Hi, I’m Serena.
I am a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Teacher through the University of California, San Diego’s Center for Mindfulness, a National Board Certified Integrative Health & Wellbeing Coach through the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching and Duke Integrative Health and I have a BA in Communications from North Carolina State University.
I began yoga and meditation as a young child. My family is from India, and I was raised with a strong affinity to these modalities. I sat my first silent 10-day meditation retreat in my early 20’s in the Blue Ridge Mountains of NC. It was a transformational experience that ultimately led me to shift careers from non-profit management and delve deeper into mindfulness, integrative and wellbeing, and nature therapy.
I find deep purpose in the path to health, well-being, and stress reduction. I have witnessed the first-hand positive effects it has had on myself and my community. I believe that individuals hold the ultimate power in creating the lives they wish to live and by cultivating a compassionate and mindful awareness, they can utilize the best means they have to do so, themselves.
In 2020, I embarked on a new journey functioning as the Owner, Mindfulness Educator, Facilitator, and Integrative Health and Well-Being Coach at www.serenajain.com. Here I teach mindfulness both virtually and in person on various platforms. My offerings include the renowned 8-week (MBSR) Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program. I also offer beginner – advanced level mindfulness programs for a variety of audiences including non-profit organizations, corporations, schools, educators, college students and K-12 students. In addition to teaching, I partner with individuals and groups to create and sustain habit change through mindfulness based integrative health and well-being coaching. I also deliver keynote talks on mindfulness and integrative health, facilitate workplace well-being & resilience programs and design customized mindfulness-based training programs for organizations.
Prior to this, I spent 13 years in a non-profit management and fundraising career where I supported several large-scale organizations including the Boys & Girls Club, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and the Drumthwacket Foundation. I am also a trained Montessori school teacher and spent three years teaching in the classroom.
When I am not at work, you can find me outdoors hiking, skiing, walking, and exploring the natural world with my children.
My mission as a mindfulness teacher and integrative health and well-being coach is to make the world a more mindful and compassionate one by making the teachings of mindfulness and health and well-being more easily accessible for all individuals helping them to become more fully present and empowering them to envision and create the changes they want for healthier and happier lives.
Specialties
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), University of California, San Diego, Center for Mindfulness
- Integrative Health & Wellbeing Coaching, Duke Integrative Medicine
- National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, The National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching
- Workplace Programs in Mindfulness
- Education Programs in Mindfulness
- Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness, The University of Oxford Mindfulness Centre
Interests
- Improvisation & Stand-up – Comedy is a pathway to presence. I have been doing improv for years and have dabbled in standup comedy. It’s fun, provides endless laughter, and I enjoy performing on stage.
- Nature – Anything outdoors, from hiking to skiing, to simply being in nature. I grew up in the woods of North Carolina and it is my ultimate source of joy and inspiration.
- Poetry – Poetry expresses what words cannot and I find it flows when I am in present moment awareness.
- Drawing – I enjoy creating pen and ink artwork. It’s another pathway to presence.
Featured in Q&A with Duke Health & Well-Being Coach Training Program
