OUR TEAM

Zayda Vallejo

Read Bio

Zayda Vallejo, M.Litt., is co-founder of the Center for Relational Mindfulness & Cultural Literacy, co-director of The HeartWell Institute, adjunct faculty member at Harvard University Cambridge Health Alliance Center for Mindfulness and Compassion, adjunct faculty at the Mindfulness Center at Brown University, UCSD Center for Mindfulness, and Mindful Kids Miami. From 2007 to 2018 Zayda trained professionals who aspired to teach the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Healthcare, and Society. Zayda currently conducts mentoring of mindfulness professionals, mindfulness trainings and retreats for different mindfulness organizations. Zayda teaches the Mindfulness Immersion (MI), a 4 day, 7-hour per day, mindfulness-based trauma informed experiential program based on the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction framework, honing in the cultivating of deep listening skills and compassion. This training can be presented as a consecutive four day or customized according to the needs of organizations. It is available in English and Spanish. In 2015, she co-authored with Rev. Dr. Lisa Fortuna a manual for mental health clinicians “Treating Co-occurring Adolescent PTSD and Addiction: Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Adolescents with Trauma and Substance-Abuse Disorders”, published by New Harbinger. In 2008, she co-authored with Dr. Hortensia Amaro “Moment-by-Moment in Women's Recovery: A Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention Program,” published by SAMHSA and Northeastern University. Zayda is second author of the Mindfulness Training for Primary Care (MTPC) curriculum developed by Harvard University Cambridge Health Alliance Center for Mindfulness and Compassion. Zayda was born in Colombia, South America - completed her Bachelor of Science in Psychology at Loyola University in Chicago and an M.Litt in Political Economics at Oxford University in England. She holds a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Certification from Kripalu School of Yoga. She has been practicing meditation and yoga since 1978.



Co-Founder & Faculty

zayda

Bob Lenhardt

Read Bio

Delia graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree with a Major in Psychology from Mercy College in New York City, NY. She is a Florida Board Certified Addiction Counselor, and a Certified Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) skills trainer and has worked with Chemical abusing/mentally ill patients since 1996. Delia is a Habit Change Facilitator, trained by Mindscience, an evidence-based mindfulness organization developed by Dr Judson Brewer MD PhD, Director of Research and Innovation at Brown University’s Mindfulness Center. Delia is a Qualified Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Teacher, trained at the Oasis Institute at the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine Healthcare, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. She is a certified Mindfulness Ambassador through Mindfulness Without Borders, sponsored by the University of Toronto, Canada. Delia has been teaching meditation and Hatha Yoga for more than 30 years. Currently, she works as a Behavior Change Facilitator for Mindsciences, guiding and coaching online worldwide participants, using app-based interventions: Eat Right Now (ERN) and Unwinding Anxiety (UA). Delia also facilitates mindfulness courses and workshops in person and online in English and in Spanish. Delia’s commitment is to continue studying evidence-based treatments and Ancient contemplative practices such as meditation, compassion and body work. She is mentored on a weekly basis by Dr. Judson Brewer and the Mindsciences team. She attends retreats and workshops sponsored by Brown University, and other organizations dedicated to healing. Delia believes that mindfulness is a way of living, not just a technique or a methodology. She aspires to continuing to share the practice of mindfulness as a way to face life with equanimity, even in times of adversity.



Co-Founder & Faculty

bob 2

Billie Kasapakis

Read Bio

Zayda Vallejo, M.Litt., is co-founder of the Center for Relational Mindfulness & Cultural Literacy, co-director of The HeartWell Institute, adjunct faculty member at Harvard University Cambridge Health Alliance Center for Mindfulness and Compassion, adjunct faculty at the Mindfulness Center at Brown University, UCSD Center for Mindfulness, and Mindful Kids Miami. From 2007 to 2018 Zayda trained professionals who aspired to teach the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Healthcare, and Society. Zayda currently conducts mentoring of mindfulness professionals, mindfulness trainings and retreats for different mindfulness organizations. Zayda teaches the Mindfulness Immersion (MI), a 4 day, 7-hour per day, mindfulness-based trauma informed experiential program based on the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction framework, honing in the cultivating of deep listening skills and compassion. This training can be presented as a consecutive four day or customized according to the needs of organizations. It is available in English and Spanish. In 2015, she co-authored with Rev. Dr. Lisa Fortuna a manual for mental health clinicians “Treating Co-occurring Adolescent PTSD and Addiction: Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Adolescents with Trauma and Substance-Abuse Disorders”, published by New Harbinger. In 2008, she co-authored with Dr. Hortensia Amaro “Moment-by-Moment in Women's Recovery: A Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention Program,” published by SAMHSA and Northeastern University. Zayda is second author of the Mindfulness Training for Primary Care (MTPC) curriculum developed by Harvard University Cambridge Health Alliance Center for Mindfulness and Compassion. Zayda was born in Colombia, South America - completed her Bachelor of Science in Psychology at Loyola University in Chicago and an M.Litt in Political Economics at Oxford University in England. She holds a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Certification from Kripalu School of Yoga. She has been practicing meditation and yoga since 1978.



