Enrollment opening soon

New learning options available: Choose 2-hour live or 1-hour hybrid sessions coming early 2027

Choose what works best for you. Options include either the original 2-hour live sessions over 8 weeks or the hybrid 1-hour live session over 9 weeks with required pre-recorded video content each week. These options allow for greater ease in fitting the course into your schedule, as well as choosing your learning style. Both options are approved by the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching for 16 CE hours (CEA-000539-1). For more information or to be notified when enrollment opens, contact [email protected] or call 440-732-0742.

Course Description

MBSP is the first formal evidence-based educational program that combines mindfulness instruction with training in the VIA Classification of Character Strengths. This MBSP course consists of 8 or 9 weekly live, synchronous sessions on Mindfulness-Based Strengths Practice (MBSP).  Two options are available:  8 weeks of live 2-hour sessions or 9 weeks of live 1-hour sessions, with additional pre-recorded video lectures.  

This evidence-based program emphasizes both the direct experience of the learner and reflection on ways the content can be applied in practice with patients/clients.  Training in MBSP promotes recognizing positive internal qualities in the self and others, while calling attention to acting mindfully in daily living.   

Research outcomes among those who completed MBSP include greater well-being, a positive impact on relationships and increased performance in the workplace.  Awareness of character strengths is particularly important in healthcare and coaching, both for practitioner resilience and fostering positive patient/client outcomes for healthy behavior change.  MBSP has relevance for both practitioner presence and strengths-spotting in patients/clients.  

Research indicates that MBSP has better outcomes than the leading mindfulness program (MBSR), which has value for reducing stress and compassion fatigue in practitioners, while increasing work outcomes.  In addition, application of mindfulness and practice of character strengths are important elements of preparation prior to patient encounters, while knowledge in these areas may also help the practitioner to guide the patient/client toward use of mindfulness and character strengths in the health behavior change process.  

*Objectives and course information will be provided for those who wish to petition for CE credits from another professional organization.

Improve your well-being in 8 or 9 weeks

Increase mindful living and use of character strengths

  • Positive Benefits

    Studies show greater well-being, a positive impact on relationships and increased performance in the workplace for those completing MBSP. Wellness professionals will also find benefits to their coaching presence and new tools for nurturing behavior change.

  • 16 CE Credits

    Participants will earn 16 continuing education hours. Both formats of this course are approved by the NBHWC for 16 CE hours; however, other professionals may be able to petition for CE credit from their certifying organization. NBHWC-Approved Course: CEA-000539-1.

  • Evidence-based curriculum

    This curriculum is based on the most recent science in mindfulness & character strengths. The instructor, Michele Suhie PhD, is a certified MBSP instructor, having trained with the creator of MBSP, Ryan Niemiec, PsyD of the VIA Institute on Character.

Now with access to the new Character Strengths Community!

  • Get excusive access to an online community with other individuals who value mindful living and character strengths.

  • Interact with others between sessions to share your progress and observations.

  • Learn about new character strengths research and view additional content not available in the course.

Course Objectives

After completion of the session, the participant will be able to…

Session 1: Mindfulness and Autopilot

  • Name the two character strengths that are at the core of the operational definition of mindfulness, as described by scientists.
  • Describe the autopilot-mindfulness continuum and how it relates to everyday life.
  • Explain the four general categories of mindfulness practice and one example for each.

Session 2: Signature Strengths, Character Strengths

  • Describe an evidenced-based intervention on signature strengths that has led to significant benefits to well-being, depression, flourishing, and strengths use.
  • List and explain each of the three steps of the spot, explain, and appreciate (SEA) model of character strengths spotting that can be used in observing others.
  • List at least two character strengths that fall under each of the six virtues, as outlined by scientists.

Session 3: Obstacles and Struggles Are Opportunities

  • Describe what is meant by “strong mindfulness” and how it is important for maintaining a meditation or similar self-regulatory practice.
  • List the three main obstacles people face in maintaining a mindfulness practice, as found in MBSP research and in other mindfulness literature.
  • Describe the phenomenological experience for each of the three phases of the central activity referred to as the Character Strengths Breathing Space.

Session 4: Mindful Living with Strengths

  • Describe the intervention and purpose of the activity, The Mindful Pause.
  • List at least four concrete behavioral levers and their connection with aspects of mindful living.

Session 5: Value Your Relationships

  • Distinguish (with rationale, explanation, and description of practice) between a pure mindfulness meditation and a guided mindfulness meditation, and offer one MBSP example for each.
  • Describe the definition, purpose, practical application, and example of a strengths gatha.
  • Explain at least one scientific finding on character strengths appreciation in relationships.

Session 6: The Golden Mean

  • Explain what is meant by “the golden mean” and how it relates to character strengths.  
  • List at least two research findings on the science of strengths overuse, underuse, and optimal use.
  • Describe what is meant by positive reappraisal and how it relates to character strengths use.

Session 7: Authenticity and Goodness

  • Describe a three-step process for applying character strengths and how it relates to goal setting.
  • Explain how the pursuit and experience of both authenticity and goodness are related to different dynamics of character strengths expression.
  • List the purpose and steps of the evidence-based activity, Best Possible Self.

Session 8: Your Engagement With Life

  • Describe at least three examples of how mindfulness and character strengths contribute to life engagement. 
  • Connect mindfulness & character strengths to pathways of growth, including the TTM Stages of Change and Upward Spiral Theory.
  • Describe existing evidence connecting mindfulness & character strengths to coaching and health behaviors.

 

*Adapted from Mindfulness and Character Strengths: A Practitioner’s Guide to MBSP (2nd Ed.) Ryan M. Niemiec. 2024. Hogrefe Publishing.  ISBN 9780889375901.

Choose your learning format.

Options include the original 8-week 2-hour live program, or choose the new hybrid 9-week program with 1-hour sessions and weekly pre-work. See below for registration options.

Meet your instructor

Michele Suhie, PhD, NBC-HWC, DipACLM

Michele is a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach and Certified Lifestyle Medicine Professional, specializing in the integration of lifestyle medicine, positive psychology and religion/spirituality. She sees private coaching clients to help them reduce risk and manage chronic disease. Michele has also been an educator for more than 25 years. She continues to teach in higher education as an adjunct professor, offers continuing education to her fellow health coaches, and serves as the Director of Health Education at MyCatholicDoctor Academy. She is a certified instructor of Mindfulness-Based Strengths Practice through the VIA Institute on Character and has conducted research on MBSP and positive health in collaboration with the VIA Institute.