This week on Local Matters Westchester, we spoke with Cheryl Smith Alvarez, director of the Westchester Transcendental Meditation (TM) Center in Katonah.

Alvarez explains what Transcendental Meditation is — and isn’t — how she first discovered the practice, and why so many people, from busy parents to frontline health care workers, are finding it life-changing. She also shares details on a partnership at Northwell’s Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, where she has helped train more than 100 doctors, nurses and other health care staff in TM over the past couple of years. So if your local care team seems calmer than expected, Alvarez and TM might just be part of the reason.

We also cover common misconceptions about meditation, its relevance in today’s stressful and divided times, and practical tips for anyone looking to bring more calm, clarity and creativity into daily life.