Mindfulness Training: An Inside Job!

Mindfulness is a practice that cultivates attention, present-moment awareness, nonjudgment, and self-kindness.

We can bring mindfulness into everyday life–when we’re disagreeing with our partner, cutting a carrot, or anything in between.

Posted below are workshop series, presentations, trainings, podcasts, and retreats.

To learn about our ongoing mindfulness practice sessions throughout the week, free and open to the public, jump to the bottom of this page.

Workshop on Building Resilience, Anxiety & Stress

November 20th

Judging by registrations in the first week, “Building Resilience” is striking a chord! The November 19th workshop is closed. A second Zoom-only group is offered on November 20th (see below).

To register: https://bit.ly/resilience-nov2024

“Workplace Mindfulness Program”                                                              Starts September 25th                                                                                  Description & Details:

Click here: https://safermindfulness.com/workplace-mindfulness-program/

“Take Charge of Anxiety & Stress: A Mindfulness Program”                    Starts October 3rd                                                                                        Description & Details:

Click here: https://safermindfulness.com/take-charge-anxiety-stress-program/

A Talk and a Chat 

with Andrew Safer: 

“Rediscovering the Heart” 

Tuesday, September 17th, 4:30 pm (NST) 

Zoom

There is an alternative to holding up an embattled shield to the world. Lovingkindness practice helps us reconnect with our soft spot and our humanity, as if reacquainting with an old friend. Putting love and kindness front and centre and letting defensiveness take a back seat flips our priorities. We rediscover that this beating heart is not only a workhorse; it is a wonderful source of strength that we can keep going back to, like a well.

To register, click here.

Bring your coffee / tea and join us!

This is a talk that was given on Retreat.

“A Talk and a Chat”

 with Andrew Safer 

Tuesdays, 4:30 pm (NST) 

Zoom 

Starts August 27^th

Bring your coffee / tea and join us!

• Check-in
• Short sitting
• Talk on topics ranging from “Awareness” to “Rediscovering the Heart”
• Discussion / Q&A
• 45 min. to 1 hr.
• Weekly
• Donation (suggested: $15/ea. / $50/4)
• To register, click here. 

 These are edited talks that were given at Retreats.

 Topics:

 To register, click here.

 Thank you!

Interviewed on VOCM About New Mindfulness Book

July 11th–Paddy Daly (Open Line, VOCM) interviewed Andrew Safer about Mindfulness in the Workplace: Cultivating Well-Being at Work.

To hear the interview, click below, and then click “Thursday, July 11” and slide the time to 1 hr. 38 min.: https://vocm.com/2019/08/01/open-line-with-paddy-daly/

Summer Meditation Retreat Completed

Our Summer Meditation Retreat ran from July 12th to July 17th in Makinsons, NL, 45 minutes from St. John’s.

Three individuals who are participating in the Mindfulness-Awareness Meditation Instructor Training Course completed the Retreat: 2nd from Left: Dr. Patricia Dold, Professor and Associate Dean, Religious Studies, Memorial University; Melanie Fudge, Teacher/Guidance Counsellor, Newfoundland and Labrador English School District, and Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald, Psychiatrist. Grand Falls.

Andy Jones’s “Thought” About Meditation

Unable to attend the Launch of Mindfulness in the Workplace, the brilliant Andy Jones penned this, and it was read aloud at the book’s birthing. 

Win a Free Book:

Mindfulness in the Workplace !! (Click to find out more)

2 Book Reviews

For reviews of Mindfulness in the Workplace published by The Chronicles of Chogyam Trungpa, click here:

https://www.chronicleproject.com/two-book-reviews-of-mindfulness-in-the-workplace/

Live on Amazon!

June 11–Mindfulness in the Workplace is live on Amazon! The book page includes a description, and through the “Read Sample” feature, endorsements, Introduction, and a section of Chapter One: “Attention in the Age of Digital Distraction”. Click link: 

Mindfulness in the Workplace: Cultivating Well-Being at Work: Safer, Andrew: 9781735066493: Books – Amazon.ca

Responding vs. Reacting

June 11–The Mindful.org website republished an excerpt from Andrew Safer’s new book, Mindfulness in the Workplace: “Increase Your Agency By Responding Instead of Reacting.”

Ever wonder why your emails tend to be better when you wait a little before replying? Choosing to take a pause before we act may sound simple, but it yields powerful results. Longtime mindfulness teacher and author Andrew Safer shares a few ways we can practice pausing, both at our job and everywhere in our life.

https://www.mindful.org/increase-your-agency-by-responding-instead-of-reacting/

Workplace Well-Being

Dr. Katherine Sanders of Sanders Consulting in Madison, Wisconsin speaks with Andrew Safer about the US Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being, and how Mindfulness can play a role.

Tune in to the discussion on her YouTube channel:

Katherine Sanders talks with Andrew Safer about the Surgeon General’s Framework. – YouTube

Summer Meditation Retreat 2024

Friday, July 12th – Wednesday, July 17th

Where? In a family cottage near Makinsons exit off TCH (45 min. from St. John’s)

Deepen your mindfulness practice by alternating sitting and walking meditation throughout the day–with breaks!

The Retreat includes: opening and closing chants (secular), mindfulness practice, one-on-one meeting with a mindfulness-awareness meditation instructor, coffee/tea breaks, a talk (late afternoon), and three meals with the group including meal chants. Free time after lunch.

Full Day: 8:00 am to 7:00 pm

Half Day: 8:00 am to 2:00 pm / 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm

First Retreat? You are welcome to join us for an hour or two.

For length-of-stay options, and to register, learn more. Click here: Summer Meditation Retreat 2024 – Google Forms

Registration Deadline: July 5th

Andrew Safer has been conducting annual summer retreats in Newfoundland since 2011.

Resilience Workshop Series Starts May 23rd

To Register, click: https://bit.ly/resilience-may-24

Resilience—the ability to bounce back from adversity—is a superpower that we can all cultivate!

Fortunately, mindfulness-awareness practice can help us with this.

