Student Services Hosts 'Natural Strategies For Resiliency' Seminar

Student Services welcomed Chopra Center Certified Instructor in Meditation & Ayurvedic Lifestyle Candice Oksenhorn on January 8 as part of their yearly lecture series for Benjamin students and parents. Oksenhorn spoke to parents in the Barker Performing Arts Center about natural strategies to foster resiliency, reduce levels of anxiety and depression, and develop healthy nutritional habits. 

Oksenhorn lauded the positive effects of meditation and the impact the practice had on her own healing journey. 

“When we’re in stress we shallow breathe, which signals the fight or flight response in the brain. If you can start getting breath into the belly you can signal the brain to relax. This allows us to become less reactive and more responsive to things. My hope today is to make this practice not as foreign,” said Oksenhorn.

Oksenhorn said the regularity of the practice is more important than its length or formality. 

Director of Student Services  Dr. Amy Taylor said Oksenhorn’s presentation was an important part of this year’s lecture series as it was meant to put the control of thoughts into perspective.

“By using simple breathing techniques and quieting of the mind, students and parents would be able to use these strategies to cope in today’s stressful world,” said Taylor. 

Dr. Renea Yates, Upper School Counselor, said she hopes families take away practical strategies for embedding healthy habits into their everyday lives.

I appreciated her insights into making small steps towards feeling better and for navigating stressors in our lives. I hope parents will be purposeful and intentional in carving out time to practice mindful habits - whether that is meditating for five minutes every morning, unplugging and going for a walk as a family, or simply revising the dinner menu to include healthier food options. Any and all efforts to reduce the noise in our heads and tensions in our bodies are a great way to kick off 2020,” said Yates.
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A premier PK3 - Grade 12 independent, coeducational day school with campuses in North Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens. Since 1960, The Benjamin School has provided a challenging college preparatory education to a diverse student body in a structured, nurturing community environment.
 
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