Wellness Practitioner Warner Opens Haverhill Meditation, Yoga Studio

The Merrimack Valley Center for Mindfulness is now open on Water Street in Haverhill, owner Chris Warner tells WHAV. (Courtesy photograph)

The Merrimack Valley Center for Mindfulness is now open on Water Street in Haverhill, owner Chris Warner tells WHAV. (Courtesy photograph)

Longtime wellness practitioner Chris Warner wants to help Haverhill residents become more grounded with the introduction of her Water Street studio called the Merrimack Valley Center for Mindfulness. Located at 1 Water St., Warner’s 900 sq. ft. studio features private and group instruction on meditation, yoga, and mindful living techniques, she tells WHAV.

Boxford-based Warner was inspired to pursue a more mindful path after her husband used meditation and yoga to aid in his recovery from health issues. She became certified in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction in 2010 and is trained to facilitate the Yoga of 12 Step Recovery sessions known as Y12SR.

Guiding teacher Chris Warner

Warner’s goal is simple: To break down the “mindfulness” buzzword into practical techniques to reduce stress and boost wellbeing. To describe the concept for WHAV, Warner took a cue from mindfulness legend Jon Kabat-Zinn.

“Mindfulness, as Jon Kabat-Zinn says, is ‘paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and without judgment.’ And if our lives depend upon it—because they do,” reasons Warner. “Most of us miss out on 90 percent of our lives because we’re either fantasizing about the future or ruminating about the past. When we can really come into this moment, we get to enjoy our lives.”

Officially opening her studio in September, Warner is introducing additional offerings, like a yoga class for men, and mindful eating and writing workshops starting this month. With the exception of select six-week programs, classes are offered on a donation basis.

More than a dozen classes are available weekly, and Warner jokes that there are no pretzel-poses or chanting required.

“Yoga is a technology for living. It has very little to do with the poses or the postures. It has nothing to do with a 115 degree room or how you look in Warrior 1,” Warner explains.

For more information on the Merrimack Valley Center for Mindfulness, visit MVCFM.com or call Warner at 617-759-2288.