Mindfulness 8-weeks in ENGLISH

Imagine what it would be like to slow down, even for a few moments, to find yourself anchored and at ease rather than racing through life in a constant state of catch-up. In our culture of relentless demands and expectations, downtime often becomes an afterthought. Many of us are left feeling like we’re losing ourselves in the noise, driven to do more and achieve more without ever stopping to breathe. And yet, in this pursuit, we often forget the most important thing: being at peace within ourselves. Mindfulness offers a path to reclaim that sense of peace, groundedness, and clarity—even in the midst of life’s most stressful moments.

Many successful people have embraced meditation as an essential part of their routine, finding that it enhances rather than diminishes their drive, focus, and resilience. Meditation doesn’t make you passive; in fact, it sharpens the mind and strengthens emotional resilience, allowing you to pursue goals with greater clarity. Consider well-known leaders who have found power in meditation: Oprah Winfrey uses it to connect deeply with her purpose and stay grounded in her many roles. Steve Jobs practiced Zen meditation for clarity and creativity. Ray Dalio, one of the world’s top hedge fund managers, credits meditation with providing him with insights and focus. Arianna Huffington turned to mindfulness to balance her intense career, especially after experiencing burnout. And European athlete Novak Djokovic uses meditation to stay calm under pressure, maintain clarity, and manage stress on and off the tennis court. These leaders show us that meditation isn’t a retreat from life’s demands but a powerful way to meet them more fully and sustainably.

Mindfulness is more than just another task on your list; it’s a shift toward nondoing, where you learn to rest in awareness rather than striving for a constant goal. Meditation isn’t about emptying your mind or achieving a perfect state of calm but developing skills that help you navigate life’s stresses with greater resilience and perspective. You may even find yourself, as so many have, able to bring your best energy to each moment without burning out.

Mindfulness offers an opportunity to slow down, tune in, and reconnect with yourself. It’s a journey of learning to live with more ease, balance, and resilience—not because of what you do but because of who you are. If you’re ready to explore what it means to live more fully, mindfulness can be the key to finding a deeper, more fulfilling experience of life.

Do you currently recognise any of the following for yourself?

• You are experiencing stress and you feel like you keep not getting everything done that still needs to be done.

• You are in your head a lot and often think about what has happened or what is going to happen; you are rarely in the now.

• You are easily distracted by your phone and your surroundings, making it harder to focus and remember.

• You mull a lot and you don't really know how you should turn your head off. You want to experience peace.

• You have doubts about everything and are less able to make choices. You are exhausted.

• You sleep badly and rarely wake up rested. This makes you irritable towards your environment.

• You have physical complaints such as fatigue, palpitations, hyperventilation, eczema, abdominal pain, headaches, back pain or frozen shoulder.

Benefits of Mindfulness

This is not just any mindfulness training, it is the official Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program as designed by Jon Kabat-Zinn. Worldwide, it is the most scientifically researched form of meditation ever. The results are astounding. Mindfulness has been proven to produce significant improvement in well-being and wellness with long-lasting effects such as:

• Improved concentration and memory

• Increased productivity and creativity

• Awareness of body: preventing escalation of tension

• Greater gentleness and self-compassion

• More intense enjoyment of small things

• Greater acceptance of disappointment and setbacks: less of a struggle and tension

• Recognising and changing automatic thinking and reaction patterns

• Being able to make more conscious choices that support health and well-being.

The program

The program consists of 8 sessions of 2.5-hour on Thursday evenings (see dates below) plus one 6-hour day of practice on a Sunday:

1. Thursday 16 January at 19.15 - 21.45

2. Thursday 23 January at 19.15 - 21.45

3. Thursday 30 January at 19.15 - 21.45

4. Thursday 6 Feb at 19.15 - 21.45

5. Thursday 13 Feb at 19.15 - 21.45

6. Thursday 20 Feb at 19.15 - 21.45

7. Thursday 6 March at 19.15 - 21.45

8. Sunday 9 March at 10.00 - 16.00 (silent retreat)

9. Thursday 13 March at 19.15 - 21.45

Each session consists of:

1. Education

2. Guided meditations (sitting meditation, body scan, walking meditation, etc.)

3. Practical mindfulness assignments

4. Sharing of experiences from the mindfulness exercises.

Rates

• For individuals: 499 euros; Can you get reimbursement from your health insurance company? See below for more info.

• Business Rate: 600 euro. When your employer covers your training:

  The business rate ensures fairness for both my clients and myself. Companies can recover the 21% Value Added Tax, which effectively reduces their cost compared to individuals, who do not receive this benefit. If both individuals and businesses paid the same rate, companies would, in effect, be getting a 21% discount—plus the tax benefits of the investment. By having separate rates, we allow both sides to benefit from these advantages fairly.

• For Refreshers €350: If you have previously done the training at Not Another Coaching Company, then you can refresh and deepen your understanding and practice with the special price of €350

This price includes:

• An individual intake interview and guidance by Gaula

• Unforgettable 8 sessions of 2.5 hours each

• A joint intensive practice day of 6 hours

• A delicious vegetarian lunch on the practice day

• A workbook full of inspiration, tips and guidance.

• A series of audio files of guided meditations

• Unlimited coffee/tea during the sessions

Health insurance companies

• Mindfulness is so effective that there are even health insurance companies that (partially) reimburse for this training. Especially this Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction training if given by a VMBN-registered trainer as is the case with this training. Check for the possibilities with your health insurance and ask if there are any additional requirement such as a referral letter from GP. One important administrative requirement is that health insurances do not pay it forward. Only after the training is finished can an invoice be issued to file for reimbursement. The date of the invoice has to be after the training.

