What is Westchester Breathes?
Westchester Breathes is an ongoing program offered by the Westchester Library System offering an experience of gentle movement, breathing and relaxation exercises that reduce stress and anxiety and increase a sense of calm and well-being. These exercises are simple and evidence-based – which is to say …they work!
Westchester Breathes programming – offered online and in-person – gives you the opportunity to learn BREATH-BODY-MIND™ practices. For questions about Westchester Breathes or any content on this site, please contact us using this link.
How can I participate in Westchester Breathes?
Online Classes
OPEN SESSION – Mondays, 8:30 AM | September 9 through through December 2
Register once and you’ll get a link good for the whole series.
Each 50minute session provides an opportunity to learn and use gentle BREATH-BODY-MIND™ practices to soothe, balance and strengthen the nervous system. No prior experience needed.
Monday’s at 8:30 don’t work for you right now? Scroll down to find classes with other Breath-Body-Mind teachers working in the eastern time zone!
TEACHER PRACTICE – Mondays, 4:00 PM | September 16 through through December 16
Teacher Practice is intended for those currently in BBM Teacher Training. Newly certified teachers and those currently working towards certification are invited to gain teaching experience with a group of peers; participants get to experience a variety of teaching styles!
The class will run for 50 minutes starting promptly at 4; those who teach will be asked to stay for the remaining 10 minutes of the hour for feedback.
In-Person Classes
Tuesdays, 3PM at the JCC-Mid Westchester (Scarsdale) | November 5 through December 17.
Westchester Breathes is happy to be hosted by the JCC Mid-Westchester. This 7-session series will be free and open to members of the JCC as well as Westchester residents. Lovely space and ample parking.
See also the Wellness Workshops below!
Wellness Workshops
Westchester Breathes Wellness Workshops – Returning in November
Thank you to those who attended our first-ever Wellness Workshops in May and June!
TWO DATES TO CHOOSE FROM: Friday, November 22 (4pm-7pm) or Saturday November 23 (9am-12pm)
The Westchester Breathes Wellness Workshop is intended for those who have attended at least one prior Westchester Breathes or Breath-Body-Mind program.
Westchester Breathes is an ongoing program offered by the Westchester Library System.
The workshop will be held at Westchester Library System headquarters in Elmsford, NY. The class will be led by Elena Falcone, a senior Breath-Body-Mind teacher.
Light refreshments will be provided.
Space is limited to 12 attendees per session.
If you require an accommodation to make this event accessible for you, please let us know in the registration form.
What is BREATH-BODY-MIND™?
Westchester Breathes is grounded in the work of Dr. Richard Brown and Dr. Patricia Gerbarg – two clinical psychologists who identified, studied, and teach simple, effective voluntary regulated breathing exercises shown to reduce the experience of stress and increase the ability of the body to self-soothe and heal. Learn about their research, publications and workshops at Breath-Body-Mind.com. Learn about the impact of their work in disaster relief at Breath Body Mind Foundation.org
The work to make this program available in Westchester County emerged from the work of the Westchester Resilience Coalition.
How can I get involved in BREATH-BODY-MIND™?
More learning and practice opportunities
See the calendar below for BBM sessions with senior teachers who have worked with Westchester Breathes.
Click the here for yet workshops and teacher trainings offered directly by BREATH–BODY-MIND™.
Opportunities from the New York State Trauma Informed Network and Resource Center (TINRC)
Thanks to a multi-year grant, these practice and learning opportunities will be continuing and evolving state-wide through 2025. ALL of the BREATH–BODY-MIND™ practice sessions, workshops, trainings, and opportunities are available to all New Yorkers and are free of charge.
TINRC BBM Practice Sessions
Practice Sessions offer basic gentle BBM practices to soothe, balance, and strengthen the nervous system. These sessions are offered every Tuesday at 6am for 30 minutes, 12pm for 30 minutes, and 8pm for 45 minutes. Open to anyone. Offered for free through the New York State Trauma-Informed Network.
TINRC BBM Teacher Training
BBM Fundamentals (12-hour program) and Level 1 and Level 2 Teacher Trainings are (36 hour programs) are live online program spread scross several weeks. Training is offered for free through the New York State Trauma-Informed Network. Attendees must have attended a 12-hour BBM Foundations workshop before enrolling in Level 1 Training. 2024 sessions are underway. The 2025 schedule will be announced soon.
Use the link below to jump to other training sessions (fee-based) offered by Breath-Body-Mind.