Queer & Sober 8-Week Mindfulness Training (MBSR)
Living sober is a powerful and courageous choice, but we all know it isn't always easy.
Especially within the queer community, you may face specific challenges, such as feeling likeyou "don't belong," rejection, or insecurity and pressure in situations where the use of alcohol orother substances seems to be the norm.
You might notice that you overthink a lot in daily life and thoughts take over, that you sometimesisolate yourself, that difficult emotions overwhelm you, or that you struggle with persistentcravings or other compensatory behaviors.
When you stop numbing your feelings, you aresuddenly in full contact with everything going on inside you.
And that can easily feel like a lot.
You are absolutely not the only one who sometimes finds this overwhelming.
What is Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)?
MBSR is a scientifically proven, effective 8-week program.
Its goal is to improve your mentaland physical health by reducing stress, anxiety, depression, and other difficult emotions andthoughts.
People often think mindfulness is about 'emptying' your mind, but that is a myth. Bypracticing mindfulness, you simply become more aware of your thoughts and feelings in thepresent moment, without immediately judging them.
It is a skill, a new way of behaving.Essentially, this training helps you achieve a better quality of life by being more aware andhandling the challenges of daily life with more gentleness.
What will you learn?
During this 8-week training, we will translate theory into practice every week.
You will explorethe following themes:
● Recognizing your automatic patterns
● Exploring obstacles to reducing stress
● Respecting your boundaries
● Learning to recognize stress
● Learning to make the right choices
● Seeing through your (negative) thoughts
● Integrating mindfulness into your daily life
● Successfully applying what you have learned
The benefits for your recovery and daily life
By training these skills, you build a solid foundation that you can use in your Sober Journey, atwork, and in your relationships:
Enduring triggers and cravings: You learn to observe various behavioral impulses instead ofimmediately giving in to them ('urge surfing').
Early stress recognition: You recognize stress signals earlier and therefore know how tohandle stress better before it piles up.
Emotional stability: You can regulate your feelings better and create space between astimulus and your reaction.
Resilience: You increase your adaptability, allowing you to better handle unexpected situationsand uncertainties.
Self-compassion: You learn to look at yourself and your own process with more gentlenessand kindness.
What does the training look like?
We will meet weekly for 8 weeks in a safe, relatable, and intimate group of like-minded people(maximum 12 participants).
● When: Starting May 21st, every Thursday evening from 19:30 to 21:30 for 8 consecutiveweeks.
● Where: Amina House, Kerkstraat 393-H, Amsterdam.
● Closing: In the final week (week 8), we will hold a 6-hour (partial) silent retreat tointegrate everything you have learned. We will coordinate the exact date with the group.
● Investment: € 150,- for the entire 8-week training. (Special Q&S Rate).
● Commitment: To truly reap the benefits of this program, we ask for your commitment toattend the sessions and set aside time daily for home practice.
About the trainer
The training is given by Martijn van Eijk. Martijn is a certified mindfulness trainer, meditationteacher, and life coach. Since 2014, he has been deeply involved in meditation, consciousnessdevelopment, well-being, and spirituality. He has been sober himself since 2022.
He has gained extensive experience in Amsterdam, teaching in diverse settings: from personal1-on-1 sessions to leadership training for international companies like HSBC and Nike.
His greatpassion is providing people with insight into new possibilities and perspectives regarding theirown thoughts and well-being.
With this broad experience, he now creates a safe, sober, andsupportive space for the Queer & Sober community.
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