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Tag: women

  • 10 Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement: 2025

    10 Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement: 2025

    The women platformed here show us what’s possible when we honor ourselves and honor each other. In this fifth installment of our feature shining a light on powerful women—nominated by their peers—who are leading the mindfulness movement, a common thread ties each of their stories: the strength to live with open eyes and an open heart, even when it would be easier to shut down and tune out. They exemplify the courage to listen deeply, to be fully present with themselves and the world around them, to welcome the moment and work with it. They’ve each shaped unique practices that nourish their growth and calling. And in sharing their stories, they bolster us with inspiration so that each of us may, in our own way, do the same.

    Embrace What’s Broken

    Brenda K. Mitchell

    Pastor, Activist, Teacher

    All her adult life, Brenda K. Mitchell has rightly been known as a strong tower in her community: driven, politically active, rising up in her career. As a pastor, she cares deeply for others and gets things done. 

    When her 31-year-old son Kenneth was killed by gun violence in 2005, leaving behind two young sons with another on the way, Brenda tried to keep being that strong tower. She had grandsons to care for and people who needed her. 

    She didn’t understand then how trauma affects both mind and body. Grief took an immense toll, and her doctor told her she needed to stop everything. “As strong as I’ve always been,” she says, “I had to stop and embrace my brokenness so that I could finally start to heal.” 

    “As strong as I’ve always been, I had to stop and embrace my brokenness so that I could finally start to heal.”

    Pastor Mitchell took her doctor’s advice and rested. At a grief group, she was asked to try a mindfulness retreat with other survivors of gun violence. 

    At the retreat, she discovered the “power of the pause” and how to be fully with herself and others in the present moment. She saw there were still pieces of herself left unattended, even in the midst of good healing work. 

    The compassion of mindfulness allowed her to make herself the priority in her healing process, to fully own all grief’s scattered pieces. 

    She committed herself to practice and leadership in mindfulness spaces, especially to help other survivors of trauma and violence. 

    Today, she incorporates mindfulness into all she does—as a leader, pastor, activist, and facilitator. “I realized how important this is to me, to work in communities of color and in the faith community,” she says. “Yes, you have God. Yes, you have therapy. But there still might be a need for deeper healing. We have to utilize all our resources, because trauma is real.” – SM

    Center Love and Liberation

    Shelly Harrell

    Psychologist, Mindfulness Teacher, Founder of the Soulfulness Center

    Motown was the soundtrack of Shelly Harrell’s childhood in the ’60s in Detroit. Earth, Wind & Fire’s That’s the Way of the World and Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life played on repeat. “In those songs, compassion is so central, care for humanity is so central,” she says.

    She credits music as her first ever mindfulness teacher, dance as her first form of meditation, “a place I could come home to.” When she was a teenager, her father passed away and “all I could think to do was dance,” she says. “I started to trust coming back to my body and coming into presence with my inner life.” 

    Today, Harrell’s personal and professional growth are guided in part by seeking wisdom about mental health and healing beyond Eurocentric frameworks. “Stillness and silence are beautiful, but those aren’t the only paths to mindful presence,” she says.

    “Stillness and silence are beautiful, but those aren’t the only paths to mindful presence.”

    In the early 2000s she recognized a gap between Black Americans and the mindfulness community, caused not only by mostly white representation in mindfulness spaces, but also by the undercurrent of detachment that lies beneath attempts to attain individual calm and happiness. “For collectivist, communal, interconnected-worldview cultures, a message of detachment just doesn’t call,” she says. So she founded The Soulfulness Center where the focus is “love and liberation…centering connection and reconnection to what has been lost, stolen, forgotten,” she says. 

    “Mindfulness is about return, return to breath, return to that anchor again and again.” Harrell often refers to an African proverb, associated with the West African Adinkra symbol called Sankofa, meaning “to return and get it.” 

    “There’s this temporal interconnectedness that we’re invited into with past, present, and future ancestors and living descendants, to connect with that continuity of where we come from, where we are, and where we’re going,” she says. “For me it’s this bigger worldview, the wisdom of a collective, that centers interconnectedness as an ethic. And when we start there, what does that mean for how we live?” – AWC

    Meet It With Love

    Caverly Morgan

    Founder of Peace in Schools, Teacher, Author

    Before Caverly Morgan found mindfulness, she had no idea that she had any negative self-talk at all. On her first retreat, she thought the people who were talking about this were a little loopy. “To me, it wasn’t negative self-talk. These were just facts about myself. So there was this voice that was always driving the car, and I didn’t even know it.” 

    Her mindfulness practice started as a way to learn how to be in a different kind of relationship to this voice. 

    Once we realize the presence of that Inner Critic, she says, we’re conditioned to make the logical leap that there’s something we have to fix. We have to overcome the voice, learn more practices, and build more skills so we can get better at being compassionate. Then our lives will feel happier and more complete. 

    When we approach compassion with that energy of self-improvement, though, we just turn it into something else that we can get good at or fail at. We stay stuck in the mental ruts of good enough/not good enough. 

    “When we approach compassion with that energy of self-improvement, we stay stuck in the mental ruts of good enough/not good enough.”

