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Mindful Kids Miami (MKM) recently announced the results of a comprehensive assessment and evaluation study conducted in partnership with the University of Miami that assesses the impact of mindfulness training programs on the well-being of educators in Miami-Dade County.
“The Impact of Mindfulness Training on the Well-Being of Educators” was published recently in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. This formal study involving researchers from the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami and the University of Massachusetts Medical School includes detailed data collected from educators in participating Miami-Dade County public schools.
“Our findings are consistent with a growing body of research documenting the benefits of mindfulness training in different worker groups including a reduction in burnout which disproportionately impacts the teaching profession,” said David J. Lee, project director, tenured Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and MKM board member.
“The collaborative program between Mindful Kids Miami, Miami-Dade County Public Schools and nonprofit community-based organizations is built on solid research showing mindfulness training can lower stress, anxiety, and reduce bullying among students,” said shools superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho.
“Mindfully cultivating beneficial relationships with educational and community leaders, teachers and principals is a central focus of this ongoing project and we are proud to be a part of it,” Carvalho added.
“MKM’s mission is to provide mindfulness training programs to educators, early learning professionals, healthcare providers, social workers, and families throughout Miami-Dade County,” said Sandy Skelaney, executive director of Mindful Kids Miami. “Our vision is to improve the lives of children in the community by giving them access to mindfulness skills which reduce stress and anxiety, enhance attention and focus, promote emotional regulation and impulse control, teach empathy and compassion, and create a sense of overall well-being allowing them to better handle the stresses of daily life.”
There has never been a greater need for the services of Mindful Kids Miami in the community. The organization directly addresses the problem of escalating stress levels and burnout, which can lead to compassion fatigue, absenteeism and decreased focus and effectiveness. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) has been proven to be effective in reducing stress and improving emotional regulation in children and adults.
“MKM’s strategic approach is to build a culture of mindfulness within institutions, so that mindful attitudes and practices are integrated into environments that impact children daily and the benefits are sustainable over time,” Skelaney continued. “This two-pronged strategy utilizes our signature programs to, first, empower participants with their own mindfulness practice and then train them in age-appropriate skills and activities to share with children and youth they encounter.”
Mindful Kids Miami currently is enrolling participants for Mindfulness programs beginning in January. For more information or to register, call 305-270-3262 or visit www.mindfulkidsmiami.org.
Mindful Kids Miami, Inc. (MKM) is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3), non-profit corporation dedicated to making age-appropriate Mindfulness training available to school children in Miami-Dade County public and private schools. This is primarily accomplished by training educators and other child care providers to incorporate Mindfulness practices in the children’s daily activities.
MKM also provides a variety of Mindfulness classes and trainings for adults who wish to enhance their personal well-being, and offers Mindfulness training to hospitals, healthcare centers, and other institutional settings.
