What stops people doing an 8 week mindfulness course?

[tamsinb]

Hello! I'm a volunteer at Grow Mindfulness ... we're doing a consultation about the barriers that stop people from doing an 8 week mindfulness course. We want to help more people access the 8 week mindfulness courses like MBSR , MBCT and Mindfulness for Health. We'd love to hear your views and would like to invite you to take part in our consultation. We will use your ideas to plan our work to grow mindfulness in the UK. Come and have your say: http://www.tricider.com/brainstorming/2dZ46IWOb1R

[Gareth]

Hi Tamsin!

Thanks for your topic. I will give it some shouts from Twitter soon, to help you get some respondents.

[JonW]

I replied, quoting my teacher Nick who tells me it's difficult to attract men to the 8-week course. I was the only male in my group of ten.
On my teaching course, which has just started, there's 20 women and two men.
Surely not all men would prefer to be down the pub watching the footie than explore mindfulness?

[tamsinb]

Yes, I've noticed that too ... on my own 8 week course there was only one man. I'm observing a course at the moment and there are four which feels like quite a few but still less than half of the group. Jon, I think we might be on the same teaching course! I'm one of the 20

[JonW]

Hi Tamsin,
Indeed we are on the same teaching course.
Great to see you on here.
The male/female appeal of mindfulness intrigues me so much. In our meet-up group, I'd say there's something like a 50/50 split between men and women in terms of signing up to it, but something like 70/30 in terms of the people who turn up to the meetings.
Very curious indeed.
All best wishes,
Jon, Hove

[FeeHutch]

Maybe not understanding that there will be no test at the end of the 8 weeks, that they can't 'fail' if they don't get it straight away would help people take a chance on trying it out?

[aly4519]

For some, it's tough to make time for the course in their schedule. For others, the cost of the course (like in Massachusetts) is very expensive!

[Janknitz]

I'm in an 8 week MBSR class right now. There are about 7 men in our class of 22. It's difficult to make it to the class but it's the "homework" that's really daunting. I'm doing about 60 to 75% of the out of class work, some are doing about 50%, and a few little or none.

I knew if I waited until I really have time I'd never make it, but it's very challenging to fit it in. I'm sure that's a deterrent.

Another deterrent is cost. Since my HMO offers the class it's been reasonable at about the quarter of the cost elsewhere.