Praise

I have the great opportunity to work with hundreds of teachers in the health and wellness field and have worked closely with Erin on a number of projects as well hired her as a teacher at our center. Erin is amazing. She is well studied, a true practitioner of her teaching and an inspiration to all who have the opportunity to work with her.
~Joan Dwyer, co-creator and owner of All That Matters, Wakefield, RI

Taking Erin’s Mindfulness course literally helped change the course of my life. I had been looking forward to it for a year after witnessing the transformation of so many others. During those 8 weeks shared with Erin and the other participants, l experienced so many profound internal shifts. I remember looking forward to our weekly meetings and homework assignments, eager for new tools to try out and incorporate in my life. Now, years later, I am still using so much of what Erin invited us to try. Thanks to Erin, mindfulness has become a solid rock in my life, around which I have built my ever-shifting journey. ~Brittany Taylor, acro-yogi, entrepreneur, minimalist, Simple Living and Travel, Austin, TX

Erin meets me where I am, both from my head and my heart. I have worked with several coaches over the years and Erin is different in that she has a unique level of empathy, listening and encouragement that truly builds me up. She guides me to my own inner wisdom and helps me find my voice. Erin inspires me the most by actually living the life that I am aspiring to live. I am truly amazed how she is following her heart and choosing the life that brings her meaning and purpose along with obvious joy and freedom. ~JoAnna Brogden, Partner Business Manager, healthcare services industry, Georgia

I was at your Master Class at the BOOST conference last week. I wanted to tell you how much taking your class meant to me. I am back at work today after a week away. With the pressure of being gone that long, not only from work, but also home….I was starting to feel my anxiety rise. I was aware of it and could feel the tension building in my shoulder. I stopped what was doing and did one of the breathing exercises that you taught us. In a few minutes, I was so much better and centered once again. Thank you so much for giving your gift to all. ~Erin Miller, Educator, Pine Valley, CA

Thank you for the wonderful presentation on mindfulness. It was my favorite of all the sessions I attended at the conference (SXSWedu 2016). What I liked is that it was very approachable and understandable by all walks of life. I would love to learn more from you and I am on your mailing list. Thank you once again for your thoughtful presentation.
~Lobat Asadi, ESL faculty, University of Texas at Austin

Mindfulness changed my classroom. Pausing and just existing each morning created an environment that was not only more conducive to learning, it also lowered anxiety levels. I found that my students enjoyed mindfulness and if I forgot in the morning, they were the ones reminding me to pause! Most of my students come from low income & high poverty homes, or with several younger sibling of whom they are in charge. They do not have the opportunity for one quiet moment because they live in packed apartments or mobile home parks. I noticed that when we practiced mindfulness, they were smiling. They loved a moment to themselves and allowed themselves to just BE! It took some time for them to really let go and practice pausing, but even the most resistant student fell in love with pausing. She could be a challenging student as far as behavior goes, and she would ask for a moment to pause whenever she felt she was getting angry. I believe she will take this practice with her throughout life. We also shared positive energy after pausing and before big exams. We purposefully sent out positive and successful thoughts to one another before they took exams. I had a very successful passing rate of the Texas standardized test (92%!) This is a personal record for me. I know mindfulness had a huge part in my classroom management and success.
~Isadora Day, 4th-grade teacher and campus innovation coach, Austin TX (Isadora made these changes after attending just a single 2-hour workshop)

I always feel more clarity after working with Erin. She is amazing! I appreciate her wisdom and compassion as well as her ability to help me see issues with a new perspective. She truly has a gift!
~Dr. Rebecca Marshall, Professor of Speech and Language Pathology, Athens, Georgia

I have personally benefited from the positive effects of mindfulness in the classroom setting, with Erin teaching these mindfulness techniques to my classmates and me. It made such a difference and continues to bless my life in countless ways. I’m a big believer in the endless positive effects of mindfulness, particularly in important learning environments! And I have every confidence in Erin’s effectiveness in teaching mindfulness, along with its needed qualities of compassion, kindness, and self-acceptance. ~Julia Christensen, PA-C, surgical PA, Utah

