TRAIN YOUR BRAIN: Mindfulness for Tinnitus
NEXT 6-WEEK CLASS RUNS SEPT. 22ND-OCT. 27TH, 2025
Class intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyHLnmhFHQE
Class meets Mondays at 4pm PT/5pm MT/6pm CT/7pm ET. Each class is 90 minutes.
Peter Vernezze PhD
Too often we are told (I was certainly told) that there is nothing that can be done with our tinnitus diagnosis. This is simply false. While it is true there is no magic bullet when it comes to tinnitus—no surgery, device, or pill that will silence it (at least not yet)—taken together, the actions we can engage in such as sound therapy, hearing aids, support groups, taking care of our physical and mental health, as well as numerous psychological interventions, are truly transformative.
When I developed tinnitus, mindfulness training was the game changer. Now, a substantial body of evidence demonstrates the ability of mindfulness training to reduce tinnitus distress. I am a licensed therapist and qualified teacher of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), the gold standard of mindfulness training. The method I teach is the method I used to work with my own tinnitus and with hundreds of tinnitus-challenged clients. (You can click the box below to read about my story in Tinnitus Today).
In short, mindfulness is about embracing the present moment exactly as it is. Tinnitus has made the present moment hateful to us. But the present moment is all we have. Mindfulness is about reclaiming the present moment and hence reclaiming our lives. Your journey to get your life back starts here.
My YouTube interview on Treble Health: The Two Techniques That Help Improve Tinnitus
Mindfulness, Cognitive Therapy, and Tinnitus
The American Academy of Family Physicians declares Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) "the only effective treatment for tinnitus with a well-established, moderate- to high-quality evidence based." However, as psychologist Bruce Hubbard states, "The version of CBT typically offered to the tinnitus community was popular in the 1990s, when CBT for tinnitus was first conceived, but it has not stood the test of time…Limitations of traditional CBT and other developments led to third-wave CBT." (Are You Using Old Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Methods for Tinnitus?)
“Third wave” cognitive behavioral therapies, which include mindfulness, are a group of emerging approaches to psychotherapy that represent an evolution and extension of traditional cognitive behavioral treatment approaches. Third wave therapies prioritize the holistic promotion of psychological and behavioral processes associated with health and well-being over the reduction or elimination of psychological and emotional symptoms, although that typically is a “side-benefit.”
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How Mindfulness Helps with Tinnitus
The problem with tinnitus is not the sound of the tinnitus. It's how your body and mind are reacting to the sound of tinnitus. As a result of the sound of tinnitus, your body is going into a state of what is known as fight-or-flight. And your brain is following suit, generating catastrophic thoughts and distressing emotions that only compound the physical distress. While we can't control the sound of our tinnitus, through mindfulness training we can alter how our mind and body respond to the sound of tinnitus, ultimately viewing our tinnitus (and all of our experience) in a non-judgmental manner, neither pushing away nor being overwhelmed by it. This non-reactive attitude towards tinnitus is the key to habituation. Importantly, this is not something we can simply tell ourselves to do; it is something we must train ourselves to do. This class provides the groundwork for rewiring the nervous system to respond to our tinnitus in a different way (neuroplasticity).
Tinnitus and Mindfulness Research
Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of mindfulness training in reducing tinnitus distress. A 2019 systematic review found that a decrease of tinnitus distress scores occurred directly post therapy in seven moderate to high quality studies, with six of the seven studies showing a "statistically significant decrease in tinnitus distress scores directly after mindfulness training."
What to Expect
Each class will consist in a series of mindfulness practices including meditation, body scan, and mindful movement. Students will receive guidance on their practice as well as exercises to help them apply these skills to their tinnitus. In addition, students will be exposed to a variety of other mental health interventions to help them manage their tinnitus.
Students will be expected to engage in 30-45 minutes of daily mindfulness practice. Listen to what past students had to say. A link to the class syllabus can be found below.
Our Program
Your Instructor
I am a licensed therapist, a meditation teacher, and qualified teacher of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) through the University of California at San Diego Center for Mindfulness--one of only two institutes able to certify teachers of MBSR.
Small Student/Teacher Ratio
I limit the class to 20 in order to preserve a personalized approach and provide individual feedback. There is also an opportunity to interact weekly with other participants in a smaller groups setting.
Low Price
The cost for the entire six-week class is $295 . A full refund (less processing charges) is given if you withdraw before the start of class and a full refund (less $50 + processing charges) if you withdraw before the start of the second class.
Class Information: Days, Times, Cost etc.
The next class starts on Monday, September 22nd. It will meet for six consecutive Mondays, ending Monday October 27th. The class will start at 4pm PT/5pm MT/6pm CT/7pm ET. Each class will run for 90 minutes, with the exception of the first class, which will run about two hours. The cost is $295. People can drop the class for a full refund before the start of class and for a full refund less $50 any time before the start of the second class.
