A New Path Begins: Announcing the March 2026 Path of Freedom Cohort
- PMI Staff
- 8 hours ago
- 3 min read
We’re delighted to share some exciting news with our community: the next cohort for our flagship Introduction to the Path of Freedom (PoF) program begins March 2, 2026, and we couldn’t be more inspired by the growing circle of people stepping into this transformative work. Path of Freedom is offered twice a year, with cohorts held once in the fall and once in the spring.
Path of Freedom is a six-week, online, research-informed, mindfulness-based emotional intelligence program. It integrates contemplative practice, self-reflection, and an integral approach to personal transformation. The program is designed to serve at-risk and incarcerated youth and adult prisoners, and it has received strong praise from professionals across the corrections field for its depth, accessibility, and impact.
What Is the Path of Freedom?
Developed within the Prison Mindfulness Institute by K.Vita Pires-Crisp, Ph.D., the Path of Freedom integrates mindfulness, ethical reflection, and trauma-informed awareness. Rooted in decades of work inside prisons and communities impacted by incarceration, the training invites participants to explore how inner freedom and social responsibility are inseparable.
Through guided practices, inquiry, and community dialogue, participants learn to:
Cultivate mindfulness in the midst of difficulty
Work skillfully with reactivity, harm, and repair
Deepen integrity, compassion, and resilience
Apply these practices in service-oriented, justice-impacted, or caregiving settings
This training serves as an introduction to the Path of Freedom curriculum and is intended for individuals who feel called to share mindfulness and emotional resilience practices in prisons and other institutional settings.
Whether you are currently working in prisons, reentry programs, education, healthcare, or simply feeling called to engage more consciously with the world, this training offers a grounded and transformative container.
A Community of Practice
One of the most powerful aspects of the Path of Freedom is its community. Each cohort brings together people from diverse backgrounds who share a commitment to inner work and collective liberation. Participants are supported not only by experienced facilitators, but also by one another—learning in relationship, honesty, and care.
Sessions are held online, making the training accessible to people across locations, and are complemented by opportunities for continued connection through our broader Engaged Mindfulness community.
Whether you are currently working in prisons, reentry programs, education, healthcare, or simply feeling called to engage more consciously with the world, this training offers a grounded and transformative container.
Why This Matters (Especially Now)
At a time when systems of harm and division feel ever-present, the Path of Freedom offers something both practical and hopeful: a way to meet suffering without turning away, and to respond with wisdom rather than reflex.
For our donors and supporters, this work is a direct extension of the Prison Mindfulness Institute's mission. Your generosity helps ensure that these teachings—born from work with incarcerated individuals—continue to reach both those inside institutions and those on the outside who are committed to change. Every cohort strengthens the ecosystem of mindfulness, accountability, and compassion that makes our programs possible.
To date, over 1,000 people worldwide have completed the Path of Freedom training. Many graduates have gone on to form partnerships with prisons and community institutions, adapting the curriculum to meet the needs of impacted populations. We also offer introductory online trainings for those interested in facilitating Path of Freedom who may not yet meet the full requirements.
Join the Next Cohort
If you feel called to deepen your practice, expand your capacity to serve, or walk this path alongside others committed to meaningful transformation, we warmly invite you to apply.
Learn more and apply here:
Thank you for being part of this living, growing community. Together, step by step, we continue to walk the Path of Freedom.
With gratitude,
The Prison Mindfulness Institute Team