Nope! This will not be a therapy group— we will not be focusing on or actively processing feelings and experiences. Instead, we will be working on skills that help participants feel more grounded in their day-to-day life. This can be a supportive foundation for other therapeutic work outside of the class.

Good question! Drawing from the literature on teaching mindfulness to young people, as well as years of experience as a play therapist, and experience of personal mindfulness practice, Lauren has created a different class curriculum for each of the age ranges.

Class structure will consist of a BRIEF check in, a series of mindfulness activities, breathing skills practice, a kindness activity, and some yoga before wrapping up. The wrap up activity will include caregivers for the younger kids, and teens can invite their caregivers if they wish.

Participants will each have their own yoga mat station, and we will move between yoga mat stations and moving around the room or coming together for games.

Participants can expect to leave feeling like they worked hard and are glad they came!

Kids or teens who struggle with anxiety, mood, mindset, focus, calming, sleep issues can all benefit from mindfulness practice in a supportive environment.

Kids and teens with mild or no mental health symptoms can attend class without having participated in therapy before.

If mental health symptoms are more moderate to severe, the child or teen should be in therapy concurrently or have participated in therapy recently (with any therapist).

Kids who are struggling with aggressive behaviors or difficulty keeping hands to self are not a good fit for this class. They are always welcome to individual therapy to work on skills that would help them participate in future classes.

Participants who have been formally diagnosed with OCD should get clearance from their OCD-competent therapist before participating. Mindfulness practices are sometimes unhelpful for OCD, and an individualized assessment of whether the class is a good fit is warranted.

Summer schedules are busy and shifting for families! We get it. If coming once a week for 10 weeks works best for your schedule, that’s great! If two times a week for four weeks works best for your schedule, fantastic! Feel free to buy a package and attend in a way that works for your schedule.

Mindfulness practices have been extensively researched and have been shown to have positive impact on anxiety, mood, emotional regulation, self-acceptance, and pro-social behavior.

Some examples of what Lauren’s clients have found mindfulness skills helpful for: performance anxiety about tests, sports, theater, etc; social anxiety and self-confidence; medical appointments or other difficult situations; panic attacks; school stress; sibling discord; and really any time they want to slow down the moment between a trigger and choosing a response.

4601 Excelsior Blvd Suite 410 B

St Louis Park, MN 55416

Classes will be held in a large and comfortable group space with yoga mats, pillows and chairs. The space is down the hall from Lauren’s regular therapy office, in Suite 410B. Please let Lauren know if you have any mobility needs so we can make a plan together!

You can see pictures of the space here: https://www.embodiedjourneyscollective.com/

During these classes, participants, their parents, and Lauren will be the only people using the space.

Wanting to see if the class is a good fit makes sense! My goal is for participants (especially the younger kids) to become familiar with the structure of the class so they can focus on the mindfulness practice rather than trying to navigate something new. If you’d like to try out one just class to see if its a good fit for your child, we can do so, but let’s chat first to create a really good plan to support them and make class a successful experience for them.

For children 5-12, Caregivers will be asked to participate in the closing activity in the last 5 min of class. For teens, this participation is optional based on the teen’s preference.

If enough folks sign up, I would like to add a second teen group, creating separate classes for younger and older teens. If we have fewer sign ups, the teens will be in one group ages 13-17.

YES!