Smith Center extends free mindfulness sessions through May 2026

A half-hour at midday is the pitch: Smith Center for Healing and the Arts is keeping its Meditation and Mindfulness group running through May 2026 with short Wednesday sessions that are built for busy calendars and first-time meditators alike.

The group meets twice a month from 12:00 to 12:30 p.m. ET, with May sessions scheduled for May 6 and May 20. Smith Center says all experience levels are welcome, including people who have never tried mindfulness and meditation before, and the invitation stretches well beyond a typical wellness crowd. Patients, survivors, caregivers, medical professionals, and the wider community are all included.

That broad reach is part of what makes the offering practical. Smith Center says the sessions are meant to help participants build mindfulness skills that can combat stress, anxiety, and uncertainty in everyday life. Instead of asking people to commit to a long workshop or a one-time lecture, the format gives them a recurring space to practice in manageable pieces, one weekday lunch break at a time.

The sessions are also easy to access. Each date has its own Zoom link and registration, and the program is presented as free or low-cost, either in person or online. That lowers the barrier for people who may be navigating cancer care, caregiving, or the strain of ongoing medical uncertainty and want something supportive without adding another complicated appointment to the week.

Smith Center’s mindfulness work sits inside a larger mission centered on whole-person care, with programs that address physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. The Washington, DC-based nonprofit says it has nearly 30 years of experience in integrative oncology support and patient navigation, and its wider lineup also includes classes and workshops in cooking and nutrition, movement and meditation, and creativity.

The organization traces its founding to 1996, when Barbara Smith Coleman created it after a life-changing experience at a residential cancer program in Bristol, England. Today, Smith Center says its permanent home is at 1632 U St. NW in Washington’s U Street Corridor, where healing arts and wellness programming continue to anchor its work.

For anyone looking for more than a single meditation class, Smith Center is also running The Mindful Cancer Journey in May 2026. That weekly Monday program includes sessions on May 4, May 11, and May 18, with no session on May 25, extending the same practical, community-based approach across the month.