Meet Them at the Door Laughing: The Healing Power of Mindfulness

Description: In his poem "The Guest House," the Sufi poet Rumi suggests that we should welcome in all the "visitors" to our lives – the joys, the depressions, the sorrows – as guides from beyond. In our hustle and bustle world, however, it can be difficult to pay attention to the unfolding of our lives, and many actively avoid the present moment because it seems too painful. In recent years, researchers and practitioners have found that the ancient practice of mindfulness offers a way for clients expand their tolerance for the realities of life and create lives worth living. As a result, mindfulness-based programs are flourishing in the helping professions. In this presentation, Paige Bentley will provide an overview of what mindfulness is and how connecting more fully with our lives can help both clients and counselors cultivate compassion, acceptance, and healing.

About the Presenter: Paige Bentley, MA.Ed., LPC, NCC, is an adjunct clinician at Trinity Center in Winston-Salem. She is completing her Ph.D. in Counseling and Counselor Education at The University of North Carolina Greensboro where she teaches stress management classes to undergraduate and graduate students and supervises counseling interns . She is also an adjunct faculty member at Wake Forest University and has published articles in national peer-reviewed journals. Prior to entering the doctoral program, she was a clinical therapist at CenterPoint Human Services on the adult outpatient unit. There she used mindfulness-based techniques in her work with adults who were dealing with mood and personality disorders. She earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees at Wake Forest University. In addition to her clinical work, she is a yoga instructor registered with the national Yoga Alliance.

RSVP: Please RSVP to Keith Mobley at by Wed. April 25 to confirm seating (space in the private dining room is limited)