Best Places to Practice Mindfulness in Kansas City: Parks, Studios, and Quiet Spots
The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art is a quiet and tranquil place in Kansas City to practice mindfulness.
There are several great places in Kansas City to practice mindfulness. In this blog, we’ll explore what mindfulness is, why it matters, and where you can practice mindfulness in Kansas City.
What Is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment, without judgment, focusing on one's thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations as they arise. Here are some mindfulness thinker’s ideas:
Quotes About Mindfulness
“Mindfulness is the awareness that arises by paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.” - Jon Kabat-Zinn
“Mindfulness is the power of mind to observe free from desire and aversion.” - Joseph Goldstein
“Mindfulness is the ability to see clearly, our inner and outer reality, without the filter of craving and aversion.” - Joseph Goldstein
“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” - Thich Nhat Hanh
Mindfulness is the ability to set aside that analysis that we constantly have going on in our brains that begins to qualify what is good or bad, suffering or pleasure. It is the “noticing” muscle, as I tell my clients.
If you are struggling with developing this “noticing muscle,” try beginning a meditation practice. There are plenty of youtube videos on how to do this. I also like Headspace’s free trial to learn how to meditate as well. If you’re a podcast person, try Dan Harris’s 10 Percent Happier!
Why Is Mindfulness Important In Trauma-Informed Therapy?
Mindfulness matters. It is the foundation on which I build my work with my clients. Their ability to notice and be with their thoughts, emotions, and sensations, is the foundation of our work together.
Mindfulness begets interoceptive awareness; the ability for people to notice what is happening on the inside of their body. Good self-care comes from mindful awareness. It informs us the best route to take care of ourselves based on the feedback and/or signals that our bodies give us. Trauma healing relies on mindfulness, especially when we are talking about EMDR or somatic therapy. When we are working with how trauma is stored in the body, we have to utilize mindfulness in order to identify what is happening in the body so that it can tell us more about the trauma.
How Does Mindfulness Supports Somatic Therapy?
Mindfulness is important to somatic therapy because:
Mindfulness helps clients understand their nervous system states based on the internal feedback their body is giving them.
Mindfulness helps clients understand their window of tolerance
Mindfulness allows therapists to make sure their clients are not too overwhelmed by their trauma intervention
Mindfulness helps to give therapists and clients cues as to how to complete self-protective responses which is key for untangling trauma patterns in the nervous system in order to heal from trauma
How Does Mindfulness Supports Intuitive Eating?
Mindfulness is important to Intuitive Eating because:
Mindfulness helps clients understand their triggers for stress eating and emotional eating
Mindfulness helps clients be more in tune with what their bodies are actually capable of instead of focusing too heavily on how it looks.
Mindfulness allows clients to become more in touch with their hunger and fullness cues
Mindfulness gives clients the ability to understand how their nutrition is impacting their mood and physical being.
Mindfulness helps clients to get in touch with their satiety
How Is Mindfulness Important For Therapy Modalities Like Talk Therapy and EMDR?
Mindfulness is also important to talk therapy, EMDR, and other therapy modalities because it gives the client the ability to gather information about their inner world so that they can make sense of it. Practicing mindfulness is key to being well outside of sessions. In fact, I often prescribe mindfulness as homework in the beginning of working with somebody. It helps to regulate the nervous system and provides feedback about how stress is impacting them. I often, if clients are open to it, recommend learning the basics of mindfulness meditation which can help build that “noticing muscle” I talk about so often.
If you are wanting to try a certain therapy modality but feel worried about not being able to “get it” because you haven’t practiced mindfulness before, not to fret! You don’t have to come in with these sets of skills. It is our job as therapists to help guide you through this. This is why Somatic Experiencing is called just that - we experience in session together. You aren’t alone!
Where Can I Practice Mindfulness in Kansas City?
One of the most beautiful things about living in Kansas City is that there are so many places to practice mindfulness and promote present-moment awareness and self-reflection. Finding the right spot in Kansas City to practice mindfulness helps to make the practice more accessible and enjoyable. Let’s explore places to practice mindfulness in Kansas City a bit here together with the hopes that you can explore them on your own in the future!