Sports Psychologist Roberta Antonini Philippe, PhD, studied the effects of both physical activity & mindfulness on resilience and depression. Her research team reported positive effects, and their summary of existing research on mindfulness found a number of proven impacts relevant to resilience, including:

• less rumination and worry;

• more solution-focused;

• helps cope with emotional challenges;

• helps with regulating emotions;

• helps cultivate well-being by adding clarity to present-moment experience; and

• helps people respond to difficult situations without reacting.*

Based on a study involving 327 undergraduate students, Writer Tom Jacobs paraphrased Researchers Badri Bajaj, PhD, and Neerje Pande, PhD, writing, “They confirm that psychological resilience is more pronounced in mindful people.” He added, “Mindful people can better cope with difficult thoughts and emotions without becoming overwhelmed or shutting down (emotionally).”**

The weekly session topics in the “Resilience Through Mindfulness” program are:

• Introduction: Mindfulness and the Ups and Downs of Life

1. Effects of Negativity Bias

2. Basic Goodness: Inner Capacities

3. Rumination and Worry: A New Relationship with Thoughts

4. A New Way to Work with Challenging Emotions

5. Self-Kindness and Clear Seeing

The sessions include: check-in, mindfulness-awareness meditation instruction, guidance, practice, and debrief; presentation on the evening’s topic; discussion, Q&A; and one-on-one discussion, time permitting.

In between sessions, participants receive 2 links to articles / videos on next week’s topic along with further guidance on mindfulness.

Consider joining “Resilience Through Mindfulness”, either for the introductory workshop and then deciding if you’d like to continue, or for the whole series. Please register either way by May 22nd. Click: https://bit.ly/resilience-may-24 

*Roberta Antonini Philippe, Frontiers in Psychology https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.700742/full

**Tom Jacobs, “Evidence Mounts That Mindfulness Breeds Resilience”, Greater Good https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/evidence_mounts_that_mindfulness_breeds_resilience

New Mindfulness Book–Available June 3rd!

The book consists of:

• Instruction and guidance

• Workplace examples of difficulties where mindfulness creates an opening to see things in a new way

• Worksheets with questions to ponder

• Evidence-based research

• First-hand accounts of how this practice can be beneficial at work

• Interviews with corporate leaders and teachers

After June 3, Mindfulness in the Workplace can be purchased on Amazon and from the Author, who is available for speaking engagements and training. 

(709) 722-2716 – andrew@safermindfulness.com – www.safermindfulness.com

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MINDFULNESS IN THE WORKPLACE,

CLICK HERE: safermindfulness.com/workplace-book/

Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness Spring Workshop Series

Wednesdays, April 17 – May 22  7:30 – 9:00 pm NDT; 6:00 – 7:30 pm EST

Zoom & In-Person

Topics include:

1. APR 17…Getting to Know Anxiety

2. APR 24…Mindfulness & Mindfulness-in-Everyday-Life

3. MAY 1…Upending Self-Sabotage Through Kindness

4. MAY 8…Understanding Stress: The Power of Pausing

5. MAY 15…Interrupting Rumination

6. MAY 22…Digital Distraction: Mindfulness Meets the Internet

Come to the first session for free to see what it’s like, and then decide if you’d like to continue with the series.

In between the weekly 1 1/2-hr. sessions, you will receive links to relevant articles / videos.

The sessions will include:

Check-in, mindfulness practice, de-brief / discussion, presentation on a topic, Q&A, and 1:1 discussion in breakout rooms, in-person (time permitting).

TO REGISTER AND FOR MORE INFORMATION, click here: Registration Form: “Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness” – Google Forms

Spring Meditation Retreat

Saturday, April 20 & Sunday, April 21

Deepen your mindfulness practice by alternating sitting and walking meditation in a virtual group setting (on Zoom). 

The Retreat includes: opening and closing chants (secular), mindfulness practice, one-on-one meeting with a mindfulness-awareness meditation instructor, coffee/tea breaks, talk (late afternoon), lunch and supper with the group including meal chants, and free time after lunch.

Silence: Each in our own households, we will make an effort to observe silence throughout the Retreat (including during free time), explaining this ahead of time to our housemates. Exception: functional talking, as required. 

Full Day: 8:30 am to 7:00 pm

Half Day: 8:30 am to 2:00 pm / 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm

First Retreat? You are welcome to join us for an hour or two.

Full Day: $60

Half-Day: $40

One or Two Hours: $20

For more information, call Andrew: (709) 722-2716 or email: andrew@safermindfulness.com

Registration Deadline: April 18.

Andrew Safer has been conducting Retreats in Newfoundland since 2011.

To register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1sb4hWtoHH8eEHxs128JE0–Y97vFs3RJnewat2Qe2VY/edit

Healthy Relationship to Thoughts, Feelings & Emotions

These Zoom-only weekly evening sessions begin on Tuesday, April 2^nd. From 7:30 to 9:00 pm NDT.

The presentations include:

April 2: Healthy Relationship with Thoughts I

  Alternatives to Rumination and Getting Stuck on Thoughts – Negativity Bias – Thoughts & Feelings Keep Each Other Going – The Power of Recognition

April 9: Healthy Relationship with Thoughts II

  From Thoughts to Present Moment – Emperor Has No Clothes – Insight of Impermanence – Need for Regular Practice

April 16: Healthy Relationship with Feelings/Emotions I

  “Good” and “Bad” Feelings – Nonjudgment – Reactivity vs. Patience – Regulating Exposure to Strong Feelings and Emotions – Feel: Don’t Avoid

April 23: Healthy Relationship with Feelings & Emotions II

  Evenhandedness – Identification vs Metacognitive Awareness – In Between Repressing and Acting Out – Mindful Self-Awareness

April 30: Fear & Fearlessness

  Familiar vs. Unknown – Knowledge: the Best Defense – Fear of Space – Seeing Things As They Are -Mind at Rest (Meditation)

These sessions are Zoom-only, and include check-in, guided practice, sharing, assorted readings, presentation on a topic, Q&A, and Andrew’s book: Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Wellness.