    Morgan offers gentle guidance for how to rewire these mental patterns. When the Inner Critic shows up, we don’t have to defeat it. We can greet it and meet it with a practice that’s steeped in unconditional reassurance. 

    Unconditional reassurances aren’t just saying the opposite of the Inner Critic by offering false positivity. They’re anchored in the truth, regardless of what’s happening or how we feel about it. So when we’re struggling with a sense of failure, the practice isn’t to say, You’re amazing and super-successful! It’s Whether you succeed or you don’t, I love you no matter what. 

    Our mindfulness practice, then, isn’t a tool we wield to change what we don’t like about ourselves. Rather, it’s like a life preserver we hold onto when we’re flailing, until we feel safe enough to simply float again in the vast ocean of love. Our practice helps us return to presence, and the more we return to presence, the more we sense the reality that compassion is already in and around us—that compassion is actually a natural byproduct of who we authentically are. We don’t have to make more of it for ourselves or other people; we just need to sit still long enough to allow it to naturally emerge. – SM

    Celebrate Who You Are

    Sue Hutton

    Social Worker, Mindfulness Teacher, Disability Rights Advocate

    Sue Hutton has been working with neurodevelopmentally disabled adults, as well as their families and caregivers, since her 20s—and practicing mindfulness for even longer. These communities offer a beautiful place to practice, she says. “I love celebrating our differences and getting to know people’s individual ways of being and helping celebrate who they are.”

    Compassion has always motivated her. As a child, her mother’s suicide attempts awakened her desire to help ease suffering. “My experiences of being an outsider or alienated rested within me and really strengthened my interest in validating other people and never wanting anyone to feel like an outsider.” At the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre in Toronto, Hutton works alongside paid autistic advisers to develop and adapt mindfulness curriculums for neurodivergent communities and caregivers. 

    Earlier in her career, Hutton specialized in providing disability rights education to disabled adults and their families. And because there is also neurodiversity in her own family, she says, “Weaving access to justice and accessibility rights into my mindfulness practice was a natural fit.” 

    “I love celebrating our differences and getting to know people’s individual ways of being and helping celebrate who they are.”

    Although conversations around disability and neurodiversity have become more common, including in the mindfulness sphere, meaningful change lags behind. She says she often witnesses tokenistic actions that result in even more exclusion, instead of a genuine commitment to the work of inclusion and accessibility rights. 

    Alongside systemic change, Hutton also believes in the power of self-compassion. She notes that with standardized meditation instruction, it is assumed that we all experience the practice in more or less the same way, so self-compassion is particularly important for neurodivergent meditators. 

    “Every single person who sits down to meditate is doing so through the fabric of their wiring and their brain structure,” she says. “For me, it is so important to know that each person is going to have their very unique and individualized way of experiencing mindfulness, and to honor and accept that, hey, we all do this differently.” – AT

    Find Your Strength

    Melli O’Brien

    Mindfulness Educator, Entrepreneur, Mental Health Coach

    As a teenager, Melli O’Brien went to her public school library and pulled every book she could find on mental health and happiness. 

    At the time, her days were defined by deep depression and an eating disorder fueled by a belief that she wasn’t enough. Meanwhile, the Iraq war raged on and she struggled to make sense of world leaders taking actions that harmed so many. She saw only two paths ahead: One would lead to taking her own life and the other would mean trying to heal, build inner strength, and maybe be part of the change she wanted to see in the world. 

    “If I believed all those voices and if I didn’t transform them, I don’t think I would have been able to help so many people,” she says today. “That’s a really good reason to unlock your own gifts, so that you can share them with the world and do your own little thing, no matter what it is, to make other people’s lives a bit better too.” 

    Her study of happiness led to two lessons that changed her life: that inner strength is a skill you can build, and that mindfulness is one way to cultivate it. 

    “That’s a really good reason to unlock your own gifts, so that you can share them with the world.”

    “Within a couple sessions of mindfulness training I had the experience of understanding I’m not my mind, I’m not my thoughts, I can get space… I got a taste of freedom,” she says. “I fell in love with the practice.” 

    O’Brien spent years nurturing her practice, which helped her heal and led her to become a mindfulness teacher. In 2015, she cofounded The Mindfulness Summit, which raised $500,000 for mental health charities around the world and led to her cofounding the popular app Mindfulness.com in 2020. 

    And then she burned out. 

    “The amount of adversity coming my way in one go really had me on my metaphorical knees,” she says. Around this time, the World Health Organization named a world mental health crisis, which she saw reflected not only in herself, but her clients. 

    “I had to get really still inside and really think about who I want to be now, how I want to serve now, how I want to live now,” she says. And the result was The Deep Resilience Method, and her forthcoming book by the same name. 

    “I think this book and this method are like a love letter to myself. It’s the answer to my own question of What do I need? And what I need is hopefully going to be what really serves other people when they want to show up in these crazy times we’re living in and be able to make positive change,” she says. 

