Steadying the Mind in Presence

Led by Kyla Pearce

This practice will bring mindful attention to thinking, and then use simple phrases to help the mind stay present. This is important because our thoughts create our experience of life, so if we have a habit of judging ourselves frequently, it’s likely we’ll live with a sense of uneasiness or distrust in ourselves. All thoughts, whether positive or negative, need attention to grow just like a plant in the garden. So, when we notice we’re getting swept away by negative thoughts, we can mindfully acknowledge them and then shift our attention to something more supportive, like our breath. This way, we no longer live inside of our thoughts and their power lessens.

Kyla (she/her) serves as the Senior Director of Programs and Research, overseeing the design, implementation, and evaluation of LoveYourBrain programs on a large scale. By turning inward through mindfulness, Kyla believes we learn to be with our whole selves with greater compassion, which is fundamental to wellbeing and inspiring positive social change. Kyla has blended her expertise as a yoga and mindfulness teacher and practitioner, researcher, and advocate to develop evidence-based, TBI-centered yoga and meditation curricula, which she trains yoga teachers and clinicians to deliver in clinical, community, and online settings. She recently completed a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Dartmouth College investigating the impact of yoga and meditation for people with neurological conditions and has published broadly on this topic. She has been part of the Pearce family for years, and, following Kevin's accident, played an integral role in the launch of LoveYourBrain.