How Gratitude and Breathwork Are Helping Students Build Emotional Resilience in Schools

When The Motion of Gratitude began seven years ago, I had no idea it would grow into something this meaningful — something that would reach classrooms and communities across the country.

What started as a personal practice of slowing down, feeling grateful, and reconnecting with myself has become a movement to help others — especially youth — do the same.

This week on The Motion of Gratitude Podcast, I shared the story of how our work with schools is creating real change in the lives of students and teachers.
🎧 You can listen to the full episode here:
👉 How Gratitude and Breathwork Are Helping Students Build Emotional Resilience in Schools
(Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen.)

Why It Began

I created The Motion of Gratitude Experience to help adults break free from autopilot and rebuild their lives with intention. But as a mother of three, I couldn’t ignore what I was seeing in our children — anxiety, overwhelm, and disconnection at younger and younger ages.

So we created The Motion of Gratitude Guidebooks: tangible, age-appropriate tools that teach students how to slow down, practice gratitude, understand their emotions, and regulate their nervous systems through simple, accessible practices.

The goal was never to add more to their plates — it was to create a foundation for emotional resilience and presence that could be felt, not just taught.

A Case Study in Change

One of the first schools to bring these guidebooks into their classrooms is led by Principal Steve Torrez in Wisconsin — a courageous leader with a background in social work who’s reshaping what education looks like in his community.

Last year, Steve’s sixth graders used The Motion of Gratitude Guidebooks as part of their classroom culture. This year, when we visited again, we saw something remarkable.

During a breathwork session with all 60 middle-school students, we noticed something subtle but powerful:
The sixth and seventh graders — who had practiced gratitude and breathwork before — dropped in with ease. They closed their eyes, regulated their breathing, and settled into stillness.
The eighth graders — new to the experience — struggled to slow down.

It was a visible shift — living proof of what happens when presence and breath become part of the school culture.

Supporting the Caregivers

After the student session, we spent the afternoon with the teachers.
Because when we care for the caregivers, we care for the entire community.

We led a breathwork and nervous-system regulation session for the staff — helping them experience firsthand what calm actually feels like in their bodies. One teacher shared, “I didn’t realize how much I was holding until I finally stopped.”

This is what transformation looks like — when teachers and students learn together that slowing down isn’t falling behind. It’s how we begin to thrive.

The Ripple Effect

Now in its second year, this partnership is showing measurable change — students more comfortable with mindfulness, teachers modeling presence, and a leader courageous enough to make wellbeing part of the school day.

It’s proof that when we normalize stillness, conversation, and connection, we create school cultures that truly support emotional health.

This isn’t just about gratitude or breathwork — it’s about reminding our next generation that peace is possible within them.

Listen & Learn More

To hear the full story, including what happened inside the classroom and the powerful insights from this school’s journey, tune in to the podcast episode:
🎧 Listen to the full conversation on The Motion of Gratitude Podcast

Join the Movement

If you’re an educator, parent, or organization leader who believes wellbeing and emotional regulation belong in everyday life — we’d love to connect.

Learn more about how The Motion of Gratitude Guidebooks and Educator Experiences can support your community:
👉 TheMotionofGratitude.com

Because when we give students and teachers tools to breathe, reflect, and reconnect — we don’t just change classrooms. We change lives.