Stress is the direct source of some health issues and the precursors to many illnesses. The effects of stress are felt by the majority of the population and is usually undertreated or overlooked as a norm of life rather than a potential source of illness. Though everyone has different thresholds of stress, chronic or constant stress is debilitating for some and can manifest itself in limitless ways. For adults with substance use disorders (SUDs), research supports that mindfulness based interventions (MBIs) could be beneficial for stress management. The techniques incorporated in mindfulness based practices can decrease the baseline stress of its practitioners by increasing their awareness and mindfulness within daily life and during stressful situations.

This increase in awareness and mindfulness has shown numerous benefits that may be crucial in increasing the likelihood of sobriety for those with SUDs. Some of these benefits may include, improved stress management, improved mitigation of craving symptoms, reduced incidences of relapse, and a better quality of life. A 4-week self-help mindfulness pilot program was conducted twice within two separate residential substance recovery settings. The participant’s satisfaction and the internalization of mindfulness concepts were measured within the pre and post implementation of a self-help mindfulness class. In the pilot program, participants rated high satisfaction of the mindfulness class and showed increased levels of mindfulness through the use of the client satisfaction questionnaire (CSQ-8) and the five facets of mindfulness questionnaire (FFMQ-39).

Research has shown adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have a lifelong negative impact on a person’s physical, mental, and social well-being. ACEs refer to experiences related to abuse, household challenges, or neglect that occur before the age of 18. Some of the effects of ACEs include anxiety, depression, increased stress, increase in high-risk behaviors, and early death. Mindfulness practices have been shown to be an effective tool in reducing some of these symptoms. In looking for ways to prevent or mitigate the effects of ACEs, it is important to provide tools and resources to the adults taking care of children including; parents, guardians, and teachers.

The purpose of this evidence based project (EBP) was to evaluate mindfulness and classroom environments after the implementation of a mindfulness intervention. The intervention consisted of a three day training followed by four weeks of mindfulness practice prior to beginning the school day. Ten preschool and Early Head Start teachers from seven classrooms at a school in inner city Phoenix participated in the project. Utilizing the Five Factors Mindfulness Questionnaire pre and post intervention, a paired sample t-test showed a significant increase in two factors of mindfulness. The CLASS tool was used to assess classroom environment pre and post intervention and showed significant improvement in five classes. These findings support ongoing mindfulness training and practice for preschool and Early Head Start teachers to improve classroom environments.