When Erin Schulte was working on her doctorate, yoga offered the coping mechanism she needed to balance school and work. Outside of her Ph.D. program, she served as a school counselor and noticed many of those mindfulness techniques could benefit her students. At the suggestion of her adviser, Schulte became a yoga instructor and began teaching these methods while measuring data for her dissertation, “Yoga and Adolescent Psychological Health, Depressive Symptoms, and Flourishing.”
Today, Schulte is the coordinator of Counseling and Character Education for Parkway School District, as well as an instructor at Practicing Yoga Studio in South City. She is focused on helping students “respond rather than react” through such programs as P.E. yoga sessions, student mental health days, and faculty developmental courses. For youngsters, Schulte says the physical aspect of yoga often helps combat shorter attention spans. For teens, it might mean guided in-class meditation or using time between classes to find a mindful moment; some have shared appreciation for the time spent away from screens. The goal is to help kids cope with their emotions while learning to express their needs in a healthy way.
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In addition to supporting local yoga studios, Schulte recommends such apps as Headspace, Calm, and Breathe, as well as on-demand classes from Cosmic Kids Yoga and Glo.com.
