Our Process
A six-week creative process where the next generation develops tools of Awareness, and reimagines how they get shared with the world.
Why We're Here
Our Why.
SOC 2.0 is a hands-on program built around a simple question:
How can we bring mindful awareness to the next generations and how can this be informed by youth insights and creativity?
Each week we practice a mindset tool -- Awareness, Acceptance, and more -- then workshop how to teach it to our own generation.
Days move through daily circles for connection and reflection, guided mindfulness practice, collaborative ideation, and real production of video and creative content -- anchored by a rotating series of guest speakers.
Week 1
July 7-9 - Finding our why and the tool of Awareness
Tuesday, July 7
Session 1
Circles - Start With 'Why'
Conscious Gen A and Gen Z contributors came together to discuss their “why,” after watching Simon Sinek’s classic Ted Talk “Start with Why -- How Great Leaders Inspire Action.”
Session 2
The Art Of Insight - Preproduction And Research
Group discussion on relationships to screen usage, framed as a discovery process for Human-Centered Design, incorporating authentic feedback from youth trained in conscious awareness.
Session 3
Generational Transformation - Storytelling Into Purpose
Conscious youth brainstormed how to teach conscious awareness to a peer using only paper and pencil. The session produced deep insights for universal ways to teach awareness.
Wednesday, July 8
Session 4
Perspective And Self Review - MBSR
Commenced a 6 week Mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) practice, starting with a guided 15 minute body scan, followed by a Human-Centered Design-informed process of deconstructing and then reconstructing the MBSR practice through their generation’s perspective.
Session 5
The Power Of Curiosity And Ideation
Explored group insights and discoveries regarding effective content across different platforms (i.e. IG, YouTube, TikTok) and various content formats.
Session 6
Development And Iterations
Participants incorporated feedback from the previous session to develop new ideas and concepts for teaching awareness around screens, content and awareness.
Thursday, July 9
Session 7
Stream of Consciousness Brand Development
Gen Z creative contributor Aydyn Morgan led a brand development discussion focused on utilizing visualizing ingredients for light (consciousness) and water (emotion).
Session 8
Human Centered Design Research
Using Human Design–centered exercises, youth explored key themes around their generation's screen usage: Why don't people talk about awareness, and why is it hard to articulate? Why is it hard to stay motivated to practice? And how has practicing awareness helped you grow?
Session 9
Speaker Series: Tony DiZinno
Guest speaker Tony DiZinno (Director of Photography, Visual Storyteller) came and discussed the journey towards transcendence, mantra of mind-body-spirit, and creative storytelling as a means of communication.
Week 2
July 14-16
Tuesday, July 14
Session 10
Sensory and Awareness Meditation Practice
Grounded the morning in a sensory and awareness meditation exploring the themes of how to create, to focus, to be the observer in space during a meditative practice.
Session 11
Additional Insights into Our “Why”
Further discussed our collective “why” as it relates to our mission of finding the people who care about mindful awareness and how it intersects with creativity.
Session 12
Gen A and Gen Z Native Vocabulary and Viewing Habits
Conscious youth brainstormed how to teach conscious awareness to a peer using only paper and pencil. The session produced deep insights for universal ways to teach awareness.
Wednesday, July 15
Session 13
Breath as a Primary Object of Awareness
Continued our focus on MBSR practices with a guided sitting meditation using breath as the primary object of awareness, followed by a discussion of what resonated and how the experience could be reimagined and communicated to peers.
Session 14
Communicating the Tool of Acceptance
Using a Human-Centered Design-informed process, individuals drew what Acceptance looked like to them, then as a group discussed the most effective ways to teach the tool of Acceptance through media – whether that be a drawing animation, an individual explaining the tool, or something else.
Session 15
Curiosity & Ideation Creative Development
Formed groups to creatively develop scripts and short-form video content, such as TikToks, teaching the tools of Awareness and Acceptance, then dispersed to film a handful of videos exploring both serious and playful approaches to using them.
Thursday, July 16
Session 13
Real Life Tools For Resilience
Gen Z facilitator Isaac Milsap shared how the 7 Fundamental Life Tools helped him move through a challenging life experience without lasting trauma.
Session 14
An Introduction to CBT and ACT
Psychotherapist Cassandra Bowles shared her path to becoming a therapist and the modalities she uses in practice - including CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy), psychodynamics, and somatic exercises - along with an explanation of "thought traps" and how Awareness/ACT exercises can help pull free of them, and the need to further develop these concepts.
