iBme

Introduction

Inward Bound Mindfulness Education (iBme) provides fun and age appropriate opportunities for young people to learn and practice skills for enhancing inner-resilience and promoting maturation of social and emotional intelligence.

Key to the program is the practice of mental observation and concentration skills. Participants are invited to unplug from electronic/virtual media and spend time in silence, noticing present moment experiences such as natural sounds, body sensations and breathing.

As their ability to sustain present-centered focus is developed, students often become aware of the emotions that underlie their thoughts and body sensations. Thus, the practice of these concentration skills is interspersed with periods of emotional exploration within small peer group discussions, which provide a safe and teen friendly atmosphere to express and experience a full range of human emotions.

Along with periods of silence and facilitated social and emotional sharing, a healthy sense of belonging amongst the teens is furthered developed through activities of creative expression, mindful movement, music, art, and the sharing of wholesome meals.

Another component of the iBme program is training in effective ways to express and experience self acceptance and forgiveness as well as how to practice acceptance, forgiveness and gratitude towards others. Social-emotional intelligence is as important as IQ, grades and test scores in determining the future success of young people in leading healthy, productive lives. It can assist youth in maintaining meaningful relationships with others and in making wiser choices in daily living.

As a new paradigm for fostering adolescent growth and well being, the activities in the IbMe program provide teens with opportunities to practice skills that strengthen their ability to pay attention and manage impulsivity, recognize and regulate emotions and enhance social-emotional competencies.

By providing supportive and engaging ways to practice healthy new habits of thought, speech and action, iBme ensures that adolescents are given concrete skills for lifelong development.

To increase opportunities for learning and practicing mindful awareness and social and emotional competencies, iBme programming is available in the following formats:

Residential Retreats
In school and/or after school programs
Psychoeducation groups for mental health facilities
Juvenile Detention Centers and Diversion programs
In-service trainings and retreats for professionals