Piotr Sokół-Flak · Kshanti
Eight weeks of regular mindfulness practice in a small group. You learn to notice stress and tension earlier and to respond to them more calmly, instead of running on autopilot. You don't need to know how to meditate. I teach across Poland, most often in Wrocław, and online, including in English.
Choose the sentence that fits you best. I'll suggest which form of practice is a good place to start.
You apply through the form or by message, and then we talk one-to-one about your expectations and whether this is a good time for you to take this programme.
A project by the SZTOS association, run in partnership with Fundacja Rozwoju Mindfulness. The programme is accompanied by a research study on healthy use of digital technology.
SZTOS announces future free editions.
You can come once or keep coming back regularly. No meditation experience needed.
I'll soon announce new MBSR and MBCT courses for open groups, as well as mindfulness days and retreats. Leave your email and I'll let you know when registration opens.
Prefer to ask straight away? Write to me.
Over eight weeks we meet regularly, practise together and talk about what we experience. Between sessions you practise on your own with recordings.
Mindfulness-based stress reduction
Who it's for: people who live with stress and tension every day, at work, in the body, in their sleep.
You get to know your own reactions to stress and learn to respond to them consciously. We practise observing bodily sensations, meditation and mindful movement adapted to what you can do.
Mindfulness in everyday life
Who it's for: people who want to understand their reactions better, take more care of themselves and spend less time “on autopilot”.
The programme combines mindfulness practice with elements of the cognitive behavioural approach. You explore your habits of attention and reaction, and ways of caring for yourself in ordinary situations.
For people who have experienced depression
Who it's for: people who have had episodes of depression and want to recognise early signs that low mood is coming back.
This is a mindfulness-based cognitive therapy programme, designed to reduce the risk of depressive relapse. Before you sign up, we talk about how you are feeling at the moment. The course is not a substitute for treatment. If you are in treatment, discuss taking part with your doctor or therapist.
Would you like to join a course or arrange a one-to-one session? Write to me. We'll talk about your needs, dates and the cost of taking part.
I believe in the social economy. If cost is a barrier for you, let me know. We can talk about a lower fee or the possibility of taking part for free.
I price programmes and workshops for companies and institutions individually, depending on the scope of our work together.
Write to me
You fill in the form for a specific edition, or write to me by email or on WhatsApp.
I get to know your expectations and circumstances. Together we check whether this is a good time for this programme.
We meet as a group once a week. Between sessions you practise with recordings.
You can come to the free Mindful Mondays to keep your practice regular.
Do you have specific needs?
Write to me privately and we'll adapt the way we work to your needs. Message me on WhatsApp (opens in a new window).
Mindfulness means consciously directing your attention to what you are experiencing in the present moment, with openness and without hasty judgement.
I use programmes and methods that have been studied scientifically. I'm also open about their limitations. Good research results don't mean that every exercise will work the same way for everyone.
I teach the courses in a secular format, so you can take part whatever your beliefs.
We adapt the practice to what works for you. You can change position, keep your eyes open or stop an exercise. Your questions matter, and so does what helps you.
My approach takes experience of trauma into account.
Sit comfortably and breathe with the rhythm of the circle: breathe in as it grows, breathe out as it shrinks. You don't have to get anything right. You can stop at any time.
Done
Notice how you feel now. If you'd like to practise regularly, come to the free Mindful Mondays: every week at 19:00 on Zoom.
See how to joinThe sessions turned out to be a space free of judgement, and yet I was able to look at my life from a different angle.
Taking part in the course let me do a ‘stocktake’ of important areas of my life […] It was an eye-opening moment for me, an eye-opening eight weeks.
I recommend Piotr to everyone I know in the profession. I've been a clinical psychologist for 30 years. Even so, what I learned about myself during the MBCT programme, and then MBSR, with Piotr is impossible to overstate.
