Five “S's” to Stability: Sight, Sound, Smell, Self, Someone else

In this practice we experience 5 steps to becoming more balanced and grounded. To help us remember the process, each step begins with the letter S. This is a practice that can be done quickly in any informal setting or it can be extended to any length in a formal setting.

A seven page booklet for children as a meditation guide that can be done together or be self-guided. Available upon request for $9 plus shipping.

Mindful Mentoring

I would like to invite you to come do some Mindful Mentoring with me.

We are constantly bombarded with Transitions. These create sensations within the body ranging from pleasant to sometimes seemingly unbearable. It is natural and normal to feel overwhelmed, anxious and even depressed at times. Even our immune systems may feel suppressed or challenged as we find ourselves lacking the energy to thrive.

With Mindful Mentoring your capacity to self-regulate through the ebb and flow of life will expand. Exercises taught during mentoring sessions will cultivate awareness, non-judgment, loving-kindness, and compassion to hold the space for whatever is present.

Learn to be grounded and to live beyond your circumstances. Work through a step-by-step process to retrain your brain and create new neural paths to strengthen connection and ability.

Mindful Mentoring helps us to embody the present moment. Feel into our experiences and increase empathy for self and others. Instead of checking out… we can learn how to lean in, safely and gently.

Each mentoring session introduces a new tool, skill, and/or application that will be practiced together and then an opportunity to practice on your own before returning, discussing and experiencing something else.

We may not be able to control what is going on around us, however, we can augment what is going on within us. Let’s build inner strength, capacity, new neuron pathways and increase effective self-regulation. Come learn to use your breath, body & agency as we explore Moments of Mindfulness.

Restorative Partner Yoga (RPY) is another resource that can help guide through the transitions of life. During a session we have the opportunity to transition through different restorative yoga poses in a safe and supported way. As the receiver it is a passive exercise where you are able to relax and be guided through the process.

Creating messages to the brain that it is okay to transition, and you can be relaxed and supported while doing so. We can lean in and explore in a safe environment, while at the same time, receive compassionate self-care. I encourage you to take some time for yourself and see the RPY Page for additional benefits and schedule a session soon.

Mindful Mentoring and Restorative Partner Yoga will increase capacity to lean in and experience life with more ease, balance, and with less resistance.

See you soon.

Why participate in “Mindful Mentoring Moments”?

For mindfulness to work, we really have to try it. If we don’t try it, we can’t determine if it is useful for ourselves or not.

Have you ever…

Said something you wish you could take back?

Done something you later regretted?

Felt angry and out of control?

Felt nervous or anxious about an exam or performance?

Been in a bad mood and not sure why?

Felt like you need a break and want everyone to just leave you alone?

Had trouble falling asleep because your mind won’t be quiet or your body feels restless?

Emotions constantly change, difficult emotions like anger, fear, worry, and stress release chemicals in our brain that prevent learning and trigger reactions to say or do things, upon reflections, we may wish we had not done or said.

The Mindfulness techniques practiced are quite simple and can help in all these ways. We will be mindful of sound, breath, movement, thoughts, emotions and other things. We will experience short periods of time paying attention on purpose. These simple mindful moments will gently strengthen and develop your mind and increase your capacity to be in balance, control and obtain self-regulation. Each lesson builds on the previous one and new concepts are introduced and practiced each time.

Mindful Mentoring Commentary

As part of the Prevention team at Davis Behavioral Health I was able to Pilot the Mindful Schools Program in the Davis County School District --2016-2017. I was able to interact and teach over 1000 students and work with many teachers. I have since packaged these lessons into a series of mindful mentoring moments that can be shared with classes, families or individuals who are wanting to focus, learn and incorporate mindfulness into their daily life experience.

Here are some teachers Testimonials from the Pilot Program:

“The lessons are short but the effect is long lasting. The children have responded in a way I would never have imagined. They use it when lining up to go to recess. They use it before taking a spelling test. It only takes a few moments and I can see a physical change in how they are responding to a potentially stressful situation. I can calm the class down with just a breathing reminder. It is also a great tool when a student is crying about something to get them to stop and focus. Ann has done a fantastic job presenting”. --Nina, 2nd grade teacher

“Ann has been wonderful and the kids have really responded to the mindfulness lessons. I love the short amount of time taken to make such a big difference. The kids use their mindfulness skills every day. Thank you so much for making this available to my students”. --Deborah, 4th grade teacher

“I was just breathing today while dealing with a stressful situation. Lately I have been using self-talk and trying to be kind to myself. Thank you for these lessons.” --2nd grade teacher

“My students are very willing to calm down and refocus when the mindful bodies reminder is used. I appreciate that they are more willing to take a step back and think about their reaction before it happens.”. --4th grade teacher

Comments shared by students about their home practice. (Students ranging from 2nd grade to 6th grade)

I already used it in resource today, it helped me calm down.

I sent loving kindness to my mom last night when she was crying.

My baby brother was screaming all the way to school today in the car, we had the window down on the highway, I used mindfulness and it helped me not want to strangle my brother.

When my dad had a seizure, I took three breaths and it helped me stay calm.

For the first time I actually felt like being still and being okay with it.

My brother wouldn’t play with me, it made me sad, I did the breathing then went and played with my puppy.

I was trying to do homework. My mom was on the phone, my brother was being annoying and my little brother was being loud. I did the body scan and felt a lot more calm and peaceful, I could focus and get back to my homework.

I sent loving kindness to my dad who lives in Las Vegas.

I taught my little sister the scan to help her sleep.

Dad had friends over to watch Football, it was really loud and I wanted to read a book. I couldn’t focus so I did a body scan and I could read.

My brother woke me up because he couldn’t sleep, we did the scan together and fell back asleep.

I woke up from a nightmare and did the body scan and fell back asleep.

In the car coming to school my baby sister was crying and I was getting so mad. I did my body scan and the mad left!

I hurt my arm at Basketball practice and couldn’t fall asleep because it hurt. I did the body scan and was able to go to sleep.

Observations while teaching in the Elementary School:

I was in the office checking out after teaching one day and a student came out of the principal’s office and the principal said, “Didn’t that go a lot better?” And he responded, “Ya, (then looks at me) It’s because of you”. And then left. The principal then told me that he is a regular in the office and normally just yells at her every time, however this time they were able to discuss his behavior and were able to send him back to class.

One student never cleared his desk when I came in for the lessons (which is a request I make) he also never looked attentive and kept his head down the whole time. One day I walked in and his desk was clear and he was attentive. He later told me that he was scared at night and he did a body scan and it helped him go back to sleep. He was attentive and ready for all future lessons.

A teacher shared with me that later in the day after my previous lesson a student shared that she just found out her parents were getting a divorce. The whole class took a minute to send loving kindness to that classmate and it changed the whole demeanor of the student and the class.

My seventh time in one particular classroom I noticed upon entering that the teacher had cleared her desk and was ready for the day's lesson. (The teacher’s desk in prior weeks was stacked and messy.) I thanked the students for having their desks clear of distraction and acknowledged that the teacher had done so also. The whole class applauded for the teacher. It was really cool to see the teacher support the students and the students support her. It really created a sense of community.

One class had a 6th grader who was a constant distraction during lessons and made it clear that mindfulness was not for him. When I come in, I ask students for any experiences they have applied mindfulness in since last time I was there. This student raised his hand (previously he just said whatever he wanted when he wanted.) He shared that at the skate park and his friend bet him he couldn’t do a nose grinder. He just couldn’t get it and was getting really frustrated, and then instead of getting mad, he came back to his breath and it helped him not be frustrated. After that week he was attentive and respectful during the rest of the mindfulness lessons.