Written by Robin M. Sheffey
Although Mental Health Awareness Month has drawn to a close, we always recognize the importance of mental health and would like to highlight the amazing work of our partner, Awaken Pittsburgh, and celebrate their commitment to providing community members with mindfulness techniques that reduce stress and mitigate secondary trauma, especially in high-stress workplaces and communities.
Founded by educator and meditation practitioner, Dr. Stephanie Romero, Awaken Pittsburgh’s mission is to train and support individuals who can benefit from these practices, fostering resilience through mindfulness. By offering accessible strategies, they empower people to navigate change and uncertainty while cultivating self-regulation, emotional balance, and collective well-being. Since its founding, Dr. Romero has transformed countless lives through her work by providing mindfulness skills that reduce stress, combat burnout, and enhance emotional intelligence.
Awaken Pittsburgh’s proprietary, evidence-based curriculum, Mindful Connections™ (MC), teaches applied mindfulness in various settings, including education, public safety, early childhood centers, workplace wellness, and professions affected by high levels of toxic stress, compassion fatigue, and burnout.
In October 2023, Awaken Pittsburgh was awarded a $15,000 RISE HIGH Grant from Neighborhood Allies to support their Mindful Connections™ for Educators (MC4E) and Mindful Connections™ for Trauma-Sensitive Practices (MC4TSP) programs. These initiatives are offered free of charge, providing educators and helping professionals with mindfulness techniques they can integrate into their own lives and teach others.
The MC4E program specifically supports Black Family Educators, helping them develop mindfulness practices that reduce stress and burnout, enhance compassion and empathy, and strengthen social-emotional competencies. In parallel, the MC4TSP program offers tools for teaching self-regulation and mindfulness in a trauma-sensitive manner, ensuring that those served receive techniques that promote resilience and stability.
For MC4E Part 1, 15 individuals responded to the invitation to join, with 10 officially registering for the program. The course began on February 10, 2024, and consisted of nine virtual sessions. Participants voluntarily completed confidential pre- and post-program surveys to assess the program’s impact and provide feedback. The demographics of participants included individuals aged 35 to 57, with an average age of 44. Their professional backgrounds included diverse roles such as dancer, teacher, choreographer, restorative practices coordinator, family engagement service coordinator, facilitator, co-creator, executive director, and founder/CEO.
When participants were asked how frequently they plan to use the learned techniques, all indicated they would implement them often or quite often. Open-ended feedback further highlighted the program’s impact:
- “I enjoyed forming dyads with different partners, as they brought to light varying perspectives.”
- “The instructors were deeply involved, open, and caring for the group, which created ease and connection—even in a virtual format.”
- “I really enjoyed the online format. It was nice to attend the course virtually from the comfort of my own home.”
- “I will likely use mindfulness in movement and body scans.”
When participants were asked about which practices and techniques they plan to use in the future, they mentioned:
- “I will likely use mindfulness in movement and body scans.”
- “Framing conflict dynamics and seeking regulation are new perspectives that I expect to apply to my life and work moving forward.”
- “Grounding techniques and assisting others to become regulated.”
We commend Awaken Pittsburgh for its unwavering dedication to making mindfulness accessible and impactful. Their work strengthens individual well-being and fosters more compassionate and grounded communities.
For the full report on Mindful Connections for Educators, visit www.awakenpittsburgh.org or contact info@awakenpittsburgh.org.
