Finding the Pause
What does it feel like to slow down when things are changing? This month, the NYS TINRC team has been exploring that question. We’ve been finding ways to stay connected during times of change and learning that some of our most meaningful growth happens when we take time to pause, reflect, and connect with others
At our recent Quarterly Network Meeting, NYS TINRC Senior Consultant Gwendylon Olton led the group through a powerful reflection on “Holding Space for Big Emotions.” My biggest takeaway was the importance of taking a moment to pause, breathe, and reflect. That brief pause before responding helps create a sense of care and safety, not only for us but for everyone involved in the conversation.
One of my favorite ways to build that pause and breath into my day, especially after dealing with strong emotions, is joining a Breath Body Mind session. In just 30 minutes, I feel more centered and grounded. It is a simple gift to myself that benefits both my mind and body. And now that BBM offers sessions seven days a week, there are even more opportunities to slow down, recharge, and support our individual and shared well-bring.
Full BBM sessions and details can be found here
A few questions to sit with today:
Marie Gillum, MS, CDP (she/her)
Director, DEI Transformation
Coordinated Care Services, Inc.
The NYS Office of Mental Health, through the NYS Trauma-Informed Network & Resource Center, sponsors daily Breath-Body-Mind™ Practice Sessions.
Breath-Body-Mind™ (BBM) practices calm the nervous system, improve well-being and help you feel more resilient to stress over time. Some participants who have attended a BBM practice session stated the following:
“A scheduled time to disconnect with other things and stop racing thoughts. Having a time that it starts encourages me to actually practice.”
“I enjoy the sense of community that has been fostered amongst the instructors and the participants, especially since more classes were added.”
“I appreciate the science base that guides the BBM fundamentals and practices. The class instructors are knowledgeable and professional.”
Sessions are now offered 7 days a week, up to 3 times daily, with options available in Spanish.
Visit the NYS TINRC website for the full session schedule and find a time that works for you. We’d love to see you there!
The Breath-Body-Mind Foundation teaches evidence-based, breath-centered techniques to adults and children across the world. This global presence brings a diverse group of individuals, including BBM teachers, together in a common goal of supporting wellness. Below, check out our first BBM teacher spotlight, celebrating the amazing team of BBM teachers who bring their expertise to practices.
I’m Juliana Voznyuk, a Breath-Body-Mind Senior Teacher from Lviv, Ukraine. I have been living in different countries and continents half of my life. While it felt exciting at the moment, constant change of language, culture and environment was also exhausting for my nervous system. When I stumbled into Breath-Body-Mind in 2022, for the first time I realized that it’s possible to replenish my energy reserves at will. That realization was life changing. Now I am helping women around the world and in Ukraine take control of how they feel in their everyday life through the Breath-Body-Mind method.
We spent time connecting with fairgoers and highlighting resources for our state’s frontline workforce – such as the FLW Wellness Toolkit and Breath-Body-Mind™ practices. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to say hello and connect!
Delivery drivers are vital in keeping businesses and communities running every day. They transport food, supplies, packages, and other important goods. Their job requires managing schedules, dealing with traffic, changing conditions, meeting customer needs, and making sure deliveries arrive safely and on time.
This month, our Frontline Worker Wellness Toolkit Industry Spotlight focuses on delivery drivers. We spoke with Mieke Ulrop, PHR, Vice President of Organizational Development & Safety at Palmer Food Services in Rochester, New York, about Palmer’s approach to employee wellness and why the Toolkit’s Stress Management for Delivery Drivers resource stood out to her.
What does workplace wellness mean to your organization?
What is one resource from the Toolkit that aligns with your workforce? Could you share your thoughts on why that tool or topic is important?
Is there anything Palmer Foods is currently doing to support employee wellbeing that you’d like to highlight?
Supporting Delivery Drivers on the Job
This resource gives delivery drivers practical ways to recognize and manage stress while on the job. It helps workers identify common stressors and signs of fatigue, and it offers simple strategies to reduce stress. The resource can be used on its own or as part of a team or safety meeting.
When someone is upset, angry, or afraid, we often think about what we should say. But before we even speak, our bodies are already sending messages. If your body senses danger, it gets ready to protect you. Your shoulders may tighten. Your jaw may clench. Your heart may beat faster. Your breathing may become quick and shallow. This is called a threat response. It happens on its own and is meant to keep us safe.
In our final Quarterly Network Meeting of 2026 facilitated by Senior Consultant, Gwen Olton, we explored the self-regulation micro-practice, “Body-Scan-Release”, followed by participants joining regional groups to discuss how support looks in their own workplace and communities.
Missed any of them? Check out all 3 meeting recordings below!
About Debra:
Debra Cady, LCSW, is the Founder and CEO of Silver Linings International, LLC. With more than 40 years of experience, she helps organizations develop emotionally intelligent, trauma-informed leaders who build psychologically safe, resilient workplace cultures.
By Debra Cady, LCSW
When people hear the term emotional intelligence, they often think it is something you either have or do not. My experience has taught me something different.
After years of working with leaders in healthcare, education, human services, government, and nonprofit organizations, research and my experience have taught me that emotional intelligence is not simply a personality trait. It is a practice. Like any skill, it grows through reflection, curiosity, and everyday choices.
By Shalet Laing
In this video, Shalet shares the personal origins of Healing Thru Hip Hop and how her lifelong connection to music evolved into a therapeutic practice. She reflects on using music to process emotions as a child, navigating mental health stigma in Black communities, and ultimately finding her purpose in bridging hip hop culture with clinical work. This section positions her not just as a practitioner, but as someone building a movement rooted in culture, healing, and authenticity.
This course is designed for individuals interested in learning more about BBM practices and ways to integrate them. It teaches simple breathing techniques that relax the mind and body followed by weekly group BBM practices.
Dates: October 11th & 12th
Time: 12pm-6:30pm (both days)
Location: Virtual (both days)
This program helps build a team of trainers across NY who can teach “Tending the Roots Training” courses.
Dates: November 3rd-6th, & 13th
Time: 9am-12pm (3rd-6th) & 9am-5pm (13th)
Location: Virtual (all days)
The NYS TINRC Newsletter is produced by CCSI. The views, opinions, and content expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or policies of the New York State Office of Mental Health (NYS OMH).
