Before Soothing, Release: The Sensory Memory of Stress & Trauma
As I sat down this morning to write, news came of yet another school shooting. Ten dead. At least a dozen injured. All in that small city outside of Houston traumatized in some way, directly or indirectly. Countless others of us may experience vicarious trauma to one...
Teachers, You’re Amazing!
When high school English teacher Brittni Darras learned that one of her students had tried to kill herself, she was grief-stricken. Darras had known her as “a friendly, intelligent, beautiful, driven, young woman.” As Reader’s Digest recounted, Darras felt helpless...
Gratitude Comes Right Back to Us
Though most of my work these days is in continuing to grow Yoga Calm and running a family counseling practice, I still love going into the classroom. The kids inspire me, and being in the classroom helps keep me connected. Lately, I’ve especially enjoyed providing...
The Return of the “Adventure” Playground – The Developmental Need to Face “Danger”
Think of Monterey, California, and you may think of its spectacular aquarium or Cannery Row or its rocky, cypress peppered shoreline, the squeal of sea otters and bark of the sea lions sounding over the crashing surf. But if you were lucky enough to grow up in the...
Beyond the Classroom: Yoga Calm in Juvenile Detention Centers & Other Settings
Through the years, we have been blessed to work with so many amazing teachers, counselors, social workers, therapists, and other helping professionals who dedicate themselves to helping children and families thrive in an ever more challenging world. One of those is...
Guest Post: A Boy & a Bear & Leadership
Learning to breathe," writes third grade teacher Stephanie Kennelly, "builds strength and confidence. Becoming a leader helps solidify belief in your Self. Combining the two...has left a huge impact on my students (and me)!" She shares more reflection on breathwork...
It’s Time to Address the Root Causes of School Shootings
For many of us, these past few days have been a tangle of grief and anger. Seventeen human beings were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida – 14 students and 3 faculty members. At least 15 more were injured. It’s not just the degree of bloodshed...
Bringing Yoga Calm into Mental Health Settings
Though Yoga Calm began in elementary school classrooms and student counseling groups, today, a wide variety of organizations and facilities have incorporated our program in their service to children and families. One of these is Frontier Behavioral Health, a...
Not Just for Twenty-Somethings in Spandex: Teaching Yoga to Seniors
If you teach older adults – or have thought about teaching seniors – you may want to check out the new book by Kimberly Carlson and Carol Krucoff, the amazing instructors of our Teaching Yoga to Seniors certificate training. Managing the emotional and physical...
Guest Post: Warrior II & New Year’s Resolutions
As third-grade teacher Stephanie Kennelly notes in her post below, reflection and goal-setting are important activities that even young children can learn. "Using mindful movement," she adds, "helps facilitate these life lessons." Our thanks to 1000 Petals for letting...
What to Make of the Mindfulness Backlash?
Considering how popular mindfulness has become, it’s no surprise that we’ve begun to hear more people challenging it. Some simply caution against all the hype and the idea that mindfulness is some kind of cure-all. Others slam it as just another superficial self-help...
Guest Post: Teaching Yoga Calm to Preschool Kids? Some Tips
By Dawn Craig I hadn’t planned on teaching Yoga Calm in a daycare setting. My sister had merely told the owner of my nephews’ daycare center about my experience using it as a counselor. When I presented the sample lesson plans the owner had asked for, it was like I’d...