About the Author

Caroline Welch is the CEO and Co-founder with Dr. Dan Siegel of the Mindsight Institute in Santa Monica, California. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School with a master's degree from the University of Southern California, she started her career in law as a corporate litigator. Welch has served as a Los Angeles County court-appointed mediator, as well as in house counsel at MGM Studios and Spelling Entertainment Group. She began her mindfulness practice forty years ago while working in Japan as an English teacher for three years. Welch provides lectures and workshops to enhance well- being in our personal and professional lives. She and her husband live in Santa Monica with their dog Charlie, and have two adult children.

Reviews

“A gift for us all—filled with practical insights about the power of mindfulness.”
—ARIANNA HUFFINGTON, founder and CEO of Thrive Global

“This is an important, eye-opening book. . . . Caroline Welch offers pragmatic mindfulness exercises to discover one’s purpose in life, to summon the courage to change direction if necessary, to set priorities, and to let go of what simply can’t get done in order to cultivate inner peace and harmony.”
—SHARON SALZBERG, New York Times bestselling author of Real Happiness and Lovingkindness

“In this inspiring guide, Caroline Welch synthesizes wisdom from across cultures and walks of life,
drawing from her own remarkable, yet relatable life and the experiences of dozens of women.”
—ELISSA EPEL, PhD, professor at the University of California San Francisco, and New York Times bestselling coauthor of The Telomere Effect
 
“It’s so easy to forget what matters and race through our decades. Caroline Welch’s wise and clear
book shows us how mindful awareness can give us back our life. This fresh and entirely accessible
guide will help you reconnect to your true purpose, call forth your inner resourcefulness, and
awaken the fullness of your heart.”
—TARA BRACH, author of Radical Acceptance and Radical Compassion
 
“Caroline Welch offers us a timely prescription for vitality and resilience for women—and men—in
an age of distraction, providing a scientifically sound and accessible path to clarity in our busy
lives. . . . This accessible guide harnesses the research findings of how being present with open
awareness can transform your medical health and even slow the aging process.”
—MARK HYMAN, MD, head of Strategy and Innovation at the Cleveland Clinic Center
for Functional Medicine and New York Times bestselling author of Food: What the Heck Should I Eat? and Food: What the Heck Should I COOK?
 
“If you have an ongoing mindfulness practice and especially, if you do not—like me—Caroline
Welch’s The Gift of Presence is the book you didn’t know you needed. It’s like a cup of tea with a
friend on a rainy afternoon—a very wise, gentle, informed friend. You simply walk away feeling
better, glad to have it in your life and looking forward to opening it again and again.”
—SALLY FIELD, actor and author of In Pieces
 
“I am always looking for that one book that can help a regular, busy person understand and
develop a practice of presence, mindfulness, and heartful living. I found it in Caroline Welch’s_
The Gift of Presence.”
—ELIZABETH LESSER, cofounder of Omega Institute and New York Times bestselling author of Broken Open
 
“In The Gift of Presence, you will find permission and support for what matters.”
—JACK KORNFIELD, author of A Path with Heart

“Written with warmth and grace, this deeply touching book is a beautiful exploration of mindfulness in everyday life. Grounded in research, it is full of useful suggestions for a wide range of situations. All along, you feel the author’s own presence with you, friendly and encouraging, honest and practical, heartfelt and clear.”
—RICK HANSON, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness and Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom

"The Gift of Presence shows us that we can be with the many feelings that our very full lives will generate, from frustration to fear, and through it all we grow our capacity for connection, fulfillment, and joy. What a true gift for every season of life.”
—AMISHI JHA, Neuroscientist and Associate Professor, University of Miami

“In The Gift of Presence… Caroline Welch… sets out to distill reams of peer-reviewed science about mindfulness into plain, clear advice.”
–Publishers Weekly

"The Gift of Presence is a wonderful guide for anyone seeking a greater sense of happiness, harmony, and purpose in life."
—ANDY PUDDICOMBE, cofounder of Headspace, and author of The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness

“The Gift of Presence offers a brilliant roadmap for living a life of greater clarity, wisdom and peace. It weaves together deep insight, rigorous science and practical tools for how mindfulness can help us reconnect with what we value most and live meaningful lives.”
—SHAUNA SHAPIRO, PhD, Professor of Psychology at Santa Clara University, and author of Good Morning, I Love You: Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Practices to Rewire Your Brain