Founder and Director JG Larochette created Mindful Life Project on May 1, 2012 after working with South Richmond, CA youth and their families for a decade as a coach, community advocate, leader and teacher. As a highly regarded and successful elementary school teacher, JG cared deeply for his students, and like many teachers, absorbed their trauma as he struggled to provide a healthy learning environment.

In the Fall of 2011, he encountered a challenging time where depression and anxiety overtook his life. JG attempted to push through the sleepless nights and deep suffering, but was not able to be fully present for his students. In December, he realized that he needed to prioritize his health, and after months of trying what all the doctors recommended, he learned about mindfulness. For one month, he dedicated himself to the practice, discovering its ability to rewire the brain into optimal mental health.

He returned to school and introduced mindfulness to his class, noticing an immediate change in the self-awareness, self-regulation and behavior of his students. This group of students, who had significant trauma, would often spend an hour or more each day dealing with conflicts, lack of attention, and emotional dysregulation. Within six weeks, this same group and JG created a much healthier learning environment where those problems became infrequent.

From January to May of 2012, JG and his class piloted and created Mindful Life Project, with daily mindfulness and weekly yoga, expressive arts and performing arts. The students and JG decided that Mindful Life Project needed to reach a much larger population, leading to community transformation and the founding of the organization.

Learn more about the Mindful Life Project: https://mindfullifeproject.org/about/
Listen to JG on Insight Timer: https://insighttimer.com/jglarochette

00:04:27 – Sean introduces JG Larochette


00:10:14 – Opening words from JG


00:11:15 – A bit about JG’s background and what led him to mindfulness (belonging, inner critic, anxiety, depression)


00:19:02 – How JG came to bring mindfulness to kids in schools


00:27:59 – How do we get teachers, parents, or other decision makers to understand that mindfulness does not have to be religious?


00:38:04 – Training teachers and educators in mindfulness


00:39:27 – Quick-fix solutions to bringing mindfulness to the classroom


00:40:53 – “The mindful educator is before the mindfulness educator.”


00:44:05 – What are the most effective ways to be trauma-sensitive with kids?


00:45:44 – “Relationship is the first thing that has to happen.”


00:47:47 – JG’s experience working with a 4th grade class that was going through some trauma


00:52:44 – Non-judgment, normalizing difficulties, and holding boundaries


00:55:09 – Being explicit about expectations (peace agreements)


00:57:52 – How can you support someone interested in going full-scale with bringing mindfulness to schools?


00:59:50 – Give students a voice; check in with students; do a mindful sit; mindful hip-hop/music


01:02:06 – One of the biggest barriers is the system not being ready, so how do you get in the doors, and what is your messaging once you’re inside?


01:04:36 – Create something that’s scalable


01:07:27 – How do you get schools willing to invest in mindfulness programs?


01:12:37 – Keep going, keep chipping away to shift the system, to get in the doors


01:15:40 – Including keywords like ‘mental training’, ‘mental health and emotional wellbeing’, ‘social-emotional learning’


01:16:37 – Do you have experience in teaching mindfulness more broadly – to children as well as to their educators and caregivers?


01:23:39 – Requirements to be hired by Mindful Life Project as a coach


01:26:59 – Guided practice led by JG


01:40:16 – Gradually building the length of practices for children


01:41:15 – What is your drive, JG? Can you also address imposter syndrome?


01:47:33 – JG’s tips on addressing imposter syndrome and building confidence


01:50:39 – Addressing the challenge of social-emotional learning and mindfulness being considered “woke culture”


01:53:46 – Where is the Department of Education on mindfulness?