Our Mission
Connecting from the Heart (CFTH) delivers healing & hope to incarcerated & formerly incarcerated populations using a unique blend of trauma-informed mental wellness education, meditation practices, & therapeutic music.
Our multidisciplinary team includes licensed mental health practitioners, mindfulness teachers, professional musicians & wonderful volunteers.
Through in-person workshops & our online presence, we empower people with the tools to recognize their inherent worth & their capacity for profound, positive life changes.
By addressing the root causes of recidivism—unaddressed trauma & lack of emotional regulation—CFTH serves as a bridge between incarceration & successful community reintegration. We focus on fostering resilience & mental stability, which directly contributes to safer neighborhoods & healthier family structures.
In a landscape where mental health resources are often scarce, our programs provide a vital lifeline of human connection for those the system often overlooks.
Our videos are accessed through the Resource Center on this website and on our YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/@connectingfromtheheart).
Our in-person workshops are offered primarily in western Oregon, though we occasionally travel to more distant regions.
Both our videos and our workshops are offered entirely free of cost.
The Story Behind CFTH
At the start of the COVID pandemic, the music team at Unity of the Valley in Eugene, Oregon began making “Connecting from the Heart” videos. As the world moved into shut-down and isolation, the team was determined to keep a sense of connection alive.
The videos were very well received, because they possessed an immense power to heal and soothe; they calmed people’s frayed nerves while uplifting their spirits. And though countless miles might have separated the viewers, the videos had a tremendous ability to convey love and hope.
“Connecting from the Heart” eventually evolved into a fully incorporated 501c3 nonprofit organization, and began to focus primarily on bringing hope and healing to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people and their families. In 2023, the team began presenting in-person workshops, and this quickly became the primary focus of the organization.
Starting with the first recording session on March 17, 2020, this has been an incredible journey. We are delighted beyond words that you are with us today.
Thank you for joining us!
