Mindfulness training programs offer structured pathways to enhance focus, reduce stress & improve overall wellbeing.
Courses range from online classes to in-person workshops, catering to various learning preferences & levels of expertise.
Engaging in mindfulness training supports personal growth & resilience, enhancing emotional regulation & mental clarity.
While mindfulness has roots in ancient contemplative practices more than 2,500 years old, the boom in secular mindfulness training began in the 1990s following the publication of Jon Kabat-Zinn’s (1990) book Full Catastrophe Living.
In 1979, Kabat-Zinn began teaching mindfulness meditation to a group of patients, a program he eventually named mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR).
By the early 2000s, mindfulness training had become a global phenomenon with a vast evidence base that continues to grow today (Churchill et al., 2010; Stynes et al., 2022).
Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our five positive psychology tools for free. These science-based, comprehensive exercises will help you cultivate a sense of inner peace throughout your daily life, and will also give you the tools to enhance the mindfulness of your clients, students, or employees.
Enrolling in a mindfulness training certification needs careful research and planning, given the boom in online courses and variety of mindfulness-based health interventions out there.
Based on my experience as a trainer, practitioner, and student spanning the last 20 years, I’ve prepared five guidelines to support your search and ensure that you choose the program that is right for you.
1. Accreditation and credibility
Checking the credibility of the organization offering mindfulness training certification is crucial. One way to do this is to check the accreditation of the training to guarantee quality and whether the certification is recognized as valid.
For example, is the program linked to an established academic or training institution? Otherwise, is the training course recognized by one of the following?
There are also bodies in other countries that manage the accreditation of mindfulness training.
2. Curriculum content
It’s always worth checking the course curriculum to ensure the training equips you with the skills needed for your chosen field. There are many mindfulness-based health interventions, and some specialize in supporting specific types of clinical populations more than others.
Some of the more standardized models supported by a rigorous scientific evidence base are MBSR and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). However, whatever model or intervention they are teaching, mindfulness training certifications should combine contemplative practice with evidence-based skills assessments to ensure rigor and effectiveness.
Check if the program requires a daily meditation practice or attendance at silent retreats. It is likely that credible programs will require both, because you can’t teach mindfulness without living it. You need to be certain you have the time and space for a daily mindfulness practice.
3. Structure, duration, and commitment
Assessing how much time it will take will tell you something about the depth and quality of what is offered. It’s worth checking the structure, for example, whether it’s modular and if there is an intensive mindfulness retreat component. Also, if you’re studying in a blended format that is both online and attendance-based, then how much flexibility is there, and how much do you need?
4. Faculty and lineage
It’s important to check out the backgrounds of the teachers leading the program and their credentials. Do they participate in regular retreats, and do they have a daily practice? Have they studied with a recognized lineage of meditation instructors?
As an example, prior to founding MBSR, Jon Kabat-Zinn practiced meditation at the Insight Meditation Center in the United States and completed retreats with meditation masters like Korean Zen Master Seung Sahn and the Vietnamese Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh. He is also a trained scientist (Kabat-Zinn, 2005).
5. Values and approach
Depending on your professional background, you may want to check if the program is trauma informed, inclusive, and culturally sensitive. Also, is there a code of ethics for teachers and practitioners that prioritizes compassion alongside mindfulness? It’s important to investigate the mission and values of the organization offering the training to ensure they align with your own.
The next sections offer introductions to mindfulness training certification programs you might find useful.
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Accredited Mindfulness Certifications & Degrees
Given the overwhelming number of mindfulness certifications available worldwide, I’ve chosen to focus on the gold standard training options that you can be sure check all the boxes mentioned above.
What is an MBSR certification?
MBSR refers to the eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction course, the original training developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn at UMass Chan Medical School in the United States. There are now many other MBSR trainings available, both in person and online.
To register for MBSR teacher training, you first need to complete an eight-week MBSR course as a participant. The UMass MBSR training is now available online. It entails establishing a daily mindfulness meditation practice using a range of techniques including breathwork, body scanning, mindful eating, and mindful walking, among others.
What is the most recognized mindfulness certification?
