MANAGUA, Nicaragua--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Brain Power Wellness recently completed a successful series of events and retreats in Nicaragua, where the organization has been operating since 2016.
The Brain Power Wellness retreat in Nicaragua began taking root years ago when Rebecca Wheaton was living in that country; she started a GoFundMe initiative to fund her own training as a professional BPW trainer. In the years that followed, BPW’s program in Nicaragua expanded to urban non-profit organizations, yoga instructors, and the American Nicaraguan School (ANS).
In 2018, Wheaton moved back to the US to work full-time for BPW, and Marcela Morales, a teacher for ANS, assumed responsibility for the in-country curriculum development. Rebecca remains a devoted BPW staff member and is now the Head of BPW’s Online Department and DC/MD Regional Field Coordinator.
Morales, now a professionally certified BPW instructor, was pivotal in bringing the program to the wider community. During the 2022-23 school year, Morales started a BPW Student Leadership Club with over forty students participating.
In addition to working with the educational institution (ANS), Morales worked closely with an associate, Raúl Amador, to bring a Family Retreat to the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) community of executive corporate leaders at their yearly family retreat.
As a result of Morales’ dedication and passionate collaboration with BPW and Amador, four Brain Power Wellness staff members were able to travel to Nicaragua to join Morales and Amador to roll out the program more fully with parent sessions, a family field day celebration for the student leaders’ families, and training for three additional Teacher Leaders.
As Brain Power Wellness reviews the week’s activities, two major components were offered: working with the ANS community and the corporate family engagement through the YPO retreat.
Throughout the first component, BPW worked with the ANS community. Three new teacher leaders received their first in-person training with BPW staff during this time. Having already received the first CTL (Certified Teacher Leader) session virtually, they were thrilled to experience this training in person.
“The enthusiasm and engagement of these three individuals have been a profound and lively experience for everyone,” said Wheaton. “Teacher leaders are the energetic fuel for a school that has invested in the SEL program with the vision of bringing this wellness mindset and these mind-body exercises school-wide.”
The second component of the week’s activities focused on family and corporate engagement.
Amador shared his enthusiasm for how the mid-May corporate event went:
“Brain Power Wellness facilitated a powerful and unique staff retreat for INVERCASA managers back in December, and after that experience, I was excited to integrate Brain Power into the other wing of my work with YPO. The families loved the fun and closeness that the family retreat provided.”
The family retreat for YPO executives and their families occurred in Guacalito, a beach community near Tola. Families spent quality time together and brainstormed ways to integrate Brain Power Wellness practices and tools into their regular routines, to reduce stress and play together more creatively and harmoniously. The retreat was a huge success, with eighteen families and a total of eighty-two participants.
The retreat’s various components addressed each participant’s diverse challenges and goals. The parent workshop offered parenting tools to minimize feelings of anxiety for themselves and their children; the Family Field Day allowed parents to experience the benefits of Brain Power Wellness exercises for their own mental, emotional, and physical well-being. In addition, the training for the three new Teacher Leaders focused on building enthusiasm and engagement, with the aim of bringing the program to more schools throughout Latin America.
Brain Power Wellness reviews ways to connect with more school communities in Nicaragua and throughout Latin America by utilizing its new Hybrid School Model and a corporate program consisting of services such as executive coaching, virtual wellness classes, staff retreats, and family retreats.
Morales expressed her delight with the events, stating, “Rebecca and I have been dreaming of this trip for years, and now it has actually manifested! We are thrilled to see the ANS and YPO communities embrace Brain Power Wellness so naturally, and we feel deep gratitude for having been able to make such an impact for the students, staff, and families.”
The success of the retreat is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the BPW team members in charge of the Nicaraguan program: Dave Beal, Rebecca Wheaton, Marcela Morales, Raul Amador, Julian Quaresema, Evi Zaimi, Kathryn Meyer, and the ANS and YPO families. Brain Power Wellness is grateful for their support and looks forward to future opportunities to expand the program in Nicaragua and beyond to help more people live healthier and happier lives.
About Brain Power Wellness
Brain Power Wellness is a holistic, school-based wellness organization that supports healthy, happy, and focused school environments. The mission of Brain Power Wellness is to help transform the culture of its partner schools through self-development, mindfulness, community building, retreats, SEL, holistic wellness, and brain training for teachers, students, parents, and administrators. Recently, corporate groups have begun attending Brain Power Wellness retreats, where participants receive powerful tools for creating healthy, sustainable, and happy work environments.