Mindfulness and Nature Connection Practices to Reduce Stress and Anxiety for System Involved Youth

Ursula Elsa and Angelina Manriquez

Training Description

Young people are naturally curious, especially about nature. Unfortunately, many support

settings often do not allow for youth to experience the power of the natural world. Access to

parks and nature spaces are often not easily accessible to marginalized communities and

populations of at risk youth. This workshop helps those that support system involved youth find

engaging and innovative ways to integrate nature based practices and connect our youth with our

greatest mindfulness teacher - the natural world. It will provide skills and tools for system

involved youth to cultivate practices and self regulation skills they can develop and practice from

home and in the outdoor space in proximity to where they live. These practices will support

system involved youth and their families in coping with stress and anxiety, and using nature in an

urban setting to help foster a sense of belonging and co-regulation with the earth.

Learning Objectives

Participants will:

● Explore and understand how nature based mindfulness can be supportive and culturally

relevant for system involved youth

● Engage in at least 1 culturally relevant activity to support youth in reflecting on their

connection to the earth/nature

● Explore at least 1 activity for supporting youth in practicing mindful breathing outside

● Identify at least 1 mindfulness based strategy for co-regulation using the natural world

● Learn and practice at least 2 activities for integrating nature connection practices in an

indoor setting

● Learn at least 2 nature based mindful listening activities to reduce stress and anxiety

Agenda 

11:00-11:30am Welcome, Housekeeping, and Introductions

11:30am-12pm Mindfulness Practices + Self Reflection

12:00-12:30pm Introduction to Mindfulness and Nature Connection Practices

12:30-1:00pm Sit Spot Practice

1:00-1:30pm Nature Expressive Arts Activities

1:30-2:15pm Lunch (CEUs will not be issued for this time)

2:15-2:45pm Mindfulness Practices

2:45-3:30pm Nature Based Expressive Arts Activities Continued

3:30-4:00pm Facilitating Resourcing and Co-regulation in an Outdoor Space

4:00-4:30pm Using Nature as Guide Activity + Demonstration Lessons

4:30-5:00pm Closing and Feedback

Meet Our Trainers

Ursula Elsa (they/she) was born and raised in the beautiful land of the Bay Area, Ohlone Territory. She has been teaching mindfulness and nature connection to youth in the Bay Area for 8 years and is currently leading rites of passage and nature connection programming for Gaia Passages. Ursula is passionate about creating programming for LGBTQI+ and neurodiverse communities. She is also a trained doula and an advocate of parent’s rights in the birth community. 

As a mindfulness teacher, Angelina Manriquez has found her art as a way to reach children beyond the classroom. Through meaningful storytelling that children can relate to, Angelina hopes to transform difficult life experience into healing and movement for all generations to come. Angelina holds a BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute, and teaches throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. She is a Co Author and Designer of two children's books, Master of Mindfulness: How To Be Your Own Superhero In Times of Stress, and Breath Friends Forever

This course meets the qualifications for (5.25) BBS CEUs for LCSWs, LMFTs, LPCCs, and LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.