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
Weekly Open Session – Mondays at Noon, January 6 through March 3
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.
There is no fee. Registration is required.
TEACHER PRACTICE – Mondays, 3:30PM (for Level 2 candidates) and 4:30PM (for Level 1 candidates) | Starts January 6, 2025
Teacher Practice is intended for Level 2 and Level 1 students currently in a training class and/or completing requirements needed to finish.
Each class includes 30 minutes for practices and 15 minutes for planning and feedback.
The L2 class starts at 3:30pm and runs until 4:15. The L1 class starts at 4:30 and ends at 5:15pm.
To attend register using the link below. Then every Monday morning you’ll get an email with the Zoom link to the class AND a link to a Practice Signup Sheet that allows you to pick the practice you want to work on.
In-Person Classes
Wednesdays, 1PM at the JCC-Mid Westchester (Scarsdale) | Januaru 6 through January 22
Westchester Breathes is happy to be hosted by the JCC Mid-Westchester. This 3-session series will be free and open to members of the JCC as well as Westchester residents. Lovely space and ample parking.
Workshops
A 12hour in-person Breath-Body-Mind Fundamentals Workshop is being planned for March 8 & 9. (Yes, that’s 6hrs of BBM practice each day!)
if you are not already on our mailing list and would like to be notified when details and registration information are posted,please email a request to be added to the list! Email outreach@wlsmail.org.
Westchester Breathes Outreach Continues!
Programming is also scheduled for clients and staff of several community agencies, including the ARC Westchester and the White Plains Youth Bureau. If you are interested in a short series for your organization, please email outreach@wlsmail.org.
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.