In this workshop we explore the ways in which mindfulness training can catalyze personal growth and transform personality. We discuss both using mindfulness with clients and using mindfulness to transform your own growth as a coach.

Dr. Lazar is an Associate Researcher in the Psychiatry Department at Massachusetts General Hospital and an Assistant Professor in Psychology at Harvard Medical School. The focus of her research is to elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of yoga and meditation, both in clinical settings and in healthy individuals. She is a contributing author to Meditation and Psychotherapy (Guilford Press). She has been practicing yoga and mindfulness meditation since 1994. Her research has been covered by numerous news outlets including The New York Times, USA Today, CNN, and WebMD, and her work has been featured in a display at the Boston Museum of Science.

Dr. Om Lala, MD, MBA, MPH, is the Executive Director of the Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School Affiliate. He is also faculty at Harvard Extension School, where he co-teaches the introductory course on coaching science. At Harvard, where he earned his BA, MD and MBA, Dr. Lala has done a range of work in the fields of executive coaching and well-being research. As Senior Researcher in Organizational Behavior at Harvard Business School, he co-authored the first in-depth HBS case on executive coaching, “Coaching Makena Lane.” He also conducted research on a range of topics including the impact of time management on happiness, giving and receiving feedback, organizational transparency, and of course, coaching.

Dr. Lala serves individual and organizational clients who seek transformative change across a variety of domains – from leadership and executive management, to health and well-being, to life and career transitions. He believes in applying the best science and research to facilitate positive behavior change.

Prior to returning to Harvard, Dr. Lala worked at McKinsey & Company, where he coached new Partner-level hires and served as strategy consultant to clients in health care, education, and the public sector. Dr. Lala also directed a comprehensive multi-million-dollar coaching effort at New York city’s network of public hospitals, serving 1.4 million patients. In addition to coaching, Dr. Lala has a deep background in startup technology, digital user experience, and applications of behavioral economics. Specifically, he founded a consumer health technology startup that raised millions in venture capital funding, served as Economic Policy Advisor to President Obama's re-election campaign, and Special Assistant to the former Assistant Surgeon General.

Dr. Lala earned his MD from Harvard Medical School, his MBA from Harvard Business School, and a Masters in Philosophy from the University of Cambridge, UK, where he was a John Eliot Scholar. He graduated from Harvard College with a High Honors degree in Government.