Erin walked me through a valley I had chosen never to walk down with another individual; she did it authentically and in a very caring way. I am thankful for her conversation and her coaching. I am blessed to have forged a friendship and always look forward to her insight. ~Julie Cline, Senior Manager, JP Morgan Chase, Ohio

Erin Sharaf’s “Mindfulness: the Power of Pausing” was new content for us. The workshop was packed and evaluated as one of our top sessions. She was an excellent presenter: engaging and powerful. I highly recommend her. Teachers loved her and asked that we invite her back.
~Angela Christophe, Senior Director of Programs, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, Washington, DC

I found Erin Sharaf to be an excellent coach! I must admit, when I began my sessions with her, I was feeling quite down in the dumps. With Erin’s professional guidance, it didn’t take long for me to not only return to being my sunny self, but to embrace life with new hope and joy. I greatly appreciated Erin’s calm, objective style. She was astute, wise and non-judgmental. Thank you, Erin, for helping me to find my new path in life. I am most grateful! ~Catherine Sweet, Business Owner, Pittsburgh, PA

I attended a 5 hour retreat with Erin and it was a very positive experience. My goal was to learn more about the benefits of meditation and to learn some relaxation techniques. Erin was very professional and created an environment conducive to learning the basics of meditation through guided exercises. During the retreat I felt the benefits of training the mind and learned how to maintain my knowledge. I continue to practice her techniques and can appreciate the health benefits.
~ Dr. Roy, MD, physician, Rhode Island

I love being coached by Erin because it feels like something magical and momentum-full is always happening. and there’s someone magical along with me, helping, witnessing and celebrating. Erinr eally walks her talk. Her coaching is rooted in the joy and liberation that she knows is possible, and an invitation to join her in living fully.
~Jane Bernstein, Writer, Sheffield, MA

The mindfulness workshop led by Erin Sharaf (at SXSWedu 2015) was the best workshop I’ve ever attended at any conference to date.” ~John Lenox Cope, Web and Creative Coordinator, Fort Worth Independent School District, TX

I can’t imagine a more inspiring or courageous person for you to talk to than Erin. She is a role model for anyone considering taking a leap to follow their hopes and dreams.
~Susan Clancy, MBA, Boston, MA

What a gem! I am so grateful to have met Erin and participated in a coaching ses-sion with her. After allowing me plenty of time to explain my professional conundrum, she skillfully and without judgment proceeded to ask me questions that addressed issues relating to the problem. In this way we were able to together arrive at the root of my dilemma. The tools that she provided continue to serve me today. Our talk worked some magic on me — I am more confident and less fearful. It is evident that Erin’s many years of teaching mindfulness have instilled in her great listening skills and the ability to teach awareness of how thoughts can create unhelpful self perceptions. These skills along with a naturally compassionate, supportive, and easy-going manner, make her an ideal coach. ~Elizabeth DaCosta, MPH, San Francisco

I am so glad I met Erin. I learned so much in just 1 session! My students love the meditation and I know they will benefit greatly from these stress coping strategies. We need more like her in the world!

~Jacqueline Martinez, 4th grade bilingual writing and science teacher, Dallas TX

Erin’s mindfulness teachings during my schooling were such a breath of fresh air and a reminder of the importance of staying present and focused despite living and learning in a fast and multi-tasking world. Recently I asked her to come and speak at Physician Assistant Grand Rounds at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston to introduce mindfulness to the clinicians. Her presentation was so well received by the PA’s and many signed up for Erin’s emails as a reminder of how important it is to be living mindfully to reduce stress and prevent burn out. Her lecture was eye-opening and spoke to many of the providers who often struggle to find balance in their daily life. Thanks Erin for all that you do! ~Janine Ronayne MS, PA-C, Primary Care PA, Boston, MA

