A mindfulness mentor provides personalized, client-centered guidance in one-on-one or small-group settings. Rather than following a structured teaching model, mentors focus on deep listening, presence, and relational support, helping individuals integrate mindfulness into their personal and professional lives. A mentor’s role is to meet people where they are, offering tailored support for navigating life’s challenges with awareness and resilience.

A mindfulness teacher, on the other hand, is trained to lead structured meditation sessions, teach mindfulness principles, and guide groups in formal practice. Teachers focus on delivering instruction, often in a classroom, retreat, or organizational setting, helping students understand and apply mindfulness techniques.

While both roles cultivate mindfulness in others, a teacher leads and instructs, whereas a mentor supports and guides through deep personal connection and responsiveness to individual needs.

"Mentoring happens in small groups or one on one and involves building relationships and supporting people in their practice over time. The relationship and personal connection is key. The mentor actually gets to know the students and their life circumstances and can offer practices and teaching in response. So many of the skills we teach in this training are group facilitation skills, community-building skills, skills for meeting conflicts and difficult interpersonal situations. Mentoring is not about a download of teachings and techniques. Not so much the sage on the stage, but the guide on the side." - Anne Cushman

We see this training as ongoing education for MMTCP graduates. MMTCP taught you how to teach and facilitate meditation. This Mindfulness Mentor Training will teach you how to mentor people in relation to the personal circumstances of their lives.

The important understanding here is that mentoring is different from teaching, particularly in the level of intimacy and relationship established with people.

"Mentoring involves facilitating people and groups in deepening their personal practice in relation to what's happening in their specific lives, rather than offering people a whole set of  teachings, instructions, and practices that are part of a path of meditation." - Tara Brach

This online training begins on Thursday, April 10, 2025 and runs for 16-weeks until Thursday, July 31, 2025.

This training is designed for those who:
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—Have an established mindfulness or meditation practice.
—Want to support others in their journey but need structure & skills.
—Feel called to deepen their understanding of mindful mentoring.
—Are seeking expert guidance, real-world application, and community.

The Mindfulness Mentor Training is a 16-week program designed for professionals who want to integrate mindfulness into their work through one-on-one or small-group guidance. Unlike traditional mindfulness teaching, mentoring focuses on deep, personalized connections—cultivating presence, active listening, and responsiveness to each client’s unique life circumstances.

This program is ideal for coaches, therapists, social workers, meditation and yoga teachers, educators, activists, and other professionals in client-centered roles. You’ll learn to navigate sensitive topics, create a conscious relational field, and provide transformative, personalized support—empowering others to integrate mindfulness into their lives in meaningful ways.

Live sessions begin the week of April 7, 2025. While we strongly encourage you to attend all live sessions, we understand that life happens. You can watch the live sessions on  your own time and still qualify to graduate.  

Welcome Session with Sharon Shelton
Thursday, April 10 @ 10:00-11:30am am PT (90 min)

Module 1: Introduction to Mentoring with Sharon Shelton
Wednesday, April 24 @ 11:00 am-12:30pm PT (90 min)

Module 2: Group Structure & Process with La Sarmiento
Wednesday, May 7 @ 10:00 am-11:30am PT (90 min)

Module 3: Themes and Content with Tara Brach
Tuesday, May 20 @ 9:00-10:30 am PT (90 min)

Module 4: Skillful Responses & Individual Challenges with Jack Kornfield
Thursday, June 5 @ 9:00-10:30 am PT (90 min)

Module 5: Working with Group Challenges & Controversial Issues with Tara Brach
Tuesday, June 24 @ 9:00-10:30 am PT (90 min)

Module 6: Navigating Life with Mindfulness and Heart with Jack Kornfield
Thursday, July 3 @ 9:00-10:30 am PT (90 min)

Module 7: Mentoring as Vocation with Sharon Shelton
Monday, July 14 @ 10:00-11:30 pm PT (90 min)
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Module 8: Applied Learning Integration with Sharon Shelton
Thursday, July 31 @ 10:00-11:30am PT (90 min)‍

You’ll have regular live sessions with your teachers and fellow trainees. Some of the course work is also done on your own to allow for greater flexibility and accessibility. Self-guided content includes pre-recorded videos, audios and written/reading material.

If any of these media are not accessible to you, please let us know when you apply. We are dedicated to a diverse and equitable educational experience and we're happy to work with you to best meet your needs.

core principles of mindfulness, communication, and relational support, helping you integrate these teachings into your mentorship practice.

‍Required Books (Must have before the course begins)
These books are central to the curriculum and will be referenced throughout the program.
—Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha – Tara Brach
—The Wise Heart: A Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist Psychology – Jack Kornfield
—Mindful of Race – Ruth KingAwakening Together – Larry Yang
—The Art of Communicating – Thich Nhat Hanh
—How Can I Help? – Ram Dass & Paul Gorman
—A Clinician's Guide to Teaching Mindfulness – Christiane Wolf & J. Greg Serpa
—Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication – Oren Jay Sofer
—A Path with Heart – Jack Kornfield

‍Supplemental Readings (Recommended for further exploration)
For those looking to deepen their practice, we suggest the following additional books:
—You Belong – Sebene Selassie
—After the Ecstasy, the Laundry – Jack Kornfield
—Trusting the Gold – Tara BrachPlease read Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha – Tara Brach or A Path with Heart – Jack Kornfield before the course starts to establish a strong foundation.

How to get Your Books
Students are responsible for obtaining their books before the course begins. They can be obtained through local libraries, audiobook platforms, bookstores, online retailers, or second-hand bookshops. We recognize that acquiring all the required reading materials for the Mindfulness Mentor Training program can be a financial consideration. To support you in accessing these resources affordably, we recommend local public libraries, the Libby app, or audiobook platforms like Spotify.

The minimum requirement to qualify for your certificate of completion is:
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—Attend all live sessions. If you are unable to attend a live session, you may watch the recording but we stongly encourge you to attend all live sessions to get the full value of the experience.
—Attend one Peer Group Session per module and attend 80% of all Peer Group Sessions.
—Watch all recordings within the designated time to prepare for each live session.
—Complete all self-guided content, reading material, and exercises within the designated time to prepare for each live session.
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On average, course participants should expect to have 4-5 hours of training material—reading and video—and live sessions to attend, including Peer Group Sessions.

While there is no formal ongoing support after completing the training, we encourage Mindfulness Mentor Training graduates to continue their growth by joining our Mentorship Groups. These small, guided groups provide an opportunity to refine your mentorship skills, stay connected with like-minded peers, and deepen your personal practice. Engaging in a Mentorship Group allows you to apply what you've learned in a supportive, real-world setting while receiving continued insight from experienced teachers.

Full price is $1,499.
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We are deeply committed to equity and accessibility. To support this commitment, we offer scholarships as part of our application process. If the cost of the program presents a financial barrier, we encourage you to apply for a scholarship to ensure that financial constraints do not hinder your participation.

Refunds follow the same policy for all participants. You may request a full refund within 30 days of purchase, provided the course has not started. Once the course is accessed or begun, refunds are not available.

You should hear from us around two weeks after applying and no later than March 21, 2025.