Probation Staff facilitated two Mind-Body Skills Workshops at the 47th Annual APPA Training Institute in Chicago

Ermelinda Miramontes, Dayla Fillmore, and Alison Lobb represented the Sonoma County Probation Department at the 47^th Annual APPA (American Probation and Parole Association) Training Institute in Chicago at the end of August by facilitating two Mind-Body Skills workshops. Each workshop was based on the Mind-Body Skills trainings that the three conduct for our Department staff as representatives of the Probation Peer Support Program.

The APPA workshops consisted of:

• “Mindfulness for Community Corrections: A Day of Relaxation for Your Busy Mind,” which was a 4-hour workshop attended by 22 colleagues from around the country. They enjoyed learning six mindfulness skills and actively and openly shared their experience with the exercises.
• A 90-minute “From Fight or Flight to Calm and Relaxed: Mind-Body Skills for Community Corrections” was chosen by APPA to be conducted to a large audience in the plenary room and to be live-streamed to virtual attendees.

Participants expressed gratitude and appreciation for both workshops. Ermelinda, Dayla, and Alison were grateful for the support of the Department and for the opportunity to go to APPA and promote mindfulness skills for others working in community corrections.

Our Department is invested in promoting the overall wellness of its employees at every level, providing a work environment that protects the physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing of its staff, and equipping its employees with the necessary tools and resources to recognize and cope effectively with the stresses associated with working in the field of probation.

On behalf of the Department, we thank you for representing Sonoma County Probation Department and the Probation Peer Support Program at APPA in Chicago.