Impact
We conducted focus groups to explore the impact of mindfulness for programming. This research will be published by Edward Elgar in the Research Handbook of Teacher Wellbeing and Resilience in the spring of 2026. What emerged was striking: the benefits extend into every corner of life. Participants described a shift from professional performance to personal wellbeing, embracing calmer decision‑making, clearer communication, and more compassionate leadership.
One memorable moment came from a participant who was navigating the grief of a loved one. She shared how mindfulness helped her cope, and how a supervisor’s genuine, appreciative feedback amplified that momentum, demonstrating how mindful practices can foster a supportive, human workplace and strengthen resilience at home.
“I had to go to work and I was going through a lot of emotions and then my colleague shared a positive message… there’s a lot of educators that might be going through a lot of stuff and need to be reminded that you’re important too. And mindfulness does help.”
When asked what advice they might give to anyone starting a mindfulness journey, this was echoed by many, “Do it! It changes lives, changes your mood, and changes your inner being.”
YMCA GTA Impact: 85% of YMCA GTA Before and After School educators noted improved mood and behaviour in children using the Mindful Moments Cards on a consistent basis.
The Jays Care Foundation Impact: the Mindful Self Regulation component in the Jays Care Affiliate School’s Manual developed by BeKOA has reached over 60,000 students across Canada.
KOA Coaching Impact: Over 1,000 PDSB students have participated in the KOA Coaching program to date.
Testimonials
The support from organizations, educators, and parents validates our program’s purpose, and we are deeply grateful for their affirmation.
In any new endeavour, the wise course of action is to implement and respond to feedback. This makes us better, wiser, and more effective in carrying out our purpose of transforming lives one breath and step at a time. Thank you to all who were willing to share.
“Working with BeKOA Mindfulness was an outstanding experience for WDC. Natalie and Julie took the time to thoroughly understand our company’s values and operating systems, customizing their workshop to align with our team. The workshop enhanced our team’s ability to focus, provided a means for team building and collaboration, and has ultimately increased overall productivity. Everyone in attendance found relevance in the content and has incorporated aspects of BeKOA’s suggestions into their daily lives. We highly recommend BeKOA Mindfulness for any organization looking to foster a healthier, more mindful work environment.“
– Chris Jeens, President of W.D. Colledge
“BeKoa created the Mindful Self-Regulation curricula for our kid-facing programs. This included the theoretical explanation behind the value of mindfulness and self-regulation practices, as well as a wide range of child-focused activities that staff can lead to help children and youth develop mindful self-regulation skills. In addition, they created a training module for us to use to train our staff. We have trained more than 1500 front-line staff using their curriculum and the feedback has been resoundingly positive. Their content is clear, dynamic, and really easy to apply and front-line staff find it remarkably memorable and helpful.”
Jules Porter, Director, Programs, Jays Care Foundation
“BeKOA has consulted with the YMCA to create Mindful Moments Activity Cards to be used in our Before and After School Care programs. BeKOA took considerable time to understand our specific challenges and needs as it relates to self-regulation and our childcare programs. They consulted with us to create easily accessible and informative activities to support our educators and children with mindful self-regulation. They ensured that the activities align with our curriculum, our vision, and our values. BeKOA is professional, knowledgeable, customer-service driven, culturally and trauma-informed and dedicated to helping organizations and communities thrive.”
Lorrie Huggins, General Manager of Training, Development and Research, YMCA School Board
“The service of KOA Coaching is directly relevant to the Ontario Curriculum, specifically the social and emotional learning skills. The KOA Coaches (grade 4 students) taught all of the classes specific mindfulness-based activities to recognize emotions and to deal with “big” emotions. Due to the teaching of the KOA Coaches, many parents have remarked that their children are using breathing techniques at home. Several kindergarten students are creating their own breath work exercises (e.g., Pokemon breath) and are teaching their personalized versions to their classmates while they are playing. The KOA Coaching program has had a positive impact overall to the school climate, and also fulfills the SEL objectives that are embedded in the Ontario curriculum.”
Cheryl Streete, Principal, Peel District School Board
“The session with BeKOA Mindfulness offered both valuable insights and practical, actionable techniques. We learned mindfulness-based practices that enhance focus and attention, while also providing effective tools for stress management. Grateful for the expertise shared!”
Kimberley Woolverton, CFA Managing Director, Head of Institutional
Beutel, Goodman & Company Ltd.
“BeKOA was the perfect way to allow my child the opportunity to slow down and explore deep breathing and mindful movement in a safe environment. He was fully engaged for the duration of the class and left excited to practice his new strategies at home. The activities were perfect for his emotional regulation needs, tailored to his interests, and open-ended enough that we are able to use them in our daily lives. The mindfulness bag was a well-thought-out way to encourage the children to continue their own journey at home and provided a motivational boost to share their experiences with other family members. I would highly recommend BeKOA to any parent and can’t wait to explore more KOA experiences with my own son.”
Annie – Parent & Teacher
“My kids absolutely loved having the coaches in and really enjoyed learning different ways to help calm their bodies. My students now have a rich bank of tools to help keep them calm and happy! The KOA Coaches have inspired one of my students to create their own breath activity and he taught it to the class. He even created a poster!”
Tamara – Teacher
“My kids enjoyed the sessions and the students coming in to demonstrate. They felt relaxed and calm after doing the breathwork and I have used a few as well! ”
Tania – Teacher
“Natalie Gendron is a trained teacher and knows how to connect with children on their own level. Each aspect of her program was carefully planned out to suit the appropriate age group she was working with. She provided a safe, fun environment where the students were able to try out new poses in a creative way with an engaging storyline to follow. Self-regulation and mindfulness are practices that should be cultivated in the early years. Being able to calm your body and mind is a skill that students need to practice and build upon. Natalie provided a great foundation for learning these skills.”
Siovan – Teacher
“It’s often hard to get your child to slow down and focus. The BeKOA workshop presented many tools and methods to help with this. These included yoga exercises, dance, artwork, books, and objects to calm children. It worked brilliantly on all three of my children. I was shocked. Especially when Natalie had all three of them relaxed in Shavasana! Amazing!”
Laura – Parent
“This is a fantastic program that helps children connect with their feelings and learn valuable calming techniques. These skills have lifelong benefits and we will continue to use them in our class each day. Students enjoyed the content and superhero theme. They were engaged and the instructions were clear. The workshop was also set up so that students who had difficulty self-regulating could sit on their mat, watch or take a minute to lay down if needed. BeKOA is highly recommended for all children!”
Andrea – Teacher
“I would absolutely recommend this workshop. The detail and thought put into the program is amazing and the fact that participants walk out with usable, practical activities and mindfulness techniques makes attending so worth it!!!””
Stacy – Kindergarten Teacher
“Great content and professional delivery of their message. I’ve added 5 minutes of practicing mindfulness into my day. Excellent session.”
-MAFSI Member
Transforming lives one breath, one step, and one moment at a time.
We are a social enterprise, customizing mindfulness-based programs and services.