Mary Beth Stern
Mindfulness- Based Stress Reduction Instructor
Qualified Habit Change Facilitator
Trained and Certified by
University of Massachusetts Medical School
Center for Mindfulness/ Brown University
Mindfulness has been shown to be an effective tool in recovering from addictive patterns of behavior. As an Internationally Board Certified Addictions Counselor, Mary Beth's passion is awakening in others, the potential for choice in behaviors and the freedom from habitual reactions and ways of thinking that no longer serve an individual's highest intention for living a life of engagement and presence.
There is an energy to summer, with school pausing, formal activities of the kids winding down, camps launching. It’s a time when we dream of travel or spending leisurely time to slow down, to enjoy outdoor events, to drink in the longer days of sunlight. It’s a time when we actually might plan in things we are often too busy to do. Summer reading, days at the beach, pausing to catch all the colors of a sunset.
The poet, Mary Oliver, in her poem The Summer Day invites us to slow down, to notice the everyday things.. a swan, a grasshopper… and reminds us that summer is a time to renew the spirit:
“…I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
Into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I’ve been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn’t everything die at last and too soon?
Tell me what is it you plan to do
With your one wild and precious life?”
What a beautifully provocative question and what a perfect time to mull it over… not only in the mind,
But to let it take root in the heart.
If you pause, and find that this is the season where you are longing to explore depth, meaning and intention in your own “precious” life, perhaps you will be drawn to one of the trainings listed below.
Welcoming New Individual Coaching Clients
Let's meet for a complimentary zoom
COMING SOON!
Fall of 2026
"The Science and Practice of Habit Change" (based on the work of Judson Brewer)
See mindfulnessandhealthinstitute.org
FREE!
Experience the power of a shifted mindset and transform your recovery journey!
Free Mindshift Recovery online weekly meeting (Judson Brewer's program for anxiety and habitual behaviors )
Thursdays 12:00 EST - 1 PM EST ( 9 AM - 10 AM Pacific)
Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/94370415770?pwd=vH13jWWanax8GFso909lOrrz1SPXFn.1
See mindshiftrecovery.org
Free weekly Mindfulness drop-ins Sundays at 5 EDT
An opportunity for weekly practice in community -All Welcome!
Here's the zoom link:
offered in conjunction with Alabama Institute for Mindfulness
Contact Mary Beth | Read More About Mary Beth
MB's Monthly Tip for Habit Change Habit Mapping:
When you find yourself in a mood, maybe down, depressed or anxious and worrying, maybe just feeling a strong sense of malaise or fatigue, getting into the habit of simply asking the question: "Am I in a habit loop?" can remind you to engage in the habit mapping process. Sometimes habit loops can be tricky and not readily identifiable. I have found a list of common ones to be helpful.
Here are a few that just might jog your process a bit:
worry loop; procrastination loop; the "why" habit loop, perfectionism loop, expectation loop, self-judgement loop, panic loop, rumination loop. I'm happy to add yours to the list... drop me an email!
Affiliations
Mindshift RecoveryA non-profit organization creating a new evidence-based approach to helping people at all steps in their recovery from addiction, based on Judson Brewer's Mindshift Model.
Experience the power of a shifted mindset and transform your recovery journey. Start your Mindshift recovery with a holistic approach to your wellness journey through meditation practices, evidence-based resources, behavior change tools and the support from a national community. 
The Mindfulness and Health Institute offers evidenced-based
and innovative programs to educate, inspire, and support healthy living. The Science & Practice of Habit Change is a ground-breaking, evidenced based method of habit change which engages the brain's inherent reward-based learning system. |
Mindshift Recovery International Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor Lead facilitator, Mindfulness Teacher for team members, groups & individual mentoring See mindshiftrecovery.org Mindfulness and Health Institute Teacher: The Science and Practice of Habit Change Based on Dr. Jud Brewer's Unwinding Anxiety See mindfulnessandhealthinstitute.org |
Habit Change Programs
Individually tailored to those dealing with anxiety, depression
and habitual ways the mind gets caught
What people are saying about Mary Beth's Coaching for anxiety and habits
Individual Coaching available by appointment (request complimentary consultation) [email protected]
“Mary Beth’s coaching in conjunction with Unwinding Anxiety enabled me to receive clarification on the individual modules and tools, as I proceeded through the program at my own pace. It was like having a personal tour guide, available when I felt the need, to really dive into applying the lessons to the unique challenges of my own life, stepping out of habitual patterns and discovering more creative responses.”
Suzanne S. Brookline, Ma
“Mary Beth was exceptional at guiding me through the nuances and questions I had regarding the Unwinding Anxiety program. She not only helped me figure out ways to enjoy and do mindfulness practices in a more palatable way, but also helped me realize dynamics in my life that would take me to the next level in areas of my life. Working with her was easy and a period of growth and amazing transition for myself. Thanks again Mary Beth.”
Ian L. Toronto, Canada
Individual Coaching available by appointment (request complimentary consultation) [email protected]
“Mary Beth’s coaching in conjunction with Unwinding Anxiety enabled me to receive clarification on the individual modules and tools, as I proceeded through the program at my own pace. It was like having a personal tour guide, available when I felt the need, to really dive into applying the lessons to the unique challenges of my own life, stepping out of habitual patterns and discovering more creative responses.”
Suzanne S. Brookline, Ma
“Mary Beth was exceptional at guiding me through the nuances and questions I had regarding the Unwinding Anxiety program. She not only helped me figure out ways to enjoy and do mindfulness practices in a more palatable way, but also helped me realize dynamics in my life that would take me to the next level in areas of my life. Working with her was easy and a period of growth and amazing transition for myself. Thanks again Mary Beth.”
Ian L. Toronto, Canada
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
What people are saying about Mary Beth and MBSR
"....in the most challenging chapter of my life, this practice is not a frivolous pursuit, but a lifesaver.."
"...if the goal is to bring more loving kindness to the lives of the participants, that was surely met.."
"....in the most challenging chapter of my life, this practice is not a frivolous pursuit, but a lifesaver.."
"...if the goal is to bring more loving kindness to the lives of the participants, that was surely met.."
"The real meditation practice is how we live our lives moment to moment".... Jon Kabat Zinn