This depends on why you want the certification and how you intend to use it, but the most widely recognized mindfulness certifications are based on MBSR and MBCT. Both training programs are supported by a vast scientific evidence base and require participation in the eight-week program as a foundation for further training.
What qualifications do I need to teach mindfulness?
First, to teach mindfulness, you will need a consistent daily practice over one or two years that includes completing silent retreats and an eight-week foundation course. To be a great mindfulness teacher, you will need to embody your personal practice.
Next, you will need to complete a teacher training certification at an accredited institution that includes participation in teaching retreats where you will undergo supervised teaching practice with qualified mindfulness teacher trainers.
How long does it take to become a mindfulness teacher?
This again depends on the depth of the program you choose and how you want to offer your teaching. It’s practice-based, so less about racing through the required checkboxes and more about growing into the role over time. On average it will take two to three years to qualify for most people. It depends on the amount of practice you’ve already acquired before you take up teacher training.
Now that we’ve answered these common questions, let’s take a look at some of the best mindfulness teacher trainings available more widely.
3 Online Courses, Trainings & Workshops
There’s a vast number of mindfulness trainings available online. I have curated the top three providers as a sample of what’s on offer.
1. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction at UMass Memorial Health – United States
This is the online version of the original eight-week MBSR program developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn. It offers the program live via video conference, and attendance at all sessions is essential.
Participants need to make time for a daily practice of 45 to 60 minutes a day and attend a day-long class between weeks six and seven.
This is the foundational MBSR training you need to complete to establish a regular practice before taking further training to become a teacher.
2. Mindfulness Daily with Tara Brach & Jack Kornfield – United States
For those new to mindfulness meditation, Mindfulness Daily is a free 40-day online training course led by the famous meditation teachers Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield. Each 10- to 15-minute lesson includes a short talk and guided meditation to support newcomers to mindfulness meditation with establishing a meditation practice.
This online course would be an ideal “taster” introduction to try out mindfulness and see if you’d like to invest in further training. You can explore more on Mindfulness Daily.
3. The Mindfulness Project – United Kingdom
The Mindfulness Project offers online training in the foundational eight-week MBSR and MBCT courses that must be completed before applying to certified teacher training.
They also offer a range of one-off workshops. Again, course participants need to dedicate 45 to 60 minutes a day to establishing a meditation practice and attend a retreat day toward the end of the course.
You will get access to the Mindfulness Project app, which contains audio files of downloadable guided meditations to support your practice at home.
The following programs have been curated from the vast number aimed at helping professionals like practicing coaches and therapists.
1. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Teaching Certificate – Brown University – United States
The Mindfulness Center at Brown offers a tiered mindfulness program that trains participants to become MBSR instructors.
The Certificate in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Teaching is led by experienced teacher-trainers to deepen participants’ mindfulness practice and teaching skills.
You can tailor the course so that it fits around other commitments and become a qualified MBSR teacher in one or two years. Brown offers free introductory sessions to help you decide if this is right for you.
2. Breathworks Teacher Training – United Kingdom
Like Brown, Breathworks offers a range of training pathways to becoming a fully accredited mindfulness teacher in two specific approaches: MBSR and also their own approach developed by the course leaders called mindfulness-based pain and illness management.
Breathworks offers free virtual open days that permit you to browse the range of options and ask questions about the different pathways available. Find out more by visiting the Breathworks website. All Breathworks training programs are accredited by the British Association of Mindfulness-based Approaches.
3. Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program – Mindfulness Exercises – United States
This is an online teacher training program led by an impressive lineup of internationally renowned teacher trainers that promises to equip participants to “teach mindfulness — without self-doubt, fear of judgment, or imposter syndrome” (Mindfulness Exercises, n.d., para. 1).
Trainers include Dr. Gabor Maté, Byron Katie, Christopher Germer, Dr. Richie Davidson, and Susan Kaiser Greenland, among others. The program offers internationally recognized accreditation with the International Mindfulness and Meditation Alliance.
The following three mindfulness certification programs are specifically aimed at qualified teachers and educators interested in integrating mindfulness into schools and classrooms.