Your mindful meditation seminar that I attended last year was just wonderful. It made me look at my life in a new way and made me a little more brave. So, I took some time off from work. I will be attending an Integrative Health seminar and then will be flying to New Zealand! My plans are just to travel around NZ for 3 weeks. I will be attending a yoga festival, other than that my schedule is free. Again, thank you for sharing your skills on meditation and your kind guidance.
~D.L., Medical Provider, Nags Head, NC

In the middle of the craziness of the conference we made a last minute decision to attend a Mindfulness Workshop, led by Erin Sharaf. Our thoughts were that we would go for a ½ hour and then run to the next panel on our schedule. But as soon as we were able to sit, take a pause and pay attention to our breath, we let out a deep sigh of relief and were able to connect back to ourselves, ahhhhh! The purpose of the workshop was for educators to learn some simple mindfulness exercises to take back to their schools and students, but what happened in that room was a group of adults, whose minds’ had been overloaded for three days, were finally given a chance to stop and reconnect with themselves, powerful! We walked out of the Mindfulness Workshop centered, recharged, and filled with clarity. Immediately we were reconnected back to our purpose. ~Shannon Philip, co-founder  of Shinebright, Los Angeles, CA

You have helped me understand myself.
You have helped me believe that I am a divine creation, from source.
You have helped me to see definitively, yet gently, in my own time how my thoughts define my pathway.
You have helped me to see the magic in each day.
You have helped me learn what “knowing” is.
You have helped me believe that when I let go of what no longer serves me, I open myself to what I attract. ~JC, Healer, Powell, OH

Thank you so much for your mindful self-care instructions. I benefited so much from attending your session. I have been reading about mindfulness and meditation for years but it is just now feeling like it is starting to resonate. When you had us actually practice together it really seemed to sink in. Mindfulness is so important so thank you for your work!
~Rana Jones, GEAR UP Outreach Specialist, Kemmerer, WY

Everybody needs this, and how you teach mindfulness makes it so clear.
~Stacy Paulsen, Balanced Living Strategist, Santa Clarita, CA

I thoroughly enjoyed a recent mindfulness retreat with Erin. Although I hadn’t met her or any of the other participants previously, I immediately felt welcomed and at ease. I was comfortable sharing my thoughts and emotions as they arose because Erin created a setting of openness and trust. She skillfully organized a perfect balance of daily practice, healthful meals, quiet reflection, and optional activities with fellow retreatants amidst a stunning setting. It wasn’t easy saying goodbye to everyone as the retreat came to a close – a sense of friendship and interconnectedness had developed in our short time together.”
~Nancy Mackenzie; Growing Mindful Facilitator of Mindfulness in Education
Bristol, Vermont

“Taking your course resulted in massive shifts. In all the years I’d been meditating, I hadn’t fully connected with my body, as meditation is sometimes conveyed as a head-based process. It brought home to me in such a visceral way how powerful our bare attention is. The potency in bringing awareness into the belly, and into every body part, and the body as a whole, is so enormous. I hadn’t realized.

It seemed to me there had to be something I was supposed to do or visualize that I was incapable of, and yet all I had to do was clear the way for this essential awareness and allow it.

I’m gobsmacked by my re-introduction to good health and “normal” digestion—I don’t think I can adequately convey to you how sick I was, extending back into my twenties. I had certainly given up hope of ever eating normally or being able to live without medication.

Thank you, endlessly, for facilitating the teachings so well and being able to convey such vital principles so consistently.”
~Maria Mutch, writer

“Erin was wonderful and nothing seemed to phase her. I gave her quite a variation of topics in the time we worked together. She was never surprised or unprepared. Based on what I was needing that day, Erin would come up with just the right tool for us to utilize together to process it.  Erin had many tools in her armamentarium to use and all I needed to do was be clear on where I was, she did the rest! She sat in the driver’s seat – all I needed to do was focus on me. Erin is incredibly empathic and intuitive.  I have worked with many others and I often would end up being the coach or ‘managing’ the session. With Erin, I could sit back, relax and know she had everything covered.