What Are The Best Kansas City Parks To Practice Mindfulness?
Explore Loose Park Rose Garden in Kansas City to practice mindfulness.
Image: Kansas City Fountain Tours
Loose Park: Walking Trails and Sensory Mindfulness
Loose park is a great place to practice mindfulness in Kansas City. It has an abundance of things to offer when it comes to getting zen. It is one of the most popular parks in Kansas City for a reason. The walking trails are a great place to get the opportunity to process and regulate while burning off some steam if you’re feeling a bit anxious.
The gorgeous rose garden (if you can catch it in bloom) is a great place to practice sensory mindfulness. How do they look? Feel? Smell? Shaded benches provide a great space to sit and relax and possibly close your eyes while you take inventory of how you are feeling physiologically.
The Nelson Atkins is a peaceful atmosphere to practice mindfulness in Kansas City.
Theis Park & Nelson-Atkins Lawn: Art, Nature, and Stillness
Theis Park and the Nelson Lawn create a peaceful atmosphere where nature and art merge. These are ideal spots to practice mindfulness in Kansas City. People who are inclined to visually meditate or journal quietly would enjoy practicing mindfulness here. If you’re feeling up to it, you could go inside of the museum, find a piece of art that creates a feeling of inner peace and calm, and use that as a focus to enhance your mindfulness practice.
Swope Park in Kansas City offers a place of solitude to practice mindfulness.
Swope Park: Solitude and Somatic Tracking
Swope Park is a lovely space if you’re looking for some solitude to practice mindfulness in Kansas City. Lovely wooden areas can create a sense of being more hidden while you're still in the city. This would be a great place to try a somatic tracking exercise or to take off your shoes and practice some grounding.
Kauffman Memorial Garden is the perfect background to practice mindfulness in Kansas City and enjoy being surrounded by beautiful flowers.
Kauffman Memorial Garden: A Floral Sanctuary for Reflection
Kauffman Memorial Garden is a great place to practice mindfulness in Kansas City for those who feel their best surrounded by beautiful flowers, enjoy the quiet, and appreciate gardening. I would suggest this place to a client of mine who is wanting to do some deeper trauma healing work and has a hard time finding calm in their body. Spaces like these, and the feelings they create for people internally, can be a resource that they use in their treatment.
Try this: Sit next to a flower you find interesting. Notice all of the different parts of the flower that you can. Make no judgments about it, but appreciate it. How it smells, moves in the wind, the colors and shapes present. Just like you would in a meditation, make sure that you come back to the flower every time your attention strays.
What Are Some Mindfulness & Meditation Studios in Kansas City?
True Love Yoga: Trauma-Informed and Body Positive
True Love Yoga in Kansas City is an inclusive, welcoming, trauma-informed space that celebrates every body. If you’re somebody who has historically struggled with body image or difficulty cueing in to body sensations, this is the place for you!
Megan’s Yoga Tribe: Breathwork and Community Healing
Megan’s Yoga Tribe has three locations in Kansas City to practice mindfulness and a whole host of classes and teachers to choose from. They have created a wonderful, welcoming community of people who are there to support each other. They regularly offer sound healing, breathwork, restorative yoga, and slow flow classes, all aimed at helping their patrons create a deeper connection to themselves, which is is essential for trauma healing!
Unity Temple on the Plaza: Silent Meditation Room
Unity Temple offers free, secular meditation spaces 7 days a week, 365 days a year. If you’re somebody who has a hard time practicing silent meditation in their house and needs a dedicated space to practice meditation in Kansas City, this is a great option.
The Midwest Alliance for Mindfulness: Classes and MBSR Courses
The Midwest Alliance For Mindfulness creates a trauma healing environment with its mindfulness classes, workshops, and seminars. This is for the person who is looking to be more mindful in their daily life but has a hard time conceptualizing what that means. They also provide Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction courses, which is an evidence-based intervention for chronic stress. Check them out!
What Are Some Unconventional Spots to Practice Mindfulness in Kansas City?
