Meet Lina
Hi... My name is Lina Blanchet. I am a mother, a teacher, and a practitioner of mindfulness and meditation. Mindfulness has helped me find balance, compassion, and well-being amidst a busy life.
I first turned to mindfulness as a way of dealing with the challenges and stress I was experiencing caring for my young children, my elderly parents, and my students. Mindfulness provided me a way of managing the overwhelm and anxiety. I found that by attending to my body, heart, and mind, I could nurture a sense of strength and balance within myself that is fathomless. Slowly, my practice began to trickle into my life. My interactions with friends, family, students, and colleagues shifted. I learned that compassion and kindness are ways of being that I can nurture and develop. This deepening sense of peace unleashed creativity and authenticity in my teaching that was not reliant on things going my way. I love to share what I have learned with teachers, parents, teens, and people who are interested in discovering mindfulness for themselves. Understanding the challenges faced by today’s educators, parents, and teens, I offer guidance that is informed by the wisdom and compassion of the core practices of mindfulness and meditation. My training includes a Master’s in Education with a concentration in Mindfulness for Educators from Antioch University, Teacher Certification from Saint Peter’s University, TEFLA Certification from Cambridge University, a Bachelor’s Degree from Rutgers University with a Double Major in English and Political Science, eighteen years of teaching experience in the US and abroad, and over ten years of mindfulness meditation and study that is ongoing and deepening. Bringing together my years of experience as a teacher and my mindfulness training, I am currently consulting and teaching mindfulness to educators, parents, adults, and teens. I have also been invited to join the faculty in the Mindfulness for Educators program at Antioch University as an Adjunct Instructor in the Mindfulness for Educators Program. With mindfulness, we discover the myriad opportunities for joy and purpose hidden within the fabric of our days. We learn how to hold ourselves and others with kindness through the changes and challenges that come our way with presence, strength, and compassion. Our life and our teaching becomes an authentic expression of our deepest values and visions. 
Relevant Experience
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Testimonials
“Lina is experienced not only in mindfulness but teaching and children. Her tools can be adopted by even the busiest parents, and in so doing, will help parents begin to use the practice of mindfulness to learn what causes them suffering. Parents will understand that they need self-compassion for themselves and then their children. We have to put on our oxygen mask first before we can help our children.” -Sonia, 8/2019 Mindful Parenting Summer Camp “This course has taught me to handle my stress appropriately. I feel calmer since starting the course. I look forward to using meditation and the other tools I’ve learned in my relationships with my children. Lina has given me the tools to start a new compassionate relationship with my children.” -Jaqueline, 8/2019 Mindful Parenting Summer Camp “When, I enrolled in this course, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Lina’s compassionate, non-judgmental approach while giving students the tools to help deal with stress is invaluable. Lina is an amazingly wonderful teacher, and I would recommend this course to anyone.” -Carlos, 8/2019 Mindful Parenting Summer Camp “I came to this course with limited knowledge and thought, "If I can gain one "nugget" of information to help me be a better parent, it will be worth it." I've walked away with a lot of great advice, actionable strategies, confidence that I am able to handle it, and a sense of pride knowing that I have more tools in the toolbox to help me be better equipped to handle the challenges of raising children. I've talked about working on this and I've bought the books to guide me, but being part of a class environment makes you accountable, and helped me to focus. Thank you so much!" Deidre, Participant in the 8-Week Mindful Parenting Course, (12/2018) "This course has met my expectations and beyond. Now, I have a better understanding of how mindfulness works in daily life. I’ve learned to pause, take a deep breath, and listen more intently before responding to students and parents. Lina has a great understanding of mindfulness and has helped me learn the foundations of this practice. I definitely recommend this course.” Joy, School Nurse and participant in the Foundations of Mindfulness for Educators 8-Week Course "The instructor introduced us to practices in a very intuitive and accessible way, providing information, anecdotes, guiding us through new practices, and generating discussion. I would also like to note the encouraging, genuine, kind, and accepting manner the instructor brings to each class. Lina Blanchet is one of those remarkably kind and genuine people who can make just about anyone feel at home, even those who may be uncertain or uncomfortable with new experiences." Katherine Murphy, Participant in the Foundations of Mindfulness 8-Week Course “From the simplest to the most in depth question posed, Lina expounded with knowledge and warmth. She made this complex and sometimes ethereal topic easy to grasp. I highly recommend taking one of her classes. Life improving!” Danny Scott, Participant in the Foundations of Mindfulness 8-Week Course "In Lina Blanchet’s Mindfulness Class, participants explore...in a welcoming, warm and gentle manner. Lina shares her wisdom in a caring, sincere and kind embrace. Participants will learn the value of slowing it all down, taking a well-needed breath and being still in order to listen to one's heart, mind and breath." John Murphy, Educator and participant in the Foundations of Mindfulness for Educators 8-Week Course “If you have ever wondered what mindfulness is and how it can help you in your day-to-day life or how to implement a formal practice, this 8-week course is the place to start. Lina is a wealth of knowledge on this topic and wants to help others live a more mindful life. She goes above and beyond to meet your needs and has made an impact on my personal life when dealing with stressful situations. I cannot thank Lina enough for all that she has taught me.” Lauren, Teacher Participant in The Foundations of Mindfulness 8-Week Course July 2018 “I wanted an in-person guided meditation ( mindfulness class) to begin my personal practice. The explanations and discussions helped me develop an understanding of the different types of meditation. Although I’ve slacked with developing a consistent personal practice, I can see a difference in my overall well-being and patience when I do it. I would definitely recommend this course to a friend looking to find more of a balance for themselves. Lina is fabulous! She is extremely knowledgeable. She shares her practice in a relatable manner.” Melissa, Teacher Participant in The Foundations of Mindfulness 8-Week Course July 2018 |
If you would like to learn more about mindfulness and how I can help you begin your practice,
please contact :
Lina Blanchet
(908)578-9037
[email protected]