Fall 2020
We live in the 21st century, a radically diverse world… and yet we have never developed the intentional kinds of technologies, if you will, that address in deep ways what it means to bring people together across those cultures. I think mindfulness and compassion can help with that. – Rhonda Magee
What’s New?
Coming Back to Ourselves:
A Half-day Mindfulness Retreat in the Comfort of Your Home

During this period of Covid, we may not have left our homes very much, but our minds certainly have been on the go. A lot of us find our anxiety heightened, as we get carried away into fearful places about our current situation. Uncertainty surrounding the viability of our economy, society, health of our families and stability of our institutions, looms large. 
Dr. Sharon Gold-Steinberg –
A Neurologically-informed
Approach to Collective Trauma
in the (virtual) Classroom
We are delighted to offer the opportunity again for you to listen and learn from a recorded presentation on how to build resilience in yourself and our youth presented by Dr. Sharon Gold Steinberg. Drawing on poly-vagal scientific theory, mindfulness research and years of clinical experience, Sharon shares new ways in which to mitigate potentially adverse effects of the collective trauma we have been undergoing from this pandemic.
Mindfulness Training Opportunities
MC4ME offers a number of programs to learn how to embody mindfulness and apply these practices with youth. This past year we successfully adapted our annual summer institute on teaching mindfulness based activities to children and youth to a Zoom format and in January 2021, we plan to re-package this program into a 4-session weekly format. Check out the variety of our courses, offerings and resources on our newly designed website.
Drop-in Meditation Schedule
With the pandemic, MC4ME and other statewide organizations are offering you the opportunity to practice mindfulness meditation through Zoom in the mornings and at lunch hour. Join us to refresh yourself during the 30 minute time slot and stay as long as you feel comfortable or are available.
Show Us Where You Are Lighting Up Michigan With Mindfulness!
Are you sharing the practice of mindfulness with youth or practicing it yourself as an educator, mental health professional or parent? Help highlight the prevalence of this work in Michigan and connect to others by dropping a pin of your location on our interactive map. Light up Michigan with mindfulness!
Our Commitment to Racial
Justice and Equity
The conference MC4ME had been planning for Fall 2020 to explore the application of mindfulness to racial equity, social justice and trauma has been postponed to October 1-2, 2021 due to the pandemic. This year, we intend to examine ways to understand and meet structural racism through our inner explorations, practices, shared resources and events.

Stayed tuned for ways on how to join future book club meetups on this topic in your community.
Mindfulness Insight
With the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Covid and reopening of in person classes, two incoming seniors wanted to make sure that they could still connect with their classmates.
Last March, as the pandemic took hold, Kaitlin and Bella saw the seniors in their high school lose the opportunity to experience key moments to mark the celebration of their final year: prom, spring break and graduation came and went without the typical fanfare. That's when they decided to create a ritual to make sure their senior class would have moments to experience and savor together.
Recommended Resources
My Grandmother’s Hands: 
Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending our Hearts and Minds
My Grandmother’s Hands by Resmaa Menkaem, MSW, LICSW, SEP (Central Recovery Press, 2017) is a powerful book that confronts the impact of racial trauma of black and white skinned peoples. The book is unique in that the author persuasively argues that healing from racial injustice in our country will only occur from deep investigation of the internalized trauma that leads to White Supremacy, and the aftermath we live over and over again in the experience of black-skinned peoples.
Research Findings
There are many days when we, as parents or teachers, experience our children as difficult. Sometimes we are hard on ourselves when our children challenge us and things do not go the way we would like. We explored one recently published study that investigated the impact of a brief training of loving kindness meditation on parental self-compassion, compassion to others and parenting responses.
Donate to MC4ME
Make a Difference
​Your tax-deductible donation contributes to providing life skills to students to foster social, emotional and mental well-being. When schools have a desire for mindfulness training for their students or staff, but do not have funds in their budget, your donations help us subsidize training costs. Thank you for making a difference!