MINDFULNESS
For Health and Performance
We believe in a proactive approach to mental health. Through teaching mindfulness we seek to meet all people where they are with scientifically proven tools to enhance one’s health, daily performance and how they show up for others.
Our Mission
Teaching mindfulness as a tool to enhance
personal health, performance
and the communities we serve.
ABOUT US
We seek to empower others through teaching mindfulness in a research-based and relationship-centric way and we share these practices and tools as a guide to becoming your best for others. We are beyond grateful to have learned about this impactful work through our namesake, Alex Peavey, who has been one of the leading figures to expand mindfulness in the Richmond community and beyond. In 2017, he was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer. As his health has declined, his response to this challenge has been rock solid: ‘Choose Joy’ and ‘Fight & Smile!’
Through this work, he has positively influenced thousands of people as a teacher, coach, mentor and friend. We are two of those fortunate people. He continues to mentor us down this path of teaching mindfulness and our intention through the Peavey Project is to honor him by serving others and spreading the power of mindfulness.
Who We Are
Collin McConaghy, Co-Founder, Mindfulness Coach
Collin McConaghy graduated from the University of Richmond in 2010, where he played football, was a team captain, member of the 2008 National Championship team and majored in Business Administration. In 2012, he received his Master’s of Education. He has worked in the education field as a director, teacher, advisor and coach. He is a Certified Mindfulness Teacher, a Certified Workplace Mindfulness Facilitator, a Certified Koru Mindfulness Instructor and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. He and his wife Trisha have three children, Porter, Libby and Cam, and as a family enjoy playing sports, being outside and hanging out with their friends and family.
Jake McDonald, Co-Founder, Mindfulness Coach
Jake McDonald graduated from Hampden-Sydney in 2011, where he played lacrosse for four years, served as team captain his senior year, majored in History and minored in Creative Writing. In 2014, he graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Master’s of Education in Sport Leadership. He has held various roles in education since 2012 and has dedicated his career to teaching practical and applicable skills. He is a Certified Mindfulness Teacher, a Certified Koru Mindfulness Instructor and a Certified Workplace Mindfulness Facilitator. He loves spending time with his wife Molly, his two sons Ned and Seiler and their dogs and enjoys being active, cooking and music of all kinds.
Mikey Thompson, Mindfulness Coach
Mikey Thompson graduated from the University of Virginia in 2011, where he played lacrosse for four years, served as a captain his senior year, an assistant coach for the 2011 National Championship team and majored in Philosophy. He currently serves as the Head Lacrosse Coach for Christopher Newport University, where he has coached for the past 7 years and has been named VASID Coach of the Year 3 of the past 5 years, and in 2020 he earned a Master’s of Education in Coaching and Athletic Administration. In addition to his coaching career, Mikey serves as Chair of the Board for Lacrosse the Nations and as the Director of Amped Lacrosse. He loves being with his family at the beach and helping others be their best.
TESTIMONIALS
"Working with Jake and Collin has had a profound impact on my life. Although powerful and transformative, the information they present in each session is easily understood and digestible. With practice, I have been able to build a toolbox of meaningful knowledge that has impacted every relationship and heightened my awareness of needing to pause before I react in almost every situation, encounter, and decision I make. Mindfulness is something you can read about on your own, but to have Jake and Collin's guidance to shepherd the process, as well as field questions as they arise, builds into the practice a humanness and compassion that would be missed. When you're ready to take the next step into your full potential, this is a pivotal stepping stone."
"Mindfulness for Health and Performance was the best professional development my firm has gone through. It brought us closer together as a team and gave us tools to thrive at work and at home."
“The instructors were excellent-- enthusiastic, down to earth and knowledgeable”
“I loved the class discussions because we shared insights that were helpful to our practice - I often heard questions that I had not thought of and I benefited greatly from hearing the responses.”
“Collin and Jake were so patient with all of us!”
read more...
WHO WE WORK WITH
OFFERINGS
Mindfulness for Health and Performance
Evidence-based and relationship-centric, our four-week course provides participants with the foundational tools to develop their own mindfulness practice as a proactive tool for mental health, elevated performance and ultimately an expanded capacity to positively impact others. Participants will leave with access to the Koru Mindfulness application.
Individual Presentation
We will align the needs of your team with our mindfulness curriculum to maximize the application of this scientifically proven practice within your organization.
Individual Sessions
Through Summit Emotional Health, we offer individual sessions for clients interested in developing a mindfulness practice as a life skill for stress management, enhanced well-being and peak performance. Through formal and informal practices, we provide an individualized plan to meet each client’s needs and life circumstances.
To schedule a session, please contact Amanda Brichta at 804-562-6557 x 708, or email amanda.brichta@summit-eh.com
Group Sessions
Want to continue the momentum you’ve gained thus far? Building on the relationships founded in our 1.0 and 2.0 courses, these group sessions can be an invaluable means of affirming one’s individual mindfulness practice, or further embedding mindfulness into your organization's culture. We will offer a check in period to answer any questions, offer insights, as well as, take the group through a guided meditation. These sessions usually last 30 minutes but can be customized to your needs.
For booking and pricing, please contact us at admin@thepeaveyproject.org
COMMUNITY INITIATIVES
Helping the Helper
Throughout his battle with cancer, Alex’s wife, Sarah, has exemplified what it means to be a helper and a hero! Alex is passionate about making sure these selfless champions have someone to support them. Throughout 2020 and into 2021 a staggering number of ordinary people (healthcare workers, social workers, teachers, parents, first responders, etc.) have stepped up and performed extraordinary acts of kindness, generosity and selflessness. Through the generosity of our ambassadors and donors, we are able to offer our programs to those who give everything of themselves for others.
To make a donation to help the helpers, please access this link:
For more information about our community partnerships, please contact us at admin@thepeaveyproject.org
Fight & Smile!
"Fight with a smile because you love what you are doing and good things will happen."
-Alex Peavey, March 2017, one month after his stage 4 cancer diagnosis
![Fight&Smile [Recovered]-01.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/220e54_cefff247afb64d3f9c411619b0268ce8~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_440,y_329,w_1409,h_843/fill/w_307,h_184,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/Fight%26Smile%20%5BRecovered%5D-01.png)
During the time of Alex’s diagnosis, he was coaching the Collegiate School’s Boys’ Lacrosse Team and upon receiving these insightful words, this sentiment of ‘Fight and Smile’ became our rallying cry. Since then, this approach has gotten a life of its own - making its way from VCU and Christopher Newport University, all the way up to Frederick Douglass Academy in Harlem, NY.
Our goal is to bring this message, along with our mindfulness curriculum, to every team in Richmond.
To make a donation to our Fight and Smile Initiative, please access this link
For more information about our team partnerships, please contact us at admin@thepeaveyproject.org