Costs and Funding

There are a range of teacher training courses recognised by the MTAI, some of which are based in Ireland, some in the UK and some are international and can be taken fully online. Each course offers training in delivering a specific Mindfulness-Based Intervention (MBI) which include: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Mindfulness Based Living Course (MBLC), Breathworks, and Mindfulness Based Childbirth and Parenting (MBCP). It is worth considering which of these MBIs you are most interested in training to deliver, and which is most relevant to the context / population within which you already work or intend to work with.

To choose a course that is recognised by the MTAI can be seen as an investment in your own personal and professional development. These teacher training courses have been carefully reviewed by our standards committee to ensure that they adequately prepare teachers for delivery of MBIs according to our ethical standards which have been set using international frameworks. If you haven’t read the criteria for accreditation yet, we highly recommend that you do before committing to a teacher training course.

The cost of these courses vary widely depending on which programme you chose. These courses should span at least 18 months and may be online or in person or a combination of both. For most accredited teacher training courses you will be looking at a few thousand euro at a minimum.

Additional costs that may not be included in the course fee but are required for many of the courses and to become a full member of the MTAI include:

1. Running a full course of the Mindfulness-Based Intervention (MBI) specific to the teacher training programme – this might involve some room rental if in person and advertising / administrative costs,
2. Supervision while running your MBI programme – a minimum of 4 hours for first course delivery, and
3. Professional indemnity insurance cover.

These may or may not be included in the cost of your chosen course. We recommend finding out exactly what is included so you can factor in all costs when making your decision about investing in teacher training.

Some course centres offer subscription payment, which reduces the burden of costs over a number of years. Concessions and scholarships are also available for some of the courses which you can enquire about if cost is a barrier.

Graduates of these teacher training courses vary in what they go on to do after qualification. Some will go on to teach MBIs themselves to the public or by request in specific settings. Some will use their training to complement their existing professional work by weaving the MBI teachings and practices throughout their work without teaching it as a full curriculum (e.g. psychotherapists, counsellors, educators, healthcare practitioners, coaches, etc.). Others will use it in a personal capacity to deepen their practice, to join the MTAI community and return to it in a professional capacity at a later stage.

If you are considering a career teaching MBIs we advise looking at testimonials of the course you are considering and speaking to some of its graduates. You can also get a flavour of the type of work teachers undertake by looking at the member stories in our newsroom and newsletter.