
Bringing yoga and mindfulness to schools
About
MindfulWorks is a woman-owned, state-certified emerging small business (WBE) that offers age-appropriate yoga and mindfulness classes to schools and childcare centers in the Portland Metro area. The classes are designed and taught based on the unique needs and direction of each school and group of students. The goal is to make classes engaging, interactive, and fun for students through yoga-based stories, props, games, and songs.
MindfulWorks aims to make its programming accessible to all children, regardless of socioeconomic background. To achieve this goal, our enrichment classes follow a “school-pay” rather than a “parent-pay” model, allowing us to offer programming on a school-wide basis. This approach promotes equity and has demonstrated a positive impact on the students and schools we serve.
We teach yoga as a tool that children can utilize to cultivate strength, grounding, listening, stillness and community.
Our Classes
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Infant yoga sessions focus on flexibility, patience and bonding. The teachers lead caregivers in 1 on 1 movement with a focus on nurturing and play. We utilize sensory activities, songs and relazation tequniques.
15-20 Minutes
In Classroom/With Caretakers
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Toddlers are natural yogis! In our sessions we embrace this by balancing 1 on 1 and group guided movement. At this age we start to introduce breathing tequniqes and self regulation tools through yoga storytimes, songs, games, and relaxation.
20-25 Minutes
In Classroom/With Caretakers
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These sessions incorporate group guided movement, breathing exercises, imagination activities, partner movement, yoga storytimes, games, songs and social emotional development activites. At this stage students are able to understand larger themes of mindfulness and yoga and utilize them in their daily lives.
25-30 Minutes
In Classroom Or Alternate Area
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Our school-aged classes bring students the tools they need to begin their yoga journey! We use social emotional learning techniques, trauma informed lessons, activities, songs and stories to help them learn ways to move through the world with more awareness.
30-45 Minutes
In Classroom or Alternate Area
Offerings
Starter
Weekly/Recurring
25 Minute Sessions
Minimum 4 Sessions (Weekly)
Maximum 8 Sessions (Weekly)
Up to 25 Students Per Session
Essential
Bi-Weekly/Recurring
25 Minute Sessions
Minimum 8 Sessions (Weekly)
Maximum 16 Sessions (Weekly)
Up to 25 Students Per Session
Seasonal Newsletter Update for Parents & School
Single
Single Class
25 Minute Sessions
Minimum 4 Sessions
Maximum 8 Sessions
Up to 25 Students Per Session
Custom
Does your organization or school require a unique program?
Teachers
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Sarah Clark
OWNER & FOUNDER
Experienced-Registered Yoga Teacher 300+Hours Taught (E-RYT)
200-Hour Trauma-Informed Certification (RYT)
90-Hour YogaCalm for Children Certification (C-RYT)
MindfulWorks was founded by Sarah Clark in 2019. As an educator and student of yoga, she instinctively incorporated yoga and mindfulness practices into her classroom before she decided to make it her full-time mission to teach yoga to kids in schools.
Sarah's journey with yoga began in 2010. Over the years her practice deepened, along with her love for teaching. She gained her formal classroom and Yoga teaching certifications in Taiwan, India, and Portland.
As a yoga and classroom teacher Sarah has taught ages K-12 in various settings including Montessori schools, after-school centers, retreats, preschools, and yoga studios.
Sarah sees this work as part of her service to others on her path of yoga and the mission of MindfulWorks to offer yoga and mindfulness to all children.
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Elena López
SUBSTITUTE TEACHER
Certified Yoga Teacher 200-Hour (CYT)
Certified Meditation Teacher 200-Hour (CMT)
I was 16 years old when I stumbled upon a heart-centered yoga class and unknowingly, was the beginning of my yoga journey. I practiced on and off for 10 years, always coming back to the mindbody connection and grounding myself and my work in that energy. Yoga has brought me healing with my relationship to self and body, and joy in movement and expression. It has become a tool in my everyday life and infuses my work on and off the mat.
