As a young adult, Alison was desperate for guidance on how to navigate her tumultuous, overwhelmingly empathetic internal landscape, not to mention the world. Through attending Jewish and Buddhist meditation retreats, she realized that through intentional practice it was possible to develop a toolkit for lovingly riding the wild waves of being human. A former public high school teacher and mindfulness program director, Alison incorporates trauma-informed practices into her coaching, leadership, and racial justice work in school communities. She also mentors in Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield’s Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training Program, and offers workshops and one-on-one sessions that focus on supporting the well-being of givers across fields. Alison has trained with the Jewish Meditation Center of Brooklyn, the UMass Center for Mindfulness, Mindful Schools, and Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield. A few years ago, she felt called to contribute more time and energy to Jewish communal contexts and now teaches at sixth & i, on Jewish retreats, and virtually. Alison loves any/all opportunities to integrate community-building, contemplative practice, transformative Jewish ritual, social justice, and joy. On the most recent Peer-Led Retreat Alison taught on, she facilitated: – Self-care and Communal Care through a Jewish Lens – Conscious, Compassionate Communication Infused with Jewish Wisdom – Hitbodedut: An introduction to Jewish Meditation Practice in Nature – Kabbalat Shabbat & Havdallah rituals