    “One of the biggest obstacles that I’ve observed is people feeling like there’s no point, and it’s practices like recognizing your own strength that would help you get there.” – AWC

    Come Home to the Body

    S. Helen Ma

    Clinical Psychologist, Mindfulness Researcher, Teacher Trainer

    In 1998, S. Helen Ma traveled from Hong Kong to the US for mindfulness training with Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. She told him, “I know mindfulness helps, but I want to know how it helps.” 

    At that time, Ma had spent much of her career working in Hong Kong and Australia hospitals with people experiencing clinical depression. While she saw healing, she also saw relapse. Empathy and compassion fatigue threatened to take over—until a colleague introduced her to mindfulness. 

    “For psychology we would be very interested in people’s stories—what’s happened before now,” she says. But in mindfulness, “You don’t need to be concerned about the stories at all… Everything comes and everything goes. It’s so liberating.” 

    She learned she could say to herself, It’s just a thought that I’m not helping people, it’s just a thought that the suffering will go on forever. Instead, in this moment, what is happening?

    “Everything comes and everything goes. It’s so liberating.”

    Kabat-Zinn connected Ma with John Teasdale, a leading Oxford researcher, and together they conducted one of the first studies on mindfulness for clinical depression relapse. The study showed mindfulness is a viable intervention in clinical settings, revolutionizing the field. 

    Lately, though, she’s taken a step back from her career in researching and educating about mindfulness to be a full-time caregiver to her husband, who has dementia. 

    “I’m forever grateful for the practice,” she says. “There’s still attachment, there’s still aversion, there’s still joy, there’s still sorrow, and sometimes the narrative is so thick… But I can recognize, right now my heart is hurting. So can I allow my heart to open up, to fill with sorrow, to feel the grief? Let me see how long it will last and when it will fade. 

    “It’s very difficult now in this very fast-paced and electronic age, but if we can just allow for a moment of stillness and coming back to the body and sensing how the body is tensing up… There’s so much wisdom that starts with being mindful of the body,” she says. “It’s coming home, you know. If everyone in the world could come home, it would be a different world.” – AWC

    Create New Paths

    Nanea Reeves

    Founder and CEO of TRIPP

    Nanea Reeves learned to meditate, she says, before mindfulness “was even a thing.” Her mother struggled with mental illness and addiction, and 15-year-old Nanea (whose name is Hawaiian for peacefulness and serenity) found herself in hospital, experiencing a crisis. A hospital therapist taught her a breathing technique to connect to the present moment. 

    “I believe it was one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever been given,” she says. After her younger sister, Vicki, died from a drug overdose, Reeves deepened her commitment to helping others access the healing tools meditation can offer. 

    “It’s been a real practice for me to learn how to open up my heart more. And now, to be able to put it into work is an honor.”

    A vision began to take shape while she was working in the video game industry. Today her award-winning company, TRIPP, offers virtual reality- and AI-powered guided meditations. “There are many paths up the mountain,” Reeves says. “If we can give people the experience of having present-moment awareness through this method, can it help them translate that into the physical world as well?” 

    The TRIPP app’s AI guide, Kōkua—a Hawaiian word for support and selfless giving—generates guided meditations tailored to a meditator’s mood, and adjusts with their feedback. While not meant to replace human support, Reeves describes it as “that compassionate voice that you can connect to at two in the morning.” 

    “As a kid who had to deal with a lot of violence in the home, I tended to really close off my heart, because it had been hurt so much,” she says. “It’s been a real practice for me to learn how to open up my heart more. And now, to be able to put it into work is an honor.” – AT

    Hold It Lightly

    Vidyamala Burch

    Mindfulness Teacher, Writer, Founder of Breathworks

    After 50 years of living with chronic pain and 40 years of meditation, Vidyamala Burch says, “I laugh much, much more than I used to.” She smiles. “I love telling people that because it’s so surprising.” 

    “I think one of the fruits of long-term practice is an ability to hold life lightly. Take it seriously, because it is a very serious business, but hold it lightly.” 

    Burch is the founder of Breathworks, a charity based in the UK that teaches people living with chronic pain, illness, and stress how to live a fuller life with the help of mindfulness. Her approach comes from her own lived experience of pain. 

    As a child, she lived an active, outdoorsy life in New Zealand and dreamed of becoming a wildlife officer. But that all changed when her spine was fractured, once at the age of 16 and again at 23. 

    “You can’t really be mindful without being loving, and can’t really be loving without being mindful.”

    Lying alone in an intensive care unit after the second accident, faced with intolerable pain, she didn’t know how she would make it to morning. Then she realized that all she had to do was make it through one moment, then one more, and in this way she made it to dawn. 

    “As human beings, we’ve always got two options. One is to turn away from suffering, and the other is to acknowledge it and see if we can keep our hearts open,” she says. “I always say to people at Breathworks, ‘You’re heroes because you’re willing to look at your mind and you’re willing to be in your body.’” 

    At Breathworks, they teach people how to embody a middle way between denial and overwhelm, first with their own pain but also with global issues. “If we had billions of humans who were able to be with whatever’s happening with an open heart and not tipping into either denial or overwhelm, we might have a species that was quite well-equipped to deal with the challenges of our age.” 

