A few words about working with me

My teenage daughter and I have struggled for many years with our communication and understanding of one another. In order to preserve our relationship and as a way to build her confidence, my daughter started 1:1 mindfulness sessions with J.J. McClain. To say that this has helped us would be an understatement. The changes I've seen in the past 6 weeks with my daughter have been nothing short of remarkable. I now see her performing mindfulness exercises prior to responding to me and in turn also teaching me and others how to use these resources to remain calm and in control of emotions and responses. I have also been witness to her gaining confidence as it pertains to peers, academics and athletics. For the first time in a long time, I feel a sense of hope when I think about the future with my daughter.  

- Parent of a teen who participated in 1:1 Mindfulness Sessions



I love this challenge and want to share how special it has been for me so far. Yesterday I attended a life celebration for a friend/colleague who passed. As I sat in the church thinking about my friend’s life, I caught myself simply taking a quiet moment to be thankful of not only having known him but being thankful for life. Then today, as I was exercising (and looking down on the bike screen), I found myself saying “ I. Love. You.” to get me through the workout. I feel your strength by my side. Can’t wait to see what the rest of the month offers.  

- Grace E. (monthly challenge participant)

I found the “25 Days of Christmas Presence” exercises really beneficial. J.J. has given me some new tools for dealing with stress, as well as just helping me be more aware and present in average daily circumstances. One exercise in particular that I keep returning to is experiencing a moment with all my senses - it really seems to give me a sense of calm.

-Julie B. (monthly challenge participant)



I found J.J.’s lesson on mindfulness and growth mindset very informative and helpful. I have even applied some of the techniques when I get stressed with school, especially on testing days.

- Jamie B. (high school student & school mindfulness session participant)



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I was able to coach a particular girls’ basketball team from elementary to middle school. Throughout our time together, I was able to watch them grow and mature in life and in the game of basketball! I made it my responsibility to not only focus on basketball, but also on life skills they could use for their futures. 

As the eighth grade season started, the coaching staff saw a lot of emotional changes happening within the girls. I did not want to ignore this - because I knew it could make or break our season! So I decided to reach out to J.J. McClain for extra support for our girls. We focused on being in a safe place to talk about strengths, fears, and weaknesses. J.J. used different techniques with the girls and it was infused with short mental strength exercises and yoga. We did this weekly throughout the entire season and the girls loved it and looked forward to it. This was a game changer for our girls and our season! We finished 25-1 in 2 seasons! I am still in contact with every player and they have continued to thank me for what we did for them. 

With the stress our student athletes have in sports and in the classroom, we gave them an extra tool to put in their tool boxes. Mental Health is a real issue and we can lead the way in helping our student athletes through programming such as this. 

- Former Middle School Girls’ Basketball Head Coach

I am not certain there is a way to capture through writing the spirit, the light and the love that is J.J.? I will do my best, but I know I will fall short in my endeavor. I should begin this by saying I am an anxious, nervous person by nature - anyone who spends 5 minutes with me would pick up on that and agree to that statement. The reason this matters in describing J.J. is because when I’m my most fearful, my most anxious, my most vulnerable, she is the one person who calms my soul. By merely being in the same room with J.J., I can instantly feel my breathing come back to normal and my racing heart start to calm. There is a presence about her that is hard to explain - and I think most people who know J.J. would agree. J.J. is able to listen, ask hard questions and offer advice in the most non-judgmental way. She is the first person I think of to share my good news. She is the first person I think of to share my ugliest thoughts. She is the first person I think of to share my scariest moments. And, I know that no matter what it is I’m sharing with her - she will love me unconditionally. I have the extreme privilege to be able to call J.J. “my person”... and I know that plays into my feelings about her. However, that’s where the beauty lies - EVERYONE feels this way about her...not just those of us who are closest to her. Children, teens and adults alike find themselves drawn to J.J. and are able to confide in her in an inexplicable way. 12.5 years ago when I met J.J. - I had no idea the impact she would have on my life. What I do know now however, is that the direction my life took many, many years ago was leading me directly to her. She is my tribe. She is my village. She is my heart. And she is one of the great loves of my life.

- My Person, Kelly H.

For 20+ years, I have had the pleasure of J being by my side. Her smile and personality are magnetic to anyone who comes in contact with her - even though I know how introverted she is and wants to be. Her passion to help others and her ability to bring the best out of them when they feel they have nothing else to give is amazing. Her discipline to fitness and health – for herself and others – is inspiring to me. Her love to me and our kids is second to none and we truly appreciate it every day. 

- Written by my love (and husband), Ty M.


From my people