Devon DeLeonardo understood the impact of stress early in her career, as she earned a masters degree in wildlife biology that focused on the stress response in mammals. She later earned teaching certifications in middle school sciences, secondary sciences, and administration and served as an elected member of a public school Board of Education. Her personal experience during Covid, as well as witnessing the emotional response of her students, led her to understand the importance of belonging and safety within oneself and in community. Through this deep-knowing, she began embedding mindfulness and self-regulation practices into her classroom. She earned certifications in Trauma-Informed Yoga, Children and Teen’s Yoga, and Advanced Somatic Practices. Amazed by the positive outcome of these strategies, Devon began working directly with teachers as a Mentor Behavior Coach, helping educators understand the connection between cognition and emotion and providing them with tools to create spaces of safety and belonging. She continues to combine her understanding of the science of learning and the science of healing to the work she does with individual clients, specializing in children, teens, and caregivers. Devon teaches courses on Social Emotional Learning at McDaniel College, regularly presents her work in publications and at conferences, and is currently pursuing her license as a yoga therapist.