About Our Founder

Mindfulness in the Heartland was founded by Amy Zoe Schonhoff (she/her), a certified teacher of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction through the Mindfulness Center at Brown University and a certified practitioner of Advanced Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness.

To deepen her own personal practice and understanding of the contemplative origins of mindfulness, Amy has also received teaching and instruction from contemporary leaders in the Buddhist tradition, including James Baraz, Shaila Catherine, Christina Feldman, Karen Maezen Miller, Oren Jay Sofer, and Heather Sundberg, to name a few. 

Amy’s mindfulness practice spans over thirty years of personal exploration. Based on her own journey, she has found the practices and principles of mindfulness to be the most instructive and transformative approach to embracing this experience of “being human.” As a result, she is particularly inspired to teach the skills of mindfulness to individuals and communities actively working to integrate and heal from personal and intergenerational trauma. 

Amy will tell you she is certain of a few things, we cannot genuinely experience the joys of life without also accepting its moments of sorrow; because they are two faces of the same coin. Likewise, fundamentally, we are all naturally creative, resourceful, and house the answers to our innermost needs. Mindfulness can bring us home to these truths, time and time again.

It is her intention to inspire you to walk through life with a sense of deep reverence, fully honoring your moment-to-moment experience, bravely leaning into life’s challenges, relinquishing attachments to what “should be” for the sake of what is, and ultimately, living with a greater sense of equanimity—filled with kindness, joy, and compassion for yourself and others.

She lives in Kansas City, Missouri with the loves of her life―her husband and two children.

Our Mission

The mission of Mindfulness in the Heartland is to share the benefits and support the cultivation of mindfulness in individuals and communities living within the Midwest region.

Our Values

Knowledge and Wisdom: We embody what we teach. We believe the best way to transmit the skills of mindfulness and meditation is through the quality of our own training and depth of personal practice. Our ability to guide others in the exploration of mindfulness relies upon the knowledge we’ve developed through gold-standard teacher-training and the wisdom gained through years of extensive mindfulness practice. 

Connection: Feeling a sense of belonging and connection within the world is critical to living our best life. Being in relationship with others who also wish to live with authenticity and awareness is critical to our growth and resolve. All of our offerings are provided in a safe and supportive environment, inclusive to all persons across experience levels, race, gender, sexual orientation, immigration status, gender identity, religion, body size, ability, age, and class.

Sovereignty: We are each our own experts. Our role is to help those committed to their personal growth to develop their ability to connect to their own truth and trust their own process of unfolding.

Heartfulness: Mindfulness is incomplete without the cultivation of the heart. To meet the suffering within ourselves and the world requires a commitment to the cultivation of the attitudes of loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity.

Ready to Take a Deeper Dive?

If you’d like to learn more about the practices and principles of mindfulness, check out our classes and workshops for opportunities to learn and grow.

Already have an existing practice? Consider joining us for ongoing practice opportunities.

Seeking a guest speaker or professional consultation? Reach out to us via our contact page.

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