Toolkit-Promotion-Mindfulness

Mindfulness

“Mindfulness” is defined by the Greater Good Science Center as a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment. It involves acceptance, meaning that we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging them—without believing, for instance, that there’s a “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in a given moment. When we practice mindfulness, our thoughts tune into what we’re sensing in the present moment rather than rehashing the past or imagining the future. Mindfulness practices are designed to develop and strengthen the mind through increasing the ability to focus, recognize and manage emotions, make better decisions, and empathize in relationships.

Select each category below to learn more.

In This Section You Will Find:

Why Mindfulness is needed in education
Effects of Mindfulness on the brain
Benefits of Mindfulness for Teachers & Students
How to integrate and practice Mindfulness in schools
Sample Programs and Supports

PDFS

Websites

General Websites

Sample Mindfulness Programs and Supports

Apps

Stop, Breathe, and Think – For youth, with meditations for mindfulness and compassion
Calm.com – Guided meditation and relaxation exercises
HeadSpace – Meditation and mindfulness made simpl
Insight Timer – 2,714 free guided meditations

Books

The Mindful Teen: Powerful Skills to Help You Handle Stress One Moment at a Time by Dzung X. Vo MD FAAP
The Stress Reduction Workbook for Teens: Mindfulness Skills to Help You Deal with Stress by Gina Biegel
How to Meditate by Pema Chodron
Creative Visualization with Children by Jennifer Day
Breathe Yoga for Teens by Mary Kaye Chryssicas
Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain by Daniel Siegel
A Life Worth Breathing by Max Strom
Mindfulness for Teen Anxiety by Christopher Willard