If you would like to join us, to register, click here:  Registration Form MODULE #3 March 27, 2024 – Google Forms

Take Charge of Anxiety & Stress

Through Mindfulness

Free Introductory Webinar: April 4th 11:00 to 12:00 Noon (EST)

March 29th–The April 4th webinar is full. Additional registrants are being waitlisted for a second webinar, TBD.

At the webinar, we will discuss…

–   What Mindfulness is, and is not

–   How Mindfulness can help us deal with anxiety and stress

–   Developing a healthy relationship with thoughts, feelings, and emotions

–    Your comments and questions

For an in-depth look at the webinar, click here: https://safermindfulness.com/take-charge-of-anxiety-and-stress-through-mindfulness/

To save your seat at “Take Charge of Anxiety and Stress Through Mindfulness”, register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/12fCltWCvS5ZGdwyHdW15_AFUiPfDIbOSBzJ1DDgwYZ0/edit

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One week following the webinar, Andrew will present a 6-week workshop series, “Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness”. Topics include:

1. Getting to Know Anxiety

2. Mindfulness & Mindfulness-in-Everyday-Life

3. Upending Self-Sabotage Through Kindness

4. Understanding Stress: The Power of Pausing

5. Interrupting Rumination

6. Digital Distraction: Mindfulness Meets the Internet

In between the weekly 1 1/2-hr. sessions, links to relevant articles / videos will be provided.

The sessions will include:

Check-in, mindfulness practice, de-brief / discussion, presentation on a topic, Q&A, and 1:1 discussion in breakout rooms (time permitting).

To register for the 6-week “Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness” workshop series, click here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1zLx3CcrSyADSCUS-0TzIoMBgmG82Z-d-lkJZkrvlcBE/edit

CBC Radio: “Coping with Eco-Anxiety”

Heather Barrett interviews Andrew Safer: Weekend AM, Saturday, January 27th

Click: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-72-weekend-am/clip/16038307-coping-eco-anxiety

“Getting to Know the Mind”:

Module #1

This year, we have opened up the Instructor Training Course sessions to anyone who would like to attend, either by the module (5 weekly sessions) or attending just the first session.

These sessions are on Tuesdays, 7:30 to 9:00 pm NST (6:00 to 7:30 pm EST), on Zoom, beginning January 23rd.

The first module includes:

MODULE 1: GETTING TO KNOW THE MIND

Session #1: Mindfulness vs. Mindlessness – Breath Awareness Session #2: Mindfulness Awareness / Roots Session #3: Suffering, its Cause, & Cessation Session #4: Eightfold Path for an Honorable Life Session #5: Basic Goodness

Module #1 (5 Sessions): $175

First Session Only: $35

Registration Deadline: January 22nd

To register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-NpjTHhKY9Dp_lXltGDzjeFucuRNxxFYoku8iJ1pNIk/edit  

Eco-Anxiety & Mindfulness

A 6-Session Workshop Series Starting January 24th

1. The Climate-Change Ship: in Rough Seas

2. Mindfulness & The Power of Knowing

3. “Thinking” & Seeing the Bright Side

4. Meeting the Challenge of Strong Emotions

5. Resilience & Engaging Outside-the-Box

6. This Present Moment!

To attend the first session as our guest, or to attend the series, please register.

To Register: https://bit.ly/eco-anxietyreg

A Mindfulness Council of Canada Resource

The Mindfulness Council of Canada has listed Safer Mindfulness Inc. as a resource on their web site: https://www.mindfulnesscouncil.ca/resources

Mindfulness for Depression

Canadian Mental Health Association–Nova Scotia partnered with Andrew Safer/Safer Mindfulness in delivering Mindfulness for Depression, a 6-week workshop series, which ended November 29th.

Meditation Instructor Training Course

(2nd Year) Is Offered

Check It Out!

Click: https://safermindfulness.com/mindfulness-awareness-meditation-instructor-training-course/

Meditation Instructor Training Course Is Certified

Suicide Prevention Training Completed

Andrew Safer completed a 15-hour course in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) in July, expertly conducted by Tina Davies and Jill Hammond through Richard’s Legacy Foundation.

Mindfulness Training Program Begins September 27th

To register: https://bit.ly/ASMfall2023

To hear what this approach to dealing with Anxiety is all about, have a listen! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBZ2yaqvRhc

“Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness” has helped hundreds of people develop mindfulness skills and tools used daily to take charge of anxiety and stress.

In one group where the changes in participant responses were evaluated between the beginning and end of the program, there was a

• 36% average improvement in knowing how to deal with thoughts that bring anxiety;

• 42% average improvement in being able to get unstuck from mental concerns; and

• 44% average improvement in remaining present and not getting pulled into storylines that keep the stress rolling.

To view the evaluation report, click here: https://safermindfulness.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Anxiety-Stress-Mindfulness-Evaluation-Highlights-Winter-Spring-2020.pdf

With Zoom, anyone who has Internet access can participate!

Referred by psychologists, psychiatrists, and other health care practitioners, this workshop series was rated 9.5 out of 10 for Helpfulness by participants in 2020.

Feel free to attend the first session for free, and then decide if you wish to continue. Discounts are available.

Topics for the 1.5-hour weekly sessions are:

1. Getting to Know Anxiety

2. Mindfulness & Mindfulness-in-Everyday-Life

3. Upending Self-Sabotage Through Kindness

4. Understanding Stress: The Power of Pausing

5. Interrupting Rumination

6. Digital Distraction: Mindfulness Meets the Internet

The sessions include check-in; mindfulness instruction, guidance, practice, and debriefing; mindfulness-in-everyday-life exercises; presentation on a topic; worksheets; and Q&A.

To register, click here: https://bit.ly/ASMfall2023

New Meditation Instructors / Teachers:

First-Year Graduates

The first offering of our Mindfulness-Awareness Meditation Instructor Training Course (MAMITC) finished the year (September 2022- August 2023) with four graduates: (Left to right: Chaw Su, Counsellor and Owner of The Therapy Nest; Dan Walker, PhD, Associate Professor, Ocean and Naval Architectural Engineering, Memorial University; Andrew Safer; and Carolyn Walsh, PhD, Associate Professor, Psychology, Memorial University.

