Atlanta Youth Wellness Event Teaches Kids Meditation, Yoga, and Digital Detox

Denise Leslie, LMT, brought her mat and her mission to Wellstar Health Park in Sandy Springs on Saturday, leading children through yoga and mindfulness sessions at "Unwind Your Mind," a free two-hour community wellness event designed to give young participants a deliberate break from their screens.

The event ran March 28 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and drew East Cobb families to a program that combined meditation, yoga, live musical performances, and hands-on activities built to engage children across different age groups. The Cobb and Fulton County chapter of Jack and Jill of America, an organization with deep roots in youth leadership and community programming across metro Atlanta, co-presented the event alongside Leslie's Sandy Springs-based practice, Medical & Sports Massage.

Leslie, who ordinarily works with athletes and active individuals through sports and medical massage therapy focused on recovery, mobility, and stress relief, designed the yoga and mindfulness portion around skills children can use independently. "I believe kids benefit from learning simple ways to relax and listen to their bodies," she said. "Yoga and mindfulness can give them tools they can use long after the class ends."

The curriculum introduced breathwork, body scans, and gentle movement as approachable entry points for self-regulation, reflecting a broader strategy among nonprofits and community organizations to address rising youth anxiety and digital overload through brief, practical skills training. Medical & Sports Massage, which Leslie owns and operates, specializes in targeted treatments for muscle tension, stress, and recovery needs across the greater Atlanta area.

Dr. Aisha McKnight Baron, M.D., a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon in Atlanta, was also connected to the community wellness initiative supporting the program. The event carried no admission fee and no listed registration requirement, consistent with its framing as a mental health resource open to the full community.