There is an informational video for the class at https://youtu.be/dyHLnmhFHQE
Please feel free to contact me with questions: peter@therapistwithtinnitus.com
A Tinnitus Community
Inspired by the belief that community is an integral part of healing, this course provides you the opportunity to learn alongside others with tinnitus in a class led by an instructor who himself has the condition. This sense of community continues after the class ends as class participants are invited to join a private Facebook group only for individuals who have completed the course.
Supplemental Meditation Instruction
Every Wednesday at 6 pm PT there is a free one-hour Mindfulness Meditation for Tinnitus class. Although anyone with tinnitus may attend, it is an excellent opportunity for those taking the class to deepen their practice. There will be an opportunity as well during this time to ask questions. Here is the zoom link
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86237863961
CLASS SYLLABUS
CLASS ONE: MINDFULNESS AND TINNITUS
Tinnitus distress is a product not of the sound of our tinnitus but of the way our body and our mind are responding to the sound. Mindfulness allows us to work with the physical and mental response to tinnitus in a way that sets us on the path towards habituation. You are introduced to the practice of formal mediation. The connection between mindfulness and meditation is explored. We focus on the fundamental meditation skill of concentration and discuss its role in habituation as well as explore the difference between formal and informal mindfulness practices.
CLASS TWO: THOUGHT AND TINNITUS DISTRESS
In this class we focus on the role that our thoughts play in our tinnitus distress. Thoughts constitute what is known as the second arrow of suffering. Our thoughts about whatever condition we are undergoing, including tinnitus, can be a source of suffering distinct from the condition. While classic Cognitive Behavior Therapy would have us challenge and replace our thoughts, mindfulness works with thoughts through observing them and letting them, recognizing that if we don’t get hooked into a thought it will cease to trouble us. In addition, we will expand the range of our informal mindfulness practices and discuss the connection between formal and informal mindfulness practices and our tinnitus.
CLASS 3: TINNITUS AND THE BODY
This week we will examine the body as a separate source of tinnitus distress. Research tells us that the nervous system of those with tinnitus is in more of an activated state (fight or flight) than those without tinnitus. Hence, to work with the physical side of tinnitus distress, we need tools and techniques to bring the body out of this activated state. After a review of the basics of the nervous system and the impact that tinnitus can have on the nervous system, you will learn practices to help you bring the body out of sympathetic activation (fight or flight). We will specifically focus on the breath as a device by which you can gain control over the nervous system and how you respond to your tinnitus.
CLASS 4: TINNITUS AND THE EMOTIONS
Many of us have mistaken views about our emotions. We think we are at the mercy of our emotions, including our emotions regarding tinnitus. But in fact, since emotions are a combination of body and thought, and we have a modicum of control over each of these, we do ultimately have much more control over our emotions than we believe. In this session you will begin to learn how to work with negative emotions in order to increase your ability to tolerate them as well as how to begin to generate more positive emotions. Both of these skills are essential in developing a healthy attitude towards tinnitus.
CLASS 5: TINNITUS AND STRESS
If there is one thing I have become convinced of in my years of living with tinnitus and working with my clients, it is that stress makes tinnitus worse. Fortunately, forty plus years of research has demonstrated that mindfulness training is one of the most effective strategies for reducing stress. This week we will look at a variety of methods drawn both from the world of mental health in general and from mindfulness practice in particular to reduce our overall stress level.
CLASS 6: LIVING WELL WITH TINNITUS
This week we broaden our focus even further to look at our tinnitus in the context of our life as a whole. You had a rich, full life before the tinnitus struck, and you can have a rich, full life again. Specifically, we will see how tinnitus, which we initially perceived as undermining the quality of our lives, can actually be a tool to increase our sense of meaning and purpose. Specifically, we will draw on material from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Peter Vernezze LMSW, PhD
520-345-5271
Medical disclaimer
All content found on this website, including text, images, audio, or other formats were created for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The course described on this website is not therapy, since the tinnitus distress it addresses is not a recognized disorder in the DSM 5. If you are suffering from the depression and anxiety that can go along with tinnitus, please see a mental health professional in your area. If you are currently in therapy, please consult with your mental health professional before signing up for this class. If you have any question about whether this class is appropriate for you, I encourage you to contact me before signing up.
If you have a medical or mental health emergency, call your doctor, go to the emergency department, or call 911 immediately.
Reliance on any information provided by this website is solely at your own risk. Links to educational content not created by this website and Peter Vernezze are taken at your own risk. This website and Peter Vernezze are not responsible for the claims of external websites.