What students are saying about Elaine Retholtz's MBSR courses:
I just wanted to tell you that over these past weeks I have developed a tremendous sense of admiration for you as a pedagogue. I'm a teacher and have been a school administrator for many years and so in addition to watching you as your student, I have almost intuitively been observing your style and classroom presence. I've watched your patience, your respect for your students, your timing and pacing your ability to know when to jump in and when to just sit back and let things unfold. I know you have done this for many years but that could just as much be an invitation to mediocrity as an indication of professional growth and the honing of one's craft. Just wanted to let you know that it does not go unnoticed, at least by me. - Rabbi Jay Goldmintz Ed.D
"The class moved me through probably a year's worth of emotions and trial and error in 8 weeks. Seeing that others were experiencing similar feelings helped me move through my own." - MCF
"I enrolled in the course hoping to change my reaction to stress in my everyday life. The class did that and much more. It gave me perspective and understanding - I was able to slow down and listen to myself and those around me. I hope to continue what I've been taught and incorporate MBSR going forward." - Lillian Hope
“Since learning MBSR from Elaine I’ve become more relaxed, and less easily stressed. The quality of my sleep is better, and I don’t need to sleep as many hours. I’m happier. I can concentrate for longer, notice more details, and I’m less easily distracted while doing even mundane tasks. Being more present has also helped me keep in mind the big picture. I am better at listening to my colleagues and hearing what they are really saying.Elaine is a skillful practitioner and teacher of these life-changing techniques, and I recommend her unreservedly." - Daniel Schatzman
“Using the tools I learned in the MBSR program, I'm more effective as a clinician. I don’t feel as burned out by the many stresses of working with challenging patient populations. I'm able to employ strategies to slow myself down in a chaotic moment and not react to a situation emotionally …The program has helped me to take better care of myself as well as the patients I care for.”
- Christine Donovan, RD Clinical HIV/AIDS Dietitian
I can only relate what my patients have said about your MBSR course:
"The course has been a life changing experience..."
"One of the best investments of time I have ever made"
"Elaine Retholtz is a remarkable and unforgettable teacher...”
- Martin Ehrlich M.D., M.P.H., Medical Director, Beth Israel Continuum Center for Health and Healing
"The Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program is a great success. It improved staff's satisfaction with assistance with job stress by 16 percent. It also provided my staff with a set of tools they could utilize to assist our clients. It is well worth the investment."
- Jerry Biga, VP Residential Services, Village Care of New York
"The Tri-State College of Acupuncture integrated training in MBSR with Elaine Retholtz into the first year of its MS degree Program in Acupuncture in Fall 2007. Offered as an Intensive over a weekend with a follow-up half day early in the first semester, MBSR training under Elaine's expert and gracious tutelage created an atmosphere and culture of openness and trust that has greatly altered the way in which students embrace their education. The practice of mindfulness meditation and other stress reduction techniques has enabled students new to the college and to each other to bond around a center of silence safely established by Elaine from the outset, that has served since as the still point to return to when studies, or clinical challenges, prove chaotic. The skills and respect learned in this training have transformed the culture of the college and directly benefited our clinical patients. MBSR also has become a regular practice for many students who find this a powerful tool for coping with the stresses and strains of living and studying in New York City."
- Mark D. Seem, Ph.D., L.Ac., President and Executive Director, Tri-State College of Acupuncture
“Inspiring, insightful, amazingly well trained, calming and unique. I loved that the school cares and educates about mindfulness, stress reduction and meditation. Thank you.”
- TSCA Student