of life-altering.”

And her words echo the experience of thousands of individuals across the world who have incorporated mindfulness into their life and now experience less stress and more peace as a result.

Mindfulness tools gives your mind and heart the rest and balance it needs for inner steadiness, lightness and calm amidst the chaos so prevalent in health care.

It’s surprisingly easy to cultivate a mindfulness practice for yourself once you learn how and with the right support. 

Room to Breathe: Mindfulness Program for Health Professionals

 is a seven class program for nurses and other health professionals who want greater ease at work (and home).

It is an educational experience with expert guidance on transforming the negative effects of stressors inherent in health care.

Even if you are someone who knows you have a busy mind, or says, “I can’t meditate!”, through the Room to Breathe program you’ll find what others who’ve studied mindfulness found.

• More ways to respond effectively to daily demands on your time and sanity.
• Staying centered, focused and compassionate in challenging situations.
• Reducing burnout and,
• Creating environments that supports health and healing even with all the all the busyness around you.

 Learning in a group with other health care professionals is supportive. However this is not therapy. It’s an educational experience with expert guidance on transforming the negative effects of stressors inherent in health care.

Click any of the links below to jump to that place on the page:

Testimonials

FAQs

Course Value

Benefits

 

 Wondering if this is for you?

 This is what Laura found.

Mindfulness has changed my healthcare practice by helping me to stay centered on the important work I am doing. Over years of clinical management I became a too-busy distracted professional and thought my unquiet, always thinking and planning mind was helping me to get more done.  Instead I was less effective than I thought I was.  I was unaware and  impatient  when I thought I was focused and productive.  

I was surprised to find that the more I slowed down the more I got done.  Jackie’s class helped me to start a daily meditation practice and over time I realized I didn’t have to always plan and that it was ok to step back and let myself be present in the moment.  I am more appreciative, vastly less stressed and just as productive as I need to be.  Laura Showers RN, MSN Infection Preventionist/Accreditation Specialist

 

• You’re not sleeping well and when you do sleep, you don’t feel rested. 
• Your blood pressure or blood sugars are not well controlled.
• Your communication has more of an edge to it than you like.
• You’re forgetting things or double checking yourself because you don’t trust that you did remember.
• Your mood is up and down. Maybe more down than it used to be.
• Your pain flares or your digestion acts up (or slows down!) and because of this it’s hard to focus.

 

And I’m sure you’ve tried lots of things to make it all work better. I know I have.

 Check out the list below. Which do you do?

• You come in early, stay late or take work home with you. 
• You skip lunch on more days than you wish to count or eat in front of your computer. 
• Breakfast might be coffee, lunch another cup and a sweet. Not something you would recommend to others, but what can you do?
• Check your personal email, texts and FaceBook page for diversion and a sense of connection.
• At home, maybe it’s an extra glass of wine to wind down or you collapse on the couch.

 

While these might help in the short run, they don’t really solve the underlying issue.

 That’s because stress is everywhere in health care. And the only way you can have any real influence on the stress around you, is to find ways to relieve the stress within you. 

This 7 week tele-seminar course is especially designed with you, the health professional, in mind. While everyone is stressed these days, I really understand the kinds of environments and stressors you face everyday, making this program unique.

What you’ll get out of this program and developing a mindfulness practice

• Powerful breathing techniques that turn off the fight and flight response and turns on the relaxation response creating more calm, focus and ease in your day.
• Effective strategies that increase the space between your thoughts and actions transforming challenging interactions into healthy and supportive relationships.
• A special selection of home meditation practices to strengthen what you learn in class, further reducing stress, anxiety and chronic health problems.
•  Practical tools that quiet the inner critic and judge so you have more compassion for yourself and resilience for the suffering of others.
• Personal guidance from me addressing the particulars of your situation resulting in an individualized mindfulness practice that works for you.

 

 

 Have some questions? Maybe this will answer some of them: 

How do we practice meditation in tele-seminar?

Each call will be a combination of teaching the particular theme and subject for the class. We’ll have time to share successes and challenges and answer questions. And at different times during the call, I teach and guide you in mindfulness meditation practices. Wearing a headset makes this more comfortable. 

What if I’m driving and listening?

That’s ok, except for during the meditation practices. You need to focus on driving. My advice, is if you can, pull over for the duration of the meditation (not usually more than 10 minutes) or catch up and practice with the recording at a later time.

Many of the meditation practices you’ll do on your own, either with the recordings you’ll receive during the class or with the instructions provided. For example, walking meditation is something you’ll be given instructions for and then you can go and practice this on your own.  

If I miss a class, how do I make it up?

Each class is recorded and will be available to you by that evening or the next day. If you are wanting the contact hours, you’ll have to send answers to questions that relate to that particular lesson. Not a big deal, but it helps me see that you got the material. 

Is this just for nurses?

No, it’s not just for nurses. It’s for any health professional, no matter where you work. The diverse group helps each one of us develop an deeper understanding of the unique and universal stressors of each discipline. You develop more patience and compassion for the other folks you work with during and then of course, after the program ends. If you have questions if this program is right for you, please use the form below. 

What if I can’t practice every day? Will I not get my Continuing Education Contact Hours (CEs) or the benefit of the program?

