Mindfulness Teachers

inward bound teachers

Our diverse community of Inward Bound young people, teachers, and mentors seeks to create healthier inner and outer worlds.

We are an extensive community of trained professionals, dedicated to empowering teens and young adults in a supportive environment

Our retreat staff are experts in the fields of mindfulness, youth development, mental health, and education, and have lived experiences that deeply connect with the teens we serve. They exemplify authenticity, compassion, and respect, upholding a strong code of ethics. In fact, some of our leaders today were participants in the first teen retreats offered in 1989. Find out more about our certified teachers and assistant teachers below. If you are interested in staffing a retreat, please complete our mentor application form.

apply to be a mentor

teachers

Anthony Maes

Anthony Maes

Barnaby Willett

Barnaby Willett

Bea Anderson

Bea Anderson

Bonnie Duran

Bonnie Duran

Cara Lai

Cara Lai

Devon Sangster Rath

Devon Sangster Rath

Dori Langevin

Dori Langevin

Em Morrison

Em Morrison

Eric Busse

Eric Busse

Erin Oke

Erin Oke

Jen Zehler

Jen Zehler

Jessica Morey

Jessica Morey

Joe Klein

Joe Klein

Jose Shinzan Palma

Jose Shinzan Palma

Josh Kehler

Josh Kehler

Kaira Jewel Lingo

Kaira Jewel Lingo


Khalila Gillett

Khalila Gillett

Mark Wax

Mark Wax

Marv Belzer

Marv Belzer

Nina Bryce

Nina Bryce

Ofosu Jones Quartey

Ofosu Jones Quartey

Sara Shapouri

Sara Shapouri

Sarwang Parikh

Sarwang Parikh

Sydney Reece

Sydney Reece

Victoria Cary

Victoria Cary

Zac Ispa-Landa

Zac Ispa-Landa

assistant teachers

Anna Johns

Anna Johns

Catherine Banson

Catherine Banson

Day Nyugen

Day Nyugen

Jacqui Clay

Jacqui Clay

Harry Um

Harry Um

Kiki Williams

Kiki Williams

Lawrence Schuessler

Lawrence Schuessler

Nannette Weinhold

Nannette Weinhold

Sara Van Zutphen Oakes

Sara Van Zutphen Oakes

Seonjoon Young

Seonjoon Young

Shea Riester

Shea Riester

Soroosh Vafapoor

Soroosh Vafapoor

Tanzanite Msola

Tanzanite Msola

Travis Spencer

Travis Spencer

Mentoring on a Teen Retreat

Being a mentor is a very nourishing and powerful experience as well as a big commitment – we appreciate each mentor’s willingness to offer their time in this way. The primary role of our mentors is to support the teens in their practice and retreat experience. This is done by helping to “hold the container” in a kind and respectful way, “sweeping” teens to and from the meditation hall and activities, sharing in the experience of the retreat, and much more.

We look for applicants with a dedication to mindfulness meditation and an interest in supporting youth. Specifically, we aim to have mentors with silent retreat experience and experience with teens; counseling or therapeutic experience is a plus. We also aim to have at least one trained counselor/therapist on each retreat. We consider the diversity of the mentors for each retreat – race, gender, sexual orientation, age, life experience – and additional skills mentor have to offer – art, music, theater, sports, yoga, etc.

teacher training

teacher training

Become certified to teach mindfulness to teens and young adults.

learn more
our mission & vision

our mission & vision

See how we bring our mission and vision to life through our values and programs.

read more
teen retreat experience

teen retreat experience

Explore what happens on retreat, why teens love them, and the overall benefits of our mindfulness retreats.

explore