    “Just keep practicing. This is what the world needs. This is what we need as individuals,” she says. “You can’t really be mindful without being loving, and can’t really be loving without being mindful.” – AWC

    Keep Your Heart Open

    Shalini Bahl

    Mindfulness Teacher, Researcher, Consultant, Author

    Shalini Bahl feels that trees were her first mindfulness teachers. Years ago, after getting divorced and then moving with her son from India to Amherst, Massachusetts—leaving behind family, friends, and culture—she would sit among the trees, “contemplating my life,” she says. “I’d have all these questions: Why me? What happened? Then I would get this sense or thought in my mind: Just breathe first, and you will get the answers.” 

    This reflective experience sparked her mindfulness journey, and she pursued training with luminaries including Jon Kabat-Zinn and Mirabai Bush. In her academic career, she began sharing the practice with her marketing students. Eventually she redirected her full-time work toward mindfulness, not only teaching, but offering organizational consulting as well as leading research on beneficial ways to be mindful in marketing and business. “What I’m really interested in is using these mindfulness skills for real-world change, to create a better world.” 

    If that sounds simple, it’s not. While serving as an Amherst town councilor, Bahl realized that the qualities she’d been honing in meditation—compassion, equanimity, curiosity—weren’t always translating to the way she was showing up. So she developed a framework for acting and living mindfully in everyday life, using eight habits rooted in foundational contemplative teachings. 

    “The important thing is that we keep our hearts open, and we continue to keep our eyes open and see each other along the way.”

    This framework forms the basis of her book Return to Mindfulness, published in January 2024. Its reminders, she says, “allow us to take a breath, to step back: Am I acting from a place of reaction, default bias, unconscious bias? Or is it from a place of spaciousness, ease, and clarity?” 

    She’s also noticed how cultivating openness and clarity can lead us to deeper compassion. One day, she was talking with an unhoused man on the sidewalk, and a passerby gave the man a bag with two croissants. Immediately, he offered one to Bahl. This act of selfless generosity moved her deeply. “I had judged him as someone who was there on the street, who needs my help.” They became friends, enriching her understanding of shared humanity. 

    At the time, she set an intention: “For now, I’m going to show up for him and stay open. Don’t close my heart. And when I can do more, my heart and my eyes will be open to seeing that opportunity.” Later, when she was elected to town council, that intention gave her the courage to speak up in support of shelters for unhoused people and others who needed help. 

    “I think that’s part of living compassionately, when we don’t know what we can do right away,” she says. “But the important thing is that we keep our hearts open, and we continue to keep our eyes open and see each other along the way.” – AT

    Tell a New Story

    Yuria Celidwen

    Scholar, Researcher, Teacher, Indigenous Nahua and Maya

    When Yuria Celidwen talks about contemplative practice, she’s describing something much more expansive than solely what’s going on in the mind. 

    “From the Mesoamerican tradition specifically, but generally in many Indigenous practices, it’s also about the emotional state, the heart that is involved with the body that informs the mind processes that end up revealing…that animating principle of life.” 

    As a child, she already possessed this rich awareness of complexity. From her parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, she says, “I learned a lot about how to really be with the landscape, be part of the landscape of a larger community.” Then, starting in elementary school, she faced racist discrimination. Inhabiting these conflicting worlds led her to the study of identity, consciousness, and cultural narratives. 

    Today, a growing range of Indigenous perspectives is found within contemplative studies; when Celidwen entered the field 15 or 20 years ago, there was no such representation. “I was the one to push for Indigenous wisdoms to be part of this field, and to also look at them as sophisticated systems of transforming our sense of identity and cultural identity, examining those identities, and then creating social and environmental transformation for well-being,” she says. 

    “How do we learn to listen to the world? To the whole living, beautiful mother planet that we inhabit?”

    Mindfulness is often interpreted in the West as a set of tools to benefit primarily the individual self. In the Indigenous epistemologies that she researches and teaches about at the University of California, Berkeley, there’s a vision of “a responsible community, an ethical community,” where there is room for every being to be heard and valued as kin. “How do we learn to listen to the world? To the whole living, beautiful mother planet that we inhabit?” she asks. 

    These are glimpses into what Celidwen calls the Ethics of Belonging. It’s elucidated in her academic work, as well as explored in her new book, Flourishing Kin: Indigenous Wisdom for Collective Well-Being (published November 2024). 

    “We know that humans learn through stories,” she says. And old narratives that haven’t served us—“about uniqueness, personal achievement, material possessions, using nature as a resource”—can be composted, she says, “for the nourishment of a new story, but a new story that brings us together. 

    “To relate better, to listen better, to express better, to create better, to nourish our landscapes better—so we realize that yes, we are part of this system, and we can be part of the change.” – AT



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  • How SugarMD Is Empowering Women To Take Control

    How SugarMD Is Empowering Women To Take Control

    For many women living with diabetes, managing the condition feels like a full-time job. Beyond counting carbs and monitoring blood sugar, there’s the emotional toll, the lifestyle adjustments, and often the weight of family caregiving. Yet, amidst the overwhelming demands, one company is changing how diabetes is understood and managed. SugarMD offers a lifeline of hope for women seeking a holistic approach. This transformative care is now reaching women worldwide, including those in Australia, where access to innovative diabetes solutions is increasingly vital.