I have found that people get the greatest benefit from consistent practice. However, many people find they get great results from practicing just a few times a week and by attending the calls or listening to the recordings. Everyone is unique and also differing kinds of stressors. So really you are the scientist and the experimenter of your own experience. 

For more FAQs see the bottom of this page

What some of your colleagues are saying:

I’m a calm individual who internalizes my stress. On a personal and professional level, Jackie helped me to be more aware of how I handle stress and enabled me to initiate breathing and relaxation techniques to handle that stress. I have many more restful nights since participating in the Executive Wellness Programs. P. Brown, Director of Nursing, Quality Improvement, Risk Management. 

 

Jackie makes an incredible impact on nurse’s lives. Her optimistic presentation of the deep respect and value she holds for the human spirit is truly inspiring and infectious. Her support of nurse leaders allows them to face the multiple, complex interdisciplinary issues with less stress and symptoms of burnout. Dr. S. Bowar-Ferres, Former Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, NYU Medical Center

 

 

 

Course Value

With all of the content, this course is valued over $1,000, but I want it to be very accessible to many people! So I’m offering the full 7-week course for a mere fifth of the price:

Investment in you: $227 (that’s under $5 per day!)

Are you willing to invest under $5 per day to create more ease and room to breathe in every area of your life?

The 7 week Mindfulness program is ideal for you if any of the following are true:

1. You are a health professional and you are committed to high quality patient-centered care.
2. You love what you do, but find there are days you wonder how long you can keep up with the pace. 
3. Your inner critic gets the best of you and brings you down and into doubt about the good work you are doing.
4. You’re not as focused as you want to be and you find you’re not completing your “to do” list.
5. You heard or read about the benefits of mindfulness, but think you could never learn to meditate. 
6. You used to practice a form of meditation years ago and want to get back into it.
7. You hope that what you can gain by decreasing your own stress, you can share with your patients, colleagues and staff.

 

 

Health professionals who took Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction programs with me said:

“I’m taking more mindful breaths, interrupting my racing, stress-inducing thoughts.”

“I have less annoyance at the little disturbances.”

“I am attempting to make this practice a regular part of my routine, and feel fairly confident I can do so. The practice helps me reset my focus and clear away mental “chatter” when used regularly.”

“More awareness of opportunities to help myself manage my emotional response. Using breath as way to help regulate my emotional state.”

“Trying to pause throughout the day to appreciate the positives.”

 

Questions. Click here to email your questions or call me at 206-304-7703. 

 

Here are other Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What are the course dates: The next course dates are TBA. If you are interested in the next course, please click here to email me. I would love to have a chance to speak with you and make sure I let you know when the next course dates are announced.
2. How often does it meet? It will meet weekly for 7 weeks. There is an optional bonus 1/2 day virtual retreat near the end of the program.
3. Do I have to be on the live calls to get the CEs? No, you can make this up by listening to the recording afterwards and answering some questions to make sure you get the material.
4. How long are the calls? 75 minutes
5. Is this refundable? If you are not totally satisfied with the course, you can get 50% of the cost refunded. In order to get the refund, you will have had to attend 75% of the live calls and listened to the other 25% of the recordings plus demonstration of the homework. 
6. How is confidentiality discussed and provided? At the beginning of the class we talk about confidentiality. This is an essential right and responsibility of each member as it creates the kind of environment where you feel safe to ask questions and share practice experiences.
7. Is this a religious practice? No, this is a secular practice of quieting the mind, strategies for self-reflection and methods that suit your own faith, if you have one.
8. Do I need to be a Buddhist? No. Buddhism is the foundation for Mindfulness, but a reflective practice can be found in every faith tradition. I use Jon Kabat-Zinn’s model of teaching which is really from a scientific and secular way of working. 
9. How do you know who is on the call? The system that supports our calls provides a unique identifier for you. You will get this when you register and I can then see from my computer who is on the call.
10. What is the homework and how long will the homework take me each week? The homework required for the CEs is to post on a private (just your class) web-based forum on 6 out of the 7 homework assignments. There is also the expectation that you will begin a daily mindfulness practice of 30 -45 minutes that is guided with the mp3s you will receive when the course begins.  There is workbook that accompanies the weekly calls and chapter assigned in the book Full Catastrophe Living which is on your own. 
11. Will my work or insurance pay for this? Your work may pay for it. You can submit this webpage which has the objectives and all the information your supervisor would need to make the decision. You can ask your insurance if they will reimburse this as a wellness program. 
12. I’m anxious in groups, do I have to talk? No one has to talk in the group. But you may find after the first couple of weeks of hearing other people ask questions, you may feel more comfortable.
13. What technology do I need? For the calls you just need your phone and it would be useful/helpful if you have headphones so that while we do the meditation practices you can be hands free, and more relaxed.

 

A 7-week teleclass for nurses and other health professionals who want greater ease at work (and home).

 

Investment

Are you willing to invest under $5 per day to create more ease and room to breathe?

$227

(Additional $35 if desire 16 CEs)

The next course dates are TBA. If you are interested in the next course, please click here to email me. I would love to have a chance to speak with you and make sure I let you know when the next course dates are announced.

Questions. Click here to email your questions or call me at 206-304-7703.