Global Online Meditation Community

Join us for free weekly sessions with a welcoming global community of mindfulness practitioners. Participants include graduates of our mindfulness programs and anyone interested in exploring meditation and mindful living.

Free Meditation Sessions

During these sessions, our experienced team members provide guided meditations as well as time for reflection and discussion. The meditations are in English, and one session per week is offered in Spanish. To enjoy full functionality and to see everyone in our worldwide community, we recommend using a desktop or laptop to attend, rather than a phone or...

Registration Confirmation 3-Day Online Retreat

Thank you for registering for this 3-day retreat.

** Please check your spam/junk folders for the emails listed below if they are not in your inbox.  These emails have been sent to the email address you provided **

  • An email with the specific details for the retreat (date, time, instructor) and a Zoom meeting room link
  • An email from authorize.net with a receipt for your tuition payment

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

This evidence-based program can help break the cycle of recurring depression. It can also address the anxiety that often accompanies depression.

Developed by Zindel Segal, John Teasdale and Mark Williams, MBCT grew out of the practice and structure of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). MBCT integrates mindfulness practice with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques to help prevent depressive episodes.

Meditation and Depression

MBCT has been shown to:

  • Improve quality of life: MBCT can help participants recognize early signs of low mood and change their relationship with difficult...

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

Discover the original 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program created by Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, at UMass Memorial Medical Center in 1979. Since that time, hundreds of thousands of people all over the world have completed MBSR and taken a more active role in their self-care. MBSR has been shown to reduce stress and promote greater resilience in the midst of life’s challenges.  

MBSR is an evidence-based program that can complement traditional medical and psychological treatments, offering valuable support for a wide range of conditions. This course also serves as a foundational...

Online Mindfulness Retreats

Our 3‑day silent online retreats offer the opportunity to strengthen your mindfulness practice. These retreats can also fulfill prerequisites for individuals who are exploring teacher training. We invite you to join a supportive space for stillness, insight and mindful connection.

Experienced CFM instructors help you:

  • Deepen your mindfulness practice through extended periods of sitting and walking meditation
  • Embrace the strength of stillness in an engaging, introspective and supportive environment
  • Step away from daily routines and distractions to recharge and refresh

These retreats are open to...

Eva Tsuda

Eva Tsuda, MD

Eva Tsuda, MD

Certified MBSR Teacher

Associate Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School

Education and Training

MD, Semmelweis Medical School, Budapest, Hungary, 1976
MBSR teacher training, Center for Mindfulness, UMass Chan Medical School, 2017, 2019

Focus and Interests

  • Community mindfulness meditation sits
  • MBSR for patients living with chronic diseases
  • Role of MBSR in Public Health

Bio

Eva Tsuda completed her medical studies in her native Hungary. She has a long career in academic research in immunology and...

Ginny Wholley

Ginny Wholley

Ginny Wholley

Certified MBSR Teacher

Bio

Ginny is a certified instructor of mindfulness-based programs, qualified by the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Center for Mindfulness to instruct MBSR and certified by Brown Mindfulness Center, Brown University School of Public Health, and also a certified Kripalu yoga teacher.

Ginny has a gift for creating learning environments that foster self-exploration and discovery. She finds joy in supporting individuals and communities in their self-reflective journey and transformation.

For 20 years she has taught highly rated classes in...

Christopher Marcus

Christopher Marcus, BA

Christopher Marcus, BA

Instructional Technology Specialist

christopher.marcus@umassmemorial.org

Education

BA, Sustainable Community Development: Personal Sustainability and Wellness, Prescott College, 2017

Bio

Before coming to the Center for Mindfulness, Christopher spent much of his career working as a Wilderness Expedition Leader and Field Instructor. He facilitated outdoor group experiences with a focus on introspection, self-efficacy, and interpersonal communication. Also having a background in tech, he went on to become a Director of IT and an Outdoor Orientation Program Coordinator...

Tony Maciag

Tony Maciag, BFA

Tony Maciag, BFA

Manager, Center for Mindfulness

anthony.maciag@umassmemorial.org

Education

BFA, Media, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, 1990

Bio

Tony joined the Center for Mindfulness at UMass Chan Medical School in 2011 as an Instructional Technologist.  Previous to that he had been with the IT department at the Medical School for 12 years, beginning as a staff photographer in the Summer of 1999. His experience throughout that time offered many opportunities for growth and learning in the areas of multimedia content development, desktop support, website management, faculty and staff...

Erin Sharaf

Erin Sharaf

Erin Sharaf, MA, PA-C 

Certified MBSR Teacher

Education and Training

  • Doctoral courses in education and organizational leadership, Northeastern University MA
  • Integrative Medicine specializing in mindfulness, Lesley University
  • Graduate Certificate in Physician Associate Studies, Yale University School of Medicine
  • BA Biology, Rhode Island College
  • Certified Life Coach, Martha Beck Institute 

Mindfulness and Meditation Training:

MBSR Teacher Training, Oasis Institute, Center for Mindfulness, UMass Chan Medical School and  Brown Mindfulness Center, Brown University School of Public Health
Mindful Practice...