Laura Rubino is a passionate Youth Mindfulness Mentor and Yoga Instructor. She is the driving force behind Higher Minds, a transformative education business dedicated to empowering children and adolescents. With over 25 years of experience in teaching and mentoring students across the globe, Laura specializes in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, a proven approach that helps individuals shift from reaction to conscious response, anger to compassion, and anxiety to peace. Laura serves her community by providing Yoga and MIndfulness curriculum to local schools as well as mentors youth across the globe with her online Mindset Mentorships.
Laura Rubino, Mindset Mentor
Introduce yourself! Can you tell us about your background and how you got started in Education?
I grew up in New Jersey outside of Philadelphia. Throughout my childhood, I looked up to my teachers and wanted to become an educator. I have fond memories of playing school, pretending my stuffed animals were my students. After high school, I moved up to the New York City area to attend Fairleigh Dickinson University where I studied Psychology specializing in childhood and adolescent development. I received my Masters in Education, shortly after I began my teaching career at Fairfax County Public Schools, Virginia.
Having a strong desire to travel and learn about new cultures, in 2008 I started my International Teaching career in Stavanger, Norway following South Korea and Colombia. Each country and school opened my mind to new ways of living and educating children. It gave me a broad perspective which has helped me serve children in a wider capacity. I hold those times and students dear to my heart.
Upon returning back to the states, I dove deeper into the teachings of yoga and meditation. During my first 200 RYT Yoga Teacher Training, I would incorporate the practices with my 4th-grade students in Atlantic City. I saw profound positive effects on the children and knew this education was crucial.
The evident positive outcomes on children’s behavior sparked a thirst to learn even more about yoga and mindfulness. This curiosity took me to the birthplace of yoga, India. In 2013, I started my journey joining my teacher on pilgrimage to ancient holy sites. Following the two week pilgrimage, I spent months on a solo adventure, studying yogic texts and Ayurveda at various ashrams. I returned to India in 2015, where I spent a month at Govardhan Eco Village outside of Mumbai to dive deeper and receive my 500 RYT Yoga Teacher Certificate specializing in Youth Mindfulness.
My educational career took me on a world-wide adventure where I accumulated life changing experiences. My purpose in teaching is constantly evolving. Starting Higher Minds in 2018 was a natural progression in fulfilling my life’s purpose of educating our children with the skills they need in order to suffer less and become the future we wish to see.
What is the main mission of Higher Minds and how did the concept for your business originate?
Higher Minds’ mission is to empower our youth with simple tools to become self-aware and regulate their thoughts and emotions. According to the CDC, in 2021 more than 4 in 10 adolescents (42%) felt persistently sad and hopeless leading them to depression and at high risk for suicide, drug usage, and violence.
In response to our current Mental Health Pandemic, I founded Higher Minds, where I currently deliver my Mindfulness and Yoga Curriculum in local schools and serve as an online Youth Mindset Mentor. My online Mindset Mentorships foster curiosity, enthusiasm, and humor. Each Mindful Meet-up Session is dynamic and interactive, employing therapeutic modalities like breathing exercises, guided visualizations, meditation, positive affirmations, yoga, music, dance, art, and literature.
Can you describe the services offered on your website and how they relate to the theme of Higher Minds?
I provide Yoga and Mindfulness for schools, groups and individuals. My Educational Yoga and Mindfulness Curriculum are both integrated during the school day and offered as after school programs. For adults, I provide Professional Development opportunities on how to incorporate Mindfulness into their classroom as well as various Yoga and Mindfulness Workshops to teachers, staff and parents.
Additionally, I am able to serve youth across the globe with my online Youth Mindset Mentorship programs. I offer both 1:1 individualized programs as well as small youth groups. Through these offerings, I have helped numerous mentees overcome anxiety and navigate the challenges of school and family life.
Can you tell me about any notable success story associated with your Youth Mindset Mentorships?
During the Pandemic, schools were closed and children were suffering with extremely high rates of anxiety and depression. Adolesecent suicide was at its all time high. I was able to help many children at this time, but one story particularly sticks out. I was working with a young girl, age of 12. She was overcome with anxiety and her behavior was regressing. She was no longer able to sleep alone at night as well as experienced panic attacks. After a few months in my Mindset Mentorship program, she was able to identify triggers and regulate her emotions before they became unmanageable. She felt empowered with her new knowledge and skills. Eventually, she went back to sleeping in her own bed at night and practiced Mindfulness to minimize her anxiety. There are many other similar success stories. During times of struggle, I remember these success stories which keeps me enthusiastic about helping our youth.
If you could change one thing about Education, what would it be and why?
To be honest, there are many things I wish to see change in our current education system. But if I had to choose only one thing, it would be teaching our children how to regulate their thoughts and emotions.
No one is born with a human manual. We are not given instructions on how to control our thoughts and behaviors. The proven methods of Yoga and Mindfulness should be an essential part of every school’s curriculum world-wide, so the world can become a kinder and more peaceful place.
Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today.
I did not get into meditative and yogic practices until my early 30’s. When I learned these tools I thought to myself, “If I only knew this when I was young, it would have helped me get through much of life’s hardships.” Since around the age of 12, I battled with depression and simply thought this is how my mind works. The basic teaching that I am not my thoughts and I have the power to change them continues to help me connect back to my true nature of peace.
Most adolescents and young adults turn to alcohol or drugs to cope with anxiety, loneliness, broken hearts, depression, etc… mostly because they know no other way. The society promotes the usage of alcohol, the importance of finding the one and accumulating wealth. But real wealth is to count all the things you have that money can not buy. We all intellectualize that money cannot buy happiness, but rarely do we live that simple truth.
What direction are you excited to see Higher Minds go?
The Dalami Lama was quoted, “If all the kids in the world were taught meditation, violence would be eliminated in one generation.” This quote continues to inspire my mission to teach our youth how to connect to their true nature of peace, bliss and knowledge. Our children and adolescents should live a joyful life and not suffer from mental health conditions. This is a vital time in their lives to enjoy and not be weighed down by anxiety, stress, loneliness or depression.
Currently, my part may be small; perhaps it will grow bigger or even world-wide. Lasting change starts with simply one heart, one child at a time. I am excited to see the types of adults the children and adolescents I mentor will become. I am excited to continue to share my passions with our youth. Lastly and most notably, I am excited for a more loving and compassionate world for future generations.
Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or visit my website for more info.
