Mindful. Summit County brings free mindfulness education to the Wasatch Back

PARK CITY, Utah — When longtime Park City yoga and mindfulness teacher Randi Jo Greenberg began offering prenatal yoga more than 20 years ago, she never expected it would lead to a movement grounded in emotional well-being. However, after years of teaching mindfulness in classrooms, libraries, and homes, Greenberg joined forces with fellow educator Rebecca Brenner to build something bigger than themselves — Mindful. Summit County.

The nonprofit, founded in 2022, is rooted in one guiding principle: mindfulness should be accessible, inclusive and relevant for all.

“We realized we were trying to do the same work separately,” Greenberg said. “Coming together meant we could offer something Park City didn’t yet have — a local community dedicated to mindfulness education, classes and events available to everyone.”

Before launching the nonprofit, Greenberg and Brenner had spent years co-facilitating Mindful Schools programming in the Park City School District, training teachers to embed short mindfulness practices into the school day. They also taught at Park City Hospital and through other community partnerships.

The organization now offers free public classes and events, many funded by grants and donations—the goal is to eliminate cost as a barrier to mental and emotional health.

“Park City has many options for wellness,” Greenberg said. “But not all of them are financially accessible. We wanted to create a free way for people to care for their mental health.”

A network of community partnerships

Mindful. Summit County partners with local nonprofits, schools and civic organizations to offer free mindfulness programming across the Wasatch Back, including regular events at the Park City Library, Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter, and locations throughout the Park City School District.

Greenberg currently leads a free weekly mindfulness class every Wednesday evening at the library, attracting a mix of newcomers and longtime attendees seeking stress relief, emotional balance and connection.

“Recently, several participants opened up about grief,” she said. “Even though they didn’t know each other, they shared openly. We did a practice that offered peace and support to everyone in the room.”

Those moments, she said, reflect the organization’s mission: to foster compassion, courage and belonging in real-world spaces.

Practical tools for everyday life

Greenberg focuses on mindfulness techniques that can be used in everyday situations — from a child calming themselves in the back seat of a car to an adult pausing before a difficult conversation.

“I offer a lot of informal practices,” she said. “Whether you’re sitting in your car before a meeting or preparing for a conversation at the dinner table, these tools are designed to meet people where they are.”

One longtime student used those same tools while recovering from a traumatic brain injury after a ski accident. The student later told Greenberg that mindfulness helped her manage pain, cultivate patience and extend compassion — even toward the skier who caused the crash.

“She said the practices helped her stay centered through an incredibly difficult experience,” Greenberg said.

Meeting people where they are

While Mindful. Summit County has expanded access to mindfulness practices across the region, the nonprofit faces one ongoing challenge: it doesn’t have a permanent space.

Instead, it operates from libraries, nonprofit offices and shared public spaces.

“Not having our own space can be difficult,” Greenberg said. “But it’s also pushed us to focus on real-world mindfulness — not just peaceful meditation, but how we show up in chaotic moments.”

She added that offering programs in public spaces has helped normalize mindfulness across different age groups and backgrounds.

“Whether someone’s joining us in a hospital conference room or a garden with their kids, they’re learning that these practices are for everyone — not just people who can afford a wellness retreat.”

Fostering inclusion

The organization’s focus on inclusion goes beyond free classes. Sometimes, it means sponsoring an instructor to receive specialized training. Other times, it means collaborating with bilingual educators to reach more families.

“In our school programs, we often ask students to teach their parents,” Greenberg said. “When a child shows a parent how to breathe or sit quietly, it starts a ripple effect.”

Looking ahead

Greenberg and Brenner hope to expand Mindful. Summit County’s impact by strengthening relationships with schools, nonprofits, and businesses.

“Our dream is that every organization sees mindfulness not as an extra, but as a foundation for well-being,” Greenberg said.

They also envision a dedicated space — a home for the nonprofit where people of all ages can gather, learn and connect.

“Until then,” Greenberg said, “we’ll keep going where we’re needed, partnering with others, and showing up with an open heart.”

To view current programming or learn more, visit www.mindfulsummitcounty.org.