When Students Become Teachers: Nature of Mindfulness’ Anthony Berlingeri
This is the first story in a two-part series about Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) graduates who have returned to the classroom as Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) leaders.
Click here to read about CreationCamp’s Nadeem Aljaber.
When Anthony Berlingeri first returned to Sir Allan MacNab Secondary School in an instructional role, he was quickly reminded of his experiences as a teenager.
“It gave me a lot of anxiety. It’s amazing how it brings you back to that bad place,” he said. “But once I was engaging with students, it was healing.”
Berlingeri is the Creator of Nature of Mindfulness, a platform where he is able to share a wealth of mindfulness practices. He has been fortunate enough to lead sessions for hospitals, corporations, and many HWDSB schools.
The former student was inspired to launch the initiative as a result of his personal high school experience.
“I was struggling with my own mental health and it wasn’t until two or three years after high school that I stumbled across yoga and meditation,” Berlingeri told us. “It was such a powerful practice in my own life and it really helped me find a way to cope with anxiety and stress. I felt compelled to share that.”
Berlingeri is now able to pass along many of the tips and strategies he has learned over the years to current secondary school students. He was referred to HWDSB staff members when they were searching for a way to offer Stress Management certifications for SHSM students.
The MacNab graduate built an entire Stress Management course for students. He incorporated science, meditation, and self-calming techniques into the lessons to explain the science behind stress and ways individuals can help themselves deal with it. Students and teachers loved it so much that one workshop for 30 students became four workshops for 150 students. His vast experience and ability to connect with students have been apparent in every workshop and made it a favourite with Health and Wellness SHSM students.
“I actually just found out about SHSM,” Berlingeri told us. “For me, I felt my options were limited in terms of what I could study. It’s an amazing way for kids to step outside of the box and have more options presented to them.”
Through his SHSM workshop, Anthony is now able to help ensure that students understand the role that stress plays in every day life. He provides them with tools to help quiet their minds and make decision making that much easier.
The passing of this knowledge to today’s high school students is not only beneficial to them, but also helpful for their instructor.
“Honestly, out of everything I’ve done, this has been one of the most therapeutic processes for myself,” said Berlingeri. “It transformed the way I viewed high school and I honestly feel that if I didn’t go back and do these trainings, maybe high school would’ve continued to be a dark chapter in my life.”
For more information about Anthony Berlingeri and Nature of Mindfulness, visit his website. Be sure to also check out HWDSB’s SHSM webpage to learn more about the program.
Updated on Thursday, April 15, 2021.