Healthy stress is a natural part of life; we need to be challenged to grow and develop. Unfortunately, healthy stress is often displaced by toxic stress when students and teachers’ ability to cope is overloaded.
When a fourth-grader reports feeling she “was going to die” from test anxiety, she’s telling the truth; the response from her autonomic nervous system is the same, whether she’s taking a math test or sensing actual physical danger. 1
Mindfulness education offers decades of research-backed secular intervention methods to maintain emotional regulation, alleviate fear, anxiety and depression, and build resilience for challenging times in youth and adults.
Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and a pioneer of mindfulness in various fields, describes mindfulness as not therapy, but therapeutic:
“Mindfulness as a practice provides endless opportunities to cultivate greater intimacy with your own mind and to tap into and develop your deep interior resources for learning, growing, healing, and potentially for transforming your understanding of who you are and how you might live more wisely and with greater well-being, meaning, and happiness in this world.”
—Jon Kabat-Zinn, “Mindfulness for Beginners: Reclaiming the Present Moment—And Your Life”
The benefits of mindfulness
Studies find that youth benefit from learning mindfulness in terms of improved cognitive outcomes, social-emotional skills and well-being. Such benefits lead to long-term improvements in life.
Improved Attention
Studies show better performance on tasks that require an extensive concentration span
Emotional Regulation
Less reactivity and better ability to engage in tasks, even when emotions are activated.
Reduction of Stress
Stress & anxiety are improved when placed in challenging social situations
Benefits for Educators
Reduced burnout, greater efficacy, more emotionally supportive classrooms, better organization
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is being present here and now, paying attention to sensations, thoughts and emotions, and the external environment with kindness, non-judgment, and curiosity. It is a secular practice grounded in contemporary scientific research and based on awareness and observation of actual experience in the present moment.
Reflections from our Students & Teachers
“I was told I exhibit signs of severe anxiety & depression. I think using these techniques will help my mental health. It will also help with nervousness before track races.”
11th grade student
“By the time I left I was totally relaxed and it lasted the rest of the day. I enjoyed everything. ”
Staff Member, First Security Bank
“This parenting course has changed the quality of both my life and that of my kids. The education and gain in emotional intelligence is priceless.”
Mindful Parenting series participant
“Our mindfulness seminar gave me the time to relax and breathe in a week that was very difficult.”
MSU Student
“It was good mainly because it helped me fall asleep at night, which before, I was terrible at.”
4th Grader
3,000+
Individuals served from 2023-2025
25
Nonprofit and business partners reached in 2025
of our course fees are subsidized by MMP, providing free or reduced programs for our partners & community
