Mindfulness Training

I was first introduced to mindfulness in 2006 when I participated in an 8 week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program. This program opened my eyes and my life to the power of mindfulness. After completing this program, I was part of a mindfulness and meditation group that studied The Four Agreements, a book by Don Miguel Ruiz. This bi-weekly group that I attended for many years helped me practice and embody mindfulness every day in my life, in ways both big and small. I found that being more mindful improved my abilities around attention and focus and emotional regulation. I discovered that any time I was feeling emotionally triggered, I had the ability to hit the pause button before reacting. This vastly improved my relationships and my general feelings of happiness and well-being. Mindfulness literally changed my life for the better.

When I became a social worker, I was thrilled to see mindfulness being utilized in therapeutic settings, as this was something I felt comfortable with and knew how effective it could be. While employed in public education, I was involved on a district level to bring mindfulness to staff and students. It was during this time that I found Mindful Schools and went through their extensive certification program to become a Certified Mindfulness Instructor. Not only do I bring mindfulness into my counseling practice, I am available to do mindfulness training as professional development for schools and businesses, and I also run half-day and full-day retreats incorporating mindfulness as a self-care strategy.