    SugarMD, spearheaded by endocrinologist Dr. Ahmet Ergin, is making waves globally, including in Australia, with its comprehensive take on diabetes care. By blending cutting-edge science with a focus on overall wellness, SugarMD is shifting the conversation from mere management to empowerment and thriving. Australian patients can now access the same advanced products and expertise that have made SugarMD a trusted name in diabetes care worldwide, empowering women to live healthier and more balanced lives.

    Rethinking Diabetes Management

    Dr. Ergin’s philosophy is clear: managing diabetes isn’t just about controlling numbers—it’s about helping individuals to lead fulfilling lives. With that in mind, SugarMD has developed solutions that go beyond medication, focusing on education, support, and supplements tailored to the unique needs of diabetes patients.

    Among the company’s standout offerings is its Advanced Glucose Support supplement, which has gained a devoted following. Now, with an enhanced formula set to launch in January 2024, SugarMD is doubling down on its mission to deliver products that not only work but also improve patients’ quality of life.

    Setting a New Standard

    In an industry where trust is everything, SugarMD has taken the bold step of pursuing NSF Certification for its products—a rigorous process that guarantees safety, quality, and transparency. For women managing diabetes, this commitment means peace of mind and confidence in what they’re putting into their bodies.

    “We want our patients to know they’re supported in every way,” says Dr. Ergin. “NSF Certification is just one example of how we prioritize their health and safety.”

    More Than Medicine

    What truly sets SugarMD apart is its holistic vision. The company recognizes that diabetes is as much about mental and emotional health as it is about physical symptoms. Through practical resources, personalized care, and an emphasis on lifestyle adjustments, SugarMD helps women address the broader challenges of living with diabetes.

    Women, who often take on the role of managing their families’ health, can find in SugarMD a partner that understands their unique struggles. By providing educational tools and accessible solutions, the company ensures women are equipped to handle their own health with confidence and ease.

    A Voice for Change

    SugarMD’s influence extends beyond its products. The company actively partners with organizations to address global healthcare inequities, underscoring its dedication to making quality diabetes care accessible to all.

    This advocacy is particularly relevant for women, who disproportionately face barriers to healthcare access. By standing at the forefront of this movement, SugarMD is not just improving lives—it’s amplifying the call for systemic change.

    Why It Matters

    The buzz around SugarMD isn’t just hype. Leading outlets like Forbes, Yahoo Finance, and Fox 5 San Diego have highlighted the brand’s cutting-edge approach, painting a picture of a company that is genuinely invested in its patients’ well-being.

    For women navigating the complexities of diabetes, SugarMD offers more than solutions; it provides hope. With its innovative products, unwavering commitment to quality, and holistic outlook, the company is proving that living with diabetes doesn’t have to mean sacrificing joy, ambition, or health.

    A New Era of Care

    Dr. Ergin’s work with SugarMD represents a significant shift in how diabetes care is approached. By addressing the condition with compassion and innovation, he is showing that it’s possible to redefine the narrative for millions of women around the world.

    If you’re seeking a better way to manage your diabetes or simply want to explore a more empowering perspective, SugarMD invites you to join its revolution in care. The future of health is here, and it’s one that puts women and their well-being first.

    (Disclaimer: The information provided in this content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical condition or treatment options. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of information provided here. Products mentioned, including those by SugarMD, are dietary supplements and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult with your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement, especially if you have a medical condition, are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.)

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  • ADHD Reduces Life Expectancy? Here’s How It Affects Men And Women Differently

    ADHD Reduces Life Expectancy? Here’s How It Affects Men And Women Differently

    As ADHD diagnoses continue to rise in the U.S., researchers have uncovered a troubling link between the behavioral disorder and reduced life expectancy, with the impact varying between men and women.

    Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders affecting children. The condition can impact various aspects of life, including academic performance, professional achievements, interpersonal relationships, and daily functioning.

    In a large-scale study published in The British Journal of Psychiatry, researchers analyzed data from over 300,000 participants with ADHD, comparing it with a similar group without the condition to understand its effects on longevity. The findings revealed that men with ADHD had a life expectancy reduction of 4.5 to 9 years, while women faced a reduction of 6.5 to 11 years.

    “It is deeply concerning that some adults with diagnosed ADHD are living shorter lives than they should. People with ADHD have many strengths and can thrive with the right support and treatment. However, they often lack support and are more likely to experience stressful life events and social exclusion, negatively impacting their health and self-esteem,” said senior author, Professor Josh Stott in a news release.

    The researchers also noted that only a fraction of the total population of adults with ADHD could be studied as less than one in nine adults with ADHD had been diagnosed.

    “We know from studies of traits in the community and from studies of childhood diagnosis that the rate of ADHD in our sample is just a fraction of what it should be,” Professor Stott added.

    Since the condition often goes undiagnosed, particularly in adults, this new research may overestimate the reduction in life expectancy for those with the condition. The study findings may not be generalizable to other geographies or settings, the researchers caution. Also, since the study has not evaluated data on the specific causes of death, it is not possible to directly attribute the years of lost life to different factors.