Participants' reviews, including excerpts from posts published on the Kshanti profile. These are their personal experiences, described in their own words.
Conversations in which I talk about mindfulness in life and at work.
An interview about how mindfulness helps company founders notice tension before it starts to affect their decisions, and why wellbeing in a company also depends on how work is organised.
Read the interview (opens in a new window)A conversation on the Caffè Matte programme about how mindfulness can help day to day.
Listen to the programme (opens in a new window)In her book, Anna Elf recalls the MBCT course I co-taught with Aleksandra Kwiatkowska.
See the post about the book (opens in a new window)
Article · Ossolineum
I'm an MBCT teacher and MBSR programme trainer. I completed the MBCT-L teacher training with the Oxford Mindfulness Foundation, run in partnership with Fundacja Rozwoju Mindfulness. With The Mindfulness Network I completed Specialist Training: MBSR Curriculum and Mindfulness in a One-to-One Context. I am also a graduate of the Trainer School at Wszechnica Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego (Jagiellonian University).
Day to day, I work in learning, development and training. I have also worked as a job coach in supported employment, helping people with specific needs to find and keep work. Today, in projects for the cultural sector and for organisations, I combine mindfulness with care for accessibility. It matters to me that solutions are created together with the people whose needs they are meant to meet.
Why the name Kshanti? It comes from the Buddhist tradition and means patience and perseverance. For me, it's an inspiration to learn step by step, with openness to experience.
One-to-one sessions and group practice for people for whom an 8-week course isn't the right fit, and for graduates who want to deepen their practice.
Who it's for: people who are starting to practise, coming back to it after a break, or who prefer to work without a group.
We start with a conversation. I suggest a practice, then together we look at your experience and agree what you'll come back to between sessions. We decide on the scope and frequency together.
This is learning mindfulness, not psychotherapy or crisis support. If you're in crisis, call 116 123 or 112.
Do you have specific needs? Write to me privately and we'll adapt the way we work.
Who it's for: people who want to understand their emotions better, recognise recurring thought patterns and respond more consciously in everyday situations.
In one-to-one sessions I combine conversation, cognitive exercises and mindfulness practice. I use tools from cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT).
We work with specific situations from your life. We look at the links between thoughts, emotions and behaviour, and look for ways of responding that better meet your needs.
The sessions are developmental and psychoeducational. They are not a substitute for psychotherapy or treatment. If you're in crisis, call 116 123 or 112.
Who it's for: course graduates, people who want to try practising in a group, and those who want to deepen their practice.
A mindfulness day is several hours of meditation practice and mindful contact with your own experience, in silence and in a shared space.
A retreat lasts several days. It is time away from everyday life, with space to settle and deepen your practice. Before you sign up, we go over how it is run and the conditions for taking part.
I combine the craft of a mindfulness teacher with many years of experience as a trainer and learning and development specialist, as well as my work as an accessibility consultant and a job coach in supported employment. I work with companies, cultural institutions and NGOs. I design every workshop around the needs of the specific team. I welcome enquiries from HR teams and from people who choose trainers.
Training that helps teams look at how they work, how they react to pressure and how they communicate. We relate the exercises to real work situations.
An introductory workshop, a series of sessions or the full 8-week MBCT-L programme for your team.
I work out solutions together with the people they concern. See how I look after the accessibility of this site (in Polish).
I do this work on my own or in partnership with SZTOS. See the projects
With the organisation and, where possible, with the people the work concerns.
Scope, format, number of sessions and how we will check whether the training was useful.
Workshops, a series of sessions, an audit or consultations. In person anywhere in Poland or online, in Polish or English.
Conclusions and recommendations for the future.
What to expect from a workshop
A short workshop is not the equivalent of a full MBSR or MBCT programme. Mindfulness can support participants' skills, but workload, communication and the conditions for recovery in the organisation matter too.
I price programmes and workshops individually, depending on the scope of our work together. We also agree on the form of collaboration and how it is invoiced.