I became a certified yoga and meditation teacher in 2023 at Sukha Yoga in Austin, TX not only to expand my personal practices, but to learn ways to share and open the door for others. It's been an honor to hold space for people of all ages and abilities to explore joyful movement and connect with self and community! I infuse my offerings with warmth and encouragement to trust oneself, a skill we can always grow.Working with youth is an absolute pleasure as I have worked with kids my entire professional career- their curiosity, playfulness and creativity inspires me to bring as much fun as I can to my classes!
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Melina Barry
SUBSTITUTE TEACHER
Registered Yoga Teacher 300-Hour (RYT)
Trauma-Informed Trained
Yoga is a gift I found early in life as a means to move the body and calm the mind. I began attending yoga classes with my mom in my youth and found that attending lunch-hour yoga classes was a great way to break up my day and destress from my corporate job later in life. I wanted to share that experience with others and decided to obtain my initial 300-hour Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) in 2017.
Since then, a TBI changed the trajectory of my career and I found myself teaching yoga full time and furthering my education; completing TBI YTT from Love Your Brain, Trauma-Informed Yoga Training with Street Yoga, Meditation Certification from Aura Wellness Center, Nutritionist Certification at ISSA and many other workshops and classes.
My yoga career began with teaching in studio group classes and has evolved to teaching one-on-one classes to students of all ages and abilities. I am honored to be a part of MindfulWorks and am passionate about the mission of offering the gift of yoga and mindfulness to children.
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Rebecca
SUBSTITUTE TEACHER
Registered Yoga Teacher 200-Hours (RYT)
During my second year of college, I took my first yoga class. During my first pregnancy ten years later, it was my participation in a “Yoga Way to Birth” series when the practice of Mindfulness brought Yoga to a deeper level for me and I had my first inspiration to teach Yoga.
In 2016 I did find my teacher, Susan Bass, and her school ‘The Sarasvati Institute of Ayurveda and Yoga Therapy’. I am currently studying the advanced curriculum and will have completed 1100 hours when I’m done!
My passion is bringing Yoga offerings to people at all Stages Of Life. In collaboration with Mindful Works, I am honored to practice Yoga with those in the 0-7 stage of development when these beautiful human beings have so recently joined us in life. And it’s so fun!
Testimonials
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Thank you for your patience and dedication during yoga class. I'm so glad that Emma is introduced to a calming practice at such a young age.
Emma’s Family, Portland, OR
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The teachers and the students get a lot out of the infant yoga classes. There is a lot of one on one attention and relationship building between the caregiver and the child during class.
Lead Montessori Teacher, Mindful Montessori
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I had the pleasure of attending Sarah’s yoga classes in Goa, India. Her knowledge and teaching was amazing. She is kind and compassionate and what I really enjoy about Sarah is she is real. She teaches from her heart and has a sense of humor. I would highly recommend Sarah as a yoga teacher.
Jodi, Student, Goa, India
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I will never forget the first time Ms. Sarah guided my room of 15 two year olds. The peace they mirrored from her focused and present yoga session was remarkable. I stay impressed with her preparedness and peaceful presence. Our center is very lucky to have her.
Alisha, Mindful Montessori Beaverton Lead Guide
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Every school should have these yoga programs. It really gives them alternate ways to express their feelings and they enjoy the classes so much.
Toddler Teacher at Grandma’s Learning Center
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One time my daughter stopped what she was doing and started doing "yoga sippies". I asked what she was doing, and she replied that she was calming her body with yoga.
Parent of 4-Year-Old Student
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We love having the yoga programs at our schools. The teacher is great. She comes in and does her classes with the kids, who love it, and we don't have to adjust our school or schedule. It makes programming simple and it is something the kids look forward to each week.
School Director
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Look Ms. Sarah, I can do my deep breaths when I am sad or angry. It makes me feel better. Can I show you?
Student After Class 4.5 Years Old
Get in Touch
Excited about bringing yoga and mindfulness to your school? Share your details with us and we'll reach out soon. We can’t wait to work with you!