BMT in Brasil has been running now for over 10 years. Wow! What a journey.
We commenced this work in 2013, initially running short trainings and workshops aimed at psychologists and healthcare workers. Gradually this developed into a three module training program covering:
- The Neurocognitive Foundations for Mindfulness Teachers (with a focus on personal embodiment and the five “brainwise” principles).
- Orientation to the Body In Mind Training protocol (based on the book Mindfulness in Motion).
- Learning to teach the Body in Mind Training protocol.
More than 250 students have taken this journey with us.
Below you can see the members of our international multi-disciplinary team, and some updates about what they have been getting up to.
Dr. Tiago Tatton brings expertise from working in a range of psychological models including mindfulness. His PhD work explored the utility of the Body in Mind Training program for helping those with generalised anxiety in the public health system in Brasil.
This work demonstrated the need to apply mindfulness protocols in a flexible way to accommodate the needs of participants and meet them where they are at. In a very thoroughly controlled RCT study, it was shown that while BMT was not significantly superior to a psychoeducation intervention, it was also not significantly inferior to medication. Much like other studies of mindfulness, the mindfulness intervention often sits somewhere in the middle.
It was a tricky piece of work. Many individuals with anxiety just want it to go away, and medication can help very quickly and efficiently. This points to the need to really a) be clear with our clients/patients about what is involved when they take up a mindfulness class and b) make sure we are meeting their needs in the most efficient and kind way (which may mean NOT doing a mindfulness class). Offering choice is important.
As with many studies with mindfulness, detail is important. A second paper looked in more detail at the mechanisms of change. Here we also found results that are in line with other mindfulness studies. Changes in self-compassion and changing the inner critical voice were found to be important mechanisms.
Matheus Rhomero is a Senior BMT Teacher, having trained in the BMT method for over 10 years. His expertise in theatre and clowning helps students to dive deeper into their own bodies and minds. In his Deep Embodiment sessions, he challenges and provokes students (in a gentle way) to find their more vulnerable parts and get in contact with them.
The ability to be with our wounds is at the heart of embodied mindfulness teaching.
One of the most fun times in our training is when the students are asked to make plays about the BMT themes, or the neurocognitive model. The learning is so deep (and fun) when you put it into the body. Doing this on zoom was actually quite good as students were able to use props they had at home, add music and images and generally make it like a t.v. show! They are also quite good at making fun of the teaching team too.
Clarissa Alminhana, another Senior Teacher. She stepped back a bit over the years to dive into the experience of motherhood. She is now back with a full force – a beautiful, strong feminine energy that comes with motherhood! As the Nature Deep Embodiment Lead, Clarissa’s training in Deep Ecology brings to the students the possibility to learn and grow from, with and in nature. What’s been great to observe is that her mentoring students have such a deep and profound understanding of the real essence of mindfulness.
We are not separate from Nature. Getting to know our true nature reveals this.
Dr. Daniela Araujo is our fourth Senior Teacher. She is also on the Board of the Centre for Mindful Eating – Brasil. Trained in a variety of disciplines (narrative therapy, compassion focused therapy, anthropology), Dani is always there to remind us about the wider context of our work. The assumptions, beliefs and conditioned ways of thinking. Dani spearheaded an initiative for our training to widen access to communities that are often neglected in mindfulness teacher training – those from different social and cultural backgrounds. We offered four scholarships in 2022 to meet this intention.
2024 Our New Online Course
In 2024 we are offering the Training in the Neurocognitive Foundations via a new delivery route. The intention is to widen access to more students. Get in touch with Matheus Rhomero via Casa do Horto for details.
