We dedicate this episode to everyone on the front line and everyone working to make a positive difference at this time. We see you, we appreciate you, and we honor you. This bonus episode is for you.
Gina Rollo White is the Founder of the non-profit, Mindful Junkie. I had the great pleasure of meeting Gina at Lululemon’s International Women’s Day event in DC last month where she and I spoke about doing an episode down the line, but since this type of information is needed now, we decided to get on zoom and do the thing.
In this episode, we talk about how mindfulness can measurably reduce stress and increase wellness for frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and why it is so important to practice mindfulness techniques during this crisis. We focus on topics like:
Stress management
Situational awareness
Interpersonal relations
Responding vs reacting
Trauma and what it is
Mindstate regulation
Body scans
Smiling at bus drivers and the little things that can make a difference
... and more.
Gina Rollo White grew up in a household with two parents who were first responders, and as a child, she saw how the sacrifices her parents made for their communities not only took a toll on their physical and mental health but also created strain at home and in the family.
Gina has spent the last 7 years creating mindfulness workshops and helping our front line heroes stay at the top of their game. Although she primarily works with first responders such as EMS, paramedics, police officers and firefighters (the individuals who put their lives on the line to ensure public safety), she is also sharing her workshops at this time to all front-line workers, as well as everyone and anyone who needs support with their mental health at this time.
She has worked with leadership from police departments, fire departments, and special task force detectives, delivering curriculum specifically tailored to those working in high trauma environments. The Criminal Justice Mindfulness Training Curriculum authored by Gina Rollo White was DCJS approved and has been used as the backbone for all the mindfulness workshops for first responders.
Gina is also an experienced Pilates instructor and has been training with techniques passed down from Joseph Pilates for over 10 years. She believes in the mind-body connection, and she felt a strong pull to incorporate training the mind as part of her physical training efforts. Gina believes that for optimum health, it is important to train your body and mind together.
The non-profit Mindful Junky's mission is to empower first responders with mindfulness strategies to be safe, healthy, and emotionally regulated. They give first responders tools to deal with stress and trauma, as well as increase compassion and empathy. They teach first responders how to manage reactions, notice impulses, and work through emotions - on the job and when they go home.
You can connect with Gina at http://www.mindfuljunkie.com and @mindfuljunkie on Instagram
Special shoutout to Revive Juice (https://revivehealth.life/) for their support in bringing healthy juices to nurses and doctors around the DMV as well as parts of Pennsylvania. You can donate healthy, uplifting juices directly to doctors and nurses by ordering juice at https://revivehealth.life/collections/donations.