Overview
I teach evidence-based stress reduction and emotional balance courses, workshops, and retreats in hospitals, universities, and community organizations.
My offerings weave together modern stress psychology, cognitive science, and research on emotion with contemplative practice - supporting participants to realize a sense of steadiness, presence, and well-being in their lives, no matter what circumstances are arising.
I draw from my professional training in secular programs at leading medical and research institutions, alongside a deep personal practice forged through immersion in the ancient wisdom traditions they originate from. This background allows me to deliver a platform of personal transformation, stress resiliency, and secular ethics in modern, relevant, and effective ways.
The foundations of my teachings include:
Mindfulness for Stress Reduction and Resilience
Emotional Awareness and Balance
Compassion and Heart Opening
Relaxation & Breathwork
Teaching Qualifications
I am qualified to teach ‘Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction’ (MBSR) by The Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Healthcare and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. I completed my foundational training and teaching practicum at the Penn Program for Mindfulness at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center.
I am a certified teacher of ‘Cultivating Emotional Balance’ (CEB), a science-based educational program commissioned by H.H. the Dalai Lama as a secular training utilizing the experience of emotion as a path for transformation and genuine happiness.
I am a certified teacher of ‘The Breathing Class’, a diaphragmatic breath training and strengthening program for relaxation and regulation of mind and body.
Current Work
I am supporting the curriculum development and pilot teaching for the ‘Mindfulness-Based Queer Resilience’ (MBQR) research study at Brown University School of Public Health, Mindfulness for Health Equity Lab. MBQR is an internet-delivered mindfulness-based intervention to improve mental health and sexual well-being among young adult gay men.
I am an instructor at Pratt Institute, a design school in NYC, where I teach my signature contemplative art courses to design students through the Integrative Mind & Body Program.
I teach meditation classes at the SF Dharma Collective, weaving together secular contemplative pedagogy with ancient Buddhist wisdom for a modern and universal approach to alleviate suffering.
I support families and healthcare workers in Neo-Natal Intensive Care Units across a network of hospitals through the non-profit organization, Today Is A Good Day. I provide stress management and emotional support resources through live sessions and an online curriculum.
While I primarily teach in universities and healthcare environments, I occasionally offer workshops, courses, and retreats for small groups. If you are interested in working with me, please contact me HERE.
My Upcoming Public Offerings:
Visit All Events, Past and Present HERE.
Guided Practices
Come practice with me! Below you will find recorded meditations including:
Relaxation, Emotional Support, Mindfulness, and Heart Opening practices.
I encourage you to explore these meditations with curiosity and an open mind.
The full library of practices is available when taking a course with me or through a short “Entry Contemplation”.
May these guided practices support you through whatever may be arising in your present moment experience,
to offer steady ground and a safe port even in the midst of life’s storms.
RELAXATION & BREATHWORK
Difficult experiences and emotions often create tension in the body leading to increased mental agitation and physical pain. This signals to the brain a physical threat may be in front of us, and the body reacts by releasing stress hormones to prepare to fight or run away - causing even more stress.
To face what is in front of us with a sense of calm and perspective, we need to be steady and grounded. These practices, primarily rooted in breathing exercises, send a signal to the brain to rest and relax, to calm the nervous system. They may be particularly helpful in times of heightened stress or when a reset in mind and body is needed.
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
Meeting moments of difficulty with a kind and compassionate awareness can help navigate the waves of strong emotion. We may not be able to change or control the circumstances of life, but we can practice surfing them with greater ease and insight.
These practices may be helpful to find steadiness during moments of emotional distress. They may also be used as a preemptive training, so the pathways of internal support are there when strong emotions arise. The goal of these practices is not to eliminate or bypass emotions, rather to open space around them as they pass through and shift from a destructive result to a constructive one.
MINDFULNESS
Mindfulness can be described as paying attention to the present moment on purpose and without judgment. It also translates from ancient wisdom traditions meaning ‘to remember’ or ‘to bear in mind’. To be present. To be the watcher. To be ardent, alert, and mindful. Simple, not always easy.
We develop many strategies throughout our lives to avoid our discomforts, and our strategies ultimately become unconscious habits that lead to rumination, anxiety, depression, stress, and chronic pain. Mindfulness offers insight into our inner world and helps interrupt these habitual reactions, offering a new path.
Learning to integrate moment-to-moment attention into life as it is happening, even unpleasant events, opens up space in the mind to notice our autopilot reactions and choose a skillful response to them.
For some, mindfulness meditations may help relax and calm the mind, but the goal of these practices is more about skill building for the long term. Not every practice will be pleasant or feel good, or blissful. Just like how some workouts in the gym are not always pleasant, yet the muscles are still becoming stronger. Practiced over time, mindfulness trains the mind to be awake and aware regardless of how it feels in the moment.
It is important to remember that a wandering mind is not the enemy in these practices nor an indicator of how skilled you are at meditating. We are not trying to stop thoughts or other distractions from happening, rather, to welcome whatever unfolds as an opportunity to practice returning to the present moment. It is this return from being lost in thought that strengthens the pathways to presence. In this way, we NEED a wandering mind to practice coming back again and again.
Wholeness.
To experience the full benefits of mindfulness, it is recommended to dedicate time to a regular practice using these guided recordings.
COMPASSION & HEART OPENING
Research has shown the practice of offering kindness and compassion to others and ourselves can increase positive emotions, lead to a greater sense of well-being, and feelings of empathy and connection. Heart-based meditations reduce the stress hormone cortisol in the body and can create a relaxation response in the nervous system. Meeting life with a soft, nourished, and open heart not only feels good, but it can also help build a less divisive, more understanding, and collaborative society- one heart at a time.
Self-Compassion practice has demonstrated the potential to reduce self-critical thoughts and open the door to accepting the present moment, and ourselves, exactly as we are.
Gratitude practices have similarly been shown to improve physical and psychological health, and face adversity with resilience. Taking time to observe, feel, and express gratitude, no matter how big or small, opens our view to where there is enough- rather than be swept away by a lack mindset.
Please Note
While these offerings can be a meaningful addition to compliment a mental health toolkit, it is not a form of therapy and should not be construed as such. These are educational training in tools for self-awareness and discovery grounded in evidence-based methodology.
Informed by a variety of backgrounds and traditions, my offerings are presented in secular context without rituals, rights or religious connotation.
No previous experience with mindfulness or meditation is required. These practices are available to first-timers as well as those with an established practice, looking to refresh or go deeper. If connecting with meditation has been difficult in the past, you are especially encouraged to join me in practice.
All walks of life, world views and belief systems are welcome here.