Absent from the photo were Kathy Porter, CBC Reporter / Producer (Retired), who attended the course but was already a meditation instructor / teacher, and Jolanta Lagowski, PhD, Professor, Physics, Memorial University (Retired), who attended 34 out of 40 weekly MAMITC presentations, book-study sessions, and meditation retreats.

Andrew presented the certificates at the end of Safer Mindfulness’ 5-Day Summer Retreat near Makinsons, NL, on August 16, 2023.

Summer Meditation Retreat:

Our 5-day silent meditation retreat will be taking place this year from Friday, August 11th at 2:00 pm to Wednesday, August 16th at 2:00 pm, at a location 56 km south of St. John’s on the TCH, near the Makinsons exit.

The days consist of alternating sitting and walking meditation, 2 coffee/tea breaks, 3 meals, a talk in the late afternoon, and free time after lunch. For more information, please call Andrew: 709-722-2716; andrew@safermindfulness.com

To register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1dsjCqDwztBqmeAPGFKwyFwjFWouMHqakCPf0bOiHTDY/edit?pli=1

Mindfulness Training Delivered to Adolescents

in Goose Bay, Labrador

“Mindfulness for Mental Health & Well-Being”, a 10-session program, was delivered to Indigenous adolescents at the Labrador Friendship Center in Goose Bay.

Andrew Safer of Safer Mindfulness presented the workshops on Zoom from St. John’s, and Blake Sheppard-Pardy, MSW, RSW, Mindful Matters, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, assisted with logistics and facilitation, attending the twice-weekly sessions in-person with the youth.

The project was undertaken through a partnership between Safer Mindfulness Inc., Mindful Matters, and Mokami Status of Women Council, with funding support from Ulnooweg Foundation.

 The one-hour workshops ran from May 21 to June 27.

Workshop for Students at Memorial University

On June 29th, Andrew Safer presented a one-hour workshop on “Anxiety, Mindfulness & Well-Being” for Action Anxiety Awareness Day at the University Centre, through Memorial University’s Student Wellness & Counselling Centre.

Among the attendees was a student who had completed the 10-session Workplace Mindfulness program presented by Andrew and Dr. Janna Rosales, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, in 2019! He attended for a refresher.

“Resilience through Mindfulness”

Starts June 27th

To register, visit: https://bit.ly/june-2023

“I still do get stressed/anxious from time to time but not as severely, and when it does happen I think my mind responds in a much more sensible and healthy way. It’s allowed me to function better at work and deal with difficult situations.” –“Resilience through Mindfulness” Participant

“It has reminded me of the basis of mindfulness living and helped to expand my understanding of my emotions, thoughts and sense of self.”–“Resilience through Mindfulness” Participant

Topics of the Weekly Sessions:

1 Introduction to Resilience and Mindfulness

2 Negativity Bias

3 Basic Goodness

4 Rumination and Worry: Dealing with Thoughts

5 Dealing with Challenging Emotions

6 Self-Kindness and Clear Seeing

The study that inspired the development of this program is: “Effects of Physical Activity and Mindfulness on Resilience and Depression During the First Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic”. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.700742/full

“Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness”

The 6-week in-person workshop series that completed on June 7th is being extended by an additional 4 weeks. We are meeting at The Lantern, 35 Barnes Road, on Wednesday nights at 7 pm, starting June 14th. Interested in joining? Email: andrew@safermindfulness.com

“Mindfulness for Mental Health and Well-Being”

Andrew Safer is presenting the 6-week workshop series, “Mindfulness for Mental Health and Well-Being” to members of the Pottle Centre in St. John’s, from June 7th to July 12th. The sessions are being held in-person.

The weekly topics are:

1. What Is Mindfulness, and What’s It to Me?

2. A New Way of Relating to Thoughts (Besides Ruminating)

3. New Ways of Dealing with Stress

4. Kindness: The Secret Sauce

5. Why “Basic Goodness” Is Good News for Us All

6. Befriending Difficulties (Anxiety, Depression, etc.)

Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness

Next workshop series–Starts April 26th!

Weekly Session Topics:

1. Getting to Know Anxiety 2. Mindfulness & Mindfulness in Everyday Life 3. Upending Self-Sabotage Through Kindness 4. Understanding Stress: The Power of Pausing 5. Interrupting Rumination 6. Digital Distraction: Mindfulness Meets the Internet (End of 6-session series)

The weekly 1 ½-hour sessions include check-in, mindfulness-awareness meditation practice, debrief/discussion, presentation on a topic, Q&A. In between sessions, participants receive links to relevant articles/videos, and an assignment to read a relevant chapter in Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Wellness (by yours truly).

Outcomes from evaluations for the Fall 2022 “Anxiety, Stress and Mindfulness” program are posted here: https://safermindfulness.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ASM-Fall-2022-Evaluation-Report-December-14-22.pdf

Sample statement:

I get stuck with the storylines that can make me feel anxious, and I don’t know how to pause or interrupt this pattern………………………………………………………………………..

A higher number shows greater disagreement with the statement, and is therefore positive.

First workshop (total score): 9  Last workshop: 15 (6 weeks later).

To read the “Mindfulness for Anxiety & Stress” blog by Andrew Safer:

Click- Safer Mindfulness

To register for “Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness”, click: https://bit.ly/asm-spring2023

“Mindfulness for Mental Health”

March 31–Andrew Safer presented a workshop to the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s Prevention and Promotion Team.

The 1.5-hr. presentation focused on Mindfulness practice and intersections between Mindfulness and Mental Health.

“From Buddhism to Mindfulness”

March 28–Andrew Safer presented a workshop to Religious Studies students of Professor Patricia Dold at Memorial University, tracing his introduction to Buddhist meditation at the age of 15 to his current activities as a Mindfulness instructor and trainer. Sitting and walking meditation and key elements of Mindfulness were highlighted.

Resilience through Mindfulness

Starting March 28th

 To register, click: https://bit.ly/resiliencemarch23

To learn about the research that inspired the development of this course, and for further information about the program, read on!

