Center For Peace Through Culture Inc

Programs: Center for peace through culture (cpc) lifeschool (tm) description: phase one personal development for teachers: our pilot program at the conte community school in pittsfield began in july 2016 with a 4-day intensive training for ten, including classroom teachers, subject teachers working across grades, the principal, and a counselor. Cpc faculty introduced the scientific foundation of mind-body medicine,including the biology of stress and relaxation responses of the autonomic nervoussystem, neuroplasticity, positive psychology, and epigenetics, and discussed implications for pedagogy. Cpc also introduced practical techniques to promote psychological and physical well-being, including: meditation, mindfulness, building presence, relaxation methods, guided imagery, biofeedback, journaling and narrative writing, movement, yoga, and creative drawing exercises. From august through december, cpc faculty facilitated ten two-hour mind-body skills group sessions for participants to integrate the practices they had learned during the summer. In each session, they practiced a mind-body modality, shared insights with the group, and discussed their progress in integrating their new practices into healthier lifestyle choices. Phase two completed in 2017honing new teaching skills: next, cpc faculty shifted the focus to supporting the teachers in bringing their new life skills and enhanced awareness specifically to their teaching. From january to june 2017, cpc faculty provided 8 biweekly two-hour afternoon workshops for teachers, translating lifeskills into age appropriate lessons for their students. This experiential learning complements the existing curriculum and expands students' capacity for understanding themselves, relating to others, feeling a sense of belonging. Basic principles that are introduced into the classroom include:exploring the body: awareness of sensations, feeling safe, using breath and movement for relaxationexploring the mind: attention vs. Distraction, anchor breath, mindful observation, stream of thoughtsexploring the heart: constructive and destructive emotionsexploring connection: mindful communication, exploring natural world, not getting distracted, sharing mindful actions with otherscenter for peace through culture (cpc) afterschool program:provided mindful taekwondo after school program which develops strength, flexibility, discipline with all qualties essential for success in life. Program was provided at conte elementary school & crosby elementary school serving 100 high needs children from 2016-2018. During the 2017-18 school year, lifeschool (tm) was replicated at 2 more elementary schools, muddy brook and crosby reaching 24 more teachers and staff. In 2018, a third school, allendale, completed 8 sessions of the lifeschool (tm) training for 12 teachers and staff. Volunteers in medicine, hired cpc to develop a customized abreviated version of lifeschool (tm) for the uninsured immigrant population. These programs provided wellness education addressing non-opioid pain management, hypertension and obesity in this population.