schedule
Upcoming:
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) 3-Day Retreat
Friday April 26 6:30pm – 9:00pm, Saturday April 27 10-4, Sunday April 28 10-4
This MBSR 3-Day Retreat provides an intensive experience of the MBSR program. Whether you’re new to MBSR or wanting a refresher course, this weekend provides opportunity to learn about or revisit the principles and practices of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. We’ll explore the foundational attitudes of MBSR, investigate the physiology of stress, gain insight into the difference between reacting and responding, learn mindful yoga practices, explore formal mindfulness meditation practices that include sitting meditation, walking meditation, and mindful eating, and learn informal mindfulness practices that you can incorporate into your everyday routine. You’ll learn how to decrease current stress as well as how to increase your resilience to future stress. We’ll talk about how mindfulness practice can reduce symptoms of and help you to cope with anxiety, depression, and physical symptoms of a number of medical conditions, including chronic pain, gastrointestinal symptoms, immune related conditions, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, allergies, and fatigue. And finally, you’ll learn how regular mindfulness meditation practice results in feelings of increased peace, happiness, and well-being! Registration is limited and required. Cost: $275
Mindfulness Meditation weekly drop-in class Wednesdays 6:00 – 7:15pm
Location: McKay Acupuncture 4916 Wrightsville Ave | Wilmington, NC 28403
Cost: $12 per class
This weekly drop-in class includes a brief talk, meditation instruction, guided meditation, and time for discussion and questions. Classes explore topics that include mindfulness, opening the heart, embracing joy, embodied presence, loving-kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. Jen’s approach to teaching offers a blend of Eastern spirituality and psychology with an emphasis on emotional healing and spiritual awakening.
Previous Classes, Workshops, and Presentations:
2013
“The Art of Living Mindfully”
Before I Die I want to… Live Well. A FREE Community Conference on Doing What Matters.
Lower Cape Fear Hospice and Life Care Center, Wilmington, NC Friday March 22, 2013 9am-3pm. Wilmington Convention Center.
When we experience difficulty or suffering, our tendency is to brace against it, close our hearts, and shut down to protect ourselves. The key to healing and wholeness lies in approaching our lives with mindfulness and an open heart. Through mindfulness practice, we cultivate a willingness to be vulnerable and open our hearts to be present in the moment to whatever arises. When we open our hearts to our experience with compassion toward ourselves and others, we wake to the fullness of life and to our true nature, which is to be happy, at peace.
Mindfully Creating Intentions for the New Year Saturday, January 5, 2013 9:00AM – 12:00PM
THIS WORKSHOP IS FULL WITH A WAIT LIST
This workshop will start your year off well as you mindfully create intentions and learn strategies for successfully carrying them out. Learn what the latest neuroscience research indicates about intentions and following through! We’ll use guided meditations and Mindful Writing exercises to help you clarify your intentions. Then we’ll create an Intention Board, a creative collage with words and images, to serve as a visual reminder of your intentions. Make 2013 your year of lasting lifestyle changes!
Location: 217 N. 5th Street, Suite 103 | Wilmington, NC 28401 Cost: $30
Space is Limited. Registration is required. Contact Jen to register
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction 8-week class Thursdays January 10 – February 28, 2013 6:30 – 8:30PM
Location: McKay Healing Arts | Wrightsville Ave | Wilmington, NC
2012
Mindfully Creating Intentions for the New Year Saturday December 29, 2012 9:00AM – 12:00PM
THIS WORKSHOP IS FULL WITH A WAIT LIST
This workshop will start your year off well as you mindfully create intentions and learn strategies for successfully carrying them out. Learn what the latest neuroscience research indicates about intentions and following through! We’ll use guided meditations and Mindful Writing exercises to help you clarify your intentions. Then we’ll create an Intention Board, a creative collage with words and images, to serve as a visual reminder of your intentions. Make 2013 your year of lasting lifestyle changes
Location: 217 N. 5th Street, Suite 103 | Wilmington, NC 28401 Cost: $30
Mindful Eating: Making Peace with Food Monday November 12, 2012 6PM-8PM at GRUB
This workshop explores mindful eating as a practice for making peace with your body and food. Mindful eating is not about a diet but about increasing your awareness of cues from your body, mind, and heart for different types of hunger. You will learn to identify what triggers mindless eating as well as how to make choices about beginning and ending a meal based on your level of hunger and satiety so that you can enjoy what you eat and then stop when you’re full. As a result, you’ll be better equipped to begin to discern what you’re truly hungry for and how to feed your body, heart, and mind in ways that meet your deepest needs. Finally, you’ll learn to savor the sensual and nourishing qualities of food.
Location: GRUB 2133 Wrightsville Ave | Wilmington, NC 28403 Cost: $30
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
September 6 – October 25, 2012 6:30 – 8:30 PM and Saturday October 13, 2012 10 AM – 4 PM Wilmington, NC
Mindfulness for Stress Reduction and Work-Life Balance
UNC-Wilmington, Quality Enhancement for Nonprofit Organizations. April 2012
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
April 12 – May 31, 2012 6:30pm – 8:30pm and Saturday May 19 10am – 4pm. Wilmington, NC
The Wisdom of the Body: Yoga & Writing Daylong Retreat
with Jennifer Johnson and Lorrie Wagner, RYT-500
Organic Yoga in Wilmington, NC
Saturday April 14, 2012 9:00am – 4:00pm
Mindful Writing for Transformation ONLINE class
March 23 – April 27, 2012.