    However, researchers noted that early deaths in ADHD patients could be “caused by modifiable risk factors and unmet support and treatment needs in terms of both ADHD and co-occurring mental and physical health conditions.”

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  • The Value of Mindfulness Practice: 13 Quotes from Women Leading the Movement

    The Value of Mindfulness Practice: 13 Quotes from Women Leading the Movement

    Earlier this year, the Mindful editorial team had the joy of interviewing 10 women leading the charge to make the world a more kind, connected place for our 2025 edition of the Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement feature article. With each conversation, we were inspired by these women’s stories, heartened by their dedication to true compassion, and puzzled over how we were going to fit so much wisdom into such short profiles. Spoiler alert: Despite our best efforts, a lot of great stuff ended up having to be cut. Here, we’re sharing some of their wise words about mindfulness that didn’t make it into the feature, but deserve to be shared. 

    To learn more about The Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement: 2025, check out the feature article here, and guided meditations by the women here. 

    13 Quotes About Mindfulness and Meditation

    1. “I think the absolute superpower of mindfulness is that it’s always available. We can find mindfulness in any moment. We don’t need any equipment.” – Vidyamala Burch

    2. “If you put 50 different brains together in a circle and you look at all of them, they’re all going to be completely different. They’re all going to be thinking and perceiving their environment in individual and unique ways. And they’re all perfect exactly as they are. Same with mindfulness: Every single person who sits down to meditate is doing so through the fabric of their wiring and their brain structure, so it’s going to be different for every single solitary person.” – Sue Hutton

    “Every single person who sits down to meditate is doing so through the fabric of their wiring and their brain structure, so it’s going to be different for every single solitary person.”

    Sue Hutton

    3. “Mindfulness doesn’t have to be all serious, something we only do when we’re stuck or when there’s suffering. We can even play with mindfulness. When we are having a good time, a good conversation, in the good moments when everything is going well for us, we tend to forget about mindfulness.” – Shalini Bahl

    4. “What I understand, through my practice, is that we all get the journeys we’re meant to have.” – Nanea Reeves

    5. “As a pastor, I believe in this process of mindfulness meditation. You have to own your own space, and so it’s not one-size-fits-all. Everybody approaches it differently. Nevertheless, it’s still mindfulness. It’s still meditation, it’s still tuning in, and it’s still allowing yourself to be present with yourself in the moment. You’re not in control of externals, but you do own the process, your own reckoning, your body structure and system.” – Brenda K. Mitchell

    “You have to own your own space, and so it’s not one-size-fits-all. Everybody approaches it differently. Nevertheless, it’s still mindfulness.”

    Brenda K. Mitchell

    6. “The power of contemplative practice is that it makes us observe what we are bringing, and then question that. Not falling to the inflation of, like, ‘All of what we do is right,’ but rather like, ‘Wait a second, is this truly helpful?’ And if not, what needs to change?” – Yuria Celidwen

    7. “Be present. Let go of clinging. Release into flow and love. Breathe in, breathe out. And that’s kind of it, really.” – Vidyamala Burch

    8. “When we are disconnected from the humanity of ourselves, we behave in ways that are less humane, and that paves the way to see others not in their humanity.” – Shelly Harrell

    9. “The more we can bathe ourselves in self-compassion and realize we’re okay exactly as we are, then we can build that strength, and that gives us a little bit more of a foundation to handle the tough stuff.” – Sue Hutton

    10. “Just by sitting in the moment to connect to our breath, to try to shift our mindset to just being grateful for the gift of life—which, you know, a breathing practice will definitely connect you to—even if I don’t feel good about who I am in the world in that moment, the fact that I’m taking that time to approach self-care is an act of self-love.” – Nanea Reeves

    “Who we truly are, what we truly are, has been calling us home.”

    Caverly Morgan 

    11. “What we long for is our very being. We are what we’ve been striving after. Who we truly are, what we truly are, has been calling us home. It’s possible, then, to rest in who you are rather than trying to become who you think you should be. So if you meditate to be a better person or to be more compassionate, you’ll always be busy trying to be a better person or trying to be more compassionate. But if you practice mindfulness because you’re just in love with resting in your own luminous, infinite being, you’ll always be in love.” – Caverly Morgan

    12. “Clearly, within mindfulness, if we really look at the teachings more deeply, interconnectedness is core, but a lot of the teaching front-facing is how it can help you with stress and be more happy and be more individually not attached to the world in some way…There’s a different vibe you can feel when you’re in spaces that are emphasizing things like detachment and bliss.” – Shelly Harrell

    13. “What we call pain is a mixture of all those factors: sensations, resistance, resentment, breath holding, tension, stress, anxiety, fear, all that. And what we can do with mindfulness is we can interrupt that cascade.” – Vidyamala Burch



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  • 13 Life Lessons From Women Leading the Mindfulness Movement

    13 Life Lessons From Women Leading the Mindfulness Movement

    Earlier this year, the Mindful editorial team had the joy of interviewing 10 women leading the charge to make the world a more kind, connected place for our 2025 edition of the Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement feature article. With each conversation, we were inspired by these women’s stories, heartened by their dedication to true compassion, and puzzled over how we were going to fit so much wisdom into such short profiles. Spoiler alert: Despite our best efforts, a lot of great stuff ended up having to be cut. Here, we’re sharing some of their wise words and life lessons that didn’t make it into the feature, but deserve to be shared. 

