Intro to Mindfulness - Interactive Online Program

Introduction to Mindfulness, a science-backed approach

All experience levels welcome, growth mindset required.

Join us for a 75-minute experiential mindfulness program that will introduce a variety of basic mindfulness skills to reduce stress and enhance focus. We will discuss why mindfulness isn’t yoga, how basic neuroscience allows us to create a space between stimulus and response and how we can combat our negativity bias with gratitude and gentle self talk.  As a University of Virginia alum, corporate trainer and entrepreneur, Erin understands the unique challenges of finding balance and personal meaning in stressful and uncertain environments and looks forward to sharing tools for comfort and clarity with you.

Intro to Mindfulness - SLIDES

Compassionate Care at Anne Arundel Medical Center

Chief Nursing officer, Barbara Jacobs, recently invited us to run two programs at AAMC. In the first, we presented best practice research in mindfulness, wellbeing and compassionate care initiatives for major medical systems throughout the United States. Nurses, doctors and clinicians participated first-hand in various science backed breathing, mindset and movement techniques to find personal calm and clarity to take into their stressful jobs. We also worked closely with the mindfulness team at AAMC to enhance their own teaching and facilitation skills. We hosted a hands on workshop to learn trauma-sensitive skills to bring into real-life work situations. Presently we are collaborating with the mindfulness group to roll out larger initiatives with this incredible staff.

Applied mindfulness: the future of careers

When we received an email from UVA Career Center entitled, "Yoga + Strategic Planning," we wondered if the universe had been checking our inbox. Turns out, Jenn Harvey (Director of the Business Career Community) and Everett Fortner (Associate VP of Career and Professional Development and Associate ) of the University of Virginia Career Services Center were simply speakin' our language!

The Mind Body Project had the privilege to work with the Career Services team to develop a mindfulness program to frame the kick-off of their 5-year strategic vision plan.  The intentions of the program were as follows:

1. Help staff relax and open their minds to new and creative ways of thinking

2. Understand personal career motivations

3. Connect self-awareness with future self career satisfaction

4. Frame future planning of the Career Center in a positive, mindful way

The program went a little something like this:

Zap-Chen inspired body movement for the office

Breath + Tones to meet the mood

Career Brainstorm: Connecting Basic Fears with Primal Needs

Embodied Needs Meditation (Feeling fear + satisfaction in the body)

Discussion: What themes exist among our career needs?

Future Self Intention: How do I see my needs being met by my career?

Deep Relaxation

Wrap Up: Snow Globe Meditation.  Shaking up thoughts and finding clarity

Bringing in awareness of career challenges from self-confidence and anxiety to self-awareness and personal insight, it became clear that UVA Career Services is a team of highly intuitive and open-minded individuals who truly seek to use their own experience as humans to help students fulfill their career needs.  We noticed a similar vibe between this group and education admin teams we have worked with in the past.  Growth mindset...perhaps?  Whatever the connection, it was a pleasure to move, breath and grow with this tribe. 

Wellness Days:
the inflexible office

Mindful Stress Relief for The Inflexible Office

Is Namastay in bed your morning mantra?

Is Worrier Pose you preferred posture?

Is pie and lattes your version of pilates?

We get it. Office programs with The Mind Body Project aren't about who can stretch the furthest or look good in yoga pants, we teach how to relax your body and calm your mind, no matter your level of fitness. 

Our Program:

9am: Organic Coffee Tasting + Green Juicing

9:30am: Healthy Bfast + Nutrition Talk

10:30am: Partnership for Healthy America Talk

Nutritionist Lunch: LOW fat, sugar and salt,
HIGH energy, taste, comfort

Rotating Afternoon Activities: 
-Yoga for the Inflexible
-Meet me at the Barre
-Johnson & Johnson Corporate Athlete
-Mindful Walking
-Massage

Erin Lee Henshaw worked in start-ups and corporate team-building in Beijing from 2010-2015, learning a lot about running lean companies in a fast-paced environment, but little about self-care. She has since studied Yoga and Mindfulness at ashrams in India and Virginia, Entrepreneurship in the US and breathwork in Bali, to create personalized breath, movement and mind-set curriculums to help REAL people thrive at work and beyond.

Melody Ain discovered the magic of yoga and fitness while hustling in the corporate world. She brought corporate wellness to the traditionally unhealthy industry of convenience store management, and uses her extensive DC Area network to create personalized corporate wellness challenges that span from one day kick-offs to year-long health journeys. 

These two health warriors  work with companies and communities to raise awareness about how healthy habits benefit not only the individual, but the company as a whole.  And don't just take our word for it: Happify agrees.

Inhale: I can.

Exhale: Relax at work.