Hi. I'm Shawn.

A couple of decades ago, I stepped into a small, well-used office space in suburban Washington, DC, for a "Learn to Meditate" class. Sitting on a cushion with the goal of clearing my mind, I closely listened to the teacher's guidance. I followed my breath...and the sirens on the street, the growling of my stomach, the sound of the air conditioner, the odd damp smell of the carpet, … my classmate’s sinus issues. (Oh, "thinking" - they said this would happen. No idea it would happen in the first 30 seconds!) And then I chose to come back to my breath and start again, again, and again.I've been coming back to the breath ever since. That first class was rough; nothing resembling a peaceful path to a blissful existence. I had instructions that I intended to follow, and then stuff got in the way. Yet somehow within all the mess, I discovered a sliver of space, a pause, that allowed me to return to my intention. It’s been a personal study that has created more stability in my life, more pause and response, less reactivity. That small discovery changed everything - how I showed up in high-pressure situations, how I responded to challenges, how I moved through the world.For 25 years, I served as an active-duty soldier in the premier musical organizations of the US Army; now I continue to serve by helping others discover their own sliver of space - that pause where intention lives.

for everyone

Introduction to Mindfulness

I work with individuals and groups to create classes tailored to their needs. My Introduction to Mindfulness sessions incorporate research-backed meditation techniques and breathwork skills that you can carry into your daily life.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

For those who want a more in-depth dive, I offer the 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course. This course can be presented at your organization or taken virtually at various times throughout the year.

for families

The Mindful Housecall

I come to your home and present a variety of mindfulness practices to your entire family. This is an engaging, fun exploration that meets everyone where they are, from wiggly kids to seasoned grandparents.

for musicians

The Intentional Musician

Whether through private coaching sessions or multi-day music school residencies, we explore how mindfulness practices can transform musical performance - helping you show up with less anxiety and more intention.

The Mindful Housecall

I come to you. Rather than adding to your schedule, I bring practice into your familiar environment where real life happens – complete with distractions and the beautiful messiness of being a family.We explore breathing games for big emotions, gentle movement, and simple awareness techniques. Learning together creates a shared language around emotional regulation.When everyone knows the same techniques, you support each other through difficult moments. A simple "take three breaths" becomes a family tool, not a lecture, creating a more conscious household where your family shows up for each other with greater presence and intention.

The Intentional Musician

Through private coaching sessions and multi-day residencies, I help musicians transfer mindfulness practices to musical performance. Drawing from decades of experience as a professional musician and college professor, I understand the unique pressures musicians face - from audition anxiety to performance nerves to the relentless pursuit of perfection.These sessions explore practical ways to show up with less anxiety and more intention, using research-backed techniques for real-world musical settings. The goal isn't eliminating nerves entirely, but developing the ability to find your center and perform from presence rather than panic. When you can access that centered space, you remember that you love music, that you "play" music. Let's discover the playground in your performance.

Individual coaching sessions

Sometimes the most profound breakthroughs happen in individual coaching sessions where musicians can explore their specific performance challenges without group pressure. We dive deep into your unique relationship with performance anxiety, perfectionism, or whatever mental obstacles stand between you and your fullest musical expression.
These sessions combine mindfulness techniques with practical performance coaching, creating personalized tools for your instrument, repertoire, and performance contexts. Whether preparing for an audition, working through stage fright, or wanting more presence in your music-making, individual sessions provide the focused attention that creates lasting change in how you show up to perform.

Residencies

I bring The Intentional Musician residency directly to your school, summer festival, or organization for an immersive multi-day experience. Over several sessions, we build mindfulness skills progressively - from foundational techniques to real-world performance application.1. Mindfulness 101: an introduction to mindfulness and meditation
Discover stress and anxiety-reducing techniques to bring increased ease to a musical life. (60-90min)2. With Ease and Intention: mindfulness tools for performance
Building on the first session, this masterclass explores specific ways to increase stability in musical performance. (60min)3. Breathe, Sit, Walk: an off-the-instrument practice
A chance to practice using proven tools to improve focus, attention, and ease. (60min)4. WTF IS HAPPENING! a brief unaccompanied horn recital...accompanied by the not-so-brief voices in my head
Join me in a real-time exploration of my mental landscape during performance - the inner critic, performance anxiety, and how mindfulness shows up when it really counts (maybe funny, maybe tragic, definitely authentic application), followed by a Q&A session. (60-90 min)While onsite, I'm available for one-on-one or small group sessions. Following the residency, we can arrange recurring virtual meditation sessions or schedule a return visit for participants to perform their own "inner voice" recitals.

"As a mindfulness coach, Shawn is a great listener and is full of positive energy. I am a musician and I worked with Shawn to prepare for an audition. He was a wonderful guide into my hidden but ever-present inner resources that have so much influence in performance. My aim was to play well despite performance nerves, and together we came up with a strategy that was rooted in movement and my innate connection to the music."

–Carrie Rose, Flutist, Composer, and Teacher
Washington, DC

"Shawn Hagen’s presentations are fully professional, realistic, deeply thoughtful, and extremely helpful. He approaches the challenges that many professionals face from a fresh and manageable perspective, providing useful and structured approaches that everyone can utilize effectively. Anyone, regardless of age, background, or profession can find a myriad of ways to draw benefits for a lifetime from Shawn’s engaging teaching.”

–Charles "Skip" Snead,Director and Professor
School of Music, The University of Alabama

...and now for Shawn

Shawn Hagen is a mindfulness teacher who studied Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) at Brown University, a certified breathwork coach, and laughing yoga instructor. Drawing from 25 years as a musician in the premiere bands of The United States Army in Washington, DC, Shawn understands performance pressure intimately. He's been a frequent guest with The Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, The National Symphony Orchestra, and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and had the historic honor of being the first Alphorn soloist at the US Capitol with the US Army Band, "Pershing's Own." He currently teaches at American University and performs across the country as an Alphorn soloist as part of Alphorn Productions, LLC.Whether working with individuals or groups, music students, seasoned performers, or busy families, Shawn's approach remains consistent. He meets people exactly where they are, works with the messiness of real life, and gently nudges toward better.