Mindfulness Meditation + Sports & Positive Psychology + Neuroscience + Group Coaching = mPEAK

mPEAK (Mindfulness, Performance Enhancement, Awareness & Knowledge) is a mindfulness training program for anyone seeking to achieve personal and professional goals, as well as attain new levels of performance and success. This cutting-edge training program is built on the latest brain research on peak performance, resilience, focus, and “flow”. The mPEAK program enhances human capacity for mindfulness through established, empirically supported practices and exercises. Mindfulness is effective precisely because it is a way of being and relating to all aspects of life, rather than a specific technique or tool for a particular goal. As with physical training, this brain training program is based on the understanding that optimal outcomes most often occur when participants continue to engage in the practices and exercises daily as part of their training regimen. The foundation of this program is the highly respected, empirically supported Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program. Additionally, mPEAK incorporates elements of sports psychology and positive psychology, as well as specific exercises formulated to align with recent neuroscientific findings and related research on optimal performance.

Intended Audience

This program was specially designed for athletes, first responders, leaders, entrepreneurs, executives, musicians, dancers, and busy professionals or parents who set big goals, face consistent challenges, and stretch themselves towards excellence. mPEAK is appropriate for both beginner and seasoned mindfulness practitioners. Previous meditation experience is not necessary to participate, but can facilitate a deeper learning experience.

Objectives

• Develop greater focus and concentration

• Tap into the power of “flow states” during performance events and everyday life

• Learn to be present to the process and let go of attachment to the outcome

• Practice responding wisely to stress rather than reacting out of fear

• Develop resilience by learning how to be with emotionally difficult or physically painful experiences

• Leverage personal strengths and stretch your personal edges without giving up or burning out

• Recognize and shift from critical to compassionate inner self-talk

• Process and learn from inevitable mistakes and failures

Format

mPEAK is offered in a safe and supportive environment for exploring how we typically respond to challenges and opportunities and provides tools for becoming more adept at meeting and overcoming these obstacles to enhance performance and wellbeing. The program emphasizes enhancing attentional and emotional resources, as well as personal capacities for mindfulness and compassion.  mPEAK is offered as either a 3-Day Intensive training or as an in-person 8-Week Course (typically 2.5 hours/week). Both versions of mPEAK cover the same curriculum, but the Intensive course is better suited for those with the availability to attend all 3 days or who are unable to commit to weekly in-person sessions. Each of the eight mPEAK themes includes a new meditation, an experiential exercise, group discussion, short presentations, and home practices.

• Class 1: Intro to Mindfulness & Performance

• Class 2: Interoceptive Resilience (Recognition and regulation of the sensations of stress and performance anxiety)

• Class 3: Performance Stories (Recognition and regulation of unhelpful thinking and mind wandering)

• Class 4: Priming for Flow (Getting out of your own way, trusting your training, and performing naturally and spontaneously)

• Class 5: Working with Pain & Difficulty (Allowing physical or emotional pain rather than distracting, avoiding or repressing)

• Class 6: Your Inner Coaches (Cultivating compassionate rather than critical inner self-talk around mistakes or failure)

• Class 7: Practicing Positivity (Leveraging gratitude and personal character strengths without becoming attached or identified)

• Class 8: Living With Intention (Applying a mindful approach to goal setting)

6-Week Virtual Integration Sessions

A sustained personal practice of mindfulness is the key to deriving the full benefit of such training, and mPEAK’s primary intention is to support this practice among our graduates. Included in the cost of the 3-day intensive are six weekly 60-minute live online Zoom video sessions with your trainers to encourage continued meditation practice, the integration of the principles of mPEAK into your areas of performance, peer support, and group coaching on obstacles to practice.

Mindful Activity

The mountain is used as a metaphor and consistent theme throughout mPEAK to illustrate the path or journey we’re all on in contrast with the peak or goal to be achieved. On the weekend toward the end of the 8-week course or on the second morning of the 3-Day Intensive, participants will gain direct hiking experience as a mindfulness practice. Aligning with the spirit of the MBSR Day Long Retreat and honoring the physicality of mPEAK, the Mindful Hike is an opportunity for a more intense immersion in mindfulness practice in nature over an extended period of time.