    To learn more about The Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement: 2025, check out the feature article here, and guided meditations by the women here. 

    13 Quotes About Life From Women Leading the Mindfulness Movement

    1. “Oftentimes being the only woman in the room, working in the video game industry, I could really just drop into the moment because I do an open-eye meditation. No one knows what I’m doing. I can choose to not react to how I might be feeling in that moment in a way that could be self-destructive. And sometimes not speaking up can be self-destructive. So it’s really just learning how to insert that pause, and then make the choice that’s the right one for me in that moment.” – Nanea Reeves 

    2. “I didn’t start a mindfulness practice because I was interested in Zen Buddhism or enlightenment. I started a mindfulness practice because, to put it bluntly, I had this holy s*** moment of realizing that something had been running my life that I didn’t even know was running it.” – Caverly Morgan

    “It’s been awesome to honor the space that belongs to my son, because that piece of me has never left me. The love resides, and we occupy the same space.”

    Brenda K. Mitchell

    3. “I lost a son to gun violence, and there is an understanding that there will never be a new norm for you. Normal is not something that I look for. It will never happen. But what I did learn to do [through mindful practices] was to create a new narrative for myself that allowed space to be happy. It’s been awesome to honor the space that belongs to my son, because that piece of me has never left me. The love resides, and we occupy the same space.” – Brenda K. Mitchell

    4. “What I sometimes say these days is that the highest teaching of all is to relax the bum. Because if you like, you just try it right now. If you relax your bum, it’s very hard to be mentally and physically agitated with a soft bum. The other thing about that that makes it the highest teaching is it’s good humored, because that’s another thing about mindfulness: the more I practice it, the more I realize it’s innately associated with lightheartedness, which I find really interesting because we can think mindfulness would make you a very serious, kind of earnest person.” – Vidyamala Burch

    5. “Soul is not a noun, it’s a verb. Soul is experience—of inner aliveness, of being touched and moved and this depth of experience and this real sense of interconnectedness.” – Shelly Harrell

    6. “That was a really huge realization for me, that strength is kind of like a skill, like riding a bike or learning to drive a car or learning the steps of a dance, like you can actually learn it and then get competent at it and then it can become like second nature. When I heard that, for me it was like a beacon of hope.” – Melli O’Brien

    7. “There’s so much craving. Like when my husband [who has dementia] can speak a whole sentence, I go, ‘Oh wow, good!’ and then when he forgets and gets frustrated in expressing himself, my heart sinks. So all of this is happening and I’m very glad that I’ve got this practice of knowing that all this is human, and going, Can I create space to watch it come and go?” – S. Helen Ma

    8. “My late husband was a beautiful meditator, and very traditional. And I feel like our life together informed what I’m building now in a way that, you know, part of his energy is still continuing.” – Nanea Reeves

    9. “When the inner critic speaks, we meet that voice with an unconditionally loving reassurance. And it’s really important to acknowledge that reassurances are just a voice that says the opposite of the inner critic. So it’s not responding to the voice that says, You’re not smart enough with another voice that says, You’re the smartest person in the room! An unconditionally loving reassurance says, I love you no matter what. You’re going to have days where you feel like you nailed it and you’re going to have days where you feel like you flopped. And I’m here and worthy, no matter what. That’s where the real healing is.”  – Caverly Morgan

    “If you want to see me in my fullness, it’s not just on your terms or what makes you comfortable to only see part of me or some fragment of me, but to see the whole me.”

    Shelly Harrell

    10. “Someone actually told me my blackness was not invited into the meditation space. Like I should detach from that, that that would be a better thing to do, that we all should just not even see race, so to speak. That is not the message that is going to make mindfulness inclusive to a diverse population whose real lived experience says, This is what’s happening. If you want to see me in my fullness, it’s not just on your terms or what makes you comfortable to only see part of me or some fragment of me, but to see the whole me.” – Shelly Harrell

    11. “I was so broken, and the trauma changed everything about me. I didn’t want to see another mother go through that. But I’m so grateful to become this new person that I am. I’m still thriving, and I’m still learning. I’m happily on a mindfulness meditation journey and sharing that healing journey with other people.” – Brenda K. Mitchell

    12. “The reason I started this work, and the reason I continue this work, is thinking back to when I was a 25-year-old young woman lying in a hospital bed and being told there wasn’t anything medically that could be done to help me. My back was damaged in such ways that there was no medical solution and I had to figure it all out for myself, how to create a good life with this body. For, you know, a lot of that time it has been very lonely and difficult so I’ve always thought, If I can help one person have an easier time of it, then that is my life’s work. The fact is, it’s now hundreds of thousands of people who have learned this superpower where any given moment you have this choice: Do you crank your pain up or do you dial it down? It’s so accessible. It’s just amazing.” – Vidyamala Burch

