Earn up to 14 APA, NBCC, NYSED, and NY-OASAS CEs!

Counseling Services of Long Island, in collaboration with SimplyPenny, present:

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) in Practice

A 2-Day Intensive Training for Mental Health Clinicians

Immerse Yourself in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Reykjavik, Iceland

with Dr. Richard Sears, PsyD, PhD, MBA, ABPP, ACS


The Perfect Blend of Learning, Transformation and Adventure!

One easy, 4.5 hour flight away!


Imagine standing beneath the dancing glow of the Northern Lights, soaking in geothermal hot springs, and exploring Iceland’s otherworldly landscapes—waterfalls, glaciers, and volcanic fields as far as the eye can see.

Now imagine also learning one of the most evidence-based and effective mindfulness modalities for treating trauma, depression, anxiety, and more: Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), guided by internationally recognized mindfulness teacher Dr. Richard Sears, PsyD, PhD, MBA, ABPP, ACS.

It’s a rare opportunity to blend clinical mastery with personal renewal—an educational and life-enriching experience you don’t want to miss. Held in the heart of downtown Reykjavík, your training is just steps away from Iceland’s vibrant culture, cozy cafés, and breathtaking day trips into nature.

This 2-day immersive training offers a deep dive into the MBCT protocol through supervised experiential practice, live demonstrations, and hands-on learning. You’ll earn up to 14 CE hours while experiencing Iceland’s awe-inspiring natural beauty. Each day is designed to give you structured learning in a supportive environment, while also leaving time to explore Iceland—whether that means chasing waterfalls, soaking in hot springs, or simply wandering the charming streets of Reykjavík.

Mindfulness Training that Transforms Both You and Your Practice

Are your clients feeling stuck?

Do you find yourself struggling to integrate mindfulness into therapy in a way that feels practical, effective, and truly evidence-based?

You’re not alone. Many clinicians want to bring mindfulness into their work, but are left with vague teachings or techniques that don’t translate into real-world sessions.

Why This Training Works

Most workshops stop at the theory. This intensive goes further—giving you the hands-on skills and confidence you need to apply MBCT with your clients immediately:

  • Learn the full 8-Session MBCT protocol and session-by-session delivery

  • Gain experiential practice in a supportive, immersive environment

  • Leave with practical strategies for depression, anxiety, PTSD, chronic pain, addictions, and more

  • Receive guidance for diverse populations, including children

What is MBCT?

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is an evidence-based, advanced clinical application of the widely known Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program. In this 2-day training, you’ll learn how to bring MBCT into your practice with clarity and confidence—supported by both research and real-world application..

“There is no better way to learn mindfulness and MBCT than to experience it for yourself.

Richard Sears has the expertise to immerse you in these concepts and skills to improve your clinical work as well as your own self-care.”

Zindel Segal, co-founder of MBCT

RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY

Spaces are limited for this intimate, ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME, high-impact training.

Take advantage of Early Bird Pricing through October and secure your place now!

2-Day MBCT Intensive Training

Friday, January 16, 2026 (eve) - Sunday, January 18, 2026

$1299 $999  Early Bird (by 10/31/25)

Earn up to 14 APA, NBCC, NYSED, and NY-OASAS CEs!

Click here for CE Credit details.

Credit hours may vary by board and profession.

Click here for cancellation policy details.

NOTES:

Pricing listed is per person. Payment is due within 24 hours of registration. Travel insurance is mandatory.

Please note that tuition covers the training only; airfare, hotels, and other travel expenses are not included.

Please do not book air travel or accommodations until you receive notice to do so via email, as elements of the training details are being finalized and are subject to change.

MAGICAL ICELAND

Nestled in the heart of downtown Reykjavík, your training venue offers the perfect balance of modern comfort and access to Iceland’s extraordinary natural wonders. Just outside the city, you’ll find dramatic waterfalls, black sand beaches, glaciers, and steaming geothermal hot springs—landscapes that awaken awe and invite renewal.

