As the challenges of the pandemic continue, Mindful Self-care was the perfect topic for our recent UPshop. Mindfulness is the act of bringing awareness to the present moment and accepting the feelings, thoughts and sensations that arise. As a regular practice, it is an incredibly useful technique to help people deal with stress, acknowledge emotions and understand behaviors.
There are many ways to practice mindfulness — it’s not always the silent meditation that is often associated. We were thrilled to have Shannon Sinclair, a Certified Mindful Schools Instructor who specializes in teaching young people, lead our group in exploring a variety of practices.
We began with a 5-minute sit. Teens and mentors planted their feet to bring awareness to that sensation and then noted others, like breath, air temperature, support of the chair, etc. Shannon also explained the “name it to tame it” technique. It’s a simple but incredibly helpful act of noticing a strong emotion and giving it a name. This can reduce the overtaking effect of emotions as they flood and help maintain rational mental processing.
The group also had the privilege of participating in a brief mindful movement session by Michael Crespo, health coach and owner of CrossFit Novato. This involved maintaining awareness through physical actions like lunges, squats, and on-the-floor twists. Michael explained that mindful activities also include physical exercise as well as being in nature.
We finished with a gratitude practice where each participant wrote something that they are grateful for. The entire group smiled when a teen revealed his mentor’s name. The powerful practice of focusing on what’s working (versus what is not working) stimulates gratitude and overall mental well-being.
Mindfulness can be particularly beneficial to people who have experienced trauma. Every youth from foster care experienced the trauma of being removed from their home and whatever event(s) led to that removal. With the right supports, like healthy relationships and strong coping techniques, the effects of trauma can be reduced and even eliminated. We’re grateful that Shannon and Michael shared their journeys of overcoming struggles through mindfulness and self-compassion.
Our UPshops are specifically designed to be hands-on workshops that develop and enhance life skills. We often focus on “soft skills” because of the long-term benefits that communication, problem-solving and decision-making skills provide.
Funding for this UPshop was gratefully provided by Ticket to Dream Foundation’s Take Flight program. We are thankful to be among Ticket to Dream’s nonprofit partners in providing transition-aged youth from foster care with the skills and support they need to be successful.