Companies where I have delivered training, developed teams and won clients: as an employee, as a co-founder and as an independent trainer.
since 2024
As Lead Learning and Development Specialist, I design training programmes for the whole organisation. I train and certify managers, and I create and code e-learning courses.
Co-founder
As co-founder of Nordvarg, I was responsible for winning international clients, running workshops and carrying out recruitment processes.
Independent trainer
I have worked with Vision Design as an independent trainer for years. Together we run training sessions and workshops.
2008-2013
I started as a consultant, then led a team and later became an in-house trainer. I ran training and coaching for sales teams.
2008-2013, as part of CCIG
At an outsourced call centre serving Wakacje.pl and EasyGo.pl, I prepared training materials, ran training sessions and recruited consultants. I then supported them in their day-to-day work through coaching.
2015-2018
As Bar Manager and Service Coach, I managed the team, onboarded new staff and developed service standards.
Workshops for salespeople
In partnership with Total Sales, I ran external workshops for salespeople.
Business trainer
On the Play project, I worked as a business trainer. I trained consultants serving individual and business customers.
Business clients
I was responsible for winning and looking after business clients and for organising marketing campaigns.
Exhibitions, events and materials I have worked on with cultural institutions.
Content coordinator of an exhibition about mental health crisis and seeking help.
I wrote the texts and the full range of support materials, including the “Gdzie szukać wsparcia?” (Where to find support?) subpage.
Events on getting started with mindfulness, on neurodiversity and on compassion practice.
A workshop accompanying the exhibition “Trwając bez powrotu”.
The workshop combined engaging with art with mindfulness practice and reflection.
Audio description of a photography collection for the exhibition.
An article for the brochure and workshops for people working in culture, on mindfulness and burnout.
I wrote the article “Uważność. Ty, tu i teraz” (Mindfulness. You, here and now). Together with Emilia Grancow from SZTOS, I ran workshops on preventing burnout.
I came up with the idea for these visits. Audit and adaptation of the exhibition together with disabled people.
Accessibility audit of a performance and consultations. Panellist in the “Art. 31” discussion.
The discussion “Art. 31 [Wolność i dopuszczalne ograniczenia]” (Freedom and permissible limitations) took place on 26 June 2021 in the Laboratory Theatre Hall.
Panellist and co-organiser of the debate, with speakers including Paweł Zaręba, Emilia Stalmach and Monika Czerczak.
Selected organisations and teams I have worked with.
Can't see your question? Write to me, I'll be happy to answer.
Ask a questionNo. The courses teach the practice from scratch, step by step.
MBSR if stress is your main concern. MBCT for Life if you want to develop mindfulness in everyday life. MBCT for depression if you have experienced episodes of depression. Not sure which to choose? Get in touch, and we'll talk it through before you sign up.
The cost is agreed individually, after we talk about your needs and dates. I believe in the social economy. If cost is a barrier for you, let me know and we'll talk about a lower fee or taking part for free. The current edition of MBCT for Life with SZTOS is free.
Across Poland, most often in Wrocław, and online. I give the venue address for each specific event.
No. I teach the MBSR and MBCT programmes in a secular format, so you can take part whatever your beliefs.
One session a week for eight weeks (18:00-20:30 in the current edition) and daily practice with recordings. We go over the exact requirements before you sign up.
Not always. Distraction, tension or difficult emotions may come up. We learn to notice them and to choose how to work with them. You can always change or stop an exercise.
In Polish, and online also in English. I'm also developing workshops in Norwegian. If you're interested, get in touch.
Would you like to join a course or arrange a one-to-one session? Write to me. We'll talk about your needs, dates and the cost of taking part. I reply personally, within 2 working days.
Quickest via WhatsApp
Tell me what you're looking for, and I'll reply so we can arrange a call.
Sessions across Poland, most often in Wrocław, and online. I give the address for each specific event.