Resilience through Mindfulness is a celebration of renewal, bouncing back from adversity, and digging into mindfulness practices and principles that are supportive of this.

The program runs for 8 weeks every Tuesday night from March 28th to May 16th, 7:00 to 8:30 pm (Newfoundland time), 5:30 to 7:00 pm (Eastern) on Zoom.

My interest in this topic was piqued by a study conducted by Dr. Roberta Antonini Philippe* of the University of Lausanne (Switzerland) and colleagues.

The study is: “Effects of Physical Activity and Mindfulness on Resilience and Depression During the First Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic”. 

Dr. Philippe’s team’s findings demonstrate that Mindfulness

• is associated with greater resilience because practitioners are less involved in rumination and worry, and are more solution-focused;

• helps people cope with emotional challenges;

• contributes to effective strategies for regulating emotions;

• can help cultivate well-being by adding clarity to present-moment experience; and

• helps people respond to difficult situations without reacting in automatic ways.

The “Resilience through Mindfulness” program includes the following weekly topics:

1 Introduction to Resilience and Mindfulness

2 Negativity Bias

3 Basic Goodness

4 Rumination and Worry

5 Dealing with Thoughts/Difficult Situations

6 Dealing with Challenging Emotions

7 Clear Seeing and Kindness

8 Mindfulness in Everyday Life

Eight 1 ½ hr. weekly sessions create an atmosphere where we can feel comfortable going on this Mindfulness journey together, develop a regular home mindfulness practice, and check the weekly presentations and readings against our own experience.

The Zoom format accommodates participants regardless of their location, protects from the spread of germs, and provides a safe space (including no driving!) where we can build community.

You will receive a copy of my book, Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Wellness, and dive into some assigned readings.

The total cost is $195 for the full eight sessions–just under $25 per session. Instalments and discounts are available.

To review outcomes from our other Mindfulness Training programs, click here:  https://safermindfulness.com/outcomes/

To register for “Resilience through Mindfulness”, click:  https://bit.ly/resilience-2023

Questions? Call me at (709) 722-2716 or email:  andrew@safermindfulness.com  I’d love to talk with you!

May 2023 be fulfilling, productive, and prosperous for you!

Best Wishes,

Andrew Safer

* Roberta Antonini Philippe, PhD lectures at the Institute of Sport Sciences at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland), having consulted on mental training with Olympic athletes and coaches.

** “Effects of Physical Activity and Mindfulness on Resilience and Depression During the First Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic”, Psychology, July 29, 2021.

Click: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.700742/full

Winter Retreat

Zoom Mindfulness Meditation Retreat:

Friday, February 17 & Saturday, February 18

In this Zoom Retreat, connect from home and enjoy practicing with the group! We will alternate sitting and walking meditation, with guided sitting practice in the early part of the day. We will each provide our own coffee and tea breaks (mid-morning and mid-afternoon), lunch and supper, reciting meal chants and dining together virtually. Andrew Safer will give a talk in the late-afternoon.

The full day is 9:00 am to 8:00 pm (NL time; 7:30 am to 6:30 pm EST)

Half-day is 9:00 am to 1:30 pm (7:30 am to 12:00 pm EST) (includes lunch and break after lunch) or 1:30 pm to 8:00 pm (12:00 to 6:30 pm EST) (includes talk, supper, and break after supper).

Retreats conducted since 2011.

To register, click:  https://bit.ly/mindfulwinter23

For further details and to register, click: https://bit.ly/resilience-2023

To learn about the research that inspired the development of this course, and for further information about the program, read on!

January 5, 2023

Hello,

It’s a good time of year for turning over a new leaf!

Resilience through Mindfulness is a celebration of renewal, bouncing back from adversity, and digging into mindfulness practices and principles that are supportive of this.

The program runs for 8 weeks every Tuesday night from January 24th to March 14th, 7:00 to 8:30 pm (Newfoundland time), 5:30 to 7:00 pm (Eastern) on Zoom.

My interest in this topic was piqued by a study conducted by Dr. Roberta Antonini Philippe* of the University of Lausanne (Switzerland) and colleagues.

The study is: “Effects of Physical Activity and Mindfulness on Resilience and Depression During the First Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic”. 

Dr. Philippe’s team’s findings demonstrate that Mindfulness

• is associated with greater resilience because practitioners are less involved in rumination and worry, and are more solution-focused;

• helps people cope with emotional challenges;

• contributes to effective strategies for regulating emotions;

• can help cultivate well-being by adding clarity to present-moment experience; and

• helps people respond to difficult situations without reacting in automatic ways.

The “Resilience through Mindfulness” program includes the following weekly topics:

1 Introduction to Resilience and Mindfulness

2 Negativity Bias

3 Basic Goodness

4 Rumination and Worry

5 Dealing with Difficult Situations

6 Dealing with Challenging Emotions

7 Clear Seeing and Kindness

8 Mindfulness in Everyday Life

Eight 1 ½ hr. weekly sessions create an atmosphere where we can feel comfortable going on this Mindfulness journey together, develop a regular home mindfulness practice, and check the weekly presentations and readings against our own experience.

The Zoom format accommodates participants regardless of their location, protects from the spread of germs, and provides a safe space (including no driving!) where we can build community.

You will receive a copy of my book, Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Wellness, and dive into some assigned readings.

The total cost is $195 for the full eight sessions–just under $25 per session. Instalments and discounts are available.

To review outcomes from our other Mindfulness Training programs, click here:  https://safermindfulness.com/outcomes/

To register for “Resilience through Mindfulness”, click:  https://bit.ly/resilience-2023

Questions? Call me at (709) 722-2716 or email:  andrew@safermindfulness.com  I’d love to talk with you!

May 2023 be fulfilling, productive, and prosperous for you!

Best Wishes,

Andrew Safer

* Roberta Antonini Philippe, PhD lectures at the Institute of Sport Sciences at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland), having consulted on mental training with Olympic athletes and coaches.

** “Effects of Physical Activity and Mindfulness on Resilience and Depression During the First Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic”, Psychology, July 29, 2021.

