Cheryl Vigder Brause
As one of the leading experts on mindfulness in Westchester, Cheryl has created and led hundreds of programs and taught mindfulness locally and nationally to thousands of adults, teens and children in schools, businesses and privately. Once a corporate litigator and investment banker, Cheryl now uses her decade of personal practice and training to write, speak and teach about the transformative practice of mindfulness meditation. As a busy mother of three, she has expertise in mindful parenting, stress reduction, finding balance and making these ancient practices accessible in our busy, modern lives. Cheryl teaches people from her own personal and relatable experience how everyone can use a few simple tools each day to create a more peaceful, joy-filled, healthier life. She is thrilled to create this incredible space for people to pause and explore the transformative power of meditation.
Cheryl has had extensive training in the fields of meditation and mindfulness. She is a graduate of Mindful Schools Year-Long training, as well as a Mindful Schools Certified Instructor. She is certified in Learning to BREATHE, MBSR for Teens, and Stressed Teens (MBSR-T) and has completed her Level I and Level II Meditation Teacher Training with David Nichtern. Cheryl is a featured expert on the Simple Habit meditation app, which has 2.7 million total signups and an average of 30,000 new users every week, and is a founding teacher for Journey LIVE, an exciting new live-streaming group meditation app. She is also the Co-Founder of www.2bpresent.com and the creator of 2bpTV, providing free online resources and programs to thousands of people and helping them discover the true gifts of learning how to slow down and connect inward to their inner strengths, stillness and unlimited potential.
Caren Osten
Caren is a certified positive psychology life coach, certified mindfulness meditation teacher, speaker and writer. She works with individuals and groups, who seek to cultivate greater positivity, clarity and calm as they navigate life’s daily stresses, challenges and shifts. Caren leads workshops at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health and MNDFL meditation studios, among others, and speaks at conferences, businesses and organizations where she shares the benefits, strategies and science of optimism, self-compassion, mindfulness, and resilience. A contributor to The New York Times, PsychologyToday.com, Mindful and other publications, Caren writes about health and wellbeing, travel and education. You can learn more about her work at www.carenosten.com
Amy L. Gross, Ph.D.
Amy is a licensed clinical psychologist and certified meditation teacher with more than 20 years of experience in the mental health and wellness disciplines. She is currently in private practice in White Plains, NY where she works with adolescents and adults with a variety of issues and spends summers in PA working at a sleepaway camp where she provides campers and staff with social and emotional support as well as mindfulness programing. Amy’s clinical and meditation expertise creates a special synergy that she is excited to share with the Pause community. You can learn more about Amy at www.dr.amylgross.com.
Cindy Olsen
Cindy is a certified Kripalu Mindful Outdoor Guide and founder of Cindy By Nature, LLC. She is passionate about sharing the powerful physical and mental benefits of nature and mindfulness with others. Her outdoor program won the “Best of Westchester” award in 2019 for Best Outdoor Hike. Additionally, she runs mindful awareness programs for various schools, organizations and private clients. She is the mother of two wonderfully wild boys.
Franklin Shire
Franklin is a certified Kripalu Yoga teacher whose practice focuses on breath and body awareness as self awareness, with patience, compassion and non-judgment.
At an unsettled time in his life, Franklin discovered the grounding benefits of meditation and mindful movement which eventually inspired him to share these healing arts with others.
Tara Sussman
Tara is a local mom of 2 young boys and a professional Yogi. She has a dedicated yoga practice of over 20 years, graduated with her 200 hr Yoga Teacher Training from Peaceful Yoga in Malverne and was mentored by renowned Jivamukti trained instructors. Influenced by Tara’s Guru and late Mother Debby, a yoga teacher and holistic healer, Tara has set out on a mission to share the incredible benefits she gets from her own yoga practice with the community. Tara believes that regular yoga practice both on and off your mat is the key to happiness!
Cindy Musoff
A graduate of Pause to Be Present’s Mindfulness teacher training program, Cindy is excited to be combining her mindfulness training with her education background. Cindy has a Masters degree in Education and has taught in public and private school settings. During the pandemic she became an interim nursery school director having the opportunity to work with children, parents and teachers during this stressful time. Cindy is a member of the Blythedale School Board, a NY State Public School for children with complex medical needs. Cindy has three young adult daughters. She wishes she learned more about mindfulness and meditation when they were younger but is thrilled to have found it now and bring these skills to her parenting now.
Dr. Shari Becker
Glenna Lee
Glenna Lee is thrilled to be a member of the Pause to be Present leadership community. With a background in education, Glenna is trained as both a meditation and forest therapy guide with an interest in deepening one’s spirituality, one’s relationship with nature, and our connection to one another. She also serves as a meditation instructor and educator at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan. She looks forward to practicing with each of you.