Jim and Kimberly Carson

Jim and Kimberly Carson, with their much loved twin children, live in the beautiful city of Portland, Oregon. Together, they have dedicated their lives to the cultivation of peace and joy, and the ease of suffering. From the moment of their wedding vows, they have considered their union as an offering to the unfolding grace of life.

Jim and Kimberly Carson together developed the first mindfulness program for couples (Behavior Therapy, 2004; Journal of Marriage & Family Therapy, 2007). Along with colleagues at Duke, the Carsons also developed the first loving-kindness meditation program for medical patients (Journal of Holistic Nursing, 2005, 2006).

More recently the Carsons have developed the Yoga of Awareness program. At Duke, research trials with Yoga of Awareness have been completed with metastatic breast cancer patients (Journal of Pain & Symptom Management, 2007), and with survivors of early stage breast cancer (Supportive Care in Cancer, 2009). A new trial investigating the effects of Yoga of Awareness training on fibromyalgia patients at Oregon Health & Science University has produced very promising results (Pain, 2010). For more on Yoga of Awareness studies, see Research link.

Jim Carson, PhD, is a former yogic monk who has taught the practices and philoso-
phy of yoga world wide for over 25 years. Now a clinical health psychologist at Oregon
Health & Science University, Jim is applying his expertise to the development and
evaluation of meditation-based clinical treatments.

March Wellness and the Knight Cancer Institute, Duke Medical Center, University of North Carolina Hospitals, and the University of Florida. Kimberly, with her colleague Carol Krucoff, currently offers teacher trainings at Duke's Integrative Medicine Center for yoga teachers interested in teaching senior citizens. In 2011, Kimberly and Jim will be offering yoga teacher trainings for working with students healing from cancer, and students with chronic pain conditions.

Nitya Grace and Shankara, Jim and Kimberly's girl/boy twins, joined the teaching team on 11/11/05. They keep their mommie and papa humble and full of joy.

Kimberly Carson, MPH, eRYT, is a health educator and yoga therapist who specializes in tailoring yoga and meditation to individual needs, specifically for those living with medical challenges. She is certified as a teacher of Kripalu Yoga, Integral Yoga pre & post natal, as well as Cardiac Yoga as taught by Nischala Devi. Kimberly has taught Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction as developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn at OHSU's