Life Skills for Lifelong Learning

"The breath has brought me to a higher consciousness which has helped me through depression, attempted suicide, and daily living as an adolescent." ~ Carolyne L., age 15

As educators face the dilemma presented by federal funding cuts combined with increased test-score demands, it is clear that fresh ideas are needed. Students must be equipped with more than the standard tools of books and calculators. The most powerful tool we can give them is awareness of their own innate ability to reduce stress, increase self-esteem, and learn more effectively.

Although highly overlooked, breath awareness and development techniques might be the most basic and critical skills we can teach our children today. It's just common sense. When we are breathing more fully, we are functioning more fully in the following ways:

Mental - focus, concentration, alpha learning state, motivation, productivity, better sleep (also see Mental Acuity)
Physical - coordination, eyesight, brain chemistry, immunity, balance, energy, attendance (also see Physical Health)
Emotional - maturity, compassion, self-esteem, independence from peer pressure (also see Emotional Stability)
Spiritual - sense of belonging, purpose, self-awareness, commitment, self-discipline (also see Spiritual Connection)

We offer age-appropriate, multi-disciplinary programs for grades 6-12. In addition, we offer support programs for teachers, school nurses, guidance counselors, administrators, and parents. Get info about our "Getting High Without Drugs" program for teens-at-risk.

Teachers:

In addition to the tremendous personal benefits of stress-reduction and better overall health, teachers who are equipped with breath awareness techniques can use them in class to improve student behavior, motivation, subject-interest and test-scores. They may also find that their lectures become genuinely more interesting due to their own improved ability to relax, tune-in and be more genuine and creative.

School Nurses:

We all know that many tummy-aches, headaches, nausea - even accidents - are the result of anxiety and stress. What we don't all realize is that certain breathing exercises can help to heal all of the above. Imagine the positive impact to be made by a school nurse who is equipped to teach each student how to access their own internal ability to heal - without drugs. Imagine empowering our school nurses with the ability to empower our children, our students, our future!

Guidance Counselors:

If there's one thing kids need, it's solid, well-informed guidance toward healthy and practical living skills. We cannot teach every parent conscious breathing skills, but we can get the information to kids via guidance counselors. In the short amount of time guidance counselors have to assist students with emotional and psychological problems, they could easily be teaching a valuable self-help skill - self-control and stress management via self-directed breathing. For drug-related programs, click here.

School Administrators:

Talk about stress! Maintaining that delicate balance between serving the school board, teachers, parents and students can seem impossible at times. Yet your success or failure sets the tone for the morale of the entire school. Transformational Breathing™ retreats are an ideal way to enhance communication and understanding among administrative staff, so you can work together more harmoniously in the spirit of teamwork.

Parents:

Every school has its share of "students-at-risk". Often they are the children of parents who are at risk of losing the battle with stress and overwhelm in a fast-changing world. As caring and competent community leaders, we can assist parents in dealing with stress by providing programs to which they might not otherwise be exposed or be able to afford. School-sponsored (or recommended) Breathing Seminars help the parents, the student, their teachers and their fellow students, who suffer the loss of teacher-attention due to problem students. In addition, parental training and support is important to the success of students enrolled in breathing programs.

Please contact us to discuss your school district's needs and to arrange an on-site assessment. We will then provide a detailed recommendation and program proposal.

More...

Why do so many teens risk their lives to get "high"?

To escape painful feelings and memories. To fit in. To feel happy, confident, lovable, accepted, relaxed, even blissful. And who can blame them for wanting that? In today's world, these desires are understandable and elusive. Helping our kids make good choices takes more than "just say no". We can help them say "yes" to better ways of fulfilling the same desires. We can show them that there are better choices, and that they are worthy of what they desire.

Over the course of this ten-week workshop program, a small group of 8-10 motivated teenagers will explore new perspectives and practice safe, healthy ways to resolve pain, make choices, and feel good about themselves, without the risks of self-destructive substances and behaviors. We will develop a deep understanding of the delicate balance between responsibility and freedom. They will also learn to use breathing techniques that bring about a feeling of joy and satisfaction.

"Breathing gives me the kind of high that music does and snowboarding - things that I love." ~ John B.

We will use Transformational Breathing™ to cleanse the body/mind of toxic residue from past physical and emotional trauma. When we're able to respond to life's challenges without the internal stress of unresolved pain, we are empowered to make responsible choices based on internal knowing rather than outside influence. By encouraging the release of restricted breathing patterns and corresponding beliefs about the self, this safe and natural process restores the body/mind's innate response to stress: "breathe and relax". Soon we are responding creatively and compassionately to challenging situations, rather than reacting and wanting to escape. The result is an upward spiral of responsible freedom.

"One client with a long history of cocaine addiction, had been in 12-Step programs for several years. After his first breathing session he told me, with tears in his eyes, that he had just had his first real experience of Higher Power. It was no longer a vague concept to him, but a powerful reality." Dr. Judith Kravitz, from her book Breathe Deep, Laugh Loudly

In a co-created atmosphere of confidentiality and trust, we will uncover our own essential values and learn to manage thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to support self-determined goals. We will learn and practice mutually respectful communication skills, as well as daily breathing-movement techniques to achieve an instant energized calm. "Side-effects" include increased levels of:

Focus & concentration
Self-esteem & confidence
Energy & motivation
Overall health
Brain function
Sense of belonging
Faith & courage

Call 860-796-1480 today for a free initial consultation.