    13. “Dance became a place, particularly when I started choreographing, that was a refuge. It was a place where I could connect deeply to my body and allow my body to be a mode of expression. It was a place I could come home to. I very much began to experience my body as home. Coming home to my somatic experience was part of what dance did. Coming home but also allowing expression of whatever that inner experience was, it came out through movement and so movement became meditation.” – Shelly Harrell



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  • Calm Down, Girl!: Proven Techniques for Women to Reduce Stress and Anxiety

    Calm Down, Girl!: Proven Techniques for Women to Reduce Stress and Anxiety

    Calm Down, Girl!: Proven Techniques for Women to Reduce Stress and Anxiety

    As women, we’re often expected to wear multiple hats and juggle multiple responsibilities at once. Whether it’s work, family, or social life, we’re constantly running on high alert, making it easy to feel overwhelmed and stressed. According to the American Psychological Association, women are more likely than men to experience stress and anxiety, and it can have serious consequences on our mental and physical health if left unchecked.

    In this article, we’ll explore proven techniques for women to reduce stress and anxiety and find a sense of calm in their busy lives. From mindfulness and meditation to self-care and boundary setting, we’ll cover the most effective strategies to help you calm down and live a more balanced life.

    Mindfulness and Meditation: A Path to Serenity

    Mindfulness and meditation are powerful tools that can help reduce stress and anxiety by training your brain to focus on the present moment. When we’re mindful, we’re aware of our thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without judgment, allowing us to respond to challenging situations rather than react impulsively.

    Here are some tips for incorporating mindfulness and meditation into your daily routine:

    • Start small: Begin with short sessions of 5-10 minutes a day and gradually increase as you become more comfortable with the practice.

    • Find a quiet space: Identify a quiet, comfortable space where you can sit and practice without distractions.

    • Focus on your breath: Pay attention to your breath, noticing the sensation of the air moving in and out of your body.

    • Be gentle with yourself: Remember that it’s okay if your mind wanders – simply acknowledge the thought and gently bring your attention back to your breath.

    Self-Care: Nurturing Your Mind, Body, and Spirit

    Self-care is an essential component of reducing stress and anxiety. When we prioritize our own needs, we’re better equipped to handle the demands of life. Here are some self-care practices to try:

    • Get moving: Regular exercise can help reduce stress and anxiety by releasing endorphins, also known as "feel-good" hormones.

    • Practice relaxation techniques: Techniques like deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and visualization can help calm your mind and body.

    • Get enough sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night to help your body and mind recharge.

    • Connect with nature: Spend time outdoors, whether it’s taking a walk, hiking, or simply sitting in a park.

    Boundary Setting: Protecting Your Time and Energy

    Setting healthy boundaries is crucial for reducing stress and anxiety. When we learn to say "no" and prioritize our own needs, we’re better able to manage our time and energy. Here are some tips for setting boundaries:

    • Learn to say no: Practice saying "no" without explanation or apology. Remember, it’s okay to prioritize your own needs.

    • Set boundaries with technology: Establish technology-free zones and times, such as during meals or before bed.

    • Communicate your needs: Express your needs and boundaries clearly with others, whether it’s a friend, family member, or colleague.

    Social Support: Connecting with Others

    Social support is a powerful tool for reducing stress and anxiety. When we feel connected to others, we’re less likely to feel isolated and overwhelmed. Here are some ways to connect with others:

    • Join a social group: Find a book club, fitness class, or volunteer group that aligns with your interests.

    • Practice gratitude: Write down three things you’re grateful for each day, and share them with a friend or family member.

    • Schedule social time: Make time for social activities, whether it’s meeting a friend for coffee or attending a community event.

    Conclusion

    Reducing stress and anxiety is not a one-size-fits-all solution. What works for one woman may not work for another. The key is to experiment with different techniques and find what works best for you. By incorporating mindfulness, meditation, self-care, boundary setting, and social support into your daily routine, you can find a sense of calm and balance in your busy life.

    Remember, taking care of your mental and emotional well-being is essential for living a happy, healthy life. By prioritizing your own needs and well-being, you’ll be better equipped to handle the demands of life and find a sense of peace and contentment.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Q: What are some signs of stress and anxiety in women?

    A: Common signs of stress and anxiety in women include fatigue, mood swings, irritability, headaches, and insomnia.

    Q: How can I start practicing mindfulness and meditation?

    A: Start by committing to a daily practice of 5-10 minutes a day. You can use a guided meditation app or simply focus on your breath.

    Q: Why is self-care important?

    A: Self-care is essential for reducing stress and anxiety by prioritizing your own needs and well-being. When you take care of yourself, you’re better equipped to handle the demands of life.

    Q: How can I set healthy boundaries with others?

    A: Learn to say "no" without explanation or apology, and express your needs and boundaries clearly with others. Remember, setting healthy boundaries is a sign of self-respect and self-care.

    Q: What are some healthy ways to cope with stress and anxiety?

    A: Healthy coping mechanisms include mindfulness, meditation, exercise, and social support. Avoid unhealthy coping mechanisms like substance abuse or avoidance.