Relax in a cozy Reykjavík café, enjoy fresh Icelandic cuisine, or take a day trip to soak in the world-famous Blue Lagoon. In the evenings, you may even catch the shimmering magic of the Northern Lights dancing across the sky.

Stimulate your mind and body—leave feeling renewed and transformed on both a personal and professional level—and empowered to integrate MBCT confidently and effectively into your clinical practice.

Your Iceland Adventure Includes:

  • Learn to integrate MBCT safely and effectively to help clients reduce trauma symptoms, depression, manage anxiety, and cultivate mindfulness

  • Multiple sessions of live demonstrations and supervised, hands-on practice

  • Education & practice hours to deepen your clinical expertise in MBCT

  • Up to 14 CE hours (APA, NBCC, NYSED, NY-OASAS), CE certificate, and course manual

  • Stunning Icelandic landscapes

  • Opportunities to explore Reykjavík and nearby natural wonders during free time

  • Comfortable, thoughtfully designed conference room in city-center

  • Access to discounted lodging for the duration of your stay

  • Free time for personal exploration, relaxation, or optional excursions**

*Airfare, airport shuttle, meals, staff gratuities, optional services, excursions, etc. NOT included.

**Additional fees/cost apply.


Please note that tuition covers the training only; airfare, hotels, and other travel expenses are not included. To make planning easier, we’ve arranged a special room block at Hilton Canopy with a discount code for participants. Details on how to book your room will be sent after you pre-register.

Please do not book air travel or accommodations until you receive notice to do so via email, as elements of the training details are being finalized and are subject to change.

Training Details

  • Location: Hilton Canopy, Reykjavík, Iceland

  • Pre-Training Welcome: Friday, January 16, 2026, 6:00 PM

  • Training Dates: Saturday, January 17 – Sunday, January 18, 2026

The MBCT Intensive will be held at the Hilton Canopy, Downtown Reykjavík, a central location that makes it easy to explore the city before or after the training.

The schedule is carefully designed to balance learning, movement, and rest, while offering opportunities for cultural enrichment and connection with like-minded professionals.

Preliminary/Sample Schedule:

  • 7:00-8:00 am: Breakfast

  • 8:00 am-9:30 am: Relaxation, Movement & Adventure (optional)

  • 9:30-1:00p Training*

  • 1:00 pm-2:30 pm: Lunch Break

  • 2:30pm-6:00 pm: Training*


*CEs are awarded during these specified times. Licensing boards require full attendance to each CE training session throughout the entire training to receive ANY credit for the entire training. Please review the training schedule carefully and plan accordingly.

Who Should Attend?

This training is intended for:

  • Psychologists

  • Mental Health Counselors

  • Social Workers

  • Marriage & Family Therapists

  • Psychotherapists

  • Addiction Counselors

  • Graduate students and trainees in mental health fields

  • Other mental health professionals seeking to integrate MBCT

2-Day MBCT Intensive Training

Friday, January 16, 2026 (eve) - Sunday, January 18, 2026

$1299 $999  Early Bird (by 10/31/25)

Earn up to 14 APA, NBCC, NYSED, and NY-OASAS CEs!

Click here for CE Credit details.

Credit hours may vary by board and profession.

Click here for cancellation policy details.

NOTES:

Pricing listed is per person. Payment is due within 24 hours of registration. Travel insurance is mandatory.

Please note that tuition covers the training only; airfare, hotels, and other travel expenses are not included.

Please do not book air travel or accommodations until you receive notice to do so via email, as elements of the training details are being finalized and are subject to change.

“Richard Sears shares his wisdom and experience by providing a complete 8-week course of MBCT. Whether you’re an experienced provider or a novice, you’ll love seeing how Dr. Sears does this.”

Ruth Baer, PhD, author of The Practicing Happiness Workbook

Cancellation Policy

From First Deposit through October 31, 2025: Cancellation results in a 50% penalty of the total purchase amount

From November 1, 2025 through Training Start Date: Cancellation results in a 100% penalty of the total purchase amount

Your MBCT Experience

Click HERE for an overview of all education objectives and CE information.


