Goal: To decrease the stress and increase practices of self care, parents of children with disabilities will be better prepared to advocate for their child, implement appropriate interventions for their child so the child will make optimal developmental progress. Additionally, the stress of parenting a child with disabilities often can significantly impact other life areas such as loss of employment because of the time spent navigating confusing services, divorce, siblings’ needs who are not met, etc. By practicing the stress reduction strategies that MBSR teaches it is hoped that families find their complex life more manageable.
Strategy/Target Population: MBSR is provided in a 6-week course that teaches parents to recognize and deal with stress, anxiety and depression as it appears in their bodies and minds. Techniques are taught and practiced to manage stress through breathing and daily meditation to respond thoughtfully to stressful situations these families face on a daily basis.
Accepted to the Portfolio: October 2017