Coming Together During Stressful Times
8-week online group program to learn skills to manage anxiety and depression & create greater presence, peace and inner fulfillment
Monday Nights: February 10th - March 31, 2025
Online via Zoom
with Suzanne Zook-Johnston
Registered Psychotherapist (RP)
Professor - Niagara University ​
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Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is an evidence-based 8-week group program designed to help individuals manage stress, anxiety, and depression by combining mindfulness practices with cognitive behavioral techniques. Participants learn to cultivate present-moment awareness, break patterns of negative thinking, and develop greater emotional resilience.
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MBCT can help if you're experiencing any of the following:
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Symptoms of depression and/or anxiety
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Negative thoughts, stress or overwhelm
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Reactivity and trouble managing emotions
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Sadness or lack of direction
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Trouble experiencing pleasure or purpose in life
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Frustration or anger
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Benefits of MBCT:
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Greater self-awareness and presence in the moment.
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Improved ability to respond to challenges with calmness and clarity.
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Increased self-compassion and acceptance
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Tools to manage difficult emotions and reduce emotional reactivity
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Enhanced overall well-being and a more balanced outlook on life
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Decrease in negative thoughts, overwhelm and feelings of sadness
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8 online LIVE group sessions done over zoom (Monday nights, Feb 10-March 31, 6-7:30pm EST) - includes combination of teachings and practice
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Recordings of all sessions
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Weekly practice outlined for in-between calls
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Weekly handouts and program materials
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*You can have your camera on or off during group calls and participation/sharing is to your comfort level.
What's Included
The MBCT Curriculum​​
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In this 8 week online program, the following topics will be covered, along with teaching a variety of meditations and cognitive exercises:​
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Session 1: Awareness and Automatic Pilot - Becoming aware of our minds and noticing how they operate.
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Session 2: Living in Our Heads - Recognizing how our thoughts create suffering within the mind.
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Session 3: Gathering the Scattered Mind - Learning and practicing how mindfulness can help calm the scattered mind.
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Session 4: Recognizing Aversion - Identifying patterns of avoidance and resistance, how this causes suffering and learning to approach difficult emotions with curiosity.
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Session 5: Allowing/Letting Be - Developing acceptance by allowing experiences to be as they are without judgment or suppression.
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Session 6: Thoughts Are Not Facts - Exploring the nature of thoughts and learning to disengage/let go from unhelpful mental patterns.
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Session 7: How Can I Best Take Care of Myself? - Building self-compassion and creating habits that support emotional and mental well-being.
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Session 8: Maintaining and Extending New Learning - Integrating mindfulness practices into daily life to sustain growth and prevent relapse.
Registration
Reserve your spot for the February 10th start date (limited spots available):
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Date: Monday nights - February 10 - March 31, 2025
Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm EST
Location: Online via Zoom
Price: $500 CAD for the 8-week program ($63/session) ​​
Pay-in-Full or 2 payments of $250
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Receipts are provided for submission to insurance companies.
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Questions? Email suzannezookjohnston.rp@gmail.com
**No refunds available for online programs.
Your Guide
My name is Suzanne Zook-Johnston, and I am a registered psychotherapist with over 30 years of experience helping individuals navigate life's challenges, as well as emotions, body and mind. Throughout my career, I have worked with countless individuals in both one-on-one psychotherapy sessions and group settings, guiding them toward greater self-awareness, emotional well-being, and resilience, as well as improved relationships. I am passionate about using and teaching evidence-based practices like Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Brief Solution Focused Therapy (BSFT), Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS), Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). Relational Life Therapy (RLT) and Gestalt Therapy to help people manage stress, anxiety, and depression while cultivating a deeper sense of peace and fulfillment in their lives.
FAQ
Do I have to have meditation experience?
No experience is necessary. MBCT is an introductory course. We will cover the basics and many types of meditations and you will use what works for you.
What if I can't clear my mind of thoughts?
Having a busy mind is normal and this is the purpose of practice. As you practice MBCT, you will begin to develop a new relationship with your thoughts and mind.
Do I have to share a lot in the group?
Sharing is to your comfort level. It is an experiential type of group, meaning you will learn skills and do them in the group, but we do not share about childhood or stories.
Is it ok to miss sessions?
What you put into MBCT is what you will get out of it. Creating shifts within our minds and our lives requires commitment, practice and doing something differently. Clients who have the greatest shifts are often the clients that dedicate themselves to the program and attending sessions. A pre-planned trip or illness that requires missing a session is accepted and you are able to watch the session recording.