Certified Instructor Summit & Gathering

It all started here, on the flanks of Mt Hood, when 20 years ago Lynea first started developing what would become Yoga Calm in her elementary school. And now the processes she developed, like Hoberman sphere breathing, Mindful Moments Cards and movement-based SEL activities, have inspired children’s mindfulness, SEL and movement initiatives around the world!

Since then, tens of thousands of teachers, counselors and therapists have been trained in these techniques with over 400 professionals — like you — distinguishing themselves by attaining the level of Certified Yoga Calm Instructor. And yet, we all are still learning and growing from the experiences of this work. That’s why it is time to get together, share our experiences and celebrate our accomplishments!

A Unique Gathering of Creative & Passionate Professionals…

We have been wanting to do this for years and now is the time. On Monday, June 24, we are putting together our first Certified Instructor Summit and Gathering. It will be held during our 11th Oregon Summer Intensive on the beautiful slopes of Mt Hood at Still Meadow Retreat.

This special event features a diverse spectrum of presentations, discussion panels, and expert guest speakers on innovative techniques for addressing children’s health and wellness, particularly as they relate to learning and therapy.

Sessions include new developments and best practices in the use of physical activity initiatives, mindfulness/stress reduction approaches, trauma-informed practices, supporting marginalized communities, and social-emotional learning and resiliency-building.

You will also be introduced to our latest curriculum guides and resource materials, and participate in lessons and therapeutic plans derived from years of classroom and clinical experience. These feature Yoga Calm’s unique whole-child approach that integrates physical, cognitive and social/emotional learning.

To honor you and facilitate your learning, we will also provide special sessions to rejuvenate yourself, deepen your personal wellness practice and develop your ability to teach theme-based classes.

Agenda

There will be more additions and developments to our agenda, but here are the current Summit presentations.

Life Skills for Little Ones: Implementing Yoga Calm in PreK-2nd Grade
Beth Taylor, MAT, RYT-200 and Yoga Calm Trainer

Beth Taylor has taught Yoga Calm over the last 10 years to students as young as 3 in classroom settings, in after-school programs, and at family fitness nights. She recently developed a curriculum guide with lessons that blend Yoga Calm and academic curricula in the PreK through second grade classroom.

In this session, Beth will go through a sample lesson from Life Skills for Little Ones: Implementing Yoga Calm in PreK-2nd Grade. You will see videos of it in action in a classroom setting and hear tips on ways to modify the lessons. Time will be allotted for answering questions as well.

*** A free copy of Beth’s Life Skills for Little Ones will also be made available to all Summit registrants.***

Looking through the Eyes of Trauma: Using Mind/Body Interventions in Mental Health Settings
Kathy Flaminio, MA, ERYT200 & Chrissy Mignogna, ERYT-200

Yoga Calm trainers Kathy Flaminio and Chrissy Mignogna have been integrating Yoga Calm and Move Mindfully into hospitals child and adolescent mental health and dual diagnosis units for the last eight years.  Many of these patients are in acute stages of crisis/trauma. The work is both challenging and awe-inspiring. Over the last two years, they have been working twice a week with youth ages 12-18 at a juvenile services center.

In their presentation, Chrissy and Kathy will share stories of healing and introduce the PACE framework, a structure for trauma-responsive teaching. Participants will have the opportunity to delve deeper into the power of mind-body practices for healing and fostering connection with youth who have experienced significant trauma. Explore the art of working in therapeutic settings with youth and practice movement and breath work for self-regulation and regaining a sense of safety and stability in the body. More info…

The Power of Me for Tweens and People with Disabilities
Katie Thune, M.A. Ed., RYT

Katie Thune has used Yoga Calm over the last 10 years while working as a middle school teacher as well as in after-school programs, family events, and for the Special Olympics.

Using her teaching background in health education and special education, she developed a program called the Power of Me. The program began as a series of workshops and retreats providing tween girls with the tools they need – empowerment, self-determination, and self-regulation – to navigate growing up. The program quickly evolved to include parent-child workshops, retreats for schools and other organizations, and now a curriculum for all genders to be used in schools and organizations.

In this presentation, Katie will lead participants through a mini Power of Me workshop.  Katie will share her insights, strategies and practical tips.