• Employers: Check with your employer if they are willing to reimburse part or all of the cost of the training. Study budgets or other funds may be available. Stress is one of the leading causes of sick leave in the country, with one in seven employees experiencing burnout. Promoting health has become a top priority for organizations, as sick leave incurs significant costs. Mindfulness plays a key role in building resilience, supporting overall health and well-being.

Group size:

The minimum group size is 3 and the maximum is 8 people for this training. Small group so register quickly and don't miss you chance. I only give this training twice a year.

Language:

English

How it works:

When we talk about stress, the first thing that comes to mind is work stress. Yet, stress is much more than the pressure we experience at work. It is the psychological, emotional and physical reaction to any given unpleasant situation. It can be a conversation you've had, an expectation you want to meet, the loss of a loved one, living with uncertainty, adapting to change, etc.

Whatever the cause, there is always an inner reaction to stress. This can be observed in the body on multiple levels. It can be a stiffness in the jaws, a knot in the stomach, a frozen shoulder, back pain, eczema. Sooner or later, if stress escalates, then your immune system will be disrupted by stress. You experience anxiety, restlessness, poor sleep, irritation, sadness. In time you develop (unhealthy) patterns to deal with this stress. Habits such as emotional eating, overworking, smoking, blaming others, etc.

Whatever stress mechanism it is, stress is not approached directly. You are not aware of how your body reacts to stress and how stress is moving in your body. By ignoring or suppressing stress, it culminates and can lead to more serious symptoms such as burnout, depression, not being able to feel anything, and physical illness. By bringing attention and awareness to the experience of stress on all levels, you can bring peace to the inner struggle. You learn to turn toward stress instead of wanting to turn away from it. You bring more acceptance to all that is there. You can be with all that is, moment to moment, without judgment. This is the essence of Mindfulness.

Trainer

This MBSR training will be guided by Gaula Shehadeh. Gaula has the highest degree of certification in mindfulness (category 1) and is a VMBN-registered trainer. She has many years of intensive meditation and retreat experience from her Buddhist background. She is often described as down-to-earth, wise, gentle and with a touch of humor.

The Story of Marlies

I first met Marlies (not her real name) during the intake. She sat across from me, her shoulders slightly hunched, her eyes revealing how tired she was. As she talked about her work and packed schedule, her gaze occasionally drifted away, as if even talking about the busyness was too much. “I feel like I’m constantly running,” she finally admitted. “I notice it at home too. I’m there, but… not really *there.*” That last part visibly struck her for a moment.

The first weeks of the training were difficult. Sitting still, breathing consciously, and practicing mindfulness felt like extra tasks that only added to her stress. One evening, after a particularly tough workday, she later told me, she wanted to quit. “I really thought, what’s the point of this? This isn’t helping at all.” But it was her partner who convinced her to keep going. *“I’ve noticed you’re less irritable lately. I think it’s actually helping,”* he remarked. That small observation gave her the courage to continue.

Gradually, a subtle shift began to occur. During a hectic day at work, she suddenly noticed her breathing—a moment when she would normally power through without pausing. “I just stopped and took three deep breaths,” she told me. “It wasn’t magical or anything, but it helped.” At home, she also found herself pausing more often, whether during cooking or a walk. Not grand epiphanies, but small moments when she could feel: *I am here, and that’s enough.*

By the end of the eight weeks, Marlies was still busy, but she had changed. She felt calmer, more grounded. “Life is still chaotic,” she said, “but I’m not swept away by it anymore.” It was that whisper of calm she couldn’t hear before, but now found more and more often. And that gave her the strength to truly move forward.

Reviews

"I have just finished Khawla's 8 week mindfulness course in English and found it such a nourishing experience each Sunday morning. It gave me the grounding I was needing. Khawla beautifully held the space for all the different experiences we were bringing into the space. I was able to build on what I already knew, and received a lot of food for thought that has been making a different in my day-to-day. The full day retreat in the middle was something particularly special. I have recommended to friends and would readily do it all over again. Thank you so much Khawla, I am grateful."

- Melissa O'Donnell -

"I took the 8-week mindfulness training with Gaula. Because I wanted to know more about what mindfulness could bring into my life and how to apply it. I was also curious how I can use it in my coaching practice when I coach people using horses. This training has made me so much more aware. It is applicable in my daily life which makes it so valuable. The lessons and Gaula's guidance were very pleasant and supportive. I got the chance to discover how to deal with unpleasantness in the body, mind and feelings. The audio exercises and the workbook are a nice addition and a good reference to have, so to understand more about what we learned in the lessons. I thoroughly enjoyed the peace and relaxation I felt during the sessions and now I know how to maintain in my daily life."

- Evelien van Os-ten Wold -

"Such a wonderful and effective training I attended in Jan/Feb 2022: the mindfulness-based stress reduction program. During the 8 weeks, through the weekly meetings and home assignments, Gaula gave me many tools, training and insights about the power of meditation. Through daily practice I learned to connect with what I feel (emotion and body) and think at any moment. In the program you learn to do the same in moments of stress, so you can break the habitual patterns and create alternative responses. It takes commitment from yourself to go through the 8 weeks, Gaula supported me enormously in this. Gaula is a special (powerful & beautiful) person, she is able to lead a group through the program from wisdom, peace and love. She inspires. I am very grateful for this experience."

- Femke Hartendorp -

Questions?

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Gaula at: info@notanother.nl or by phone 0624234694.