Donald Fleck
Mindfulness Teacher, Psychotherapist, Mentor to Developing Mindfulness Teachers
Donald Fleck, LCSW, MBA, DCSW (Diplomate in Clinical Social Work) has been teaching mindfulness meditation in NYC for 13 years, and practicing psychotherapy for 24 years. 350 people have taken the Mindfulness Workshop with him in NYC, in 49 MBCT groups.
Donald is a Certified teacher of Mindfulness Based - Cognitive Therapy (MB-CT). He studied MBCT with Zindel Segal, Susan Woods, Pat Rockman, Evan Collins, and Gwen Morgan. He is a mentor to aspiring MBCT teachers with the Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute (MBPTI) of the University of California San Diego Medical School as well as with the Centre for Mindfulness Studies (CMS) in Toronto.
Donald has learned through retreats and writings from Thich Nhat Hanh, Jack Kornfield, Tara Brach, Sharon Salzburg and others.
Working the Present,
Mindfully-Based
Donald wrote the book Working the Present, Mindfully-Based: Bringing Mindfulness Based - Cognitive Therapy Group Work into Individual Therapy, a book endorsed by Zindel V. Segal, Ph.D. This book takes the approach of using principles of MBCT in an ongoing, dynamic way in psychotherapy.
It introduces a 4-stage development process in Mindful Therapy:
Awareness of the present as a grounding skill.
Allowing present experience to be, letting it flow by rather than trying to stop it.
Accepting the remaining difficulties after mindfulness has been applied, reducing the feeling of defeat and opening up the person to growth in related areas.
Actions that are taken when the person is grounded in the present and more responsive than reactive. With responsive, thoughtful and considered actions we get out of the trap of reactivity. With this perspective we learn to select actions that are genuinely helpful.
Personal Statement
‘I’ve done quite a few things in my life. But, these days I spend a lot of time just being mindful in the present moment. This morning I probably did my meditation, and enjoyed eating my oatmeal mindfully.
‘At my age I’m supposed to be slowing down, enjoying the fruits of my life (or so my friends tell me) but I’ve found this exciting gem. I’ve found a very helpful and fruitful way to combine two wonderful things: psychotherapy and mindfulness meditation.
‘I’ve raised a family. All grown up. I’m hugely proud of my children. I get involved in causes, I love being in nature, I walk in the woods and on the beach, read books, watch movies…
‘But what really gets me… is the continuing beauty, power… and fullness of the awakened mind.’
Donald’s training in mindfulness
Donald has a wide variety of experience in mindfulness. Details are here.
Donald’s Personal Journey with Mindfulness
Donald describes first trying out mindfulness using the Book The Relaxation Response by Herbert Benson, and his being inspired by the Bill Moyers series Healing and the Mind.
A double reading of Mary Oliver's Wild Geese - the Poet of Honor of mindfulness teachers
