Search Inside Yourself Mindfulness Workshop

Search Inside Yourself (SIY) is a transformational science-based mindfulness program that originated at Google and has spread to companies and organizations around the world, including SAP, American Express and LinkedIn. SIY blends the practice of mindfulness with the contemporary fields of emotional intelligence and neuroscience to help leaders and team members become more resilient, lead themselves and others more effectively, and find inner happiness.

Our leaders for this ACT-sponsored program are Heather O'Neill Jelks and Luis Gil, certified SIY teachers and leadership consultants. Together, Heather and Luis have more than 40 years of experience in the fields of organization and leadership development and are experienced instructors for the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Development Program. The cost for registration is $100 per person for the 2-day workshop running from 9am - 5pm on May 29 and 30 - attendance at both sessions is required. Space is limited to 50 participants and registration is open to members of the Alexandria community.

ACT offered this workshop in 2019 and we are still hearing from participants about how valuable this training was!

CURRICULUM

The SIY curriculum includes:

• Neuroscience
• Mindfulness
• Emotional Intelligence
• Leadership

This program has been implemented in dozens of organizations across industries and around the world using highly practical and scientifically proven methods of mental conditioning and attention training that improve overall emotional intelligence and well-being, resilience, creativity, communication, productivity, and personal and organizational leadership.

PROGRAM DESIGN

Everyone has the capacity to develop and increase wellbeing because wellbeing is a skill, and all skills are trainable. The highly interactive and experiential program includes the following core components:

• Overview of the neuroscience of emotion, perception, unconscious bias and behavior change
• Definition of emotional intelligence and its personal and professional benefits
• Attention training to enable greater emotional intelligence, including self-awareness, self-mastery, motivation, and connection with self and other
• Principles and practices for developing healthy mental habits that accelerate wellbeing, including effective listening, generosity, empathy, communication, and social skills
• Mindfulness and reflection practices that support happiness, thriving, and overall wellbeing
• Exercises include attention training practice, dyad conversations, writing, walking, and group conversations

OUTCOMES

Whether you are coming for personal or professional development, you will learn foundational skills to:

• Enhance mental fitness and clarity
• Develop agile and adaptive mindsets
• Reduce stress responses
• Increase resilience
• Improve access to creativity
• Develop greater self-awareness
• Enhance emotion regulation
• Improve communication skills
• Develop better decision-making skills
• Develop great emotional intelligence
• Experience greater overall wellbeing, thrive!

INSTRUCTORS

Luis Gil

Luis is a mindfulness instructor and emotional intelligence coach with a wide-ranging background in operations, organizational management, education and media production. He has trained and worked extensively with the community of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, as well as with other contemplative communities from SE Asia, organizing and leading gatherings and retreats in the US and Latin America. He's also certified as a teacher by the Search Inside Yourself (SIY) Leadership Institute. Originally developed at Google, The SlY programs take an evidence-based approach combining neuroscience and mindfulness techniques to teach practical emotional intelligence and leadership tools.

Luis has led groups ranging from a handful to a hundred at organizations like Salesforce, HP, Columbia University, the United Nations Development Programme, Coach, the Universidad Ibero americana, among many others.

Regardless of the context, his mission is to share the practical applications of mindfulness as a vehicle to maximize the potential of those he works with, as well as nurture personal, organizational and societal well-being.

Heather O'Neill Jelks

Heather is the President of Nautilus Coaching & Consulting, LLC, an executive coaching and consulting company dedicated to the development of masterful leaders. Heather trained in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction with Jon Kabat-Zinn and has a graduate degree in organization development as well as somatic and leadership coach certifications. An avid runner and meditation practitioner, she introduces her clients to mindfulness concepts and best practices that deepen resilience, wisdom, and well-being. She recently co-authored the book, Missing Conversations: 9 Questions All Leaders Should Ask Themselves, and is passionate about championing mindful leadership as a Search Inside Yourself Certified teacher.

If you have questions about the workshop, please contact Brandi Yee at brandi.yee@actforalexandria.org or 703-739-7778.