Katie will also share information on her latest program, Sexuality for All Abilities, a comprehensive sex education curriculum for people with disabilities. The curriculum is currently being used in over 100 schools around the United States and supports teachers having appropriate conversations with their students on the topic of sexual health. More info.

*** A free “Healthy Relationships Workshop Curriculum” from Katie’s book, The Power of Me will also be made available to all Summit registrants.***

Embracing the Circle: a Native American Perspective in Teaching Yoga Calm
Carrie Green, Yoga Calm Trainer and Klamath Tribal Member

Carrie will present how she incorporates culture into her personal practice as well as her professional service. Embracing her culture and self-care rituals, she will share stories of healing, celebration and hope, and how to work with marginalized groups by bringing Yoga Calm and culture into your practice.  Explore how drumming, singing, stories and other cultural gifts and activities can bring light into a relational world-view.

Carrie has been integrating her culture and world relational view into her classrooms as an early childhood educator, family advocate and site manager over the past two and a half decades. She helped start many early learning programs in the Portland area, including culturally specific centers that embrace and honor her indigenous ways. She has also worked with all age groups including Portland Native American teens and elders.

Carrie has used her education and professional experience to support, create and sustain inclusive, representative, and responsive systems and programming to historically underrepresented and underserved communities, with an emphasis on communities of color, immigrants, and refugees. She is dedicated to supporting and developing systems that embrace equity and promote high-quality early childhood education and care for all children and families through on going mentoring and advocacy for practitioners.

Earth Warriors! Yoga Calm, Teens & the Environment
Lynea Gillen, LPC, RYT-200 & Leah Shuyler, MA

This year teens in more than 100 countries marched for the climate inspired by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg. There are many other young people who are empowered to bring awareness to climate change and confront other problems that threaten life on the planet by uniting nations.

In this session, Leah and Lynea will share from their Earth Warriors! curriculum and how its been used with traumatized teens on a local farm. Learn how to use yoga, eco-psychology and fun environmental education activities to help us, and our students to reconnect with ourselves and the natural world and inspire hope and creativity for our young leaders of the future.

Honoring Our Collective Wisdom

Join the circle for a  group Q&A and sharing session with Lynea, Jim and the other Summit presenters. We want to hear your experiences, answer your questions, and give you opportunities to provide feedback and guidance in charting Yoga Calm’s development.

United We Stand. Community Yoga Class
Jim Gillen, ERYT500

From the loving support of our teachers and our community we discover our gifts and are empowered to serve others. This timeless message is the touchstone for this special yoga class to top off our day.

YogaJim loves to create class experiences that are fun, inspiring, therapeutic, emotionally supportive and accessible to all students.

Celebration Dinner Party!

Wrap up your day with opportunities to for more collegial sharing at a dinner party for all with an amazing meal planned by Still Meadow’s culinary genius, Tom Weatherell.

Share Your Work!
We are also working on either a website page, poster board session or other session to give all certified instructors a way to highlight their projects and work. Stay tuned for this request…

Get Credit!

The Certified Instructor Gathering qualifies for five professional development hours and five Washington State Clock Hours. Contact us for any questions regarding professional development credit.

Join Us for the Intensive!

The Certified Instructor Summit will be held at Still Meadow Retreat Center during our annual Summer Intensive. And you can “retake” the June 22-25 Summer Intensive, too, and its Wellness 1-3 courses for only $150 (lodging not included). One of the highlights of the Intensive is the collegial sharing and support from other passionate and creative educators and therapists that come from around the world. We will also be featuring new additions and materials for the Intensive’s curriculum.

Details

Monday, June 24, 1:30 – 8:00 pm (12:30 pm check-in; Dinner served at 6:30 pm)

$125
Includes a delicious dinner

Prerequisite: Completion of the Yoga Calm Youth Instructor certification program. Registration for the 2019 Oregon Summer Intensive also qualifies. (Please contact support@yogacalm.org us if there are questions).

Still Meadow Retreat Center
(30 mins south of Portland International Airport)
16561 SE Marna Rd
Damascus, OR 97089

Lodging

Contact us if you would like to stay overnight, June 24: support@yogacalm.org