Mindful Writing: The Path to Creative Freedom
A Daylong Retreat of Writing and Mindfulness
Durham, NC
Saturday February 25, 2012 9:00AM – 4:00PM
Location: Resource Center for Women in Ministry in the South
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course
Wilmington, NC
February 9, 2012 – March 29, 2012 Thursdays 6:30PM – 9:00 PM
Meditation and Gentle Yoga Class
Wilmington, NC
Meditation & Gentle Yoga class at Organic Yoga
201 North Front Street | Wilmington, NC | 28401 (corner of Front and Chestnut)
2011
Mindfully Creating Intentions for the New Year
Wilmington, NC
Saturday December 31, 2011 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Location: McKay Healing Arts
Writing Mindfully for Transformation
Online class
February – March 2011
Writing Mindfully for Transformation
Online class
May – June 2011
Mindfulness Meditation for Stress Reduction
UNC-Wilmington OLLI continuing education program
January-February 2011
2010
Writing Mindfully for Transformation
online workshop
Narrative Witnessing: Stories of Survival
online workshop
2009
Writing from Life
Online workshop February-March
Writing to Heal Following a Brain Injury. Presentation and workshop for Mild Brain Injury Support Group, Asheville, NC 2009
2008
Where Language Fails: Reconstructing Meaning Through Photography and Memoir Writing. Narrative Matters 2008: An International Interdisciplinary Conference on Narrative Research, Perspectives, Practices and Issues, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. May 10, 2008
A Narrative Exploration of Healing from Illness or Catastrophic Injury. Presentation at Wellness and Writing Connections Conference. Atlanta, GA. October 2008
Creative Writing as Reflective Practice for the Healthcare Professional. Presentation at Wellness and Writing Connections Conference. Atlanta, GA. October 2008
Where Language Fails. Interview and reading from memoir in progress. WPVM radio, Asheville, NC, January 2008
Where Language Fails. Reading from memoir in progress. Wellness and Writing Connections Conference. Atlanta, GA. October 2008
Expository Essay
Adjunct Instructor, Mars Hill College, English Department. Fall 2008, Spring 2009, Fall 2009
Documented Essay
Adjunct Instructor, Mars Hill College, English Department. Spring 2009, Fall 2009
Expository Essay
Adjunct Instructor, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, English Department. Spring 2008, Fall 2008
Journaling for Transformation
Adjunct Instructor, Antioch McGregor University, Individualized Master of Arts Program. Fall 2008
Writing from Life
UNC-Asheville College for Seniors Fall 2008
Narrative Witnessing: Stories of Survival writing workshop
UNC-Ahseville College for Seniors
2007
Where Language Fails. Reading from memoir in progress and slide show of photographs. Goddard College. July 2007
Writing As Meditation 3-day workshop. Goddard College. February 2007
Saving Grace. Presentation of documentary project on spirituality and coping with disability. Goddard College. July 2006
Guest lecturer at Georgia State University graduate program in Rehabilitation Counseling for Introduction to Rehabilitation Counseling course on Vocational Evaluation 1999-2007
1992-2006
Creating The Life of Your Dreams. Central Congregational Church, Atlanta. April 21, 2001
Vocational Evaluation and Rehabilitation Services for Persons with Mild Brain Injury. Atlanta Mild Brain Injury Support Group. July 13, 2000
Vocational Evaluation and Work Re-Entry Strategies for Persons with Mild Brain Injury. Shepherd Center. Mild Brain Injury: Promoting Positive Outcomes conference November 5, 1999
Guest lecturer at Georgia State University for Medical Aspects of Disability course Vocational Evaluation of Persons with Acquired Brain Injury. November 2, 1999
Vocational Rehabilitation of Persons with Acquired Brain Injury. Veterans Administration. September 1, 1999
Vocational Rehabilitation of Persons With Acquired Brain Injury. Lunch and Learn Series. Shepherd Center. August 26, 1997
Vocational Rehabilitation of Persons With Acquired Brain Injury. GENEX insurance company. November 4, 1997
Co-coordinated presentation on Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury at Shepherd Center for Rehabilitation Counselors from the Division of Rehabilitation Services statewide. Provided presentation on Vocational Rehabilitation of Persons With Acquired Brain Injury. November 24, 1997
Coordinated presentation on Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome for Medical and Psychological Aspects of Disability course. Georgia State University, April 1996
Coordinated presentation on Spinal Cord Injury for Medical and Psychological Aspects of Disability course. Georgia State University, February 1996
Presented as member of student panel workshop for the National Council of Rehabilitation Educators, Southeastern Division Annual Conference, January, 1996
Created 24 hour Helpline volunteer training at Georgia Council on Child Abuse. Coordinated and presented training 3 times annually, 1992-1995
