Merra Young, founder of Rivers’ Way, began her practice of meditation in 1976 in the yoga tradition and with Vipassana /mindfulness since 1989. She teaches meditation, mindful movement and is a psychotherapist at Rivers' Way.

Merra is an innovator in the integration of meditation, spirituality and psychotherapy. She has over 30 years of experience in the mental health field. She has been in private psychotherapy practice for 20 years.

She’s an adjunct faculty at University of Minnesota's Center for Spirituality and Healing as well as the University of St. Thomas/College of St. Catherine Graduate School of Social Work and their Spirituality Institute.

She is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT).

She has taught at Pathways health crisis resource center as well as to hospice staff in high schools and prisons.

She is co-founder of Midwest Meditation and Psychotherapy Institute.
mwmeditationandpsychotherapy.org

Her study includes:

• Community Dharma Leader Program sponsored by Spirit Rock Meditation Center
• Completed Dedicated Practioner Program/SRMC
• Teacher Trainings and retreats/ The Forest Way
• Vipassana Metta Foundation
• Twin Cities Vipassana Cooperative
• The Forest Refuge/IMS
• Arrow River Forest Hermitage
• 7 Day Professional Training in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction with Jon Kabat-Zinn and Saki Santorelli
• Advanced training in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

Merra is a founding member of Stone Women Dancing. She shares her love for the Dharma, poetry and compassionate presence in life.


Teachers/mentors include Phillip Moffitt, Kamala Masters, and Steve Armstrong.