Anonymous
Concern for Future Groups
The instructor I had was very disrespectful. He forced individuals to talk about traumatic situations that made the individuals clearly uncomfortable. Even when confronted, there was no sense of empathy and continued to ask questions. I believe seeing that half of the class leave is a concerning fact. Even when confronted with this fact, the instructor mentioned that he wishes he was there for orientation to "weed" people out before beginning. The instructor proceeded to make comments regarding the individuals who left and the "disrespect" for not attending without providing a reason or farewell to the group. For the cost and the time, this MBSR experience was not worth the time more financial sacrifice. From an ethical and moral viewpoint, this is one of the poorest training experiences I've experienced.
Response from Mindful LeaderMay 12, 2026
Thank you for sharing this. We take concerns about instructor conduct, participant safety, and the overall learning environment very seriously. In our MBSR programs, participants are never required to share personal or traumatic experiences. Sharing is always optional. Participants may pass, remain silent, step away, or choose not to participate in any discussion or exercise. Our instructors are expected to support choice, autonomy, and psychological safety throughout the course. We are sorry this was your experience and appreciate you bringing it to our attention. We would appreciate the opportunity to listen to your experience further and address this with you directly. Please contact us at [email protected] or 202-455-8312.