The Institute for Spirituality and Health Collaborates with Baylor College of Medicine to Offer Yoga and Mindfulness Classes for Students
PRESS RELEASE
In collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine, the Institute for Spirituality and Health provides virtual and in-person yoga and meditation programs that improve mental focus and reduce stress for middle school and high school students. These classes engage 60 students per semester at Baylor College of Medicine Biotech Academy at Rusk and 120 students per semester at DeBakey High School for Health Professions, respectively. The classes are conducted twice a week for 25 minutes per class. Both magnet schools are affiliated with the Houston Independent School District.
Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine conducted a study on the program and found a positive impact on students’ performance and wellbeing. The results were published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine and have been included in presentations at national and international conferences of the American Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists.
The 2021 Fall Semester marks the fifth year of yoga and mindfulness classes at DeBakey High School and the second semester at Rusk Middle School. Students who participate in these classes must have a signed parental release on file and are aware they will be participating in a special program.
Lex Gillan, the Institute’s lead faculty member and yoga trainer of 47 years, wrote the curriculum for these classes and serves as the primary liaison with yoga instructors, researchers, school administrators, teachers, and students.
“Teachers have reported, and researchers have validated that the kids involved in our yoga and mindfulness classes at these two schools are better behaved in their core curriculum classes; their minds are more relaxed; and they are more proactive in completing their school assignments because of their yoga and mindfulness practices,” Gillan commented. “Overall, these students are getting better grades; they are more attentive and focused; and they are experiencing less stress.”
Cyrus Wirls, director of programs for the Institute, works closely with Gillan and serves as an instructor of yoga and mindfulness classes at DeBakey High School. Co-coordinating with the students, Wirls leads weekly mind-body wellness sessions for members of DeBakey’s Fitness and Wellness Club. Wirls also coordinates mind-body skills groups and workshops for healthcare providers, social service organizations, faith communities, and others in need.
“Yoga and meditation empower young people to manage their stress levels and connect with themselves authentically, fostering healthy relationships with their own bodies and emotions as well as with their peers. These programs are especially vital given the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to create for people of all ages.”
The Institute for Spirituality and Health exists to enhance well-being by exploring the relationship between spirituality and health. Since 1955, as a founding member of the Texas Medical Center, the Institute for Spirituality and Health has pioneered innovative education, research, and direct service programs and is available to develop and implement customized mind-body programs for children, teens, and adults, seeking to bridge faith and health towards wholeness and thriving.
For more information about the Institute and its yoga and meditation programs for youth and teens, please contact programs@ish- tmc.org or visit www.spiritualityandhealth.org/mindbodygroups.
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Media Contact:
Laura Pennino, Senior PR Consultant for the Institute for Spirituality and Health
281-286-9398 office
713-419-1776 mobile
lp@penninoandpartners.com