The course was developed by Ernst Bohlmeijer (psychologist, Twente University) and Monique Hulsbergen (independent psychotherapist), based on Mindfulness and ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). Mindfulness is described by the authors as: with open mind, without judgement noticing what happens from moment to moment. ACT is exactly what the abbreviation stands for: accepting whatever there is (either positive or negative) and committing to act.

During the 9 weeks the course takes you through 3 phases: the first phase is mainly about reflecting on your current emotions and coping strategies for (mental) pain; phase two is more about coming at peace with all there is, both the positive AND the negative side of life; phase three is about putting things into practice.

The book describes for every week a bit of theory and assignments to do which helps you reflect on how you’re behaving, what you envision for your life, sometimes keep a diary of specific types of behaviour (such as “write down every day when you compared yourself to others”). Every week there is a meditation assignment to do every day (or several times during the day if it’s a shorter one).

I’ve finished the first two phases. It’s been a roller coaster through emotions so far. I’ve been confronted with parts of myself that I thought I had dealt with during the years of intensive psychotherapy. It turns out that some issues will revisit me nonetheless. Bummer….

Still, I’m not entirely convinced of this course. It was announced as the rationalist approach to mindfulness, (without all the Buddhism-gobbledygook), but some of the stories the authors use in their book are still a lot of gibberish.

I can’t really tell yet whether this course will have a longer lasting effect effect on me than the nine weeks it involves me. Only time will tell. I will hang in there ’till the end. The best phase has yet to come: putting things into practice. Looking forward to that!

(about the number in the title)