Session 15
Circles and Creative Development Time
Youth dissected what they enjoyed about and learned from Cassandra's talk, then returned to their groups from Session 15 to continue developing creative content teaching the tools of Awareness and Acceptance, incorporating one or two of the ACT exercises she presented.
Week 3
July 21-23
Tuesday, July 21
Session 19
Inspiration And Exploration
Opened with a group meditation using 4-count box breathing, followed by a moving musical performance from Sophia Elaina - inspired by a previous discussion on Awareness - before the group brainstormed additional words to describe and explain the concept.
Session 20
Identifying Themes Around Self-Betterment Content
Youth reviewed "conscious" TikTok content to identify what felt most engaging, authentic, and inspiring versus what failed to hold their attention, then broke into groups to surface common themes around where they go for self-betterment content.
Session 21
Creative Development Themes Established
After two weeks exploring different creative directions - from video content to animation to script writing - group projects began to form around distinct ways to share the Fundamental Life Tools.
Wednesday, July 22
Session 22
MBSR Exercise of Mindful Yoga
Youth were led through a series of mindful yoga exercises focused on bringing awareness to breath, movement, and sound vibration, then discussed how they might reimagine these practices within their daily lives.
Session 23
A Deeper Dive Into Screen Usage
Breaking into smaller discussion groups, youth explored screen usage and habits that might surprise older generations, as well as habits they feel negatively impact their own well-being.
Session 24
Video Content Featuring AI
After watching an Instagram video that falsely attributed an AI voiceover to Bruce Lee, the group discussed how this use of AI felt negative to them, then watched an After Skool video, "How AI Slop Will Spark the Next Human Renaissance," which they found inspiring.
Thursday, July 23
Session 25
Human-Centered Design Practice: Asking Good Questions
Youth reviewed a living art mural summarizing the group's insights and learnings so far, added new thoughts, and developed two "How might we..." questions to address anything that hasn’t yet been solved.
Session 26
An Introduction To Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Julie Biaggi, a licensed clinical social worker trained in CBT, MBT, and DBT, shared how DBT grew out of CBT to support people experiencing intense emotions, walking youth through its basic principles along with worksheets explaining various DBT approaches.
Session 24
Ideation And Content Development Of DBT Principles
Breaking into small groups of three, youth brainstormed ideas and wrote scripts for content exemplifying non-judgment, curiosity, and acceptance.
Week 4
July 21-23
Tuesday, July 28
Session 28
Formalizing Structure And Standards For Digital Content Creation
The group discussed and collectively agreed on a more formal name for themselves - The Conscious Youth Advisory - then came up with the foundational standards and storytelling formats that will guide all future Stream of Consciousness digital content.
Session 29
Exploring Mindfulness Content On TikTok
Since TikTok is where many of our youth turn for both news and entertainment, the group reviewed mindfulness-themed content on the platform, identifying what made content resonate - like authenticity - as well as what made it fall flat.
Session 30
Building A Stream Of Consciousness Resource Library
Having identified their collective "why" - serving viewers with content that is helpful and affirming - the youth concluded that the Stream of Consciousness site should feature the best content available, regardless of creator, and should include a Resource Library curating videos from other creators.
Wednesday, July 29
Session 31
MBSR "Turning Toward" Guided Meditation
This week's MBSR exercise introduced "Turning Toward," a technique for facing difficult emotions or physical pain by drawing on awareness and non-judgment to intentionally lean into a challenge rather than avoid it.
Session 32
An Introduction To Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)
Guest speaker Joe Tabinella - a Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) trainer, Mental and Emotional Release (MER) trainer, and biofeedback and hypnosis instructor at the Hypnosis Motivation Institute (HMI) - introduced NLP and shared his personalized approach to aligning the creative, automatic mind with the conscious mind.
Session 33
Refining The Intention Process
Joe Tabinella guided youth through his intention-setting process - including how to enter the energetic state of having a wish already fulfilled - then brought the concept to life through a hands-on cornhole exercise.
Thursday, July 30
Session 34
The Art Of Brainstorming And Collectivism
The group explored ways to present the Fundamental Life Tools more effectively, such as having multiple voices share their own perspective on the same tool, or using a conversational podcast format to make the content feel more natural and engaging.
Session 35
Wisdom Seeker Circle
Youth gathered in a circle - a format known for building trust and deepening shared understanding - to discuss their personal experiences learning the tools of Awareness and Acceptance.
Session 36
Development Time
Drawing on insights from recent sessions, the youth filmed a video on Awareness, sharing their own personal experiences with the tool.
