UMass Memorial Center for Mindfulness

Forty years ago Jon Kabat-Zinn began seeing patients with chronic disease in the basement of our Medical Center. His hypothesis was simple - the practice of mindfulness could help alleviate the pain and suffering associated with chronic disease. Now, 40 years later, thanks to Jon’s pioneering work, we know unequivocally that mindfulness can not only reduce pain and suffering but can also be used as an adjunct to standard medical care for a multitude of diseases and as a preventive measure to reduce the incidence of stress-related illness. The progress that has been made these last 40 years in our understanding of the power of mindfulness has been nothing short of remarkable.

UMass Medical School, our academic partner, has been at the epicenter of this progress and the leading provider of mindfulness training programs for decades. In 2019 it was decided that these training programs should transition to our health care system where Jon’s vision began 40 years ago to allow for better integration with our clinical and population health programs. As an organization, we are on a journey to fully leverage the power of mindfulness to improve the lives of our patients, our caregivers and the communities we serve. We hope you will join us on this journey.