WE’RE LOOKING FOR EXPERIENCED MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTION INSTRUCTORS TO JOIN OUR TEAM!

Embarking on the journey to become an ESRT instructor is a rigorous and rewarding process that involves several steps:

The first step is to complete the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course, available in person and online through various sources. The University of Massachusetts offers one of the oldest and most well-respected MBSR courses. The cost of the course varies by site. You can go ahead and explore which options work best for you.

The next step is participating in an ESRT course, a five-week live-streamed remote course consisting of one-hour sessions per week. The cost of the course depends on the number of participants but is typically around $300 for the entire five-week program. You can Find out when the next ESRT course is being held and sign up by visiting our Class Schedule.

Once you have completed a five-week ESRT course, you must sign a Confidentiality and Disclosure Agreement (CDA) to receive the ESRT Instructor Manual. This manual contains the necessary information to guide aspiring instructors in delivering the course. You will review the manual using standardized study guide questions and complete pre-work submissions on key areas from the study guide before shadowing an expert ESRT instructor who will be your coach for the remainder of your training.

Coaching sessions involve shadowing a fully-trained ESRT instructor for several classes (remote or live). A post-class Q&A will follow each coaching session to discuss the course's key elements and review any critical skills. We require 5 hours of expert instructor coaching and 2.5 hours (~30/class) of Q&A participation. Coaches also send pre-course self-reflection questions highlighting elements to focus on and critical skills displayed during each class. The expert instructor coaching process costs around $3000. Please let us know if this price is prohibitive.

Next is attending an ESRT retreat or day-long intensive, where the background, research, and development of ESRT are discussed. Essential concepts of the curriculum and the essential elements of Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) are also covered. This is an opportunity to engage in coaching and group-building intensives, create a script, and slow down and engage in self-reflection while maintaining efficiency and schedule. Guidance is provided for sustainable implementation, including hurdles, pearls, and shared experience. ESRT Annual Retreats have variable dates and costs. Please inquire if you are interested in attending.

After acquiring the knowledge and skills to teach ESRT, we ask aspiring instructors to practice with family, friends, or colleagues. This lets you prepare initial teaching scripts and get a feel for teaching. We ask that you record each class you teach, then review the recordings and create a worksheet of learning areas per week. You’ll then meet with your expert instructor coach to review the recorded materials and worksheets. This process can take up to two hours. To gain further teaching experience, aspiring instructors are given the opportunity to teach strangers in a low-stakes environment. Continue meeting with an expert instructor coach weekly to discuss the recordings between classes concurrent with teaching. This review process can take up to six hours in total.

Finally, aspiring instructors can teach the target audience, join the ESRT teacher community for ongoing support and learning, and continue to grow their skills as ESRT instructors!

Anyone interested in becoming an ESRT instructor can contact Charmayne Walker at Charmayne.Walker@ucsf.edu.