1. Mindfulness in Schools Project – United Kingdom
The Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP) is a global community that offers a range of short online training workshops for teachers and an intensive in-person training in the United Kingdom to become a school mindfulness lead.
The workshops offer different methods of teaching mindfulness that are targeted at specific age ranges. Read more about what’s offered at MiSP.
2. Mindfulness for Educators Certificate – Antioch University – United States
This fully online program for mindfulness training in graduate education is the only one in the United States aimed at teachers of all kinds.
Whether you work in an elementary school or a graduate school, the Mindfulness for Educators Certificate is designed to support participants in deepening their own mindfulness and compassion practices while learning how to apply them to their work as educators.
3. Mindfulness for Teachers Certificate – University of San Diego – United States
The University of San Diego’s fully online mindfulness training for teachers program is designed to engage and inspire teachers interested in developing mindfulness in schools from preschool to 12th grade.
The certificate can be earned over six months to a year by completing three courses at a pace that fits around other commitments. It includes meditation training for teachers plus mindfulness course design and evaluation methods for schools.
7 In-Person Retreats & Experiential Workshops
This carefully curated sample of seven retreat centers offers a range of mindfulness training options, as well as experiential workshops and retreats based on mindful, conscious living.
1. Spirit Rock Meditation Center – Woodacre, California, United States
Spirit Rock Meditation Center has roots in insight meditation teachings (vipassana) and offers retreats, classes, and workshops in person and online.
Programs cater to both beginners and experienced practitioners seeking an opportunity to deepen their mindfulness and meditation practice.
2. Gaia House – Devon, United Kingdom
Gaia House is situated in South Devon, England, and hosts retreats and workshops led by Buddhist meditation teachers predominantly from the insight (vipassana), loving-kindness (metta), and Zen meditation traditions.
As well as hosting courses, workshops, and retreats, Gaia House caters to long-term solitary meditators and work retreatants curious about exploring mindful living.
3. Plum Village – Dordogne, France
Plum village near Bordeaux in France was the first monastic community founded in the West by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay). Thay was a famous Vietnamese monk and peace activist who wrote some mindfulness classics, including The Miracle of Mindfulness and his Mindfulness Essentials series.
Plum Village offers a range of in-person and online retreats, including extended stays of up to three months during the traditional Buddhist “rains retreat.” The only permanent residents of Plum Village are monks and nuns, but others can volunteer in exchange for a small fee to support the monastery.
4. Blue Cliff Monastery – Pine Bush, New York, United States
This is a branch of the Plum Village global community run along the same lines and with similar facilities as the original. Blue Cliff Monastery is a mindfulness meditation center that also offers retreats and other workshops.
Thay founded monastic communities all over the world, and you can search the Plum Village Practice Centers to find the nearest if his particular approach to mindfulness appeals to you.
5. IMS Forest Refuge –Barre, Massachusetts, United States
The Forest Refuge offers retreat facilities for established practitioners of vipassana or insight meditation to go deep into their practice in total silence. It is part of the Insight Meditation Society, which has a network of mindfulness meditation centers across the United States and worldwide. Forest Refuge is specifically for committed practitioners.
6. Mindfulness Training Institute – Australia and New Zealand
For those living in Australia or New Zealand, the Mindfulness Training Institute (MTI) offers a range of certified mindfulness training programs in approaches like MBSR and MBCT, as well as workshops and silent meditation retreats. MTI has a whole range of retreat options.
7. Clear Sky Meditation Centre – Fort Steele, British Columbia, Canada
The Clear Sky Meditation Centre offers a range of mindfulness courses and workshops online and in person. They also offer a three-month live-in intensive where people learn to live mindfully in a conscious community. They also have three individual retreat cabins with valley views to support silent personal retreats.
The above are a small sample of what is available worldwide but give you some idea of what is available.
Top 17 Exercises for Mindfulness & Meditation
Use these 17 Mindfulness & Meditation Exercises [PDF] to help others build life-changing habits and enhance their wellbeing with the physical and psychological benefits of mindfulness.
In addition, for a small investment, we have a tool pack of 17 Mindfulness & Meditation Exercises available in our store if you’d like to try out our deeper mindfulness resources before committing to a further purchase.
