Neurodiversity-Informed Mindfulness
Teaching Weekend (Online)
For qualified Mindfulness teachers
Tutor: Elanor Kortland
Dates: Friday 20th November- Sunday 22nd November 2026
Price: £185.00
Times: The course will run from 19.00pm-20.30pm on Friday evening, 10.00am-17.00pm on Saturday and 10.00am- 16.00pm on Sunday.
Venue: Online via Zoom, please press ‘Book Here’ to confirm your place.
Why You Should Join This Training
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Expand Your Reach and Retention: Learn why standard practices sometimes “miss the mark” for neurodivergent participants and how to adapt your teaching to prevent disengagement or early drop-outs.
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Strengthen Your Teaching Foundations: This isn’t about learning a “new” course; it’s about refining your core skills to become a more responsive, flexible, and attuned MBLC teacher for all participants.
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Master Inclusive Inquiry: Gain practical tools to navigate diverse emotional and sensory landscapes, including sensitivity to rejection (RSD), alexithymia, and sensory processing differences.
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Empower Participant Choice: Move beyond a “one-size-fits-all” approach by learning how to offer diverse anchors—such as movement, sound, or nature—that honour individual needs.
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Build Authentic Practice Spaces: Explore how to create a “mask-free” environment where stimming, different communication styles, and unique ways of being are not just accommodated, but welcomed.
Coure Overview
This experiential online weekend training is designed for mindfulness teachers who wish to deepen their capacity to teach in a way that is inclusive, flexible and responsive to neurodiverse participants.
Many participants who attend mindfulness courses may experience the world through a neurodivergent lens – whether or not they have a formal diagnosis, or choose to disclose it (which they have no obligation to do). At times, this can mean that core practices or inquiry approaches do not land as intended, potentially leading to disengagement or early drop-out.
This training offers a practical and reflective space to explore how mindfulness teaching can be adapted to better meet a wider range of needs—while staying true to the integrity of the Mindfulness-Based Living Course (MBLC).
The emphasis is not on teaching “different groups differently”, but rather on strengthening our ability to teach all participants more skilfully, through a broader, more inclusive understanding of human experience.
Who is this training for?
- Qualified teachers of the Mindfulness-Based Living Course (MBLC)
- Teachers who wish to develop a more neurodiversity-informed approach to teaching and inquiry
- Teachers who are curious about how different cognitive, sensory and emotional profiles may show up in mindfulness practice and mindful inquiry
- Open to both neurotypical and neurodivergent teachers
What you will explore
Across the weekend, we will combine guided practices, teaching input and small group reflection to explore:
- Understanding neurodiversity in a mindfulness contextIncluding differences in attention, sensory processing, visualisation, emotional experience and communication
- Adapting core mindfulness practicesExploring choice within practices such as breath awareness, body-based practices and grounding
- The importance of choice and flexibilitySupporting participants to find anchors and approaches that work for them, particularly in the context of anxiety, overstimulation or difficulty focusing
- Working with the emotional landscapeIncluding sensitivity to rejection (RSD), alexithymia, grief, and how these may influence inquiry and group process
- Self-compassion and authenticity in practiceExploring themes such as masking, stimming, the inner critic, and creating space for different ways of being
- Creative and alternative approaches to mindfulnessIncorporating art, music, movement and nature-based practices to support engagement and processing
- Integrating learning into MBLC teachingConsidering how to build neurodiversity-informed approaches into course structure, practices and inquiry
How the weekend is structured
The training begins on Friday evening with an orientation, introductions and an exploration of key themes around neurodiversity, inclusion and teaching context.
Saturday and Sunday offer a balance of:
- Guided mindfulness practices (with adaptations and alternatives)
- Teaching input and reflection
- Small group discussions and shared inquiry
- Opportunities to explore how this learning applies directly to MBLC teaching
The weekend closes with reflection, integration and consideration of next steps in your teaching practice.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the weekend, participants will:
- Have a clearer understanding of neurodiversity and its relevance within mindfulness teaching
- Feel more confident offering choice and adapting practices appropriately
- Be better equipped to recognise and respond to a wider range of participant experiences
- Have reflected on how to integrate neurodiversity-informed approaches into MBLC teaching
- Develop greater confidence in holding inclusive, accessible and responsive learning spaces
Why this matters
Developing a neurodiversity-informed approach is not about adding complexity—it is about refining the fundamentals of good teaching.
When we broaden our understanding of how people experience mindfulness practice, we naturally become more responsive, more flexible, and more attuned.
In doing so, we create conditions in which more participants can engage, stay, and benefit – regardless of whether they identify as neurodivergent or not.
Facilitators
Elanor Kortland currently leads monthly peer sessions for the Mindfulness Association for people who identify as neurodivergent or are exploring whether a neurodivergent profile is relevant to them. She has a lived familial experience of neurodiversity, and is a Trustee of a charity for children and young adults who have complex learning disabilities, almost all of whom also have a neurodiverse condition. She also has experience of teaching mindfulness to neurodiverse populations through The Everyone Project, and has undertaken specific neurodiversity-informed mindfulness training with Sue Hutton. Elanor qualified mindfulness teacher since Jan 2018 and has been BAMBA registered for the last 8 years, and supports the work of the Mindfulness Association as an intern, tutor, and “daily sit” facilitator.
Frequently Asked Questions - (FAQs)
1. What is neurodiversity-informed mindfulness training?
This training focuses on adapting mindfulness teaching—specifically the Mindfulness-Based Living Course (MBLC)—to be more inclusive of neurodivergent experiences. It covers how different cognitive and sensory profiles, such as ADHD, Autism, or Dyslexia, may impact a participant’s engagement with standard practices.
2. How do I adapt MBLC practices for neurodivergent participants?
Rather than changing the core curriculum, this course teaches you how to offer flexible anchors and choices. You will explore alternative approaches to breath awareness, body scans, and grounding to support participants who experience overstimulation, anxiety, or difficulty focusing.
3. Why is neurodiversity awareness important for mindfulness teachers?
Many participants in mindfulness courses are neurodivergent, whether diagnosed or not. By using a neurodiversity-informed approach, teachers can prevent “early drop-out” and ensure that inquiry and practices land effectively for everyone, creating a safer and more responsive learning environment.
4. Does this course cover emotional sensitivity like RSD or Alexithymia?
Yes. A key part of the training is working with the emotional landscape of neurodiversity. We explore how Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) and Alexithymia (difficulty identifying emotions) can influence the mindful inquiry process and group dynamics.
5. Can I use these techniques if I am a neurodivergent teacher myself?
Absolutely. This training is open to both neurotypical and neurodivergent teachers. We celebrate authenticity in teaching, exploring themes like “masking” and “stimming” to help all teachers hold space with greater confidence and self-compassion.
