Jon Kabat-Zinn

Jon Kabat-Zinn: Mindfulness, Medicine, and the Practice of Being Present

Jon Kabat-Zinn is an American scientist, author, and meditation teacher who founded Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1979. Trained as a molecular biologist, he helped bring mindfulness into mainstream medicine and psychology through rigorous clinical programs and research.

His books, including Full Catastrophe Living and Wherever You Go, There You Are, offer practical guidance for cultivating attention, emotional regulation, and compassion. MBSR has been adapted worldwide in hospitals, schools, and workplaces, with studies linking the program to reductions in stress and improvements in quality of life.

Kabat-Zinn’s teaching emphasizes nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment, integrating contemplative practice with science and public health.

Through courses, writings, and collaborations, Jon Kabat-Zinn has shaped a global movement that applies mindfulness to healing, resilience, and everyday living.