Who am I?
I'm Ruthie VanGorder, and I am The Mindful OT. I am an Occupational Therapist and a Mindfulness coach! My mission is to support school districts, families, caregivers and organizations as they navigate sensory processing and self-regulation within their school, home and work communities.
My interest in the effects of yoga and mindfulness on our brain's ability to focus and regulate our bodies led me to pursue training in this area. I received my first yoga certification as a children's instructor in 2018 and completed my 200 hour yoga training with Stephanie Ball-Mitchell with the Yoga and Ayurveda Center in 2020. Additionally, I became a Level II Mindfulness Educator in 2020 at the Balance Living Center in Webster, NY. In 2022 I further enhanced my skills as a Yoga 4 Classrooms Implement Leader with Lisa Flynn and completed a 200 hour yoga and SEL-F curriculum with the incredible Breathe For Change organization. As a nationally licensed OT and a yoga/mindfulness teacher I have found that sharing strategies for regulation with families, school communities, caregivers and organizations provides optimal support for each person involved by cultivating community, connection and shared learning!
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Testimonials
"Ruthie teaches yoga to the primary children at Canandaigua Montessori School. She has such a gentle, beautiful approach with children that truly makes the yoga experience special to each child. Her class is engaging, fun and hands on while teaching the children important skills like being mindful, deep breathing, and calm. It is an honor to offer such an incredible experience with Ruthie to the children of our school".
~Grace, Montessori School Director
"Ruthie came into my classroom every Monday to teach a mindfulness lesson. The students learned breathing techniques, how to calm their "busy" brain and how to manage their emotions at an age appropriate level. We would then use these skills throughout our school week and it helped my students transition peacefully. Their parents would also tell me they would use it at home! She even created a Nature Center at my school with sensory calming stations. I had a few students use it daily! Ruthie is an amazing educator who has helped my students grow socially and emotionally.
~Michelle, 1st grade teacher
"Our family is truly blessed to have had Ms. Ruthie enter our lives. She exudes gentleness, kindness, love and compassion in her work that carries on in the lives she touches. Rowan is now eight years old and continues to practice self-regulation skills, mindfulness, breathing techniqes and yoga. She even encourages others to participate with her. "
~Mary and Rowan B.
"You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf".
Jon Kabat-Zinn
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Mindfulness and OT Consultant
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Spreading awareness of the importance of self-regulation for everyone!
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My name is Ruthie and I blend the foundational framework of Occupational Therapy with the fundamental practices of mindfulness, meditation and social emotional learning (SEL) to offer a unique, whole group approach to teach strategies for recharging, connecting, and balancing. I am passionate about creating an accessible community approach for learning sensory regulation tools! When we work as a community, we create an environment that encourages and empowers one another using mindfulness and OT principles!