Paula HuffmanYoga & Mindfulness Practice
BS · RN · E‑RYT · Mindfulness Instructor

Yoga as a healing practice, for the body, the breath, and the mind.

Something for Everyone

  • Offering Live Zoom and In-Person Courses
  • Mindfulness, Meditation, Community Resilience Model
  • Yoga, Brain Health, Stress Management
  • Workshops, Courses, Retreats, Private Sessions, Speaking Engagements

Options for all, including seasoned practitioners and beginners. Dive in and find something just for you! There is no time like the present!!

All events are led by Paula Huffman unless otherwise indicated.

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Paula Huffman, seated in a quiet studio setting
About Paula

Creating space for every student, built on 40+ years of teaching experience.

The beach boardwalk at Trinity Center in Salter Path, NC

Paula Huffman began her journey into mind-body practice through yoga in her twenties, sparking a lifelong commitment to contemplative practice. She earned her BS in Special Education from Appalachian State University, then completed a nursing degree and holds RN licensure in North Carolina, alongside a 200-hour Yoga Teacher certification and multiple specialty trainings. For 25 years she ran a perinatal support practice (prenatal and postnatal yoga, childbirth education, and birth doula care), and during that time co-founded Hillsborough Yoga and Healing Arts, which she owned and operated for seven years. She went on to complete MBSR Teacher Training through the Center for Mindfulness at UMass Medical School’s Oasis Program, then taught Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for sixteen years with UNC Chapel Hill’s Program on Integrative Medicine, where she also holds an Adjunct Faculty appointment in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Today she brings that same depth to her own independent practice, Carolina Mindfulness.

She keeps her classes quiet and unhurried, and she adjusts the practice to fit each student instead of asking students to fit the practice.

Paula Huffman, BS, RN, E‑RYT, CCE, Certified Brain Health Specialist. Mindfulness Instructor & Mentor; Founder & former owner, Hillsborough Yoga and Healing Arts; Adjunct Faculty, UNC Dept. of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (16 years)

Offerings

Services

A group walking meditation along the beach

MBSR: 8-Week Program

This full 8-week MBSR program, developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn, sets the gold standard for mindfulness training. Includes a one-hour complimentary orientation session, eight 2.5-hour sessions, and an in-person day retreat. You'll receive home practice guides and references for online supporting materials, including practice recordings. Delivered by Zoom.

A group seated in meditation on the beach

MBSR: Adapted Program for Busy Times

Inspired by the evidence-based principles and practices of MBSR, offering a flexible format designed to meet the needs of today's participants. The course integrates mindfulness meditation, gentle mindful movement, body awareness, and practical strategies for responding to stress with greater clarity, resilience, and self-compassion. Six weeks, 2-hour weekly sessions, with home practice guides and references for online supporting materials, including practice recordings.

Paula guiding students through a standing stretch in a group class

Specialty Workshops & Mini Courses

1.5–2 hour workshops and mini-courses in both yoga and mindfulness, offered in person and via live Zoom on varying topics including Yoga & Mindfulness for Sleep, Cultivating Mindfulness in Everyday Life, a complimentary introduction to mindfulness, and more.

Brain Health & Wellness Course

An experiential four-week, 1.5-hour-session course led by Paula as a Certified Brain Health Specialist. You'll learn more about:

  • Cognitive decline: is it aging or something else?
  • Keeping our brains and body healthy
  • Brain health is heart health

Includes complimentary Zoom yoga and meditation sessions, with monthly follow-up workshops.

Paula assisting a student in a restorative forward fold

Stretch Strengthen Restore Live Zoom Yoga

Practice yoga in the comfort of your own home! Weekly one-hour Alignment-Based Hatha Yoga, suitable for all ages and levels of practice, with adaptations offered to meet each student where they are. Monthly restorative yoga classes. Your first Hatha Yoga class is complimentary!

A seated meditation circle at a retreat lodge

Seasonal Wellness Retreat

An all-day in-person retreat held at New Hope Camp & Conference Center in Chapel Hill. Discover the nurturing effects of being in nature while enjoying the beauty of each season. Activities include Community Resilience Method practices, a body scan, yoga, walking meditation, seated meditation, and loving-kindness meditation, wrapped around time for socialization and solitude.

The beach boardwalk at Trinity Center in Salter Path, NC

Yoga & Meditation Beach Retreat

A 2–3 night residential retreat at Trinity Center in Salter Path, NC, co-led with Ann Burrus, E‑RYT: yoga for all levels, meditation, and rest by the sea. A cozy respite for the winter doldrums, with private or semi-private rooms, private baths, and all meals included (special diets available).

Paula demonstrating a standing yoga pose during a private session

Specialty & Private Programs

Customized sessions for home-school groups, book clubs, corporate teams, educators, students, and healthcare practitioners, virtual or on-location.

Today’s Offerings, Backed By Decades Of Trust

Find locations that work for you.

Wilmington, NC

Stillpoint Counseling and Wellness, PLLC

In-person mindfulness and restorative yoga workshops.

Kure Beach, NC

Kure Beach Yoga

In-person mindfulness and yoga workshops.

Salter Path, NC

The Trinity Center

Summer and winter in-person yoga and mindfulness residential retreats.

Chapel Hill, NC

New Hope Camp & Conference Center

Quarterly in-person all-day wellness retreats.

Bring Paula To You

Your Location

Businesses, book clubs, schools, health care facilities, home-school groups, conferences, retirement centers — in-person or Zoom mindfulness presentations, private one-on-one yoga or meditation support.

Schedule

Upcoming classes & events

Calendar

Current class times, workshops, and retreat dates.

Stay Connected

Sign up for Paula’s newsletter for class updates, new offerings, and retreat announcements.

Education & Certifications

Twenty-five years of study

What Is Mindfulness?

Paying attention, on purpose

Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment, on purpose and without judgment. It's a trainable skill, not a personality trait. It develops through consistent practice, and it's useful for stress, pain, sleep, and simply meeting daily life with more steadiness.

Benefits of Yoga

Strength, flexibility, and calm

Beyond flexibility and strength, a regular yoga practice supports better sleep, lower stress and blood pressure, improved balance, and a steadier nervous system. Paula's gentle, alignment-based approach makes these benefits accessible at any age or fitness level.