Click: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.700742/full

Andrew Safer,

Mindfulness Teacher and Trainer, Workshop Facilitator, and Author

Delivering multi-week applied mindfulness programs for mental health and addictions, and the workplace, based on Andrew Safer’s 50+ years of mindfulness practice and 25+ years as an authorized mindfulness instructor.

Mindfulness is a practice that cultivates present-moment awareness, kindness, and nonjudgment. We train ourselves to bring our attention back once we’ve noticed we’ve been taking a holiday from now, immersed in planning, rehashing the past, worrying, or any other mental activity.

It’s a great way to simplify and get to know our own mind! And we can bring mindfulness into everyday life–when we’re disagreeing with our partner, cutting a carrot–or anything in between.

For our ongoing mindfulness practice sessions throughout the week, free and open to the public, jump to the bottom of this page.

Posted below are current and past workshop series, presentations, trainings, podcasts, and retreats.

Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness:

Evaluation Report

December 17, 2022

A report on the evaluation completed by participants of the 6-week Mindfulness Training program “Anxiety, Stress and Mindfulness” has been posted on the Outcomes page.

To view the Evaluation Report, click below:

https://safermindfulness.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ASM-Fall-2022-Evaluation-Report-December-14-22.pdf

Mindfulness Instructor Training–First Weekend Intensive

Friday night, November 4th and Saturday, the 5th at The Lantern, St. John’s…

Photo: Courtesy of Yvonne O’Keefe

A weekend intensive was conducted as part of the Mindfulness-Awareness Meditation Instructor Training Course (MAMITC), which is meeting weekly from September to June, and closing with a silent retreat in July 2023.

Topics covered: Mindful Listening, Healthy Relationship with Thoughts I & II and Healthy Relationship with Feelings / Emotions I & II. These were sessions #9 – #12 of the 40-session program.

Participants joined both in-person and on Zoom.

Mindfulness and Suicide Prevention

Often we see suicide prevention through a psychological lens – but what about the emotional, spiritual, and physical parts of our health? Roots of Hope NS is hosting a conversation with Andrew Safer who will share how the impact of a mindfulness program on suicidal thoughts was evaluated.

Promoting Wellness in Everyday Life

Our Wellness is so important, something we need to work on every day. Having the proper education and tools for us to use when we’re struggling or in crisis can be lifesaving. We welcome Veterans, their Families and Friends for an honest discussion on Wellness.

–Veterans for Healing Global

Fall Retreat at Virginia Waters–October 14 & 15

Coaching Call Podcast–New York

Sifu Rafael Gomez of New York interviewed Andrew Safer on Coaching Call’s Apple podcast, speaking about mindfulness, meditation, anxiety, stress, basic goodness, and more. To listen to the podcast, click link below…

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/andrew-safer-is-a-mindfulness-instructor/id1546026323?i=1000577323830

Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness

This 6-week training program will be available again in January 2023.

Note: The current series was extended by another 4 sessions, ending November 29th.

Suicide Prevention Through Mindfulness Training

CBC Radio Broadcast

June 28, 2022

CBC Information Morning with Portia White

Andrew Safer tells us about a research project on how mindfulness helps relieve suicidal ideation.

Click here:

https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-27-information-morning-ns/clip/15922455-mindfulness-suicide?onboarding=false

Saving Brothers Podcast from Australia

Philip Robison of Saving Brothers, Victoria, Australia, interviewed Andrew Safer on (click here:) “What Is Mindfulness and How Can it Help with Mental Health?“

Summer Retreat

Mindfulness for Suicide Prevention:

A Teacher’s Experience

Mindful, June 9, 2022

An interview with Andrew Safer

(Click:) Mindfulness for Suicide Prevention: A Teacher’s Experience – Mindful

Changing Your Relationship to Thoughts:

A Meditation Exercise

Podcast: “Mindfulness Practice and Practicality”

Released May 29th by Co-Creating Peace (Oregon and New Mexico). Kathleen Oweegon, Host; Andrew Safer, Guest.

Part 1

• What Is Mindfulness? – Breath Awareness Meditation Instruction

• A 53-Year-Old Story About Starting Meditation Practice

• Common Obstacles to Meditation

• Developing a Daily Practice

• Dealing with Difficult Feelings and Emotions (Anxiety)

• Click for Part 1:  https://www.buzzsprout.com/1554039/10664660

Part 2

• Working with difficult emotions through mindfulness

• Suicide prevention

• Mindful listening

• Self-Criticism / Judgment, Lovingkindness and Non-Judgment

• “Opening the Present”–Kathleen Oweegon

• Click for Part 2:

• https://www.buzzsprout.com/1554039/10698375

Complimentary Sessions for Podcast Listeners

Mindfulness and Awareness: Anxiety and Stress

Journal Article Published

“Navigating anxiety and stress through mindfulness: cultivating mindfulness and awareness in a community-based setting.”

Co-Authored by Martha Traverso-Yepez, PhD, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University and Andrew Safer, Founder, Safer Mindfulness Inc. and published in the Journal of Psychology and Cognition, 2017.

Abstract

“Stress and anxiety are afflicting Canadians at all ages significantly impacting their health and well-being. In this article, we argue that community-based non-medical alternatives are needed to relieve pressure from the health care system, provide wellness-based solutions that do not rely on medication and empower the individual to assume a primary role in self-care.

We present the evaluation of the 8 week “Navigating Anxiety and Stress through Mindfulness” program aimed to assist individuals who identify problematic anxiety and/or stress by providing training in mindfulness-awareness meditation and related practices. Mindfulness training involves relating with precision and accuracy to whatever arises in one’s state of mind or in the surroundings; awareness training fosters openness and a greater connection to the environment.

Rather than regarding anxiety and stress as problems to be gotten rid of, participants were coached to relate to these experiences non-judgmentally, with openness, curiosity and an interest in learning from them.

Evaluation data from five groups (40 participants) indicated a 40.4% improvement in scores. Participants’ self-reports indicated significant improvement in their ability to interrupt storylines (discursive thought patterns) and rumination, not being fully present, and their ability to accept things as they are. ranging from 25% to 60% improvement.

