Practicing Being in the Now: A School-based Mindfulness Workshop for Middle Schoolers

Dr. Hart  recently conducted a School-based Mindfulness Workshop for 5th and 6th grade students at The Convent of the Sacred Heart in the Upper Eastside neighborhood of Manhattan. The workshop was both skills-based and experiential, meaning students learned mindfulness theory and the neuroscience behind mindfulness, and had the opportunity to learn and practice techniques individually and as a group. The students practiced identifying when they and their loved ones are distracted, or not fully present in their lives, and discussed the impact mindfulness has upon their mood, their relationships, and their ability to engage in school. Through engaging activities the students practiced increasing their awareness of internal and external experiences and increased their attentional control.