Prioritizing dedicated mindfulness support for every school

At Mindfulness First, we believe that mental wellbeing education is the missing piece in traditional education systems. Just like we learn to take care of our physical health through P.E., we can learn how to care for our mental health. Because we use our minds all day long, keeping our minds strong and healthy is vital. 

Our services address mental health from a preventative, protective, and healing perspective. We have a special focus on schools because studies show that learning mental health life skills as a child creates positive health and life outcomes. 

Taking what we’ve learned from the past decade of this work, we are adapting our program approach to better meet the evolving needs of each school we work with. By identifying the challenges and successes of our existing programs and those of our industry partners, we've pinpointed one major recurring need: consistent, in-person support to foster the development and sustainability of emotionally regulated school communities.

Here’s how we’re responding…

Introducing: Leading with Mindfulness

Through this new program launched in the 2024-2025 school year, each school is assigned a dedicated Mindfulness Coach who will provide weekly onsite education and support of trauma-informed Mindfulness-Based Social Emotional Learning (“MBSEL”) practices throughout the school year for students, teachers, and staff.

What to Expect

During this program, your Mindfulness Coach will be on campus for up to 3 days per week, offering a variety of different MBSEL lessons and support for your students and staff.

Below are some examples of what our coach could provide your school each week:

  • Our student lessons are led by your school’s mindfulness coach and range from 30 to 45 minutes and integrate topics and concepts from our 'Teaching Mindfulness I' student curriculum. These lessons include mindfulness, brain science, stress, body awareness, thoughts and emotions, gratitude, kindness, generosity, and mindful living. Each session is scientifically informed and incorporates resources tailored to students' developmental stages, providing them with essential coping skills.

  • Our staff training & professional development offerings include a combination of both live sessions and on-demand education materials. Our approach begins with your mindfulness coach supporting teachers and staff in developing their own personal practice and understanding of trauma-informed MBSEL. Once teachers and staff have established a foundational practice, we provide them with additional resources and tools to implement what they’ve learned with their students. This is achieved through live group professional development sessions or workshops as well as on-demand courses. These training methods utilize scientifically informed resources to equip faculty and staff with valuable insights into fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment. They also provide tools to better understand and address the diverse emotional and social needs of students, along with strategies for nurturing one’s own well-being through self-care and stress management.

    Click here to learn more about our online trainings for educators.

  • Your mindfulness coach will provide educational resources and learning opportunities to school parents and other community members throughout the school year. They will be available to attend school events such as Back to School night, parent-teacher conferences, wellness fairs, and more. The goal of these support activities will be to create a holistic community of practice so that each school community member can cultivate mindfulness and well-being, both within the educational environment and in their daily lives beyond the school walls.

  • Beyond our primary student, teacher, and staff programming described above, your mindfulness coach will provide additional consulting and support opportunities as needed. These opportunities may take place during or outside of regular class hours and will focus on delivering extra guided practice for mindfulness activities and learning, as well as offering assistance with any challenges that students, teachers, or staff may encounter while working to implement these skills. This includes, but is not limited to, classroom implementation consultation, goal development and review sessions, establishment of mindfulness rooms or calm corners, and more.

KEY BENEFITS

  • Consistent trauma-informed MBSEL support throughout the entire school year

  • Improved teacher and staff well-being and retention rates

  • Improved student well-being and academic performance

  • Enhanced sustainability of mindfulness practice & culture schoolwide