Kristen Connolly, CMT-P, is dedicated to introducing the benefits of mindfulness to those who are new to meditation, and to those who would like to develop a workable, customized practice that best fits their needs. She is committed to demonstrating the practical applications of being present, responding vs. reacting, and experiencing genuine confidence to achieve short- and long-term goals. Kristen works with people to find the best solution to meet their mindfulness aspirations, while embodying what she teaches with an empathetic, engaging demeanor.
After years of adventure in the music business, Kristen supported Fortune 100 senior and C-level executives for over 20 years. She experienced first-hand the struggles to balance work and personal life, navigate career advancement, and manage multiple competing priorities. In 2015, after meditating for almost a decade, Kristen fully committed to learn how to stay true to herself while managing the chaos of the corporate executive suite.
Kristen has completed the UCLA Semel Institute Training in Mindfulness Facilitation, having previously completed the Intensive Practice Program at UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC), led by Diana Winston and Dr. Marvin Belzer, and is a Certified Mindfulness Teacher – Professional Level, accredited by the International Mindfulness Teachers Association. She is a Certified Teacher/Trainer in Shinzen Young’s Unified Mindfulness system, having participated in the inaugural cohort of Compass; Unified Mindfulness’ advanced teacher training. In addition to supporting students in UM’s Pathways training by taking on support coach and co-teaching roles, she continues to deepen her own practice through ongoing programs with Diana Winston, Michael Taft, and Ethan Nichtern.
Kristen finds gratification and inspiration through discovering amazing fresh fruits, veggies, and treats at her local farmers’ markets, and revels in guiltlessly spending an entire afternoon on her couch with a great, or even just pretty good, book.
Julianna received her BA in psychology from Duke University. As founder, president, and head trainer of Unified Mindfulness, she is dedicated to disseminating Shinzen Young’s comprehensive mindfulness meditation system through the creation and presentation of educational programs and teacher-training certification programs.
Dr. Hunter serves as associate professor of practice and is the founding director of the Executive Mind Leadership Institute at the Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management, Claremont Graduate University. He also serves as visiting professor at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, where he developed and co-teaches the Leading Mindfully executive education program..
Dr. Eisendrath serves as chief psychologist and president of the Institute for Dialogue Therapy, P.C., where, as a Jungian analyst, she offers psychotherapy with individuals and couples, psychoanalysis, supervision, and training.
Dr. Vago serves as the research director of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine and the director of the Contemplative Neuroscience and Integrative Medicine (CNIM) Laboratory at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He is an associate professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the Department of Psychiatry.
Stella is a psychologist, professor, and Zen practitioner. She became a formal student in 2008 in the Soto Zen tradition. She teaches courses in mindfulness based psychotherapies and the psychology of compassion at the Union Institute & University. She also co-facilitates a family program and young adult program at Shao Shan Temple, in Woodbury Vermont.
Dr. Creswell serves as a tenured associate professor in the Department of Psychology at Carnegie Mellon University. He is also the director of the Health & Human Performance Laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University.
Dr. McCormick currently serves as director of education at Unified Mindfulness. In 1975, he received a B.A. in psychology from the University of California Santa Cruz, where he was part of Dr. Elliot Aronson’s research team that examined cooperative approaches to reducing interracial conflict and academic performance problems in newly integrated school, and made Honors in Psychology, College Honors, and Thesis Honors.
UnifiedMindfulness.com is the official teacher training platform for Shinzen and the Unified Mindfulness System.
Created over 50 years of research and testing by Shinzen Young, Unified Mindfulness is a system of meditation that’s easily researchable by science, with clear terminology and rigorous precision around concepts and procedures.
The Unified Mindfulness system is a comprehensive, robust and refined support structure that any individual at any stage of meditation practice can rely on to go deeper in their insight and their ability to share it with others. It is also a secular form of meditation, which means it’s not religious in any way so anyone, of any faith, can do it.