Not every moment of mindfulness has to happen on a yoga mat or deep in nature. Sometimes the most powerful practices happen in unexpected places. These unconventional spots to practice mindfulness around Kansas City offer gentle opportunities to pause, reflect, and reconnect with yourself through mindfulness, especially when you’re craving stillness but don’t want to venture far.
The Kansas City Public Library has a gorgeous rooftop terrace and quiet reading rooms to practice mindfulness.
Image: Arts KC Go
Kansas City Public Library (Downtown KC)
The Kansas City Public Library in Downtown Kansas City is a great place to practice mindfulness. It boasts a gorgeous rooftop terrace and quiet reading rooms. Try listening to the sounds around you. When your attention strays, bring it back.
The Rockhurst University campus has beautiful green space where you can peacefully practice mindfulness in Kansas City.
Image: Rockhurst University
A cemetery offers you the opportunity to connect with humanity and universal truths during your meditation practice.
Cemeteries like Forest Hill or Elmwood Cemetery
While a cemetery might seem like an unconventional place to practice mindfulness in Kansas City, I recommend trying Forest Hill or Elmwood Cemetery. Cemeteries are quiet and often empty. They also give you the chance to connect with humanity and universal truths. These are great places to practice non-attachment reflections, exercises, or meditations.
What Are Some Tips for Practicing Mindfulness in Public?
Mindfulness doesn’t have to be perfect or practiced in total silence to be effective. Whether you're in a busy park or a quiet cafe, there are simple ways to ground yourself and tune in, even when the world around you feels loud or distracting. These gentle tips can help you ease into mindfulness in public spaces in Kansas City, making the practice feel more approachable, supportive, and sustainable.
Bring headphones and listen to a guided meditation if that feels safe for you
Use the 5-4-3-2-1 method
Keep a small grounding object in your pocket, such as a smooth stone or a small fidget toy. You could also try mindfulness beads (like a secular rosary or mala)
Set a timer if you are wanting to try to close your eyes to meditate; this helps people not feel like they will go on and on without realizing it and contains the experience
Bring a friend!
Why Should I Practice Mindfulness In Public?
I recommend trying to do mindfulness exercises when out and about because we want you to have control over where you place your attention when conditions aren’t ideal. Meditating to monks chanting in your comfy home on a pillow is great, and being able to redirect your monkey brain in times of chaos is also key.
Mindfulness as a Tool for Healing, In and Out of Therapy
By no means is this an exhaustive list of places to go in Kansas City for some great mindfulness practice, but it is a great place to start. Doing this in conjunction with therapy can help increase the effectiveness of your treatment. If you aren’t in therapy just yet, it is a great practice for achieving some sense of calm and awareness of your needs.
Happy healing!
Start Your Healing Journey Now
Ready to bring more calm, balance, and awareness into your life? Whether you’re new to mindfulness or deepening your practice, our therapists at Embodied Healing KC can help you reconnect with yourself and heal trauma. Start your trauma healing journey today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Meditation in Kansas City
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Mindfulness is the practice of being present and nonjudgmental. In trauma-informed therapy, it helps clients regulate their nervous system and process emotions more safely.
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You can practice mindfulness in Kansas City at places like Loose Park, the Nelson-Atkins lawn, Unity Temple, and the Midwest Alliance for Mindfulness.
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Mindfulness increases body awareness and nervous system regulation, helping clients stay grounded while working through trauma with therapies like EMDR and Somatic Experiencing.
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Yes, studios like True Love Yoga and Midwest Alliance for Mindfulness offer trauma-informed classes that support emotional regulation and somatic awareness.
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Mindfulness plays a key role in Intuitive Eating by helping clients recognize hunger cues, understand emotional triggers, and reconnect with their bodies in a compassionate way.
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Try a guided meditation with headphones, use grounding objects like a smooth stone, or practice the 5-4-3-2-1 method while walking or sitting in a quiet outdoor space.
Stevie Olson-Spiegel is a Licensed Therapist and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner located in Kansas City. She uses Somatic Experiencing as her main body-based trauma healing modality, as well as EMDR. As an Intuitive Eating Counselor, she uses these principles to help her clients challenge their relationship with their cultural misconceptions about their body and food.
