Meet Jamie Blackburn of Inner MAP Project in Golden

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamie Blackburn.

Jamie, before we jump into specific questions about your work, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My first “real job” was as a high school science teacher, but after a few years, I started noticing that students were telling me things I didn’t know how to help them with, such as that they were pregnant or had parents dealing with substance abuse. So I decided to go back and get my Master’s in School Counseling.

I ended up loving the one-on-one work that I was able to do with students in the counseling setting! Over the years, I began pulling in a lot of my knowledge as a yoga teacher to help students who struggled with anxiety. I was doing breathwork, guided relaxation, and even some yin yoga. The students loved it! But it wasn’t until we lost a good friend to cancer and I had two miscarriages in a row that I began to think of time as a commodity. I liked education, but I didn’t LOVE it and I knew I wanted to spend my time in a different way.

I knew my mission was to combine all of my loves into one program and the Inner MAP Project was born. I’m living my dream helping people decrease stress and anxiety through Mindfulness, Physical Activity, and journaling/self-reflection, or as I call “mental Presence” since that made the acronym MAP work out really well!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Oh my goodness, not at all! I originally thought I would be working with teenagers and young adults but my clients are mostly women in their 30s, 40s or 50s who need help finding “me time”. I have never been in business before, so when I took an online marketing class, I completely changed my niche (I didn’t even know what a niche was!) I realized that it didn’t matter what demographic I was working with, it just mattered that I was teaching people how to work with their nervous system to feel better every day. I also still struggle to find my own time for self-care, but I know it’s important to practice what I preach.

Please tell us more about your work. What do you do? What do you specialize in? What sets you apart from competition?
I created a six-week program that teaches people mindfulness and breathing techniques and how their nervous system works and also helps them find time in their schedule to take care of themselves. I have pulled together a lot of information from my years as a science teacher and school counselor, along with my knowledge as a yoga teacher. I specialize in helping women who struggle with anxiety or constant stress, can’t say “no”, take care of everyone in their lives but themselves, and want to connect back with their core values.

I think what sets me apart from others is my focus on educating people about their bodies from a science perspective. A lot of people think of yoga and mindfulness as this “woowoo” hippie stuff and so they aren’t committed to doing it. When I teach them why certain things help them feel calm, or how the brain works, they realize it’s not just a bunch of BS. I’m really proud of the results I’ve gotten for my clients. It’s cool to see that things are working for them and that they are healthier and happier every day! I want to look back on my life and feel like I have created amazing memories doing really fun and impactful things with my time, and my goal is for my clients to feel the same way!

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My husband definitely deserves a lot of credit for supporting me in going out on my own (and he’s the main breadwinner these days which is not an easy role) and my daughter is definitely my greatest teacher. She reminds me to be present and show up for others every day. My former “work wives” in the counseling department at Green Mountain High School have been amazing in pushing me to learn and grow as a professional. Cathy Derman from Movement Counseling in Littleton has been a great resource for brainstorming how to combine yoga and mental wellness, and Rachel Lubchansky has helped answer all of my millions of business-related questions.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.innermapproject.com
• Email: innermapproject@gmail.com
• Instagram: @innermapproject
• Facebook: Jamie Johnson Blackburn

Image Credit:
Sun Mountain Center, Allie Jorde

Suggest a story: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.