Just to say that I reluctantly (I'm not a big fan of group training) took Emily's MBSR course in the fall... I was quite surprised at how effective the training was for me with stress reduction and lowering anxiety. Emily is a fabulous teacher with a generous spirit, warmth and grace that is not often found. I would work with Emily again...gladly."
You are a remarkable counselor and woman and I just wanted to let you know that. You gave us permission to be sad and angry but you always gently turned us toward each other and nudged us closer to enable empathy and healing and feeling positive and hopeful and I thank you for that from the bottom of my heart.
Emily’s Self-Compassion Workshop made me realize just how challenging and detrimental it can be when we constantly judge and criticize ourselves for our perceived shortcomings. A key focus of the workshop was the discovery of effective tools and practices that help you recognize when your inner critic is being very harsh. These have helped me manage my own experiences in a more mindful and loving way. I can’t thank you enough Emily for this workshop. It truly has changed the way I see myself and others.
My husband and I took Emily's Mindfulness and relationships course in 2014. Throughout the workshop, Emily created a very safe and cordial environment. We both left the workshop with valuable tools and skills that have helped us communicate with less judgement and more kindness and compassion in the couple.
Personally, I found these skills to be helpful in other relationships as well, with family, friends and work colleagues. My husband also wished to express that this was his first experience in a Mindfulness or personal development workshop, and he felt immediately at ease. He thought that Emily was very welcoming of all participants regardless of their experience. I would definitely recommend this workshop. Thank you Emily!
While the course sticks to the main format designed by Kabat-Zinn, Emily adds her own unique insights and learning, making it original and refreshing while still being based on a proven method. I came away from this course with a deeper understanding of myself, and with tools to get through difficult times... and just every day! Doing the practice from week to week built up a solid experience of mindfulness practice, which made it easier to carry into my life after the course. Emily continuously stressed that we should DO the practice--though not judging us if we'd had an off week--and I think that was an extremely important aspect that merited the repetition. The consistent practice during the class was concrete proof that we could continue on our own after the class ended. I enjoyed doing this in a group where we could share our questions and felt free enough to do so without being judged. I really felt that we were on a journey together, and that by being in class, I was supporting my fellow classmates, just as they were supporting me.
Emily has truly helped me through our regular meetings, the strategies/resources that she shares with me, and the longterm support that she provides me in the healing process, which involves a great deal of personal commitment, work, and responsibility. I can personally testify to how mindfulness, self-compassion, and psychotherapy in a supportive/learning framework helps me heal in huge ways and essentially, helps me to evolve to be more myself. I have so much gratitude for this work, this practice, and so much gratitude for Emily, her practice and spirit.
This class was really pleasant. It was a nice way to start my friday mornings and got me through a difficult time. I was very satisfied with the MBSR class.
"I took the eight-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) workshop with Emily and in short, it made a huge difference in my life—both in stress reduction (read in: depression) and putting a lid on my anxiety,"
The Mindfulness and Your Relationships course gave a good overview of mindfulness practice and then focused on how we can incorporate mindfulness into our relationships. I found the exercises we practiced throughout the workshop were really concrete; Emily offered us practical tools which can be used to improve any kind of relationship. I found it helpful to review how important it is to be mindful in moments of conflict with our partners or with any other person in our life.
A quick note to thank you for your patience, devotion and respect in which you granted to everyone who comes in. You have forwarded us the gift of self-love and how to turn towards and appreciate the present moment.
By the way, my anxiety has been completely manageable since the class began 5 months ago, almost not even present anymore. It was truly a life altering experience for me, and I am deeply grateful to you (and Jon Kabat-Zinn).
I just wanted to tell you how much I've enjoyed taking the MBSR course with you. Not only have you been the perfect instructor -knowledgeable, patient, soothing and accepting - but your follow through is incredible! It's been a thoroughly enjoyable experience!
I went into the workshop without any particular expectations in mind or a problem to 'resolve'. However, when I began the mindfulness workshop & learned what it was really about, I began to see my past experiences in a new way and realized there was some unresolved emotions I needed to deal with in certain parts of my life. Mindfulness made me more present, more aware, and more attentive. I not only noticed that I had more patience in my relationships and in raising my daughter, but did so with more compassion. The key to my experience was realizing that all of this had to come from within. I first needed to be mindful to myself, in order to allow greater mindfulness towards others." ~ Y.C.
The MBSR mindfulness workshop taught by Emily has changed the rhythm of my life. I am more present with myself and others and I savour each day as a new adventure. Learning to meditate has opened a new perspective on my life path. Emily has the talent to turn us towards mindfulness through group workshops of great simplicity, sweetness and good humour.
I am very grateful to Emily for sharing her knowledge and generously bringing mindfulness in our lives by offering this course. I have tried for many years to integrate meditation into my very busy and sometimes overwhelming schedule with limited sucess. Committing to this 8 weeks course made me become engaged in the process. What made it very powerful was sharing with the group about the obstacles as well as the beautiful dicoveries along the way. Mindfulness meditation has helped me become more connected with myself and my emotions. This was a gradual process that naturally unfolded as the weeks went by. I did not feel like I made an effort to 'change myself' or 'change my life' other than putting effort into developing a regular meditation practice. But then, it was my practice that changed me in a very subtle but profound way. Feeling more connected with myself means I am more genuine with myself and others.
Also, I no longer find use for my former bad habits which served to cope with some of my difficult emotions. I have a calm, safe and simple place to go now: within myself! I hope you find this too.