Giving Back

We are excited to announce that during the month of March we will be collecting donations for Peace in Schools: a Portland-based organization bringing Mindfulness education to students and educators.

More and more studies show an increase in feelings of isolation, anxiety and depression in young people, who all too often turn to self-destructive behaviors to cope. Peace in Schools provides an alternative with workshops and retreats to help teens develop self-awareness, emotional resilience, compassion, and connection. Across all socioeconomic levels, rates of substance abuse, bullying, eating disorders and suicide remain alarmingly high. Mindfulness programs help young people disengage from self-critical and reactive thoughts – thoughts that leave them vulnerable to outside forces, including intense social and academic pressure. Through Peace in Schools, teens learn how to experience and accept who they authentically are.

In addition to their work in public schools, Peace in Schools partners with local service agencies and alternative schools to serve diverse youth populations. Many of these populations are chronically under served and face some of the most daunting personal, social and academic challenges.

Peace in Schools also offers courses and retreats for youth-serving professionals whether they be Educators, Counselors, or Clinicians, giving them the tools to incorporate mindfulness in their youth interactions and pass on these valuable skills. Mindfulness allows these professionals to bring a greater sense of ease and stability as they help guide and serve our children through some of the most critical junctures of their lives.

Why Mindfulness?

In 2014, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Johns Hopkins published a meta-analysis study of the value of meditation and mindfulness programs. After reviewing over 17,000 citations, the study concluded, “Mindfulness meditation programs improved multiple dimensions of negative affect, including anxiety, depression, and perceived stress/general distress... comparable with what would be expected from the use of an antidepressant in a primary care population.”

At Equilibrium, we believe in balanced, evidence-based integrative health care, and work hard to care for our patients’ bodies and minds. We are proud to support other local businesses working toward better health in our communities. We will have donation containers available in the lobby at your next appointment, feel free to drop by with a donation anytime during our weekday business hours of 9 am to 5 pm, or donate directly on their website.