Mindfulness points to an inherent quality of awareness that we all have. Awareness that is gentle, curious and nonjudgmental; which can be cultivated to support self-understanding and healthy decision making. Mindfulness practices are specific ways of experiencing and directing our attention that help us recognize and utilize our awareness for various purposes such as emotional regulation, focus, addressing anxiety, achieving goals, stress reduction, creativity and enjoying life.
Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose,
— Jon Kabat-Zinn
in the present moment, non-judgmentally, in the service of self-understanding and wisdom.”
Why I Share Mindfulness
As a young mom my life took some sharp twists and turns that brought me to surrender everything I thought I knew… which distilled life down to the presence we bring – to ourselves, our thoughts, emotions, interactions, family, friends, work – to our full expression as human beings. Along the way, mindfulness practice has proven to be a continually supportive anchor in my life to support me and those I work with in navigating challenges and improving quality of life.
Sharing these transformational practices in a trauma sensitive way opens the door for people to befriend themselves with gentleness, curiosity and courage – no matter what is going on for them, or what they’ve been through.
Over the years, mindfulness and presence have become common buzz words that often refer to being present and aware in the moment, not distracted by the running thoughts in the mind or what we have to do later on or what happened yesterday. With trauma sensitive practices, we regard each moment as new and release unhelpful ideas about mindfulness to gently meet ourselves as we are. We fully acknowledge all facets of our humanity as we anchor into our inherent aware presence, the pure potential that gives rise to our very existence. Potential with a clear intent to survive and thrive, even in the most dire of circumstances.
Mindfulness practices offer an opportunity to bring gentle, kind curiosity to ourselves and our experiences as we choose who and what we are in our lives, families and the world, one moment at a time. We clarify ourselves by becoming aware and making choices. Hard choices, easy choices, messy choices, powerful choices, aware choices, mistaken choices, resilient choices and along the way we learn about who we are through the awareness of our thoughts, emotions, patterns, responses, weaknesses, strengths and continuing growth potential.
While the presence we bring to life can’t fully be put into words, we can gradually learn to choose what we bring. I invite you to deepen your experience of life through exploring some of the links below, as well as getting in touch to explore mindfulness through classes or private sessions.
Helpful Links to Get Started
- Simple Meditation
- Present Moment Awareness for Adults and Kids
- Mindfulness: Establishing a Daily Sitting Practice
- Mindfulness: Addressing Restlessness
- Mindfulness Exercises for Kids
- Resources for Meditation
- Meditation for Children
Learn Mindfulness
Experience supportive practices to increase self awareness, self understanding and emotional regulation. Learn practical ways to slow down, embrace and understand your thoughts emotions, as well as how you react to them so you can learn to respond intentionally instead. Learn how mindfulness can enhance your parenting, relationships, work and life in general. Customized mindfulness programs are available for all ages, to include couples, families, schools, organizations, etc. Get in touch to explore mindfulness through one of my online offerings, private sessions or community programs.
40 Day Meditation Challenge for Parents – Daily mindfulness to reduce stress, transform harmful patterns and increase patience
Mindfulness Programs for Youth – Customizable curriculum designed to assist children with focus, relaxation, emotional regulation and much more
Private Sessions – Meet with me in person or via distance session to learn and practice mindfulness in ways that are practical and useful for you