ABOUT US | Secular Dharma Foundation

ABOUT US

Mindfulness

We acknowledge the efficacy of first-person direct experience allowing for an open and honest exploration of the possibilities of our own embodied and shared humanity.

Psychology

We recognize the advancements, and the wisdom that has arisen as a result of historical and current understandings the of mind and body within various fields of psychology.

Therapeutic Modalities

We recognize the ongoing advancements in clinical psychology. We value the beneficial outcomes that transpire in ongoing therapeutic relations.

Nature Based

Naturalistic observation is the hallmark of scientific inquiry and contemplative practices. We value the role of nature in all our programs.

GOALS

Educate and provide evidence-based theory and instruction in the practice of mindfulness for the development of emotional and psychological health and well-being.

Implement and develop educational material for the pubic concerning the necessity for psychological and emotional health. We focus on mindfulness practice, emotional intelligence, trauma resolution and addiction recovery.

Develop and create online classes and trainings. Provide in-person retreats and workshops.

Integrate nature-based programs to enhance Mindfulness and well-being by connecting individuals with the outdoors in a range of contexts.

MISSION

The mission of the Secular Dharma Foundation (501c) is to foster the advancement of emotional and psychological well-being through the education and integration of mindfulness, psychology, nature-based programming, and various therapeutic modalities. We provide educational tools and resources, mindfulness and emotional skills training through online programs, podcasts, trainings, and retreats.

WHO WE ARE

Lee Norton, Ph.D., MSW, LCSW, Fellow, American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, is an expert traumatologist who specializes in both the clinical and forensic applications of trauma. Trained by renowned trauma experts such as Charles Figley, she has treated hundreds of clients over the past 30 years, has trained clinician and lawyers nationally and internationally, and has written about various topics involving traumatic stress.

Eve Ekman, Ph.D., M.S.W., is a second-generation emotion researcher, an experienced speaker, researcher, and group facilitator. She brings a unique background ideally suited to training individuals and organizations in the science of happiness, resilience, compassion, mindfulness, and emotional awareness. She worked for years as a social worker in health care, criminal justice, and social welfare systems. This experience inspired her to earn her master’s and Ph.D. at UC Berkeley and complete her postdoctoral training at UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Medicine. During her doctoral studies, she pursued an interdisciplinary approach to research through public health, sociology, education, and psychology. Also, during this time, she took over from her father, the role as one of the lead teachers for the Cultivating Emotional Balance program. Her father, Dr. Paul Ekman, scholar and researcher in the field of emotions, along with Buddhist scholar and teacher, Dr. Alan Wallace developed the Cultivating Emotional Balance program at the request of the Dalai Lama at the conclusion of the 2000 Mind and Life Conference.

Hanuman Goleman started the publishing company, Key Step Media, in 2005. The company focuses on mindfulness, emotional intelligence and leadership development and is incorporating a coaching and training component. Most recently, Hanuman Goleman, and his father, New York Times best selling author Daniel Goleman, have created the First Person Plural: EI & Beyond podcast. This podcast goes beyond the theory of emotional intelligence, and investigates stories about us, the systems we’re a part of, and how we create an emotionally intelligent future. Mindfulness has been a part of Hanuman’s life since he did his first 10-day silent retreat as a teen.

Dave Smith is an internationally recognized Buddhist meditation teacher, addiction treatment specialist, and published author. He has extensive experience bringing meditative interventions into jails, prisons, youth detention centers and addiction treatment facilities. Dave teaches residential meditation retreats and classes, provides trainings and consulting in both secular and Buddhist contexts, and works with students through his meditation mentoring program. He recently founded the Secular Dharma Foundation and lives in Paonia, Colorado.

Shannon Smith began practicing the Dharma in 2004. Over the last decade she has been sitting and studying in the Theravada tradition integrating Dharma Practice and addiction recovery practices resulting in more than 25 years of sobriety. In 2014, she stepped out of a long and successful career to have her first son and to become a Co-Founder to a Buddhist-based Recovery Treatment Center working with recovering addicts and their families. During this time, she also graduated from a four-year teacher training program with Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society. Currently, she has relocated to Paonia Colorado to focus on cultivating a more sustainable lifestyle with her husband and two sons. Shannon has taught meditation, led Recovery groups and co-facilitated Year-to-Live groups since 2008. She founded the Secular Dharma Foundation with Dave Smith.

SECULAR DHARMA

What is secular dharma?

A secular perspective is one that is concerned with the world in which we live, here and now. Secularity has no allegiance to any religious, spiritual, or political point of view. The primary emphasis is the study and promotion of human welfare and human flourishing through material means, psychological and emotional health and serving the greater good as its primary duty and ultimate concern.

The study, practice, and integration of dharma is the process of understanding how things come to be, and how to develop a constructive relationship with what happens. We acknowledge that any person can cultivate the contemplative tools needed to develop unshakable inner resources for well-being, health, and happiness. Our theory of dharma is drawn from the early Buddhist tradition as found within the teachings of the Pali canon. We utilize a secular approach to Buddhist texts by seeking to understand the social, historical, psychological, and ethical implications of these ideas rather than literal interpretations or strict adherence to any particular set of views, traditions or dogmas. Openness, tolerance, and continued dialog are our core principles.