About
Kara Hordlow Smith has worked as an advisor, teacher, and trainer to students, parents, teachers, and athletes around the world throughout her 30-year career.
More than anything, she loves guiding young people on their journeys of self-discovery, making every conversation unique and personalized.
As a Senior Educational Consultant at Options, Kara creates and holds safe, inclusive spaces for students and parents to ask important questions and have informed dialogue, customized for their situation. Her patient, kind approach helps students identify and optimize their potential from a place of strength and interest, without unnecessary stress or anxiety from the messaging around them.
Often moving countries for work, Kara raised her two children across three continents, helping them thrive and navigate curricular and cultural differences in the 12 different schools they attended throughout their K-12 education; both of her kids took hard “left turns” halfway through grade 12 to find happiness and success. Kara is a believer that there is always time to grow and change.
As a founder of MindWell Education and MindWell Canada, Kara co-created evidence-based stress reduction, well-being, and peak performance courses that are taught worldwide. She has also worked as an educational consultant for the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (Washington, DC), the International Baccalaureate (The Hague), the Mindfulness in Schools Project (London), and the University of British Columbia (Vancouver).
Kara holds a BA cum laude from Middlebury College and a Masters of Arts in International Affairs with highest honors from The George Washington University. She is certified to teach .b Mindfulness for Teens and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction for Teens, Mindfulness@Work, Still Quiet Place curriculum, Mindfulness-based Peak Performance for Athletes, and Hatha Yoga and meditation.