Are you, like many other frustrated clinicians, wanting to incorporate mindfulness into your therapy practice but struggling to do so? All around you there are mindfulness articles and workshops that are ineffective to give you concrete, practical skills to help your clients.

​Take action today! An emerging evidence-based approach, called Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) has proven effectiveness.

In this new experiential workshop, immerse yourself in the entire MBCT curriculum, an 8-session structured program that combines mindfulness and cognitive therapy techniques.

MBCT is evidenced-based and is an advanced clinical version of the popular Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).

​Expert trainer Dr. Richard Sears will personally guide you step by step through core competencies of MBCT with passion, humor, and wisdom from his 30 years of teaching mindfulness. He will show you proven strategies for a wide range of psychological disorders, including:​

  • PTSD

  • Anxiety

  • Chronic pain

  • Addictions

  • Depression

  • And MORE!

In this 2-day experiential intensive, you will:

  • Immerse in the 8-session MBCT curriculum guided by Dr. Richard Sears

  • Master practical mindfulness and cognitive therapy techniques for clinical work

  • Develop therapist skills through hands-on exercises and small-group practice

  • Explore proven strategies for depression, anxiety, PTSD, chronic pain, addictions, and more

Foundations & Principles of MBCT


  • Why combine Mindfulness and CBT?

  • The evidence for MBCT

  • The neurological evidence

  • Adaptation and Expansion of CBT Principles

  • Limitations of the research and potential risks

Core Techniques of MBCT

  • Mindfulness Techniques in MBCT

    • The Body Scan

    • Three-Minute Breathing Space

    • Mindful Stretching techniques

    • Daily Mindfulness techniques

    • Sitting with Difficult feelings

    • Mindful Inquiry – The Crucial Step of Processing Post-Exercise

  • CBT Practices Applied in MBCT

    • Behavioral experiments, Exposure therapy, The ABC model and thought and feeing records

    • Identifying relapse signatures

    • Relapse prevention plans

THE TRAINING WILL INCORPORATE STEP-BY-STEP GUIDED EXERCISES FOLLOWED BY MINDFUL INQUIRY.

The 8 Session MBCT Curriculum


How to Develop Awareness

  • Session 1 – Stepping out of Auto Pilot Mode

    • The difference between thinking and experiencing

    • Techniques for everyday activities

  • Session 2 – Realizing the Impact of our “Judging Mind”

    • Incorporating the ABC model for how thoughts and feelings interact

    • Noticing pleasant events and how they affect us

  • Session 3 – Bringing us to the Present Moment

    • Mindful breathing and body techniques

    • Notice unpleasant events and how we react

    • Exploring and relating differently to uncomfortable experiences

How to Be Present with Our Experiences

  • Session 4 – Staying present rather than chasing or ignoring experiences

    • Techniques to recognize aversions and work through them

    • Conscious choice versus automatic reactions

  • Session 5 – Accept and Let Things Be

    • How to recognize and let go of the wasted energy of struggling with reality

    • Exposure practice for moving through difficult experiences

  • Session 6 – Realizing Thoughts are Not Facts

    • The science of how the human brain gives distressing thoughts about their power

    • How fighting thoughts can make them worse

    • Tools for taking the power away from negative thoughts

How to Make Skillful Choices

  • Session 7 – Self-Care Plans and Avoiding Relapse

    • How daily activities affect mood

    • Catch the early warning signs

    • Activities and exercises to incorporate into daily life

  • Session 8 – Maintain and Personalize MBCT Practices

    • How to maintain client engagement

    • Adapting techniques to the client for long term success

Learn MBCT-Based Interventions for:


Trauma

  • Relating differently to intrusive thoughts and feelings

  • Memory reconsolidation to reprogram old reactions

Anxiety

  • How ruminations and worries are negatively reinforced

  • Exposure to body sensations to break through the extinction burst

  • How to utilize mindfulness even during a panic attack

Chronic Pain

  • Tease apart thoughts and reactions from physical pain

  • Create a life worth living and bringing the pain along for the ride

Stress

  • How long-term stress affects short-term crises

  • Harness the energy of the stress response

Depression

  • Urge surfing – “riding the waves” versus struggling

  • Chain analysis – find and change the causes of relapse

Children & Adolescents

  • Recognize choice points

  • The snow globe analogy for working with swirling thoughts

2-Day MBCT Intensive Training

Friday, January 16, 2026 (eve) - Sunday, January 18, 2026

$1299 $999  Early Bird (by 10/31/25)

Earn up to 14 APA, NBCC, NYSED, and NY-OASAS CEs!

