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education for youth & adults
Mindful & Well guides youth & adults in wellness through mindfulness & heartfulness, natural living, and connecting with their true selves.
About Mindful & Well Education
Hi! I'm Emily. I created Mindful & Well
Education after noticing a need for wellness
education among youth and adults with whom I
worked as a classroom teacher. It was all too common for my students to arrive to school sleep-deprived, anxious, and stressed instead of nourished and self-assured. Similarly, teachers (myself included) were overworked and under-resourced, and parents were overwhelmed with the pressure to help their kids achieve success.
After personal stress caused my own health to deteriorate, I had no choice but to take a break from classroom teaching and embark on a healing journey. The improvement of my health over time illuminated a new career path in offering wellness education to youth ages 11+ and all adults, not only those in the education system.
In the Mindful & Well program, I guide youth and adults toward mind-body wellness. We rely on mindfulness, heartfulness, natural wellness strategies, and connecting with our authentic selves to reduce stress and optimize our health.
Whether you or a child in your life is healing from physical or emotional stresses, or you simply want to learn more about wellness strategies such as mindfulness or heartfulness, I am here to help.
In the Mindful & Well program, we practice:
In the Mindful & Well program, we practice:
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is becoming aware and accepting of the present moment, without judgment. It can be practiced throughout the day, whether in a seated meditation or during a high-stakes exam or work project. It has been scientifically proven to reduce stress, increase focus and resilience, and improve sleep and self-confidence, among other benefits.
Heartfulness
Heartfulness is the practice of cultivating positive mind states such as compassion, gratitude, and kindness. It helps us better connect to ourselves and others, and to view the circumstances in our life with acceptance.
Natural Wellness
The developments of our modern world have unfortunately put our nervous systems into overdrive. To restore our bodies to a more natural state, we learn wellness practices that help us better connect with ourselves and the Earth. This includes strategies like grounding, yoga and embodied movement, nourishing foods, and more.
Connecting with Our True Selves
There are many societal pressures and messaging that influence us and our kids. Connecting to our true self means examining those beliefs we've picked up, and shedding those that don't serve us. This process helps us identify what truly makes us happy and fulfilled, so we can invite more of it into our life.
Who is this program for?
Everyone can benefit from mindfulness and wellness practices, as we all experience difficult emotions and stress in our lives.
This program helps youth ages 11+ and adults change the way they relate to stress and other difficult emotions and experiences: we break the habit of repeated negative thoughts, and learn to view life through a more positive lens.
We use self-care strategies that are proven to be equally effective for youth and adults. This program is an especially great fit for those who experience:
Overwhelm with academic, career, or family demands
Toxic stress
Anxiety or depression
Addiction to electronic devices and/or social media
Difficulty sleeping
High emotional or environmental sensitivity
Bullying
Trouble regulating emotions, or a tendency to overreact
Issues with body image
Low self-esteem
Physical tension
Difficulty focusing
Stagnation in achieving personal or academic goals
Unhealthy eating habits or relationship with exercise
Difficulty being still or relaxing, i.e. overactive or “high-strung”
A lack of purpose or connection to the world around them
A tendency to feel guilt or shame, or to be too hard on themselves
Feeling inauthentic, as though they are not the person they truly wish to be
**and** those who are well and thriving and just want to take time for self-care!
Everyone's experience in the Mindful & Well program is individual, and personalized according to their needs. Please don't hesitate to contact me to discuss specific needs for you or your child/students. Email me at or text (831) 471-7314.
Workshops &
Courses
For youth ages 11+, and adults
Online and in person in Santa Cruz
Mindfulness & Wellness Coaching
For youth ages 11+, and adults
Online or in person in Santa Cruz\
About Emily Listmann
Founder of Mindful & Well Education
Hi! I'm Emily. I was a middle and high school Social Studies teacher in the Bay
Area for four years after obtaining my Master in Teaching from Stanford University.
Before that, I taught English in the public schools in Spain, SAT Prep at Kaplan, and
I operated my own tutoring business. Through these years of experience working in
the educational system, I became acutely aware of the toxic levels of stress, anxiety, and
depression faced by youth and adults. It was all too common to see my
students show up to school sleep deprived, anxious, stressed, and confused instead of nourished
and self-assured. Similarly, teachers (myself included) were overworked and under-resourced, and parents were overwhelmed with the pressure to help their kids achieve success.
I was compelled to create Mindful & Well as an antidote to this epidemic of toxic stress, and to support youth and adults in a way I wasn't able to do as a full-time teacher. In the Mindful & Well program, I guide youth and adults toward mind-body wellness. The program is based on four tenets: mindfulness, heartfulness, natural wellness, and connection to our true selves. Not only have these helped me immensely, but they are scientifically proven methods for reducing stress and finding mind-body harmony.
Whether you or a child in your life is healing from physical or emotional stresses, or you simply want to learn more about wellness strategies such as mindfulness or heartfulness, I am here to help. My approach to teaching is collaborative, compassionate, and responsive to other's unique needs. It's important to me to build a positive rapport with students and ensure that they feel comfortable, supported, and accepted for who they are. The Mindful & Well curriculum reflects that approach and is inclusive for all types of learners.
My experience in education includes:
-
Master in Arts in Teaching from Stanford University
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Graduate of the Mindful Schools Educator Essentials Program, as well as the Mindfulness Fundamentals Course
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Creator of a mindfulness course for grades 7 & 8 at Woodland School (Portola Valley, CA)
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9th grade mentor and advisor, focusing in social-emotional learning at Summit Preparatory High School (Redwood City, CA)
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7th + 8th grade mentor and advisor in social-emotional learning at Woodland School
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Curriculum Head of the Social Studies Department for grades K-8 at Woodland School
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Middle school Social Studies teacher at Woodland School
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High school Social Studies teacher at Summit Preparatory High School
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Training in social-emotional education from the Institute for Social-Emotional Learning
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Over six years of private tutoring experience
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English Teacher in the public schools in San Sebastian, Spain
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SAT Test Prep Teacher and Tutor for Kaplan Test Prep
Workshops &
Courses
For youth, parents, and
educators
Online and in person in Santa Cruz
Mindfulness & Wellness Coaching
For youth & adults
Online or in person in Santa Cruz\
Testimonials
Emily is a wonderful person, kind and compassionate, sweet and gentle. She made meditating fun for the kids, and had many exciting ways to teach mindfulness. I don’t think they will ever forget the experience or Emily. I truly believe that mindfulness is an essential teaching that children can greatly benefit from alongside the more academic pursuits we tend to emphasize. The beautiful outdoor setting was relaxing and peaceful. Thank you Emily!
Anna, mother of two girls
I like that Emily is so gentle and kind. I also like her because she really helped me meditate and be calm. The seats are comfy and it was fun. The garden was really pretty and I liked sitting outside. My favorite thing was when we were stretching... and I miss you.
Clara, 8 years old
Emily really connects with her students. She gets to know them as people and pays close attention to their feelings. She has experience with kids with learning differences and knows how to relate to them. She is warm and supportive, and helps kids calm down when they are feeling stressed.