Testimonials
From Colleagues
Dr. Salmon is top of the class in terms of knowledge regarding the latest research and developments in mindfulness, neuroscience, and psychological assessment. His extensive work as a Testing Psychologist in various settings has equipped him with a deep understanding of human functioning, the workings of the brain, and personality development. Dr. Salmon and his wife Jan have put together one of the most comprehensive websites and courses for psychological health and wellness available. Their evidence-based curriculum uniquely integrates various frameworks from neuroscience and psychology. Most importantly, Dr. Salmon is a wonderful person and compassionate, dedicated, and energetic colleague. He puts clients at ease with his warm, down-to-earth personality (whether playing the keyboard and singing a song or giving a brief lecture on the neurobiology of meditation).
Rob Durr, Roots Psychology, PLLC, Adjunct faculty member at Northwestern University's Pritzker School of Law and the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law
“I met Jan twenty years ago when she was the Training Coordinator for the federal Bankruptcy Court in NYC and I was there doing a workshop on diversity for the judges. Her enthusiasm and dedication to making the court a place of dynamic learning and collaboration were immediately apparent, as was the high regard of her coworkers. I was delighted when she asked if I would work with her as an outside consultant toward the goal of creating a more congenial and effective work environment for everyone. Working with Jan was wonderful. She was able to create a safe space for people at all levels of the organization to both express their needs and contribute their skills. I was impressed by the intelligence and creativity with which she conceived and implemented interventions that improved their work lives—and their lives more generally. It was this deep interest in the development of the whole person that most impressed me in Jan. Her work with her husband Don has focused on precisely that—making easily available the latest research-based modes of mindfulness and other practices aimed at maximizing the potential of our brain-mind to allow for more creative, productive, and effective ways of working and living. Our close friendship these past years had been a gift to me, as it has been to so many others she has helped.”
Martha Miller works as a consultant on leadership and cross-cultural management for numerous clients including the Center for Disease Control, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Unilever, and the U.S. Foreign Service. She continues to teach in Executive Education Programs at both Yale and UCLA
“Don Salmon and Jan Maslow are long-time teachers of mindfulness and stress management. I have experienced them as having the wonderful capacity to explain and make available in a very practical way the interface between neuroscience and the experience and value of the practice of mindfulness in daily life. Using a blend of well-presented information, meditative exercises, music, and movement they encourage and inspire the use of these practices as agents of healing and transformation that can be truly life changing.”
Ken Lenington, MD, Leader of the Open Circle Mindfulness Group, Ken has studied and practiced meditation for over 35 years in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. As a physician with 40 years of medical practice, he specialized in addiction medicine and general psychiatry
From Students
“Thank you so much Don! Last night was the first night of restful relaxed sleep in a long time. I even woke up not stiff and achy this morning. I always hit the ground running every morning but this morning I did not have to rush because I woke up refreshed on my own. And I only woke up one time last night. I usually wake up 3 or 4 times. And this course is even helping me lose weight by reducing my stress levels which make me overeat.”
Sheri K.
“Effortless Sleep has markedly improved my sleep quality. Don and Jan are caring facilitators and I really appreciate how they provide specific feedback for each student as they go through the course. The combination of CBT-I (the gold standard treatment for insomnia), with effortless mindfulness, has been a very potent remedy for my sleep issues.”
Aaron C.
“All aspects of my sleep have changed for the better since taking the effortless sleep course. I’m falling asleep just about right away using your wonderful Yoga Nidra recordings. I’m amazed to find I’m sleeping through the night regularly, with almost no interruptions, something that hasn’t happened this frequently for a long time. What a difference this course has made!”
Assetou X
“I found the music and the various practices in this course both helpful and enjoyable. I especially love the practices that involve deep yet relaxed awareness of the body, as it feels like they are helping me to continue to heal from an injury I had several years ago. My thoughts, my nerves, my entire body softens and calms to this beautiful combination of practices. I have found several of the techniques to be particularly helpful when I wake up in the middle of the night and at first have difficulty getting back to sleep. I sometimes even use some of the practices in the middle of the day just to relax myself.”