A Take-Home Message
If you’re considering becoming a certified mindfulness teacher, then the first thing you need to do is establish a daily meditation practice. There are lots of free guided mindfulness meditations on YouTube or on one of the many mindfulness apps available.
From there, if you find mindfulness practice beneficial, you can train as a mindfulness instructor. Given the wide range of courses available, it’s best to decide on your specialist niche to help you choose the most appropriate training pathway. You could choose to teach mindfulness in a specific setting or to a certain population.
Additionally, if you know of any other mindfulness teacher training options not mentioned here, do let us know in the comments.
Mindfulness training involves practices that help individuals focus on the present moment, enhancing awareness and reducing stress.
What are the benefits of mindfulness training?
Mindfulness training can improve focus, emotional resilience, and overall wellbeing by fostering a greater connection between mind and body.
How can mindfulness training be applied in professional settings?
Professionals can integrate mindfulness into their work to enhance decision-making, reduce stress, and improve interpersonal relationships.
References
Churchill, R., Moore, T. H. M., Davies, P., Caldwell, D., Jones, H., Lewis, G., & Hunot, V. (2010). Mindfulness‐based ‘third wave’ cognitive and behavioural therapies versus treatment as usual for depression. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (9). https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD008705
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full catastrophe living. Piatkus.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (2005). Wherever you go, there you are. Hyperion.
Stynes, G., Leão, C. S., & McHugh, L. (2022). Exploring the effectiveness of mindfulness-based and third wave interventions in addressing self-stigma, shame and their impacts on psychosocial functioning: A systematic review. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 23, 174–189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2022.01.006
About the author
Jo Nash, Ph.D., began her career in mental health nursing before working as a service user advocate and in mental health policy research. After gaining her Ph.D. in Psychotherapy Studies, Jo was a Lecturer in Mental Health at the University of Sheffield for over a decade. She has trained in two mindfulness-based interventions, ACT and MBCT. Jo currently coaches neurodivergent and highly sensitive adults where she applies positive psychology using a strengths-based, solution-focused approach.
School of Positive Transformation
on November 8, 2021 at 15:53
Great article! Thank you for sharing these amazing tips about Meditation Certification. For more info about Meditation Teacher Training/ you can visit our website School of Positive Transformation
Thank you for this wonderful list. Can you please add the Mindfulness in schools project (UK) https://mindfulnessinschools.org/
They offer courses both physical and online for teachers wishing to offer mindfulness sessions in schools. They held an inspirational online conference this year & are working hard to help get mindfulness into more schools and help more young people.
Thank you for your thorough run through of all MBSR courses and workshops offered around the world. I’m a high school Spanish teacher in NJ, USA and have been incrporatig MBSR into my classes more and more as I see the stress learning and speaking a foreign language puts on my teenage students. In light of the events of this pandemic where we have moved to virtual instruction I have been researching the possibility of becoming teacher of MBSR as I feel that in the years there will be an increased need for trained teachers of this within the public school system. My question is: which programs are out there which lead to recognizable MBSR credentials and take place as an intensive summer session? I am willing to travel. Thank you very much!
Hi Siobhan,
With many organizations switching to live-online or self-paced online training, the schedules of some of the courses appear to have changed. I looks like one option may be the Mindfulness Center of Atlanta’s course, which goes for 8 weeks. But I’d suggest reaching out to the organizers to check whether their course schedule has changed (and what format it is in).
Hope this helps!
– Nicole | Community Manager
Hi
I’m an HR practicing consultant who is looking to take a break and learn about mindfulness in a workplace. Having become a true believer Meditation on an experiential level myself, of late, I believe this an answer to address work life imbalances we currently experience in our work places. I’d thus become more & more intrigued in how to incorporate this way of life in my approach to work
Hello,
Thank you for such a comprehensive list and for keeping it updated! I would like to recommend adding details about Search Inside Yourself, the mindfulness and emotional intelligence training originally born at Google and now being taught at organizations and cities around the world. You can find more details at siyli.org but I’d also be happy to answer any questions about the program. Best, Carolina
We are a small school district in Illinois. We are interested in hiring someone in the Chicago area who could facilitate a group of elementary and middle school teachers who have had some prior training in mindfulness and would like to further develop their practice. These trainings would be held on three Professional Development days during the 2018-19 school year.