Erin is also incredibly compassionate and a great listener as well, which helped some of my deep wounds heal. I felt heard and validated in her responses to me and my concerns.”
~Meg Seitz, Physician Assistant

Written feedback given after a presentation at National Alliance of Public Charter Schools:

• The session exceeded my expectations. It was fabulous!
• Excellent Class! Bring back next year.
• Phenomenal!
• Awesome-she was great!!
• Ms. Sharaf was the perfect facilitator as she had a calming presence, which helped me buy in.
• Excellent presentation!
• Thank you for the peace practice!!
• Erin Sharaf is an excellent presenter! Best session attended, powerful and engaging.
• Amazing! Thank you!
• Excellent. I feel refreshed, calm and ready to notice my thoughts and make wise choices.
• Wonderful, insightful, powerful. A must for everyone!
• I had no expectations but was wonderfully surprised.
• Really good stuff. Lots of strategies to take away.
• Very powerful session. A must for those serving students.

Anonymous feedback:

• I am extremely grateful that this class was offered. Life seems richer than it did before. Things have more depth. I think I have become a better communicator. This course has affected my life in ways that I could have never imagined.
• I have come to greatly enjoy the practice. I am usually smiling when I go to sleep and am eager to get up and start fulfilling my intention in the morning. The more mindfulness I work into my days, the more energy I seem to have. Even with lots of personal changes looming, I feel happy and content. I have realized that I study and plan for the future much better if I give myself a break when I want it rather than pushing through until I am ragged and frantic. I feel like I have started down a path to make myself a more strong and capable person.
• From this class I have noticed that I am less anxious. I have also noticed that my communication with people has changed. I feel more confident in my ability to communicate what I am saying without there being a negative charge. I feel I can say what I need to say from a place of love rather than a place of fear. I will definitely continue to use mindfulness practices in my daily life as I feel the positive effects.
• I was not expecting mindfulness to help me as much as it has. In the last year I’ve made a large effort to get my anxiety and depression under control and I believe that my mindfulness practice has helped immensely in this process. I feel as if I have more control over my actions and how I react to other people and situations.
• These skills have helped me start healing several relationships.
• I have had such a great experience with mindfulness. I feel like I am living a completely different life than I was before I started practicing. I have learned how to be present. I can watch what is happening and choose how to react to what comes my way. Recognizing this has helped me tremendously. I can see things so much more clearly. I feel like I have a better understanding of myself and how I interact with the outside world. I have more gratitude for the simplest things.
• Mindfulness has been such a positive experience for me and I feel much more relaxed as a whole. I’ve been able to manage my stress much better than before and communicate more effectively as well. I have a new appreciation for life from this experience and I don’t want to forget because the beauty that comes from it is so valuable to me.
• I have found connection with those different from me becoming more and more easy as I stop judging myself and others and allow our commonalities to shine through rather than our differences. It is wonderful to connect. It creates expansion.
• I never expected that I would discover a fundamentally different way to move through life and experience the world. I now try to understand that sometimes there is no right answer, but simply an open-ended world with an infinite number of possible solutions. I find that when I can keep this thought in my mind, I have better conversations, enjoy my free time, and am more creative overall.
• I almost look forward to negative events in the sense that I get excited to have tools to work with them now. I now sleep better. I feel very grateful to have been introduced to these practices as they make space for everything that is me. I can’t imagine my life without mindfulness now.
• Erin is a gift to our lives. I appreciate the time she has invested in this course and in each of us, and I look forward to using the skills she has given us to transform the world into a better place. I am forever grateful. Thank you.
• I love Erin as a teacher and as a person. I am so grateful to have been able to take this mindfulness course; it is one of the best classes I’ve ever taken.
• Amazing teacher!
• Erin is an empathetic listener, radiates joy, and has razor-sharp insight.
• I feel like I have been trying to learn more about myself for the past 24 years. I’ve been noticing and picking up bits and pieces along the way and across countries, but was never so skillfully provided with the chance and the tools to investigate my life, like Erin did for our class.
• Kind and respectful instructor.
• Extremely knowledgeable on the subject matter, clearly a practitioner of the skills herself. Her passion for the subject came through in each class.