Peace in Schools Training Institute
“It’s been a life-changing, invaluable opportunity”
Do you wish you had better tools to support yourself and the youth in your life through the ups and downs of adolescence? We created the Peace in Schools Training Institute to empower individuals to bring awareness, compassion, and belonging to the youth in their communities. If you are an educator in or outside of schools, a mental health professional, or an individual simply passionate about supporting youth, we invite you to join us in bringing life-changing mindfulness tools to as many young people as possible.
Since 2017, Peace in Schools has trained over 6,500 educators in our transformative approach to mindfulness and social-emotional-learning. Our work is trauma-informed and equity-centered, built on the foundation that youth are inherently resilient and whole. We aren't here to "fix" youth or to give them anything they don't already have inside. Rather, our curriculum invites young people to remember their own inherent wholeness and to practice caring for themselves, each other, and the world from that place. At Peace in Schools, we use mindfulness as a way to address youth mental health challenges and to prepare the next generation to meet the challenges of our time with wisdom, compassion, and courage.
For those seeking CEUs and PDUs, we are proud to partner with the University of the Pacific-Benerd College to offer these credits.
The Training Institute is now full!
If you are interested in being on our waitlist, please submit your information below:
What You’ll Learn
Peace in Schools has spent over a decade refining and proving our unique pedagogical approach and Mindful Studies curricula. Through our robust and intentional training program, you’ll gain confidence in your ability to facilitate effectively and meet the moment with ease. You’ll learn engaging ways to build strong connections with young people so they feel safe and empowered to be themselves. Through playful, present practices and interactive games that foster connection and trust, you’ll reconnect with joy in your work with youth.
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The Peace in Schools pedagogical approach consists of five pillars that are the foundations of our curriculum. These pillars, woven through all of the Mindful Studies content, class structure, and facilitation style, are what make our curriculum transformational and unique.
Presence: Presence is the foundation. Throughout the course, students are given various tools and practices that give them a felt experience of presence.
Compassion: We work with the group to co-create and maintain a container of compassion, giving students a supportive environment to explore their inner landscape.
Community: We co-create a community in which all voices and experiences are validated, and all students experience a felt-sense of belonging.
Conditioning: Students reflect on the ways they have been conditioned by their families, school, society, community, and culture.
Self-Knowledge: Students are invited to bring nonjudgmental inquiry to their direct experience and get to know themselves on the deepest level.
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Mindful Studies guides students on a journey of exploring their inner landscape without judgment and with great compassion. Throughout the course, students experience a felt-sense of belonging and touch in on the recognition of their own inherent wholeness. There are three main practice areas our students engage in:
Directing the Attention: Students build awareness, direction, and stability of attention through practices that enhance focus, support wellbeing, and promote nervous system regulation, empowering them to choose where and when to place their attention.
Processes of the Conditioned Mind: Lessons explore the conditioned processes that lead to suffering. Students engage in discussions and practices to understand the processes of the Conditioned Mind (Self-Talk, Coping Mechanisms, Survival Strategies, the Judge, Duality, Aspects of the Personality, Projection). This exploration helps students identify who they are not – “I am not my thoughts, I am not my emotions, I am not the aspects of my personality, I am not what I project.”
Exploring Who We Really Are: After exploring who or what we are not, the question arises, “Well then, who am I?” In the third part of the arc, we invite students to ask, “What is it like to take off the mask of conditioning? What does it mean to rest in Presence?” Lessons focus on cultivating Acceptance, Loving Kindness, and relational mindfulness.
What You’ll Experience
Through our immersive in-person retreat, skill-building virtual sessions, and customized trainings, we’ll guide you in deepening your personal mindfulness practice and teach you transformative practices that resonate with youth. Our team of facilitators brings decades worth of expertise working with youth, teaching mindfulness, and supporting adults in embodying presence.