Elizabeth I.
“After less than half-way through the course, I found myself not only getting to sleep much more easily, I’ve at times gotten as much as 6 hours of sleep at a stretch - something that I haven’t experienced for years. The “wind down” routine before sleep has been especially helpful. I listen to the music while going about my regular bedtime prep (washing dishes, getting dressed for bed, and so on). When I’m finally ready to get into bed, I’m so much more relaxed, that instead of taking me close to an hour to fall asleep, now it takes as little as 15 minutes. I’d say in general, as a result of what I’ve learned in the course, I’ve found it easier to get to sleep and get back to sleep when I wake up in the middle of the night, and overall I’m feeling more energy when I wake up and throughout the day. Thank you so much for this course.”
Karun Das
“I felt the course was well structured and included all the tools and resources needed to help improve my sleep. I found that the videos and practices included in each lesson - especially the Yoga Nidra audios - were very helpful to my overall sleep quality. I also appreciated the live zoom sessions and the Conversation Lounge where our questions were answered so quickly and appropriately. I loved the emphasis on shifting to effortlessness and to experiential mode. The more I was able to make this shift, the more relaxed I felt, the calmer my mind was and the easier it was for me to get to sleep and get back to sleep.”
James B.
“The sleep course has been so helpful. The principles of sleep are explained very clearly and the music for sleep is so beautiful. Being a visual person, I especially appreciate the videos Jan made to go along with Don’s music. I find it easier to get to sleep and wake up feeling more rested.”
Connie G.
“Thank you for this inspiring and very helpful journey. The effortless sleep course certainly helped me in making progress! Dr. Salmon's competence and longstanding experience shine through the course, enhanced by a huge variety of relaxation, breathing, and mindfulness practices and music. All the sleep course exercises and videos are great and very useful. This has all helped me a lot in dealing with my chronic sleeplessness. I wholeheartedly recommend this course!"
Marco M.
“Take this course, even if you don’t have insomnia, because Don and Jan are two of the most beautiful souls, who are offering you an opportunity to learn to live a better way of life, as well as learn to sleep better. Don begins this course by encouraging bedtime to be an enjoyable activity one looks forward to rather than dreads – helping one to loose the reins of control around insomnia. Simply beginning to observe when I was actually tired and allowing myself to stay up (without guilt) doing something enjoyable, like reading, mindfulness, easy movements and stretching “fixed” 90% of my sleeplessness I was experiencing between 3-5 am!
A few weeks into the course I realized this was not just an insomnia class, but a lifestyle class where one could learn to live more deeply and find presence and joy in little moments throughout the day so the nervous system begins to calm. Don incorporates audio for you to listen to with his beautifully composed music interwoven with Jan’s lovely and lulling voice to guide you into relaxation (I joked to Jan that if I ever met her in person and she spoke to me I would probably instantly fall asleep!) Don is super responsive to any questions you ask, and easily conveys his thoughts and his passion for helping others. Overall the course is just a lovely lovely experience, opening my eyes to a peaceful way of life, and helping me close my eyes and enjoy a peaceful night’s rest!”
Thank you again for this opportunity, I so so so appreciate it!”
Tiare S.
“I haven’t even finished this course and I’m already sleeping better and more consistently than I can remember. Jan and Don have created a comprehensive course that includes beautiful, mesmerizing videos created by Jan and deeply soothing, healing music composed by Don. The videos with breathing exercises and yoga Nidra practices that are a basic part of the course have been especially effective for helping me get into a restful state. There is also helpful information about the science of sleep, as well as an extensive resource library. This is a course about sleep, but more than that, it gently teaches a way of living that involves less effort, more awareness and greater ease. Highly recommended.”
Anne P.
“I have to admit, I was skeptical about the sleep course at first; and I’m a long-time insomniac who was very motivated to like it. Well, I think I just started to get what the course is about. I’ve started listening to some of the sleep music and I have found it puts me in a much deeper sleep than I usually experience. I also appreciate the regular support that Don provides when I ask questions about what I’ve been learning.”
Paul S.