Hi,
Thank you for all of this information. I am an elementary special education teacher who is looking specifically for workshops for teaching mindfulness in schools. Any suggestions?
Thank you,
Stephanie
Does anyone know of any mindfulness courses that are an accredited school program? I would like to use my GI Bill benefits but none of these courses qualify.
While mindfulness has roots in ancient contemplative practices more than 2,500 years old, the boom in secular mindfulness training began in the 1990s following the publication of Jon Kabat-Zinn’s (1990) book Full Catastrophe Living.
Mindfulness X© is a complete training package developed by the founding psychologist of PositivePsychology.com, Dr. Hugo Alberts. Based on his extensive lab-based research and mindfulness practice, it consists of the following components:
This carefully curated sample of seven retreat centers offers a range of mindfulness training options, as well as experiential workshops and retreats based on mindful, conscious living.
What our readers think
A very insightful article!
Great article! Thank you for sharing these amazing tips about Meditation Certification. For more info about Meditation Teacher Training/ you can visit our website School of Positive Transformation
Thank you for this wonderful list. Can you please add the Mindfulness in schools project (UK) https://mindfulnessinschools.org/
They offer courses both physical and online for teachers wishing to offer mindfulness sessions in schools. They held an inspirational online conference this year & are working hard to help get mindfulness into more schools and help more young people.
Hi Sabrina,
Thanks for your recommendation. I will float this past our editing team soon. 🙂
– Nicole | Community Manager
Thank you for your thorough run through of all MBSR courses and workshops offered around the world. I’m a high school Spanish teacher in NJ, USA and have been incrporatig MBSR into my classes more and more as I see the stress learning and speaking a foreign language puts on my teenage students. In light of the events of this pandemic where we have moved to virtual instruction I have been researching the possibility of becoming teacher of MBSR as I feel that in the years there will be an increased need for trained teachers of this within the public school system. My question is: which programs are out there which lead to recognizable MBSR credentials and take place as an intensive summer session? I am willing to travel. Thank you very much!
Hi Siobhan,
With many organizations switching to live-online or self-paced online training, the schedules of some of the courses appear to have changed. I looks like one option may be the Mindfulness Center of Atlanta’s course, which goes for 8 weeks. But I’d suggest reaching out to the organizers to check whether their course schedule has changed (and what format it is in).
Hope this helps!
– Nicole | Community Manager
Hi
I’m an HR practicing consultant who is looking to take a break and learn about mindfulness in a workplace. Having become a true believer Meditation on an experiential level myself, of late, I believe this an answer to address work life imbalances we currently experience in our work places. I’d thus become more & more intrigued in how to incorporate this way of life in my approach to work
I think this is a real great blog. Really thank you! Want more.
Hello,
Thank you for such a comprehensive list and for keeping it updated! I would like to recommend adding details about Search Inside Yourself, the mindfulness and emotional intelligence training originally born at Google and now being taught at organizations and cities around the world. You can find more details at siyli.org but I’d also be happy to answer any questions about the program. Best, Carolina
Hello Carolina,
Is the teachers training program in siyli.org has been stopped ?
We are a small school district in Illinois. We are interested in hiring someone in the Chicago area who could facilitate a group of elementary and middle school teachers who have had some prior training in mindfulness and would like to further develop their practice. These trainings would be held on three Professional Development days during the 2018-19 school year.
If you still have a need for a mindfulness instructor please contact me.
Try https://www.educatingmindfully.org/equity?utm_campaign=781265cb-139a-482b-a9f8-29cae7f8e036&utm_source=so&utm_medium=mail
Hi,
Thank you for all of this information. I am an elementary special education teacher who is looking specifically for workshops for teaching mindfulness in schools. Any suggestions?
Thank you,
Stephanie
Does anyone know of any mindfulness courses that are an accredited school program? I would like to use my GI Bill benefits but none of these courses qualify.