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Foundations:
Myths of Mindfulness and the Nervous System
Inherent Wholeness
Window of Tolerance
The Arc of Mindful Studies
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“Embodying Presence” is our keystone retreat* for adults. We can’t teach what we haven’t learned; we can’t embody what we haven’t experienced. This 6-night, in-person training is a unique opportunity to learn the very same practices and tools we share with teens through Mindful Studies, our research-backed, semester-long, for-credit course experienced by over 6,500 high school students to date. Our expert facilitators will guide you through transformative mindfulness practices alongside other educators, parents, and mental health clinicians who care about today’s youth as much as you do. Using trauma-informed, equity-centered, and contemplative practices, we’ll explore what it really means to be present, what gets in the way, and how to return to presence. This immersive experience will support you in uncovering the heart of who you are and set the foundation for how you embody presence in your work with youth and young adults.
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In the spring following the retreat, each pathway will have a customized training to deepen the understanding of the Peace in Schools pedagogical approach and the Mindful Studies skills and concepts in their particular field.
What You’ll Take Home
You’ll receive time-tested curricula and engaging mindfulness practices designed to connect and empower. Join us to gain tools relevant to young people’s struggles and dreams.
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22 simple, somatic practices to support nervous system regulation
12 breathing practices
10 movement practices
Guidance on considering trauma and neurodiversity in your group or class
Guidance on language and scaffolding for accessible offerings
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A condensed version of Peace in School’s evidence-based Mindful Studies curriculum.
Includes 12 60-minute experiential, engaging lessons for teens and young adults.
*For Youth-Serving Professional and Mental Health Professional pathways
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Thoughtfully designed to provide students a safe space to record reflections and track their learning journey over time
Now available in English and Spanish
*For Youth-Serving Professional and Mental Health Professional pathways
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A comprehensive manual and in-depth training videos that lays out the core concepts in our curriculum and the core competencies at the heart of our relational pedagogy.
*For Youth-Serving Professional, Mental Health Professional, and Educator pathways
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Peace in Schools partners with University of the Pacific-Benerd College. CEUs and PDUs are available upon completion of the training. The cost is $75 per unit.
Certified Educator You can register for all the courses except PPCE103
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The transformational benefits of a mindfulness practice: presence, equanimity & the ability to access joy
An inspiring & supportive community of adults who care deeply about today’s youth
Training Institute Pathways: Who We Serve
You work with 15-24 year olds in groups on a consistent basis; you are likely associated with an organization.
Counselor/ Mental Health Professional
You work with 15-24 in groups and/or one-to-one; you have or are on track for licensure.
In-School Professional (Educator, Social Worker, Administrator, etc.)
You are an educator, social worker, or administrator who is working with any age youth in a school setting.
If you are a high school educator, we highly encourage you to first check out our Mindful Studies Partnership Program, through which we can partner with your entire school to implement our elective class and mindfulness education.
Community Member
You are a parent, professional, or anyone who may or may not work with youth; join us if you would like to bring these transformative practices into your life! L
Testimonials
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“I am so deeply moved and changed from this training. I feel like I am kinder to myself. I feel that I catch myself in more moments of feeling like I am present.”
— High School Educator
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“I have never been gifted a curriculum that is so thoughtful before in my career. I can tell the amount of years these lessons have been crafted and honed to reach students is staggering. It is inspiring how the curriculum thinks about all types of learners and cares for their needs...”
— Chris, High School Math Teacher
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"I want to thank Peace in Schools for this extraordinary opportunity. I might have gone my whole life without this type of training."
— High School Educator
Your Facilitators
Our team of facilitators brings decades worth of expertise working with youth, teaching mindfulness, and supporting adults in embodying presence.
Caverly Morgan, Founder & Lead Contemplative
Maggie Steele, Head of Training
Hilda Guiao, Mindfulness Teacher & Mentor
Starlight Rainbow, Mindfulness Teacher & Mentor
Stephanie Edman, Program Coordinator & Mentor