CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A weekly community mindfulness meditation group begins Wednesday, Feb. 5, at the Lake Family Resource Center's Clearlake office, located at 15120 Lakeshore Drive.

Local mindfulness teacher and author JoAnn Saccato, MA will host the weekly group which runs from 6 to 6:30 p.m.

The community meditation group is offered free as part of Lake Family Resource Center's ongoing commitment to community service and is open to those wishing to learn and practice mindfulness meditation in a safe group setting.

The weekly group begins with a brief instruction for practice and a 20 minute sitting period. No previous mindfulness or meditation experience is necessary. It is designed for both beginners and experienced practitioners alike.

Attendees are invited to wear comfortable clothing. Stillness, gentle movement, kindness and compassion practices will be explored. Drop-ins are welcome.

"Coming together for these simple practices can foster not only a sense of community, but also deepen and strengthen our own practice," explained Saccato, a certified teacher with the Mindfulness Training Institute. "While it can be difficult to start or maintain a practice on our own, gentle guidance with an experienced teacher can enhance the goodness that is possible with a mindfulness practice. Practicing with others has it's own rewards both during and following our time together."

Saccato has been practicing mindfulness for over 25 years and teaching in Lake County for the past several years with an emphasis on stress reduction, anxiety, emotional reactivity, trauma and addiction recovery. She recently headed a team in Lake County working with Mendocino Complex fire survivors through the Lake Family Resource Center's California HOPE project.

Mindfulness is an umbrella term used for a large body of popular health and wellness practices based on purposefully bringing a curious, kind and non-judgmental attention to moment by moment experience.

This scientifically proven approach helps reduce stress and stress-related illnesses, increase focus and attention, decrease incidences of and relapses with depression, reduce anxiety, reduce relapses in addiction, and aids in sleep and digestive disorders. It has also been shown to increase well being, life satisfaction and happiness, as well as improved social relationships.

Saccato is author of two books on mindfulness. Her second book, “Mindful and Intentional Living: A Path to Peace, Clarity and Freedom,” teaches the foundational practices of mindfulness and can be used as a stand-alone introduction to mindfulness as well as accompany coursework. Saccato offers workshops, courses and mindfulness-based coaching in Lake County and abroad.

For more information on Saccato, visit www.MindfulAndIntentionalLiving.com or call 707-350-1719. For more information on Lake Family Resource Center, visit www.LakeFRC.org or call 707-279-0563.