First of its kind: Affordable services for Australian and New Zealander meditators in distress

Australian and New Zealand meditators who have experienced adverse reactions to meditation have often struggled to find appropriate support. In a ground-breaking collaboration, the Contemplative Studies Centre (CSC) at The University of Melbourne has joined forces with Cheetah House to introduce a pioneering subsidy program aimed at assisting individuals experiencing difficulties in their meditation practice. Under this scheme, eligible meditators in Australia and New Zealand can access significant services provided by Cheetah House at a highly reduced cost until 31 December 2024.

The subsidy scheme will enable Australian and New Zealand meditators in distress to access selected services provided by Cheetah House at a reduced cost. The services include private consultations, group support and education, among others, and are designed to address the various challenges that meditators may encounter.

The CSC subsidy scheme is an important step towards promoting safe and effective contemplative practices and providing appropriate support to Australian and New Zealander meditators who may experience adverse reactions.

CSC is contributing US$21,000 to this scheme which will run through to 31 December 2024.

Although frequently touted as a universal cure-all for modern society's afflictions, meditation can result in unwanted side effects if practiced without appropriate caution. One estimate suggests that as many as 30-50% of people experience a meditation-related adverse event. The most common experiences are anxiety, depression, and difficulties concentrating, but in some cases, the experiences can be as extreme as becoming suicidal, having a psychotic episode, or feeling a strong disconnection to one’s sense of who they are (i.e., dissociation or depersonalisation).

How to access the Scheme

  • Read the full terms and conditions below to ensure you understand the scheme and you are eligible to participate.
  • View Cheetah House Care Team member profiles and book an eligible service here.
  • At Step 2 of the standard booking process for your service on the Cheetah House Scheduling page, follow the instructions to a) confirm your agreement with the Scheme terms and conditions, and b) access and redeem the CSC Subsidy Scheme code.
  • If you have any questions about the CSC Subsidy Scheme and/or difficulty accessing the Subsidy Scheme code, please contact Cheetah House Director of Care Services Dan Gilner at Dan.Gilner@CheetahHouse.org.

Terms and Conditions

CSC funds this scheme with the following terms and conditions:

  1. All citizens or permanent residents of Australia or New Zealand over 18 year of age are eligible to access the CSC Subsidy scheme regardless of where they reside in the world, as are all visa holders over 18 year of age who reside in Australia or New Zealand.
  2. Cheetah House is the provider of the services, not the Contemplative Studies Centre or the University of Melbourne, and clients are required to agree to Cheetah House’s terms of service before accessing any services from them under the CSC subsidy scheme.
  3. Except as required by law, the University of Melbourne excludes all liability for the customer’s use of Cheetah House’s services or anything else related to those services or the CSC Subsidy Scheme.
  4. The CSC agrees to subsidise 80% of the standard cost of up to 10 services in total for each eligible Australia/New Zealand Client, made up of any combination of services A, B, C, D, E as listed in the table below.
  5. Notwithstanding Condition 4. above, the CSC Subsidy Scheme will conclude on 31 December 2024 or when total CSC Subsidy funding is expended, whichever occurs first.

The University of Melbourne and Cheetah House partner to provide affordable access to services for Australian and New Zealander meditators in distress

In a ground-breaking collaboration, the Contemplative Studies Centre (CSC) at The University of Melbourne has joined forces with Cheetah House to introduce a pioneering subsidy program aimed at assisting individuals experiencing difficulties in their meditation practice.

Meditation can result in unwanted side effects if practiced without appropriate caution.  One US study estimates that as many as 30-50 per cent of people experience a meditation-related adverse event.

The most common experiences are anxiety, depression and difficulties concentrating, but in some cases, the experiences can be as extreme as becoming suicidal, having a psychotic episode, or feeling a strong disconnection to one’s sense of who they are (dissociation or depersonalisation).

Under the subsidy program, eligible meditators in Australia and New Zealand can access significant services provided by Cheetah House at a highly reduced cost until 30 June 2024.

The services include private consultations, group support and education, and are designed to address the various challenges that meditators may encounter.

Contemplative Studies Centre Director Associate Professor Nicholas Van Dam said the initiative is an important step towards promoting safe and effective contemplative practices and providing appropriate support to meditators who may experience adverse reactions.

“We are delighted to partner with Cheetah House in subsidising selected services for meditators in distress in the first initiative of its kind in Australia and New Zealand. We know that people are suffering without access to trauma-informed support, and we believe that our collaboration will enhance the accessibility and quality of meditation support services, such that we can minimise the harms and optimise the benefits of meditation,” Associate Professor Van Dam said.

Director of Cheetah House, Dr Willoughby Britton, said: “Through our partnership with the CSC, we are thrilled to offer subsidised services to meditators in need. Cheetah House’s mission of providing support and education is well-aligned with the CSC’s dedication to promoting authentic contemplative practices. By joining forces, we can expand our reach globally and offer invaluable support to those Australians and New Zealanders navigating the challenges of meditation”.

Cheetah House aims to provide a balanced, realistic, and informed perspective about the risks associated with meditation through the dissemination of research-based information. It provides support to those experiencing meditation-related difficulties, trains meditation providers in understanding and treating meditation adverse effects in a person-centred way and empowers people to make informed decisions about the role of meditation in their lives.

The Contemplative Studies Centre (CSC) works with interdisciplinary collaborators across The University of Melbourne, in the broader community and worldwide to develop, deliver, support and promote innovative and authentic contemplative practices through their three programs of engagement, education, and practice, underpinned by a strong foundation of research.

The CSC is contributing US$21,000 to the subsidy scheme which will run through to 30 June 2024.

For more information on the CSC subsidy scheme and the services provided by Cheetah House, visit: https://www.cheetahhouse.org/partnerships or https://psychologicalsciences.unimelb.edu.au/CSC/contemplative-resource-hub/meditator-distress

For more information on the CSC subsidy scheme including important terms and conditions, and the services provided by Cheetah House, visit: Cheetahhouse.org/um-disclaimer

Media enquiries: Danielle Galvin | 0439 301 953 | danielle.galvin@unimelb.edu.au

Cheetah House provides support to those experiencing meditation-related difficulties, trains meditation providers in understanding and treating meditation adverse effects in a person-centred way and empowers people to make informed decisions about the role of meditation in their lives. In a world where claims about meditation are often overhyped, Cheetah House aims to provide a balanced, realistic, and informed perspective about the risks associated with meditation through the dissemination of research-based information.

If you or someone you know is experiencing distress from meditation practice, we invite you to get in touch with Cheetah House.