Our attention is often pulled away from the present moment. We become absorbed in memories of the past, plans and worries about the future, judgments about ourselves, or preoccupations with the lives and expectations of others. In the process, we can lose touch with the one place where our lives are unfolding—right here, right now.
Mindfulness is the practice of intentionally bringing our attention to the present moment with openness, curiosity, and compassion. By cultivating mindful awareness, we develop the ability to recognize where our attention has gone and gently return to what is happening in this moment. This simple yet powerful practice gives us greater agency in our lives, allowing us to reclaim ourselves moment by moment rather than being carried away by habit, distraction, or reactivity.
This experiential workshop explores the foundations of mindfulness, including what mindfulness is, how it supports emotional and physical well-being, and why present-moment awareness is essential for living with greater clarity, balance, and purpose. Participants will learn how mindfulness can reduce stress, improve focus, strengthen emotional regulation, and foster a deeper connection with themselves and others.
More importantly, participants will experience mindfulness directly through a series of guided practices designed to cultivate presence through the body, breath, and senses. The workshop includes 3–4 experiential exercises, such as:
· Mindfulness of Breath: Discover how mindful attention to the breath can anchor awareness in the present moment, calm the nervous system, and create space between stimulus and response.
· Mindful Movement: Engage in gentle, accessible movement practices that promote grounding, embodiment, and a deeper connection to present-moment experience.
· Sound Meditation and Sound Bath: Experience sound and vibration, naturally quieting the mind and relaxing the body with singing bowls, drums, and gongs.
· Breathwork and Chanting: Experience simple, gentle, yet profoundly effective practices that guide the breath through the body while immersing yourself in the rhythmic sound and vibration of mantra and vocal toning. These practices promote relaxation, nervous system regulation, and present-moment awareness.
Throughout the workshop, participants will be invited to explore mindfulness not as another task to accomplish, but as a way of returning home to themselves. By strengthening the capacity to be present with what is happening here and now, participants will leave with practical tools to navigate stress, increase resilience, and cultivate a greater sense of choice, freedom, and well-being in their daily lives.
Our lives are always happening in this moment. Mindfulness helps us reclaim them—one breath, one movement, and one moment of awareness at a time.
Workshop Cost: $35
*We can provide CEUs for mental health providers that attend.
Workshop Facilitators:
Jason Kniola, LMHC, LCAC: Jason Kniola has been studying and practicing mindfulness and other awareness-based, somatic approaches to healing and well-being for nearly 30 years. His training includes Hakomi Body-Centered Mindfulness-Based Therapy, Theravada, Zen, and Tibetan Buddhist meditation traditions, Taoist meditation, Qigong, Iyengar Yoga, Shamanic Drumming, Sound Healing, among others.
For more than 20 years, Jason has taught mindfulness meditation in clinical, educational, and community settings. He is the author of an eight-week mindfulness curriculum focused on emotional regulation and well-being and is the founder of the Mindful Wellness Program at Pillars of Wellness.
As Senior Director at Pillars of Wellness, Jason provides clinical leadership, trains and mentors new clinicians, and oversees multiple mental health, addiction, and workplace wellness programs. His teaching integrates evidence-informed clinical practice with contemplative traditions, offering participants practical tools for cultivating resilience, presence, and lasting well-being.
Korynn Amm, MA, NCC, LMHC-A, 500CYT: Korynn Amm is a trauma-informed therapist, Mindfulness Specialist, Certified Yoga Teacher (500CYT), Certified Sound Therapist, and published poet passionate about helping individuals reconnect with themselves through evidence-based, body-centered approaches to healing. She integrates neuroscience, EMDR, CBT, DBT, mindfulness, somatic practices, and trauma-informed yoga to support nervous system regulation, emotional well-being, and deeper connection to self.
At Pillars of Wellness, Korynn provides individual therapy, develops mindfulness and wellness programming, and teaches trauma-informed yoga for both the community and healthcare professionals. Her approach combines current clinical research with practical, experiential tools that foster resilience, self-awareness, and authentic connection.
Korynn believes healing is not about becoming someone new, but about returning to the essence of who you have always been.
Sonja Pierson, MBA, LMHC: Sonja is passionate about helping others find balance, peace, and connection through mindfulness and holistic wellness. As a mental health counselor at Pillars of Wellness and founder of Wellness at the Lotus Room, she believes healing happens when we care for the mind, body, and spirit together. Using Reiki, mindfulness, singing bowls, and therapeutic gongs, Sonja creates calming experiences that encourage relaxation, self-awareness, and inner healing. Her sound healing sessions combine meditation, breathwork, and soothing vibrations to help participants release stress, quiet the mind, and reconnect with themselves. Sonja’s approach is gentle, welcoming, and centered on meeting people where they are. Whether someone is new to mindfulness or has an established wellness practice, she strives to create a safe space for rest, reflection, and personal growth. Her goal is to help others leave feeling grounded, renewed, and empowered with simple practices they can carry into everyday life.
