Foster Care Training

Mindfulness has become increasingly acknowledged as an important skill for young people to develop, helping them be more connected to themselves and others, supporting concentration, emotion regulation, and empathy. Yet to be successful, it needs to be taught in a way that works for urban young people from a diversity of backgrounds, many of whom have exposure to trauma. How can we teach mindful awareness to young people in a way that is safe, accessible, and relevant to their lives and experiences?

In this training we’ll explore the history of the mindfulness movement, explore why young people might want to learn mindfulness, and explore ways to help sell them on the practices. We’ll review how to deliver exercises in terminology and with metaphor relevant to the experience of urban young people from a diversity of backgrounds. Then we’ll focus on modifying mindfulness practices for use with young people in different age ranges, and particularly those with trauma exposure. We’ll practice simple sequential exercises for helping young people develop the foundations of self-awareness in an environment of safety, respect for self and others, and deep inquiry.