Click here for CE Credit details.

Credit hours may vary by board and profession.

Click here for cancellation policy details.

NOTES:

Pricing listed is per person. Payment is due within 24 hours of registration. Travel insurance is mandatory.

Please note that tuition covers the training only; airfare, hotels, and other travel expenses are not included.

Please do not book air travel or accommodations until you receive notice to do so via email, as elements of the training details are being finalized and are subject to change.

All of this unfolds against the backdrop of Iceland’s breathtaking culture, history, and natural beauty—with the added gift of connection with like-minded mental health professionals.

Are You Ready to Learn MBCT Where Mindfulness Meets Nature?

Imagine learning mindfulness in one of the most awe-inspiring places on Earth. Iceland’s dramatic waterfalls, volcanic landscapes, and endless skies naturally invite presence and stillness—the very essence of what MBCT teaches.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to immerse yourself in MBCT with Dr. Richard Sears in Iceland. Spaces are limited, and this intimate training fills quickly.

Secure Your Spot in 3 Simple Steps:

  1. Complete the Application Form to reserve your place.

  2. Receive Your Personalized Payment Link for a secure transaction.

  3. Unlock Exclusive Discounted Hotel Options once your payment is processed.

For your peace of mind, please wait to book airfare until you receive official confirmation from us.

By following this simple process, everything is aligned and seamless, so you can fully focus on the growth, renewal, and transformation that await you in Iceland.

This isn’t just a training; it’s an unforgettable journey that nourishes both your clinical expertise and your spirit.

“Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.”

John Kabat-Zinn

MEET YOUR TRAINER

Richard W. Sears, PsyD, PhD, MBA, ABPP

Dr. Sears is a board-certified clinical psychologist, internationally recognized MBCT and MBSR teacher, and author of more than a dozen books on mindfulness and psychotherapy. Known for his engaging, practical, and compassionate teaching style, Richard will guide you step by step through the MBCT curriculum with humor, passion, and deep clinical wisdom.

Iceland Travel Guide

Weather: Iceland’s landscapes are ever-changing, and the weather can be unpredictable. Rapid shifts are normal, so pack layers and waterproof gear, and come prepared for a range of conditions.

Northern Lights: January often provides prime conditions to witness this magical phenomenon. While sightings are weather-dependent and not guaranteed, the possibility is part of the thrill of Iceland.

Activities & Excursions: Optional excursions are designed to enhance your experience but may be adjusted depending on weather. Flexibility ensures you get the best adventure possible.

Accommodations and Flights: To ensure a smooth retreat, please wait to book accommodations and flights until you receive your final training confirmation via email.

Dress & Gear: Bring thermal layers, waterproof outerwear, sturdy walking shoes or boots, and warm accessories such as hats, gloves, and scarves.

Daylight & Timing: In January, daylight is limited. Plan excursions accordingly and enjoy the unique light for reflection and photography.

Power & Connectivity: Iceland uses Type F plugs (220–240V). Bring an adapter if needed. Wi-Fi is generally available in hotels and cafés.

Cash & Cards: Credit/debit cards are widely accepted. Cash is rarely needed but can be useful for small purchases or tips.

Hydration & Snacks: Icelandic tap water is clean and drinkable. Pack snacks if you plan long excursions into nature.

Local Customs: Icelanders are friendly and value respect for nature. Follow local guidelines, especially in protected areas.

Space is limited, and Iceland is calling.

Don’t miss this rare chance to combine advanced MBCT training with the transformative power of place!

Space is limited to ensure an intimate, practice-rich experience.