Mindfulness has increased in popularity and become more mainstream in recent years, as a result of mounting scientific evidence proving its effectiveness in managing stress, improving mental clarity, increasing compassion and belonging, and enhancing sleep. Yet, if you use or plan to use mindfulness in your work, you should also be aware of the serious responsibility that comes with mind-body practices and, in addition to all the benefits, any possible adverse effects.

Mindfulness can be both a useful emotional regulation tool AND a potential stressor for people who have been impacted by trauma. For children as well as adults, the idea of going inwards when our brains are full of memories and thoughts we struggle to manage can actually make us more agitated. Meditation allows space for unprocessed pain and traumatic experiences to surface for people who have a trauma history. However, with proper guidance and resources,  this surfacing can allow for deeper healing and integration, especially if accompanied by practical ways to manage intrusive thoughts and cultivate greater peace of mind and body.

Mindfulness teacher and Echo parent educator, Laurie Cousins, has designed this training specifically for parents, teachers, and any other adult who works with children. She will share techniques that assist in calming the survival brain and nervous system so that even children who have experienced trauma can enjoy the benefits of mindfulness.

Join us at the FEB 5 training to learn how trauma-informed mindfulness can help the children (young people) in your life build resilience and improve overall health.

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This experiential training is designed for anyone who works with students, families, and communities and wants to incorporate mindfulness-based practices in a safe, playful, and non-harming way. You will learn about trauma from a neurobiological lens, how to manage traumatic stress during periods of practice, and how to incorporate trauma-informed care principles when guiding participants, all while exploring a variety of practices for different age groups. As a result of this training, you and those you work with will be able to enjoy mind-body practices that can lead to improved overall health, resilience, and self-regulation, and support trauma recovery.

This training will explore:

• An introduction to the basics of secular mindfulness and meditation
• Benefits and potential challenges when practicing mindfulness for youth and adults 
• How unintegrated trauma or toxic stress can impact the nervous system
• The neurobiological impact of being overstimulated with social media and technology 
• The fundamentals of trauma-informed practices, modifications, and skills
• How mindfulness and meditation can decrease impulsivity and increase tolerance and compassion
• How to share and guide basic trauma-informed mindfulness practices for children and teens

Details

Dates: Monday, February 5, 2024 | 8am-12:30pm PST
Cost: $55
Location: Live training via Zoom. Zoom link and extra details will be sent out a week prior to the training date.
Continuing Education: 4 CE credits are available for an additional $30. For more information visit our continuing education page.

Additional Information

Cancellation fees may apply; be sure to review our refund policies here.

For questions about this training, please contact us at training@echotraining.org or (213) 484-6676

Laurie Cousins has a B.A. in Psychology, is a secular mindfulness teacher, integrative somatic practitioner, and Echo trauma-informed nonviolent parent educator. Part of her education and training include the mindful centers of UCLA & UCSD and she teaches their signature evidence-based programs of Mindful Awareness Practices and Mindful Self-Compassion. Laurie is mentored by Susan Kaiser Greenland and a lead teacher of the International Inner Kids Collaborative and enjoys teaching mindfulness in education for students, families, and faculty throughout Los Angeles and all over the country.

Specializing in the field of trauma and addiction recovery, in her private practice and teaching she focuses on integration, resiliency building, and somatic-centered healing as a certified practitioner of the Trauma Resource Institute and compassion training through Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness. Laurie draws from her passion for the natural world, contemplative wisdom traditions, and motherhood to help guide people and families to overcome adversity, embrace their innate resiliency, and cultivate joyful connections and purpose.