Mindfulness Classes
Courses At-A-Glance (scroll down for details)
Four Qualities of the Heart: Kindness, Compassion, Joy and Equanimity
July 10- 31 6:00-8:00 pm
Finding Calm in the Chaos: A Mindfulness Workshop
July 23, 5:00-6:30 pm
Mindfulness Practices for Better Sleep
August 9, 10:00-11:30 am
8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Management Course
September Multiple Days and Times
The 大象传媒 Mindfulness-based Program for Stress and Pain Management offers meditation and mind-body awareness training that will teach you to slow down, set priorities, and stay calm, focused, and relaxed during a busy life. These practices will enhance your body鈥檚 natural adaptive healing ability and cultivate the mind鈥檚 clarity and insight.
May 2025
Being Present in Today鈥檚 World
With constant change, life challenges and digital overload, take the time to develop new coping mechanisms when your 鈥渢ried and true鈥� ones may no longer be effective.
Led by: Paula Huffman, BS, RN, ERYT, Mindfulness Instructor, Mindfulness Mentor
Date: June 5th
Time: 10:00 AM -11:30 AM
Location: Virtual
Cost: $49 General Public
$30 Current 大象传媒 Wellness Center Membership
Register
July 2025
Four Qualities of the Heart: Kindness, Compassion, Joy and Equanimity
Led by: John Orr
Date: July 10,17, 24, 31 (Thursday evenings)
Time: 6:00 PM -8:00 PM
Cost: $200
During this series of classes together, we will open to these beautiful qualities of the heart, which are inherent to our being. We will also explore what seems to block us from dwelling in these sublime states of heart-mind. It is often our fears, negativity and grasping mind that blocks access. Using mindfulness practice and guided meditations focused on loving kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity, we will make contact with this loving heart, nurture it and manifest it in the many contexts of our daily lives.
Finding Calm in the Chaos: A Mindfulness Workshop
Discover ways to keep calm during moments of unpleasant and challenging events using mindfulness strategies that can be used anywhere, anytime. Learn how to manage stress so that it doesn鈥檛 manage you.
Led by: Paula Huffman, BS, RN, ERYT, Mindfulness Instructor, Mindfulness Mentor
Date: July 23rd
Time: 5:00 PM -6:30 PM
Location: 大象传媒 Wellness Center at Meadowmont
100 Sprunt St, Chapel Hill, NC 27517
Cost: $49 General Public
$30 Current 大象传媒 Wellness Center Membership
August 2025
Mindfulness Practices for Better Sleep
Having trouble falling or staying asleep? Is early morning waking a problem?聽 Learn Mindfulness practices for improving sleep quality.
Led by: Paula Huffman, BS, RN, ERYT, Mindfulness Instructor, Mindfulness Mentor
Date: August 9th
Time: 10:00 AM -11:30 AM
Location: 大象传媒 Wellness Center at Meadowmont
100 Sprunt St, Chapel Hill, NC 27517
Cost: $49 General Public
$30 Current 大象传媒 Wellness Center Membership
September 2025
Mindfulness-Based Stress Management Course: Finding Contentment and Personal Growth in the World We Live In
Led by: Paula Huffman, BS, RN, ERYT, Mindfulness Instructor, Mindfulness Mentor
Dates: Fridays September 19th – November 7th
罢颈尘别:听9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Dates: Tuesdays September 23 – November 11, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
This Mindfulness Based Stress Management course is an evidence based, educational, secular program modeled on the 8-week course as originally developed in the late 1970s at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center by Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD.
This 8-week course teaches participants the fundamentals of Mindfulness and how to cultivate coping strategies for dealing with stress and life鈥檚 daily challenges. In addition, Mindfulness is about waking up to our lives as we learn ways to pay attention on purpose, providing the opportunity to step out of Auto Pilot and live life more fully.
Why Mindfulness?
In addition to learning ways to manage both short and long term stressful life events, participants who implement the Mindfulness practices as learned in these programs often report the following:
- Ability to slow the ruminating mind and catastrophic thinking.
- Increased awareness for changing unskillful habits.
- Mitigation of the effects of chronic pain.
- Greater energy and enthusiasm for life.
- Improved self-esteem and overall personal growth.
- Sleep quality improvements.
- Management of mindless eating.
What to Expect in Each Class:
A 2-hour participatory experience that includes Instructor presentations, guided group discussions, home practice reviews and introduction to and practice of guided Mindfulness meditations. Meditation practices include the Body Scan, Gentle Yoga Movement (mind-body awareness), Seated and Walking Meditation, and Loving Kindness/Compassion meditation.
Included in this Course:
Support through the provision of extensive course reading materials, guided meditation audio tracks, and on-line supplemental resources.
Home Practice Guides
An In-Person Day of Mindfulness Retreat
Your Instructor is committed to and skilled at creating a safe, supportive, and deeply engaging environment providing unlimited email access for support throughout the program.
This challenging life-affirming course requires a solid commitment for optimal and long-lasting benefit
Cost:
$375 General Public
$350 大象传媒 Affiliate currently employed by the University or Healthcare System
$285 Participant repeating the 大象传媒 8 Week Mindfulness course within 12 months
$250 Currently enrolled 大象传媒 Undergraduate and Graduate Student
Limited scholarship support may be available
Questions:聽Email the instructor at paulah@email.unc.edu
Paula Huffman, BS, RN, ERYT
Paula has worked as a Health and Education services professional for over 40 years. Her experience in providing wellness services to both patients and students is vast. In addition, she has taught with 大象传媒鈥檚 Program on Integrative Medicine and Mindfulness program for 13 years.
Dr. Candace Epps-Robertson is an educator and writer with a PhD in Writing and Rhetoric from Syracuse University and 20 years of experience supporting writers in developing and nurturing their creative processes. A former tenured professor in English at 大象传媒 Chapel Hill, she is currently a consultant and editor with Full Circle Writing. Her research and publications explore literacy, writing, culture, and art. She brings a thoughtful, intentional approach to writing that empowers participants to embrace the writing process with awareness, curiosity, and clarity.
Christine Lathren, MD, Assistant Professor, 大象传媒 Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
John Orr
John Orr received Theravada Buddhist ordination and training for eight years while living as a monk in the 1970鈥檚 in Thailand and India. Drawing from a range of meditation and wisdom teachings, he is known for his kind understanding and nonjudgemental approach. John has been teaching meditation and leading Dharma retreats at various centers around the world since 1980. After retiring from the faculty of Duke University where he taught yoga, meditation and stress management, he now lives outside of Asheville, North Carolina.
Macy Lawrence Ratliff MS LMHC, MSC-T teacher, MMTCP credentialed mindfulness instructor
Sandra Jean Simmons, MD (retired)
Sandra was certified by the University of Massachusetts Medical School Center for Mindfulness as a Qualified MBSR Teacher in 2018. She has worked with the 大象传媒 Department of Integrative Medicine as an Adjunct Instructor leading eight week MBSR programs, including programs for research studies, since 2005.