Growing Our Voice is born out of the courageous hope to cultivate connection and compassion in our lives. My advocacy began at young age, but became most obvious when I began my career as an educator. During these years, I developed a critical understanding of the importance relationships play in teaching, learning and leading. I further explored this understanding when writing my dissertation on teacher-student and supervisor-teacher relationships. This research ignited an interest in supporting the well-being (professionally and personally) of teachers.

Soon after graduating, I realized that I stopped nurturing my inner life, which negatively affected my well-being and that of my family’s well-being. I felt bereft of a joyful existence, crippled by stress and a multitude of negative emotions. This was not how I wanted to live my life nor what I wanted for my family.  Fortunately, I found the courage to study and practice mindfulness, meditation and compassion cultivation. Nurturing my inner life, deepening my awareness of my relationship to experience, has been both challenging and liberating.  It is a daily practice that supports a meaningful existence, one that I want for my children, for other parents and for the broader community.

My journey has inspired me to seek out ways to build awareness of mindfulness and compassion cultivation practices, and the benefits of meditation. This has led to creating this site, what I hope is a true integration of my knowledge as an educator, a parent and a mindfulness and compassion cultivation practitioner.

I continue to grow as a practitioner and teacher. I recently became a certified instructor of Compassion Cultivation Training through the Compassion Institute. Currently, I am participating in Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program through the Awareness Training Institute and Greater Good Science Center

I wish for this site to be a source of inspiration, and a place for reflection, exploration and connection.  I welcome you to join me on this path of awakening our courage to connect compassionately and mindfully with ourselves and with each other.

With lovingkindness,

Wendy Heckert, Ed.D.
Certified Compassion Educator, Compassion Cultivation Training©