The newest episode of our university podcast, ‘MindfulU at Naropa University,’ is out now! This week’s episode features Lauren Ciovacco, Naropa graduate (MA Contemplative Psychotherapy & Buddhist Psychology).
Episode 18 – Lauren Ciovacco: A Journey of Discovering Sanity
“I remember it was after the first year I came back to Naropa–I was actually upset with my professors. I was like, “What did you all do? Whatever you offered me, I see the world in a new way now!” I was upset because I saw the world in its fullness. There were things I saw then–when I came to Naropa, I was all sunshine and rainbows. It was all ‘…the world is beautiful and the world is great, and I am going to study Buddhism, and I’m going to be a Buddhist!’ It was an ‘absolute’ kind of thinking. But Naropa gave me a chance to actually stop, pause, and feel — the suffering that is here too.”
Lauren Ciovacco’s lifelong interest in the human experience drew him to seek a BS in psychology from Purdue University, an MA in Buddhism-Informed Contemplative Counseling from Naropa University, and to work in the fields of mental health, safety and security. He formerly held a position as a life skills counselor at Living Well Transitions and is a security team member for the Fox and Boulder Theaters. He is also co-founder and board member of The Nowak Society, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, which aims to redefine how we conceptualize mental health care through consent-based, anti-oppressive, peer support models.
Lauren will be presenting this weekend at Naropa at the 11th Annual Conference for the Society for Humanistic Psychology on ‘The Sanity of Addiction: A Perspective Borne of Wisdom and Compassion.’ Learn more about the conference here.
