Cultivating Mindfulness for Health and Wellbeing
The Ann Arbor Center for Mindfulness (AACFM) cultivates and supports mindfulness to promote health and well-being in communities by offering classes, retreats, presentations, events, and financial scholarships and mentorships for aspiring mindfulness teachers. For more information on scholarship opportunities click here.
UPCOMING CLASSES AND RETREATS
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Embracing Winter’s Stillness: Eight on the Eights Virtual Retreat
Please join us to embrace winter’s stillness for 8 days of daily meditation sessions online via Zoom. We will meet twice daily for 30 minutes at 8:00 am and 8:00 pm from Sunday evening, Feb 1, 2026, to Sunday morning, Feb 8, 2026. The week will end with a 60-minute closing on the morning of Feb 8. Beginning and experienced meditators are welcome.
The Ann Arbor Center for Mindfulness is offering tiered pricing of $40.00, $32.50, or $25.00 for this retreat. You may choose a tier and pay according to your means.
The registration proceeds will be used to fund scholarships for mindfulness teacher training programs in underrepresented communities. If you want to make an additional donation to support this cause, it is greatly appreciated. You may donate here.
If you need financial assistance for the cost of the retreat, you may contact Mariko at mfoulk@umich.edu for more information.
A Zoom link will be sent to registrants a few days before the first session on Sunday, Feb 1, so that you may access any of the sessions. Registration will close on Sunday, Feb 1 at 9:00 pm.
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Mindfulness and Compassion for Connecting in a Fractured World Workshop
Saturday, May 9th, 2026, 10:00am – 4:00pm. Register by March 31 for discounted early bird pricing!
Join this day of learning, reflection, and practice presented by Dr. Sydney Spears, Ph.D., LCSW and Dr. Tracy Ochester, Psy.D. This workshop will be a collaborative space to discover and experience contemplative practices that foster resilience, connection, and empathy during challenging times.
In this workshop, participants will review foundational definitions of mindfulness and compassion, and engage in a variety of guided exercises designed to increase mindful awareness and compassion for themselves and others, expand their window of presence, navigate difficult emotions, and cultivate common humanity. Together, we will explore ways to actively build supportive communities and develop skills for connecting personally and collectively across adversity and differences.
All are warmly welcomed, no prior mindfulness or meditation experience is necessary. A light breakfast and lunch are included in your registration. You may select your lunch choice when completing the registration form.
We are committed to making this event accessible to those who wish to attend. If the registration price is a barrier, please contact us at info@aacfm.org to arrange a scholarship or reduced rate.
Continuing Education
The Ann Arbor Center for Mindfulness is an approved sponsor of continuing education (CE) credits by the National Association of Social Workers – Michigan Chapter. This event qualifies for 4.5 CE credits for social workers. CE credits are included as a registration option for an additional $25.00.
Event information
Location: Garrett’s in the Student Center Building at Washtenaw Community College (WCC), 4800 E. Huron River Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105.
Parking: Free parking is available on the WCC campus. Lot 4 is closest to the Student Center Building. WCC is also accessible by AAATA buses.
Speaker information
Sydney Spears, Ph.D., LCSW is a certified Mindful-Self Compassion teacher and recent Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) for the Center of Mindful Self-Compassion. She has been very dedicated to advocating for social justice for underrepresented and oppressed communities since adolescence. This work expanded during her teaching at the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare and Smith College. Practicing self-compassion and extending compassion toward human beings is very important to her equity work, psychotherapy service, educational offerings and personal mission. Sydney works as a licensed part-time clinical social worker in private practice in Missouri and Kansas. She specializes in working with survivors of many types of trauma, including traumatic grief, complicated grief, social injustice trauma, and those who have experienced relational trauma, relational violence, and relational narcissistic abuse. Consequently, she is deeply dedicated to supporting the efforts of authentic global compassion and power of humanity-based community-building.
Tracy Ochester, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist in private practice in the Kansas City Metro. She is also a Certified Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) Teacher and Mentor, a Trained Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP) and Mindful Self Compassion (MSC) and yoga teacher. She has completed Compassion Cultivation, Nonviolent Communication, Trauma Informed Yoga and Embodied Activism training, the Pachamama Game Changer Intensive for social and ecological justice, Joanna Macy’s The Work That Reconnects, and Socially Engaged Buddhism Certification through the Upaya Institute. She finds that it has been a particular joy to co-teach contemplative courses in diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging and death and dying. She believes that contemplative skills and practice are a pathway into personal and collective wellbeing.
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Deepening Your Practice with the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (6-week class)
This class will focus on supporting and reinforcing our mindfulness practice through meditations on the four foundations of mindfulness: of present moment sensations, of feeling tone (pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral), of mental events (thoughts, emotions, etc), and open awareness—of whatever arises in the present moment in this life. Cultivating each of the areas of practice can deepen and broaden our practice, expanding our awareness of the present moment to include whatever arises, giving us greater knowledge of our internal experience and greater opportunity to respond with care, kindness, and compassion.
Schedule: Saturdays, February 14 to March 21, 2:00 – 4:00 pm ET
The class will meet weekly for 2 hours for 6 weeks. It includes short talks, guided meditations, discussions, and support for daily mindfulness practices (20-30 min/day, including informal practice). The course fee is $250 (negotiable) and includes handouts and recordings of guided meditations. SW CE’s available.
All class sessions will be virtual.
Teacher: Libby Robinson, Ph.D., MSW, MPH. Certified MBSR teacher, have taught over 60 mindfulness classes, and practiced Theravadan Buddhist mindfulness since 1979.
Member: Ann Arbor Center for Mindfulness (AACFM) & Open Mindfulness Meditation (OMM)
For more information or to register, contact Libby or visit her website.
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Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) 8-Week Class
MBSR, developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn, has been found helpful in coping with stress, pain, depression, anxiety, and chronic human unhappiness. Read more about the course.
A complimentary Introduction to Mindfulness and MBSR is offered prior to the 8-week class, which includes concepts, principles, and some basic practices. It is required before the MBSR 8-Week course; exceptions are possible with prior experience and/or the teacher’s approval.
Schedule: Complimentary Orientation, Wednesday, February 18, 6:30 – 8:00 pm ET
MBSR 8-Week Classes: Wednesdays, February 25 – April 15, 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm ET
All-Day Class: Saturday, March 28, 9:00 am – 4:30 pm ETTeacher: Brenda Lindsay, CPC, PRP, CPA. MBSR teacher trained through Brown University, Certified Mindfulness Instructor from AIHCP, Certified Yoga Teacher (CYT-200), Board Member of the Ann Arbor Center for Mindfulness.
All classes and the retreat will be online. For more information or to register, contact Brenda at Brenda@mindtransformationsllc.com or visit www.mindtransformationsllc.com/upcoming-classes.
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