Program Director

billie.png

Juan Carreon Granados

Special Events Coordinator

Read Bio

Zayda Vallejo, M.Litt., is co-founder of the Center for Relational Mindfulness & Cultural Literacy, co-director of The HeartWell Institute, adjunct faculty member at Harvard University Cambridge Health Alliance Center for Mindfulness and Compassion, adjunct faculty at the Mindfulness Center at Brown University, UCSD Center for Mindfulness, and Mindful Kids Miami. From 2007 to 2018 Zayda trained professionals who aspired to teach the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Healthcare, and Society. Zayda currently conducts mentoring of mindfulness professionals, mindfulness trainings and retreats for different mindfulness organizations. Zayda teaches the Mindfulness Immersion (MI), a 4 day, 7-hour per day, mindfulness-based trauma informed experiential program based on the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction framework, honing in the cultivating of deep listening skills and compassion. This training can be presented as a consecutive four day or customized according to the needs of organizations. It is available in English and Spanish. In 2015, she co-authored with Rev. Dr. Lisa Fortuna a manual for mental health clinicians “Treating Co-occurring Adolescent PTSD and Addiction: Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Adolescents with Trauma and Substance-Abuse Disorders”, published by New Harbinger. In 2008, she co-authored with Dr. Hortensia Amaro “Moment-by-Moment in Women's Recovery: A Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention Program,” published by SAMHSA and Northeastern University. Zayda is second author of the Mindfulness Training for Primary Care (MTPC) curriculum developed by Harvard University Cambridge Health Alliance Center for Mindfulness and Compassion. Zayda was born in Colombia, South America - completed her Bachelor of Science in Psychology at Loyola University in Chicago and an M.Litt in Political Economics at Oxford University in England. She holds a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Certification from Kripalu School of Yoga. She has been practicing meditation and yoga since 1978.



juan.png

Delia Calixtro

Read Bio

Delia graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree with a Major in Psychology from Mercy College in New York City, NY. She is a Florida Board Certified Addiction Counselor, and a Certified Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) skills trainer and has worked with Chemical abusing/mentally ill patients since 1996. Delia is a Habit Change Facilitator, trained by Mindscience, an evidence-based mindfulness organization developed by Dr Judson Brewer MD PhD, Director of Research and Innovation at Brown University’s Mindfulness Center. Delia is a Qualified Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Teacher, trained at the Oasis Institute at the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine Healthcare, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. She is a certified Mindfulness Ambassador through Mindfulness Without Borders, sponsored by the University of Toronto, Canada. Delia has been teaching meditation and Hatha Yoga for more than 30 years. Currently, she works as a Behavior Change Facilitator for Mindsciences, guiding and coaching online worldwide participants, using app-based interventions: Eat Right Now (ERN) and Unwinding Anxiety (UA). Delia also facilitates mindfulness courses and workshops in person and online in English and in Spanish. Delia’s commitment is to continue studying evidence-based treatments and Ancient contemplative practices such as meditation, compassion and body work. She is mentored on a weekly basis by Dr. Judson Brewer and the Mindsciences team. She attends retreats and workshops sponsored by Brown University, and other organizations dedicated to healing. Delia believes that mindfulness is a way of living, not just a technique or a methodology. She aspires to continuing to share the practice of mindfulness as a way to face life with equanimity, even in times of adversity.



Faculty

delia

Zixiang Wang

Read Bio

Zayda Vallejo, M.Litt., is co-founder of the Center for Relational Mindfulness & Cultural Literacy, co-director of The HeartWell Institute, adjunct faculty member at Harvard University Cambridge Health Alliance Center for Mindfulness and Compassion, adjunct faculty at the Mindfulness Center at Brown University, UCSD Center for Mindfulness, and Mindful Kids Miami. From 2007 to 2018 Zayda trained professionals who aspired to teach the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Healthcare, and Society. Zayda currently conducts mentoring of mindfulness professionals, mindfulness trainings and retreats for different mindfulness organizations. Zayda teaches the Mindfulness Immersion (MI), a 4 day, 7-hour per day, mindfulness-based trauma informed experiential program based on the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction framework, honing in the cultivating of deep listening skills and compassion. This training can be presented as a consecutive four day or customized according to the needs of organizations. It is available in English and Spanish. In 2015, she co-authored with Rev. Dr. Lisa Fortuna a manual for mental health clinicians “Treating Co-occurring Adolescent PTSD and Addiction: Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Adolescents with Trauma and Substance-Abuse Disorders”, published by New Harbinger. In 2008, she co-authored with Dr. Hortensia Amaro “Moment-by-Moment in Women's Recovery: A Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention Program,” published by SAMHSA and Northeastern University. Zayda is second author of the Mindfulness Training for Primary Care (MTPC) curriculum developed by Harvard University Cambridge Health Alliance Center for Mindfulness and Compassion. Zayda was born in Colombia, South America - completed her Bachelor of Science in Psychology at Loyola University in Chicago and an M.Litt in Political Economics at Oxford University in England. She holds a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Certification from Kripalu School of Yoga. She has been practicing meditation and yoga since 1978.



Website Manager

simon