Positivity and Relaxation Training
Positivity and Relaxation Training (PART) is an eight week online group wellness education
program that teaches participants science-backed skills to manage stress and modify daily routines
to increase resiliency and joy. Given that 60-90% of all doctor visits are stress-related, true
wellness requires that we address our stress & anxiety.
Developed at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, the PART Program teaches participants:
- How to recognize one's individual responses to stress
- Various meditative techniques that elicit the relaxation response
- How to achieve more adaptive, positive thought-patterns & emotional outlooks
- Techniques to improve sleep, nutrition and physical activity
- Ways to harness creativity, humor & gratitude to cultivate well-being
FIND THE JOY IN COMMUNITY
Meeting online each week for 90 minutes, participants develop and deepen their own wellness practice in a collaborative group setting that not only offers a welcome antidote to these times of isolation and 'distancing', but fosters accountability and motivation, propelling participants to achieve results.
OUR GIFT TO YOU: HOLIDAY SANITY SERIES
Take 30 minutes from the comfort of your home this holiday season to relax, collect yourself & find some joy. Attend one or all of our December sessions (for free!). Learn about specific stand-alone themes known to reduce stress, and enjoy guided meditations led by Benson-Henry Institute-trained PART Instructor, Carolyn Wilkins.
No experience necessary. Registration required. A dedicated Zoom video conference link will be sent to you within 24 hours of registration. Non-active Club members welcome.
Register Here
"The PART Program exceeded my expectations! My initial goals were to develop a regular Relaxation Response habit, and maybe pick up a few other ideas for stress management, but I got much more than that. The tools/practices and approach have helped me address some stubborn habits: negative thinking, overdoing to the point of fatigue, and getting "stuck" in repetitive worries and negative thoughts. This felt like I finally found a missing piece in my multi-decade journey to become more relaxed and enjoy my life more."
-Kathleen B. (Summer 2020 participant)
WINTER 2021 CLASSES COMING SOON!
Mondays from 7:00 - 8:30PM, January 11 to March 1
Wednesdays from 7:00 - 8:30PM, January 13 to March 3
Sundays from 3:00 - 4:30PM, January 17 to March 7
Interested but have a schedule conflict? Contact the instructor at wilkins@thoreau.com
INFORMATION SESSIONS
Contact Carolyn for a free 30-minute Information Session to learn more about the PART Program, meet the instructor, experience some of the mindfulness techniques used and ask questions.
Contact the Instructor
Program Details
The PART program is an 8-week, science-based wellness education program that offers tools and techniques in a collaborative group setting to help us focus, be more resilient and happier. Participants learn a variety of mind body techniques like meditation and mindfulness, physical activity and positive psychology. It also relies on creativity, humor and adaptive thinking. We learn to mindfully focus on the key pillars in our lives -- sleep, nutrition, exercise, social connections -- to achieve a deeper sense of well-being, health, connection and happiness.
Success Dependent on Daily Practice, Weekly Attendance
Beyond attending each weekly class, the PART program involves making a two month commitment to subtle, impactful daily behavior changes that will yield profound results. It's vital that participants be willing to:
- Expand or begin a daily meditation practice, building from 3 to 20 minutes
- Write/capture 3-5 daily appreciations
- Reinforce four pillars of health [nutrition, exercise, sleep, social connection] and strive to meet self-defined daily/weekly goals
Just like "getting fit" involves more than a once-weekly workout, this is a practice wherein daily small efforts build new muscles. Within a matter of weeks, participants come to see their home practice less like 'effort' and more like a vital practice that restores a sense of balance and joy!
For any questions, contact Carolyn Wilkins
PROGRAM HISTORY
Developed directly from Massachusetts General Hospital's Stress Management And Relaxation Training (SMART) clinical program (originally incorporated in 1988 and still in use today), the PART Program's use of mind-body techniques offer participants tools that are scientifically proven to strengthen the natural healing capacities of body and mind, improving behavioral, emotional, physical and social health. For more information, click here.
Meet The Instructor
Carolyn Wilkins is a Certified Positivity and Relaxation Training (PART) instructor, trained at Massachusetts General Hospital's Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine. She is passionate about sharing science-backed tools to be healthier and happier, creating greater calm and clarity in these times of isolation and stress.
A Thoreau Club cycle instructor, triathlete, parent to teenagers and outdoor enthusiast, Carolyn draws upon her own practice that blends mental and physical wellness to provide balance & joy.
Contact Carolyn
Pricing
Attendee Pricing:
Thoreau Member: $450
Non-Member: $495
Thoreau Members – Charge card on file.
Non-Members – Please call the club today with your card number. 978-831-1200
For any questions, contact Carolyn Wilkins
REFUND POLICY
Payment will be refunded in full (less a $25 processing fee) if the instructor is notified of cancellation 8 or more days prior to the start of the class cycle.
Participants who withdraw before the first day of class will be given the option to defer their payment to a future class within the next 2 cycles for a $25 processing fee. Alternatively, a 50% refund (minus the cost of shipped instruction materials) will be supplied.