At the same time, Riki was experiencing all the stress that comes with being an educator and began seeking tools to support her own emotional well-being. She reconnected with her yoga practice and fell in love with the calm she experienced in her mind and body after a class. Riki became determined to bring this type of experience to her students in an accessible, inclusive way.

Riki went on to get her yoga teacher certification and learned about the ways that movement, breathwork, and meditation can impact the central nervous system. She began incorporating mindfulness practices into her classroom management and one-on-one work with students. In short, the response she witnessed was profound. And it was in those moments, watching her students learn to self-regulate, attend to their emotional needs, and redirect their behaviors, that the small seed that would eventually become BeWell in School® was planted.