Mindfulness
Instructors

 

Julie Brefczynski-Lewis, PhD – Neuroscientist

304-293-4820
e-mail: jblewis@hsc.wvu.edu

Biography

Dr. Julie Brefczynski-Lewis is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at West Virginia University. She received her PhD in Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy from the Medical College of Wisconsin. Brefczynski-Lewis has been practicing mindfulness for more than 20 years and researching its effects for the past decade. Currently, the Brefczynski-Lewis lab is testing the effectiveness of compassion meditation to help deal with the stress and negative emotions related to difficult interpersonal relationships. Julie has found that compassion training changes brain responses to the faces of difficult people.

 

Laurel Faulkenberry, MA, LPC- Clinical Therapist

304-293-8133
e-mail: lfaulkenberry@hsc.wvu.edu

Biography

Laurel Faulkenberry is a skilled mindfulness instructor with considerable training. She has been a clinical therapist for 20 years, specializing in mindfulness, trauma, and addiction. In 2015-2016, she co-taught two 8-week courses on Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention for Addictive Behaviors.

 

Nicole Gauthier-Schatz, Yoga Teacher & Stress Management Specialist

304-293-2520
e-mail: ngschatz@hsc.wvu.edu

Biography

Nicole Gauthier-Schatz has been teaching in the Morgantown community and surrounding areas for 27 years. Nicole holds certifications as a Stress Management Specialist, Hatha and Vinyasa Yoga Instructor, Holistic Lifestyle Teacher and Yoga Therapist. Nicole is also the co-creator of the Mindful Steps to Stress Less Program. Nicole seeks to create a safe, non-dogmatic educational environment, where the student is immersed in the process of self-discovery and inner exploration to become a more integrated human. In a safe refuge, students can turn their inner attentiveness to feelings, sensations, and activity of the mind. Students can then experience more freedom and vitality, and connect the practice to their daily life. The practice leads to increased awareness, mental clarity, and emotional wellness, as well as generating strength and suppleness for a healthier, more vibrant and limber body.