About Mindfulness Center of Atlanta
The Mindfulness Center of Atlanta (MCA) offers a range of mindfulness programs for everyone, from non-experienced to advanced. The evidence-based programs are offered as weekly training courses, day workshops, and residential retreats. By practicing and teaching mindfulness meditation we seek to help relieve suffering in the world.
MCA was founded by Mark Dannenfelser in 2009 with a vision to assist others in working more effectively with stress (stress being an umbrella term for the many challenges in life) and living with increased health, generatively, compassion, and love.
MCA is dedicated to the advancement of mindfulness science and healthcare through active participation in well-designed, randomized, controlled clinical trials. The MCA is also committed to raising up new mindfulness teachers in an effort to support a diversity of voices and the ongoing growth and development of the traditions of mindfulness and contemplation.
In addition to courses, workshops, and retreats, MCA offers mindfulness teacher training, which can lead to teacher certification.
Meet the Team
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MA, LPC // Founding Director, Psychotherapist, Teacher
Mark Dannenfelser, is a licensed psychotherapist, certified mindfulness teacher, and certified spiritual director with a passion for integrating mindfulness, contemplative spirituality and psychotherapy.
He is the founding director of the Mindfulness Center of Atlanta, where he offers psychotherapy, retreats, and professional training to support individuals and communities in cultivating presence, resilience, and healing.
He also serves as an affiliated spiritual director at Ignatius House Retreat Center and co-hosts the Contemplative Outreach International podcast Opening Minds, Opening Hearts, which explores the intersection of Centering Prayer, mindfulness, psychology, and lived experience.
His work brings together mindfulness practice, contemplative wisdom, and psychological insight in ways that are accessible, grounded, and healing.
Mark holds advanced degrees in clinical psychology and pastoral studies. He trained with Jon Kabat-Zinn at the Center for Mindfulness in the University of Massachusetts Medical School to become a certified teacher of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).
Mark is a member of the professional association of the Mindfulness World Community (MWC) since its inception in 2024, when Jon Kabat-Zinn brought together mindfulness teachers, researchers, and advocates to facilitate connections worldwide between qualified colleagues from all mindfulness-based approaches.
His research focuses on mindfulness applications for smoking cessation, chronic kidney disease, stress in emergency medicine residents, and integrating EcoAwareness into mindfulness teaching.
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MSN, RN, RY // Teacher
Sokari is the founder of Courageous Space Yoga and Wellness, LLC. She provides psychotherapy and therapeutic services to children, adolescents, healthcare professionals, educators, and teams dealing with grief, loss, and conflict.
Sokari is a trauma-informed Advanced Practice Registered Nurse with certifications in Pediatric Primary Care and Psychiatry/Mental Health. She is a certified yoga teacher, teaching Skill in Action yoga, Accessible Yoga, Yoga for 12-Step Addiction Recovery, and Empowered Wisdom Yoga Nidra.
Sokari’s practice is rooted in a healing justice framework, helping BIPOC individuals and communities. She helps individuals and teams understand the impact of trauma and helps to build resilience, safety, and connection.
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BSW, MSW, IMH-E® // Teacher
Tyona McGee-Ezeilo is a seasoned clinical social worker and certified life coach with a deep passion for relationship cultivation, and fostering resilience and well-being through mindfulness. As a qualified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teacher, Tyona brings her personal mindfulness practice, as well as a wealth of experience from her diverse roles as a grief educator, group facilitator, and organizational consultant.
Her background includes significant work in early intervention, group therapy, and peer support, with a special focus on mindfulness-based mental health support for the BIPOC community.
In addition to her professional achievements, Tyona's personal life enriches her approach—she is a dedicated caregiver for adult family members, a loving wife, and a mother of four.
With a profound commitment to integrating mindfulness into daily life, Tyona creates a supportive and transformative learning environment.
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MA, CCC-SLP // Teacher
Anita is a speech language pathologist in the Fulton County School District. She has worked with middle- school age students since 2000. Anita is a certified mindfulness teacher (Kornfield & Brach, Awareness Training Institute and the Greater Good Science Center) and has advanced training in the Mindful Schools curriculum.
In addition to her work in speech language therapy, Anita has a professional interest in promoting mindfulness in the educational setting. She seeks to provide mindfulness training to teachers and students. She has introduced a mindfulness and gardening program in her middle school.
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MBA, RYT // Teacher-in-Training
Rachel is a MBSR teacher in training, a registered yoga teacher, and a consultant. She offers Yin Yoga and Meditation classes at Yonder Yoga and teaches Yin and Restorative Yoga classes at Haven Yoga. In addition to instruction, Rachel provides program development, training, workshops, and coaching to support the well-being and development of individuals, teams, and organizations.
Rachel holds a Masters degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Organizations Management from Georgia State University and has her Project Management Professional certificate with a concentration in Organizational Transformation. After years of helping professionals develop leadership skills and equipping teams with the knowledge and tools to work better together, her professional interests have broadened to include promoting mindfulness in diverse work settings.
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CSD, CE // Administrative Assistant
Tammy Rivenbark is an end-of-life doula, a certified spiritual director (Sustainable Faith Program), a certified Enneagram Facilitator (Enneagram Atlanta), and a mindfulness practitioner.
She is dedicated to accompanying people through life's final transition. She believes that while we cannot remove all the pain of death and loss, we can work with the suffering that sometimes accompanies it, and we can ensure that no one has to face aging, serious illness, caregiving, grief, or the end of life alone.
Her vocation was profoundly deepened through the experience of caring for her husband during many years of cancer treatment until his death in 2018. In the midst of caregiving and grief, Tammy discovered the transformative practice of mindfulness through the Mindfulness Center of Atlanta. That experience became a turning point, enriching her longtime commitment to contemplative spirituality and shaping the way she accompanies others with presence, compassion, and hope.
In addition to her interpersonal work, Tammy is the administrative assistant for MCA, where she works to give practical support to others in the service of advancing mindfulness and contemplative spirituality.