It is evident that participants found mindfulness-awareness meditation and related practices beneficial. Their evaluation responses showed significant understanding of the key elements of mindfulness and that they had begun integrating mindfulness into their lives. The majority developed a regular home meditation practice. The program proved to be viable in a community-based setting.”

“Making Friends with Yourself”

–

Andrew Safer gave a talk on “Making Friends with Yourself” at the Winter Mindfulness-Awareness Meditation Retreat on March 18 at the Virginia Waters Retreat Centre. Photo: Courtesy Yvonne O’Keefe

Mindfulness Meets Ukraine

Mindfulness Meets Ukraine

Mind Body Soul Interview

Gary Summers with Mind Body Soul interviewed Andrew Safer on Mindfulness. The interview is (click here:) posted on this page. 

Get Through the Pandemic!–with Mindfulness

Winter Retreat

In-Person/Zoom

Social Work Students: Researching

February 9, 2022–Andrew Safer presented to third-year Social Work students at Memorial University on evaluations used in his Mental Health and Addictions and Workplace Mindfulness programs, as well as outcomes. Professor Hazel Russell related the presentation to the class’ research focus.

Mindfulness Training for a Canadian Health Organization

Andrew conducted a 4-session weekly program for a Canadian health organization, ending in late November. Participant comments included:

“Helps me remain calm, especially during stressful situations.”

“1. My mind is often racing as I go to sleep; mindfulness has helped me deal with this. I fall asleep faster or if I wake up and my mind is racing, I can go back to sleep much quicker.

2. I also felt anxious at work around group tension – I have used mindfulness to let go quicker of things I cannot control.”

At the last session, participants’ average rating of the training was 9.5 out of 10.

To view outcomes, click here.

Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness Workshop Series

Beginning January 26th

There is one free seat left! (January 19th)

From Canadian Mental Health Association-NL’s web site:

http://cmhanl.ca/the-latest/news/anxiety-stress-mindfulness-zoom-workshop-series/

Suicide Prevention Through Mindfulness Training:

Follow Up

Canadian Mental Health Association–NL and Safer Mindfulness Inc. provided four one-hour follow-up sessions in September and October, 3.5 months after the completion of the 8-week Suicide Prevention Through Mindfulness Training program.

Participants were asked to rate the intensity of their suicidal thoughts at the first and last sessions of the 8-week program, and the last follow-up session. There was a 41.8 per cent improvement between first and last sessions for the 8 participants who completed the program, and a 40 per cent improvement for 5 participants between the beginning of the program and the end of the follow up. This suggests that they mostly held on to their gains during the 3.5-month intervening period.

ASEE Webinar

November 17

Andrew Safer and Dr. Janna Rosales, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Memorial University, presented a Zoom-based webinar on November 17th to American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) educators, graduate students, professional engineers, and academic administrators across the US.

Twenty-three per cent of those present were regular mindfulness practitioners, and 30 per cent said they practice occasionally in a poll. The 90-minute webinar focused on mindfulness, mindfulness practice, and key intersections with engineering, such as in contemplative education and in problem solving.

Fall Mindfulness Meditation Retreat

Mindful Youth Institute

September–Andrew Safer is now an Advisory Board member of the Mindful Youth Institute of Pueblo, Colorado, joining his extensive work with both youth and mindfulness over three decades.

Royal Newfoundland Constabulary

Mindfulness for Depression

Learn how awareness of your thoughts and feelings can save a whole pile of grief!

To review the outcomes from the Mindfulness for Depression pilot, click here.  

Evidence Base

June 2–A sampling of evidence-based research showing the effectiveness of Mindfulness practice for a range of mental health and addictions issues:

 https://safermindfulness.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Evidence-Base-MH-A-Jun-1-21.pdf

Presentation to College Students in India

Andrew Safer presented to Own Your Growth, an organization representing students from 20+ colleges across India whose focus is on wholistsic health. The presentation on “Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness” went live on June 22nd.

Workshop Series Starting July 20

[To register, click here: http://bit.ly/asm2021reg]

After completing the three-month “Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness” program in Fall 2019, through a partnership with Canadian Mental Health Association—NL, participants explained what difference Mindfulness is making in their lives ……………………………………….

• “Practicing mindfulness is a good way of pulling me out of the past or future, which triggers anxiety, and back to the present moment, which I can cope with better.”

• “The practice significantly helped me to interrupt the stories and my mind from spiralling out of control.”

• “I find I am less reactive to everyday irritants and my perspective has expanded.”

22 participants indicated an average 33% improvement (from the first session to the last) in confidence in their ability to deal with thoughts that bring on anxiety. Feeling that they have control over their thoughts, moods, and feelings increased by 32%. The belief that they can make a difference in their own lives rose by 32%.

In-Person Summer Meditation Retreat in July

To Register: http://bit.ly/summerretreat2021

Note: (June 3) Overnight accommodations are no longer available. Daytime participation is still open.

Mindfulness Training for Suicide Prevention

May 12 – June 30

10th Anniversary Celebration!!

We have been meeting for Monday Night Meditation since April 2011, so it only seemed right to mark 10 years at this! On April 12th, 12 of us met at The Lantern and 10 more joined us on Zoom.

The evening included mindfulness practice, strawberry shortcake, toasts, a reading on”The Stairway to Enlightenment”, and of course, discussion!

Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness Course

Starts March 9th

To register: http://bit.ly/asm2021reg

Mindfulness for Physicians

Andrew Safer presented a 1.5-hour workshop to (physician) residents on Resident Awareness Day, Memorial University, on February 12th, for the Professional Residents Association of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Article Published in Mindful

February 22nd

“The Life Cycle of Thoughts and Why Your Brain Needs a Filter”

“Meditation” on CBC Radio–Cross Talk

On January 25th, Andrew Safer appeared with Dr. Karen Bulmer, Music Department, Memorial University, on Cross Talk with Ramona Dearing. The topic? Meditation and Mindfulness. Have a listen: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-89-cross-talk/clip/15820678-meditation

Winter Mindfulness Meditation Retreat

Saturday, February 27 & Sunday, February 28

To register, click: http://bit.ly/safer2021

Pandemic Anxiety & Stress–Mindfulness Workshop Series

Registration Form: https://bit.ly/asmwinter2021reg

“Staggering Under the Weight of Anxious Thoughts”–Andrew Safer

Mindful magazine  Winter 2020

https://www.mindful.org/staggering-under-the-weight-of-anxious-thoughts/?fbclid=IwAR3PbglRLL7h3QqbuBDBMiXZHBCs_s0bqfID8DEGLvSH2h5lWcZHVRr8BdE

Fall Retreat–Starting October 24th

Engineers and Geoscientists Learn Mindfulness for the Workplace During Pandemic

October 7, 2020

Eighty-four certificates of completion were awarded to professional engineers, geoscientists, and engineering students who attended the workshop series “How to build professional resilience through mindfulness training: A four-part PEGNL professional development series for engineering & geoscience professionals and students.”…(Click here)

Safer Mindfulness Press Release

September 3, 2020

People with Depression Find Relief in Mindfulness Training During Pandemic

ST JOHN’S, NL September 3, 2020 – Women and men with depression who participated in a pilot mindfulness training program based in St. John’s completed it with significantly lower levels of anxiety and depression symptoms, and significantly higher levels of mindfulness and psychological well-being…(Click here)

To read the Evaluation Report, click here.

Upcoming Mindfulness Training Program – Starts 9/24

  [For information about the upcoming workshop series, “Mindfulness and Awareness!”, please scroll down.] Safer Mindfulness instruction and training: For dealing with the narrator in our heads, relentless parade of thoughts and preoccupations, our reactivity, bewildering emotions, habitual ways we do things, and our perpetual busyness. Through mindfulness-awareness meditation and related practices–which can be done anywhere, anytime–we begin to develop a way of being that is rooted in sanity and simplicity. We begin to discover insight, intelligence, and compassion, which, as it turns out, have been with us all along! (For “Mindfulness for Depression”, and Online Mindfulness Practice Sessions, please scroll down.) Safer Mindfulness Specializes in Multi-Week Applied Mindfulness Training Programs

• Typically 1.5-hr. weekly sessions (5 to 12 weeks)
• We introduce mindfulness in the context of addictions, anxiety and stress, depression, and the workplace.
• Presentations, discussions in pairs and in the group, and Q&A
• “Homework”: Mindfulness practice and readings
• Meet via Zoom video conferencing—join from any location–or in person

Click here for Program descriptions and evaluation outcomes.  _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Navigate Anxiety & Stress: The Mindful Way!

July 9 – August 20

For individual session themes, see Sessions 1-6, below poster.

For Evaluation Outcomes from the Winter/Spring “Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness” series, click here.

Summer Mindfulness Retreat

Workplace Mindfulness Program for Engineers & Geoscientists (click here)

A partnership between the Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland and Labrador (PEGNL); Dr. Janna Rosales, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Memorial University; and Andrew Safer / Safer Mindfulness. Funded through an Accelerator grant, Memorial University.

June 16 – July 17, 1:00 – 2:00 pm via Zoom

“Professional Resilience Through Mindfulness Training”

Session #1: Stress, Uncertainty & Mindfulness

Session #2: How Mindfulness Can Support Innovation & Problem-Solving

Session #3: Building Respectful Relationships with Mindfulness

Session #4: Upending Digital Distraction

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Article about Mindfulness based on interview with Andrew Safer

“In a COVID-19 World, Meditation Movement with Buddhist Roots More Important Than Ever” (click here), The Telegram/Saltwire Network, June 2, 2020.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Mindfulness for Depression

To register: cmhanl.info/mfd2020

Online Mindfulness Practice Sessions

Mindfulness practice introduces a touch of sanity into our otherwise uncertain, topsy-turvy lives, particularly in the era of COVID-19. Please consider joining one of our free practice sessions on Zoom, in the comfort of your own home, when you can. A note about Zoom: You can connect via laptop/desktop/notebook as long as they have microphone and camera, or through your smartphone. The Zoom app downloads when you click the link, but if you would like to be 100% sure you have the app, download Zoom Client for Meetings ahead of time. If you’re asked whether to join with video, select “Yes”. Join us for any of these ongoing sessions… Monday Nights: 7:15 to 8:45 pm (Newfoundland time) Sitting, Walking, and Discussion If you are new to Zoom, plan on connecting at 7:05 pm. Wednesdays: 12:00 to 12:30 pm, and 7:00 to 8:00 pm: Sitting, Walking, Sitting Fridays: 12:00 to 12:45 pm Sitting, Walking, and Sitting If you are new to Mindfulness practice, there will be instructions at the beginning of the session.

To join, specify which session in an email to: andrew@safermindfulness.com

Winter Retreat

Next “Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness” Workshop Series…

Program Outline

Book Signing at Chapters

https://safermindfulness.com/product/anxiety-stress-mindfulness-a-do-it-yourself-guide-to-wellness/

Anxiety Relief Project Facebook-Live Talk

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness: Workshops Starting Sept. 25th

(Click links below…)

Program Evaluation Outcomes

Andrew Safer: Mindfulness Instructor & Trainer / Workshop Facilitator

Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Wellness

Mindfulness Practice Sessions Throughout the Week

Since the start of Covid, we have two practice sessions per week that are open to the public, at no charge. Sitting and walking meditation alternate. We meet on Zoom on MONDAY 7:15 TO 8:45 pm (includes readings and discussion)*;   and FRIDAY 12″00 Noon to 12:45 pm.

• The Monday night practice is also in-person at The Lantern, 35 Barnes Rd. (Cape Spear Room, 2nd Floor).

If you have not practiced mindfulness before, we will talk you through the instructions. To receive the Zoom invites, please send your email address to: asafer@nf.sympatico.ca  

Safer Mindfulness workshops and training combine 53 years of experience in mindfulness practice with 28 years in mindfulness instruction, program development, and workshop facilitation. Providing instruction and training in applying ancient wisdom and methods to address everyday challenges with clarity and resourcefulness