Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

Meditation can be described as training your attention to achieve a mental state of calm concentration and positive emotions. Mindfulness is a popular meditation technique. It has two main parts: attention and acceptance. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction or MBSR, is a specific type of mindfulness meditation that was developed by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. It is one of the most widely studied mindfulness programs in the world for stress management. It is now being used to help treat a variety of illnesses such as depression, anxiety, cancer, and chronic pain. MBSR is commonly delivered over a series of weeks and often includes the following practices:

• Mindfulness Meditation involves sitting quietly, focusing on your breath, and bringing awareness to when your mind wanders, then gently returning to the present. This practice can help reduce concerns and worries about pain.
• Body Scan Meditation includes bringing attention to each part of your body from toe to head, noticing sensations, muscle tension, or discomfort without judgment. This helps shift the tendency to resist pain to simply noticing it with curiosity.
• Slow, mindful, Gentle Yoga increases flexibility, reduces tension, and restores confidence in mobility.
• In Mindful Walking you walk slowly, noticing each step, the ground beneath you, and the rhythm of movement.
• Mindful Awareness of Emotions includes practices that focus on noticing feelings connected to pain—such as frustration, sadness, or fear. Instead of pushing them away, you will learn to accept that you sometimes have pain and practice self-compassion.
• Writing and Reflection Exercises encourage MBSR participants to journal about their experiences with pain, stress, and mindfulness practices. Writing helps recognize patterns, triggers, and progress over time, encouraging self-awareness.

Decades of research have tested MBSR in people with pain, including those with fibromyalgia, arthritis, migraines, and back pain. Studies show that people practicing MBSR report less pain and improved mobility. Others report improved mood and quality of life, along with reduced stress. Brain imaging shows that mindfulness reduces reactions to pain and strengthens areas of the brain involved with self-regulation and attention, making pain feel less overwhelming. This can help people cope with the stress of living with daily pain.

MBSR doesn’t remove pain completely. Instead, it changes how you experience and relate to pain. Mindfulness trains your brain to observe pain without immediately reacting with fear or resistance. Over time, this reduces the intensity of pain perception and improves quality of life.

MBSR is safe, effective, and supported by decades of research. With regular practice, people report less pain, improved mood, and greater resilience. MBSR programs are offered in many hospitals, clinics, and community centers, as well as online. Take a look at the resources linked below that include some aspects of mindful meditation or look for a MBSR program near you.