Mindfulness Exercises and Tips for Feeling Calmer and Less Stressed

In this class, students will learn mindfulness strategies to help them be more calm and present, especially when they are stressed or having strong emotions such as sadness, anger, fear, and anxiety.  They will learn about how the brain and emotions are connected, and understand what is meant by the term, "flipping your lid."  Each week, we will begin with a brief check, and students will practice checking in with themselves on how they are feeling.  We will have a new Theme each week, covering a strategy or two.  Time will be allowed to practice the strategy, and we will conclude with a summary.  I will post handouts of the strategies we learned after each lesson. Each class is a stand-alone, meaning that they do not need to take the whole series and can jump in at any week. Here are the topics which will be covered each week:

Week of August 7th : What is Mindfulness?  Belly Breathing Exercises
Week of August 14th : Gratitude; Grounding with the 5 Senses
Week of August 21st: Safe/Still Quiet Place
Week of August 28th: Mindful Movement
Week of September 4th: Positive Affirmations
Week of September 11th:  Mindful Listening and Mindful Coloring
Week of September 18th: Strategies for Strong Feelings
Week of September 25th:  How to Apply Mindfulness Strategies to Real Life Situations