About

Pause Breathe and Connect is an organization dedicated to the cultivation of wellbeing in individuals and communities. Our evidence-based curriculum fosters sustainable lifestyle change through positive psychology, narrative practice, and contemplative traditions. We offer workshops, retreats, classes, and consulting services.

PBC was founded by Annie Robinson and Kayleigh Pleas in May 2015 as an antidote to the stress and disconnection so many people in contemporary culture experience. Since then, hundreds of individuals have participated in PBC offerings to learn the skills of mindful living, compassion, and communication.

Founders

Annie Robinson completed a Master of Science in Narrative Medicine at Columbia University in 2014, and previously studied the healing power of stories as an undergraduate at NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study.

As Narrative Coaching Specialist with Eating Disorder Recovery Specialists, Annie helps individuals in the early stages of eating disorder recovery use mindfulness, embodiment, and narrative practices. Inspired by her own recovery, Annie created “On the Road to Recovered” a series which features audio stories told by courageous individuals in recovery from eating disorders. She also launched and curates Inside Stories: Medical Student Experiences, an oral narrative podcast that invites medical students to share their experiences in medical school, and is Program Officer at Health Story Collaborative, a non-profit that creates forums for individuals to tell their stories of personal health challenges.

Annie also serves as a full-spectrum doula, providing compassionate care for women during experiences of abortion, miscarriage, fetal anomaly, and perinatal loss. In February 2015, she completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, and in January 2016 she completed a 50-hour Restorative Yoga Training at Laughing Lotus Yoga Center.

Annie shares her passion for integrative approaches to wellbeing as a coach, writer, and educator. She is dedicated to creating spaces for people to explore the healing potential of interweaving of stories, spirituality, and somatic experience.

Kayleigh Pleas completed her master in applied positive psychology (the science of wellbeing) at the University of Pennsylvania under Dr. Martin Seligman. Her coaching, research, and teaching rest at the intersection of how the mind affects the body, the body affects the mind, and how their interaction can be leveraged for wellbeing. From the peaks of the Himalayas to the classrooms of higher-education, Kayleigh is committed to understanding human flourishing and sharing what she learns with others!

As a wellness & positive psychology coach in private practice since 2010, Kayleigh has helped hundreds of individuals build flourishing lives by employing scientifically proven methods from positive psychology, neuropsychology, nutritional science, and mind-body medicine. Kayleigh currently teaches yoga at Exhale Mind-Body Spa and Strala Yoga, where she guides students to inhabit their bodies from a place of awareness and ease. Kayleigh is honored to teach mindfulness meditation at Mount Sinai Hospital for patients, caregivers, and staff affected by cancer.

Kayleigh is a sought-after speaker and workshop facilitator for corporations, business, and schools. Her expertise spans a variety of topics: mental resilience, meditation, nutrition, motivation, and happiness. For more information, please visit her website: www.kayleighpleas.com.