12% Happier is a class designed for less privileged women in our community to care for their inner wholeness. The experiential curriculum, which I designed helps women trust themselves more, handle feelings skillfully, treat themselves more kindly, and make good life decisions. In other words, live with more ease and yes, be a little happier. Over the course of 8 weeks in 90-minute classes at Many Rivers, women become aware of being witness to their body, heart, and mind’s rumblings, sorting through it, and being one’s own best friend. Each week women learn a new 12% Tool such as soothing breath (a certain breathing technique to kick in the resting nervous system and calm oneself) that they can begin applying in daily life immediately.

As a pilot, Haven House and I partnered during Spring and Autumn 2015 to offer this class to two different groups of women that had received Haven House services. The spring class was 6 weeks and the autumn class was 7 weeks. Fortunately, we received great reviews from class participants of how this calming time together and tools for the week ahead were helpful in their lives. Pre-post surveys quantified positive learning also.

In 2016, we want to partner again and provide one or two more sessions of our 8-week class, 90-minutes per week at Many Rivers. Haven House will again provide a staff member to assist with logistics and support to women, childcare services, transportation vouchers, and rental space. Again, I will voluntarily teach the class, provide incentives for women’s attendance, and donate childcare space (Art Barn). We would also like to expand this offering to women who are Head Start parents and WIC clients to touch even more women’s lives in our community. Because after all . . . everyone wants to be a little bit happier.