The Be Still & Dream Foundation of Kids Yoga & Mindfulness Training offers a comprehensive program to prepare you for teaching inclusive, engaging yoga and mindfulness to kids of all ages and abilities! This unique training program incorporates BOTH yoga and mindfulness with an emphasis on mindful learning, inclusion and social-emotional development. People who train with us include teachers and principals, social workers, counselors, occupational and physical therapists, early childhood education teachers, yoga teachers, parents, etc. Our program has something for everyone who is looking to incorporate yoga and mindfulness into their work with kids! The Be Still & Dream teaching team consists of award-winning, highly experienced educators and yoga teachers from across the United States, who are dedicated to bringing inclusive kids yoga and mindfulness to as many kids and families as possible. Our combined experience and expertise makes this Kids Yoga & Mindfulness Program both rigorous and rewarding, as we journey with you through transformation, authenticity, and commitment to mindful change for kids and families!
The Foundations Course is designed as a 6-week course. To make the learning manageable and meaningful, we suggest completing one module per week. This gives you time to reflect on the material and ask questions as you go. You may begin using your training to work with children and families AT ANY POINT! Our courses are designed for use across multiple settings with kids of all ages and abilities. We want you to use what you’ve learned and begin incorporating yoga and mindfulness in your work with children whenever you are comfortable.
Course Curriculum
Hi, I'm Mary!
I’ve spent the last 19 years working in the field of therapeutic education, building a deep commitment to inclusion for kids. My PhD is in Cultural Studies in Education with a research focus on creating inclusive learning experiences through the use of alternative practices like yoga, mindfulness, play, and nature exploration. I’ve worked as a Special Education Teacher, Behavior Specialist, School Counselor, and University Professor in diverse settings all across the U.S., but I’ll never forget the moment I realized just how impactful using yoga and mindfulness could be for kids. I was teaching at a school for “at-risk urban youth” in Boston and feeling so defeated by the amount of stress and trauma my students were enduring everyday. Meanwhile, I was seeing so much growth and transformation from my personal yoga and meditation practice, that I decided I would bring some of it into my classroom just to see what happened. My students, almost entirely middle school-aged boys, connected with it immediately. Some days, our little moments of breathing and movement were the only times I could get them all to stay in the classroom! That was almost 15 years ago, and since then yoga and mindfulness have become the cornerstone of all the work I do with kids. My commitment to inclusive, therapeutic learning has grown into the establishment of Be Still Kids, a community organization dedicated to making yoga and mindfulness as accessible to as many kids as possible. What started as a passion project, now has grown into two kids yoga & mindfulness studios; enrichment and education opportunities for kids, families, and teachers throughout our region and beyond; and our worldwide teacher training program, Be Still & Dream, that has brought you here today! When we say yoga is for everybody, we really mean it...and we live it!
Hi, I'm Kelly!
For as long as I can remember, I dreamt of becoming a teacher. I loved school, learning, and idolized my teachers. When I began volunteering at Special Olympics in high school, my path became very clear. I graduated college in 2008, became a special education teacher, and my students have been sparking joy and bringing meaning to my life ever since. I stumbled across yoga about 5 years ago when the military brought my husband and I to Moore County, NC, where we currently live. I immediately fell in love with the practice and never felt more “at home” than I did when I was on my mat. When I began to notice the life changing benefits yoga and meditation were having in my own life, I decided to bring this practice into my classroom to share with my students. The positive changes in my classroom and in my students with disabilities and special needs blew my mind, opened my eyes and I knew that I needed to share this gift with other children in the community. With the help of two teacher friends and inspiration from my students, I started an inclusive yoga for kids program at a local yoga studio a few years ago, serving children of all ages with all abilities together in the same space. The program expanded into more than I imagined, in the best way possible. I left public schools in 2017 and recently opened an inclusive yoga and mindful learning studio called Dream Catcher; a space to move, breathe, and learn together... my own dream come true. I wholeheartedly believe in the power of inclusion, relationships, learning together, and celebrating each and every child exactly as they are. In my 10+ years working in schools, I've never witnessed such progress, organic learning, and pure joy as when yoga and mindfulness becomes part of a child’s life. My students and their families have inspired me beyond words and I'm so excited to share my experiences and passions with you.