Welcome
In the heart of our commitment to nurturing a supportive and thriving educational community, we are excited to introduce a pioneering initiative designed to enrich our collective well-being, resilience, and specifically, to address and reduce stress. Inspired by the groundbreaking methodologies developed by UC San Diego for first responders, this program is tailored specifically for you—the educators and support staff who make a difference every day.
Why Mindfulness? Why Now?
In your roles, you encounter challenges that not only test your limits but also mirror the pressures faced by first responders, requiring you to navigate high-stress situations with grace and empathy. Drawing from UC San Diego's Center for Mindfulness, which has successfully supported first responders in managing stress, improving decision-making under pressure, and enhancing life quality, we see a powerful opportunity to adapt these practices for the educational setting.
The Power of Stress Reduction
Understanding the impact of stress on our physical health, emotional well-being, and professional performance is crucial. Our mindfulness program places a strong emphasis on stress reduction techniques that are:
Scientifically Proven: Employ strategies grounded in research to effectively manage and reduce stress.
Practical and Accessible: Learn mindfulness practices that can be seamlessly integrated into your daily life, making stress management an attainable goal.
Transformative: Experience how reducing stress can not only improve your health but also enhance your interactions with students and colleagues, leading to a more positive and productive educational environment.
Meet The Team
Helen Hyun-Chung Kim
A Qualified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy teacher. In her previous life she was a board certified psychiatrist in Korea for 15 years, working for underserved communities. During this time she witnessed suffering in the lives of her patients and felt a strong pull towards the field of mindfulness and self-compassion as a way to heal and alleviate suffering.
With the guidance of the founding director, Dr. Steve Hickman, Helen was able to join the UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness. At the center, Helen learned various Mindfulness-Based programs from many great teachers. In their teachings she discovered a rich, grounding foundation for her life, filled with awareness, acceptance, ease, and compassion. On her journey of self-discovery and healing, she is witnessing, over and over, her growth and transformation as a human being. Helen is committed to sharing what she has learned with others who may be on their own journey of self-discovery and healing.
Shauna Langford Piscitello
Shauna is an integrative healthcare practitioner who guides from the heart. As someone who has a natural curiosity in the human spirit, she has dedicated herself to helping individuals cultivate self awareness, self compassion and all things leading to freedom from suffering and embracing life. With a primary focus in mental health, she has experience in and/or is currently providing; facilitation of corporate wellness programming for several San Diego based companies, developed and delivered a K-6 Mindfulness and Compassion curriculum for a public and a private school, and was part of an integrative intensive outpatient mental health team. In her private practice, she sees individuals for yoga therapy utilizing transformational tools such as sound healing and trauma release exercises or TRE®. Shauna started teaching at UCSD’s Center for Mindfulness in 2018 for their youth and family programs.
Renée Lewis
Deeply committed to the principles of mindfulness, viewing it not merely as a professional endeavor but as a personal commitment. Her connection to mindfulness took root after completing an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Reduction (MBSR) course, where a subtle yet profound shift in her life solidified her belief in the power of mindfulness practices.
Renée has been teaching Mindfulness at UC San Diego since 2015 after completing her teacher training. Since then, Renée has been teaching Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, Introduction to Mindfulness, and Mindfulness and Mindful Self- Compassion to children, teens, medical students and educators.
Beyond teaching, Renée is a key contributor to the UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness, serving as the Acting Director for the Youth, Family, and Education Programs. Her strong belief is that by arming young minds with mindfulness skills, they gain the tools to make positive, informed choices that shape their future meaningfully.
Renée's ultimate mission is to leave a lasting imprint on the well-being and life paths of individuals, especially the younger generation, by championing and sharing the principles of mindfulness.