Paula Blake-Beckford is a member of the CMBM Faculty and Supervision Team. She is certified in Mind-Body Medicine and is an active advocate for Mind-Body Skills Groups, mindfulness, and compassionate self-care. Paula has created capstone projects on nurse facilitators of Mind-Body Skills Groups and mindfulness in the CMBM model.
Paula has worked as a Registered Nurse in South Florida for 20 years and specializes in neonatal nursing. She is a bedside nurse and Certified Breastfeeding Specialist at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. As an immigrant from Jamaica, Paula supports immigrants seeking integration within her community. She is trained in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction with the UMass Memorial Health Center for Mindfulness. Paula is also an instructor with AHAM Education, where she facilitates resiliency groups and workshops for youths and adults.
Paula earned her BS in Nursing from Barry University and MA in Mindfulness Studies from Lesley University. Some of her personal interests and self-care practices include prayer, writing, reading, mindfulness meditation, dancing, painting, gardening, mindful yoga, qi gong, and swimming. When not in nursing scrubs, Paula enjoys dividing her time between her community, family, and friends in church or on the beach.
