Mindfulness Based Addiction Recovery

Mindfulness Based Addiction Recovery (MBAR) is a  member of The British Association of Mindfulness-Based Approaches (BAMBA). And is a secular mindfulness-based approach promoting recovery from addiction and working positively with slips and relapses. It was developed by Dr. Paramabandhu Groves in collaboration with Valerie Mason-John. Originally influenced by the mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP),  Dr. Groves and Mason-John saw a need, based on their own research, for a focus on the aspect of recovery. MBAR was also initially based on the work of  Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression authored by Zindel Segal, Mark Williams, and John D Teasdale. They offer addiction coaching and addiction recovery coaching.

Groves and Mason-John hope that their course Mindfulness-Based Addiction Recovery will help clients focus more on their recovery. Dr. Groves has led the course at the UK National Health Service, and Breathing Space, since 2005. Valerie Mason-John has also delivered the course in the UK, Europe, Mexico, Canada, USA, and India.

Dr. Groves and Mason-John provide the Train the Trainer  a course for professionals, medical, health and addiction workers, and mindfulness teachers so they can deliver the MBAR 8-Week Course.  The next 3 day train the trainer will be in the fall of 2025 in the UK. If you would like Valerie to deliver train the trainer to your organization please write to us. Valerie Mason-John also offers the MBAR Online Course as a 4-week intensive beginning December 9th to January 4th 2024. These courses are also for people working in addiction coaching, addiction recovery coaching, and peer support.

May this MBAR program prove to be just the door you need to open, and if so, then enter, enter, enter, and give yourself over day by day, thought by thought, moment by moment to this reliable and profound form of nurturance and healing.

— An Interview with Dr. Valerie Mason-John, Kosmopolites

Mindfulness Based Addiction Recovery (MBAR) Online Course

The online course takes the essential sessions and teaches them over a period of four weeks. It is great course for people who are struggling with addiction, as well as those thinking of doing the Train the Trainer. Participate in the course on your own, at your own speed, from anywhere in the world with an Internet connection. This course provides addiction coaching and addiction recovery coaching.

How it works

Over the four weeks of the course, you will receive daily emails with pre-recorded sessions, meditations, practice sheets, coaching and inspiration. Valerie Mason-John will conduct a Zoom Call (time to be announced). There will also be a Google Community, facilitated by Valerie, where you can interact with other participants and ask questions.

Course includes

  • Daily emails
  • Access to four guided meditations
  • Access to over 12 pre-recorded sessions on aspects of addiction and recovery
  • Support, encouragement, and personal instruction in our welcoming and friendly online community

Course benefits

  • Learn to distinguish between thoughts and facts
  • Learn to distinguish between thoughts and feelings
  • Understand the vicious cycle of addiction
  • Understand early warning signs in the body
  • How to work with relapse
  • Become more aware of the body, thoughts and feelings

   Next In person Train the Trainer – June 29th to July 1st 2022 London UK

Mindfulness Based Addiction Recovery (MBAR) 8 Week Course

Mindfulness Based Addiction Recovery (MBAR) 8 Week Course is an in-person course delivered 2 to 3 hours per week over 8 consecutive weeks. Facilitators of this course can be contacted at MBAR Facilitators Worldwide. If you are unable to find a facilitator in your area, you can take the MBAR Online Course (next one starts Fall 2022). In person component June 29th – July 1st 2022 in the UK, More Info HERE This course can be done in Spanish; please contact montse@conplenaconciencia.com.

Out of 100 people who completed the course when influenced by MBRP:

  • 90% scored 13 or more on the World Health index scoring. This indicated that they showed significant improvements after they completed the course in terms feeling active, relaxed, vigorous, rested and better able to manage their recovery.
  • 68% said it was very helpful and 30% helpful in terms of how they manage their recovery.

WELCOME SESSION

We explore group expectations, ice breakers and the foundation practice of the 3 minute breathing space, AGE.

SESSION 1
Becoming Aware

We become aware of  the body, thoughts, feelings,and triggers that lead to addictive behaviour.

SESSION 2
Vicious Cycle

We look at the habitual cycle of addiction, and how we can step of the Vicious Cycle.

SESSION 3
Accepting Experience

We become aware of habitually turning away from experience with blame, self pity, distraction. We learn to be with our internal barometer, which is a host of pleasant, unpleasant and neutral feeling.

SESSION 4
Thoughts are not facts

We become aware of automatic thinking, and learn that our thoughts are not facts.

SESSION 5
Taking Care of Myself

We become aware of early warning signs in the body that alarm us that we are at risk of using, of picking up our choice of distraction. And we create an Emergency Action Plan, to help us when we are at risk.

SESSION 6
Keeping the practices going to stay on the path of recovery

We focus on recovery by reviewing what happens in a relapse. We also review things that we have learned on the course to help us keep abstinent and give us sobriety of mind.

CLOSING SESSION

This session can be helpful because endings are often a trigger that can sabotage an individuals recovery. We explore endings and encourage people to use some of the tools they have learned on the course in this session.

  • 'May this MBAR program prove to be just the door you need to open, and if so, then enter, enter, enter, and give yourself over day by day, thought by thought, moment by moment to this reliable and profound form of nurturance and healing.'

    Jon Kabat-Zinn - Founder of MBSR