Sara Baio is a Mindfulness Instructor, Social-Emotional Learning Coach, Restorative Justice Facilitator, and Special Educator dedicated to bringing the nourishing practice of mindfulness to adults and children of all ages.

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Sara Baio earned a dual Master's Degree in General Education and Special Education from Pace University. Sara has studied an array of mindfulness practices such as Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, self compassion, trauma informed instruction, nonviolent communication, and mindfulness of race. She trained through organizations such as Mindful Schools, Mindful Leader, the Garrison Institute, the Omega Institute, the Community Mindfulness Project, and the Mindful of Race Institute. She is a member of the Mind & Life Institute. Sara is trained in restorative practices through Restorative Now. She is also a certified qigong instructor through Holden Qigong. Qigong is a healing movement based practice that helps people reduce stress and pain, while cultivating energy and vitality. Additionally, Sara studies tai chi at the Dragon and Crane American Chinese Cultural Center in Somers, NY.  

 

Sara founded Mindful Hearts LLC to provide educators, students, and families with an array of mindfulness training opportunities and classes. She has been practicing and teaching mindfulness for almost a decade. She specializes in teaching mindfulness as an intervention for special education and Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports, as well as integrating mindfulness in school culture for all students and educators. Sara teaches people to foster their own inner wisdom, healing power, and resilience. She values student engagement and includes movement, play, and inquiry in lessons.  She believes everyone has the ability to meditate and be their own self healer. 

 

Sara Baio provides training for school districts in implementing mindfulness and restorative practice. Please see the Workshops/Classes page to learn more about workshop topics, classes for students, and coaching for educators. Sara can be contracted through Mindful Hearts LLC or Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services). She is also a facilitator with the Community Mindfulness Project, where you can join her for a free meditation!

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On a personal note, Sara is a mother of three exceptional boys. She first discovered mindfulness as an intervention to help her children with social, emotional, and behavioral needs. However, she soon realized that mindfulness is vastly more than an “intervention”. It’s an empowering way of life that needs cultivation! Like a garden, the more you tend to yourself, the stronger you will grow. The more flowers you will bloom. Over the years, Sara has leaned on mindfulness to get through life's hardships and savor life's joys. She even learned how to work positively with her own learning disability and sensory processing disorder. To Sara, mindfulness is the greatest resource anyone can harness. It's a gift. It's the “missing piece” in education and modern living. Sara believes mindfulness can be differentiated to support anyone and everyone!