May 10 2023
This month on the BeInkandescent Health & Wellness show: Meet the leaders of PeaceFull Kids — Inspiring people to develop the habit of intentionally and consistently supporting their happiness and the well-being of those around them
Spring 2023: A Note from Hope Katz Gibbs, host and producer, BeInkandescent Health & Wellness Show — For more than 30 years, Heidi Kaufman and Carolyn Rabidoux have been friends who are on a mission: They are passionate about prioritizing health and wellness. “In 2008, we began working together to bring the well-being tools of yoga to a local elementary school,” explains the co-founders of the nonprofit Peacefull Kids.
On this episode of the BeInkandescent show:
- You’ll learn how with a Greater Rochester Health Foundation grant, this dynamic duo developed and implemented a program that catalyzed wellness throughout the school;
- How it helped hundreds of students increase self-awareness, better manage stress, and get more movement during the school day. In 2018 they launched Peacefull Kids to bring the research and interventions of Positive Psychology to the greater community;
- What these new and powerful tools for educators and students will support their well-being and help them meet challenging times.
Heidi Kaufman is a trailblazer. “In 2006, I introduced yoga to schools because I knew I was also teaching students the life skills of managing energy and emotions through yoga poses. I was passionate about bringing this information to the broader community, so in 2008, I opened the first kids and family yoga studio in Rochester for families to relax, connect, and build their strength and flexibility. I am excited to bring cutting-edge content to schools after completing my Masters in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. The research in positive psychology of character strengths, happiness, resilience, grit, and optimism informs all our work and has given us new frameworks and language to support people in flourishing. At
Carolyn Rabidoux is a masterful teacher. “After 36 years working in public education as a teacher and school and district level administrator, I am very aware of the importance of supporting students’ academic achievement and providing them with the tools to enhance their well-being. I have always believed that supporting teachers and other school personnel’s social/emotional well-being will help each individual and positively impact the students and the school’s culture. I retired from public education in 2020, but my desire to support the well-being of educators and students has not waned. I currently work as a coach for new administrators and hope to pass my passion for wellness initiatives on to the new generation of educators. As a co-owner of