The Limitless Foundation and MAAC Launch National Partnership to Reduce Cognitive Harm in Education

Program brings cognitive safety and emotional resilience training into college readiness programs for underrepresented students nationwide

SEATTLE, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Limitless Foundation announced today a sponsorship with the Mindful Awareness Academy for Children (MAAC) to incorporate Cognitive Harm Reduction (CHR) principles and curriculum into MAAC's holistic college and career readiness programs. The collaboration marks the first initiative to apply cognitive harm reduction principles, originally developed for medicine, to education.

MAAC, a nonprofit offering holistic college and career readiness programs that integrate mindfulness, social and emotional wellness, and community engagement, serves thousands of high school students, including many from the country's most vulnerable communities.

Through this partnership, The Limitless Foundation will help students and educators identify and prevent cognitive harm: the disruption that can occur when learning environments unintentionally foster fear, self-doubt, or disengagement. When students can't fully connect with the people or systems meant to support them, it's a powerful barrier to success.

"When students internalize systemic inequities and bias as personal failure, it erodes confidence and motivation. Every student deserves to see themselves as capable, resilient and worthy of success," said Cali Wilson, creator of the Cognitive Harm Reduction Framework.

A New Framework for Cognitive Safety in Education
The CHR for Education Initiative will implement training and resources across MAAC's programs, including Level Up! and EmpowerUP!, featuring:

• For Educators: Practical curriculum and tools to prevent cognitive harm through mindful communication, inclusive language, and trust-based teaching.
• For Students: Cognitive safety lessons and guided imagery to help students strengthen focus, emotional regulation, and self-advocacy.
• For Parents and Caregivers: Resources to help them advocate on behalf of students for supportive, cognitively safe experiences at school and at home.

"At MAAC, we know that learning and mental wellness are inseparable," said Andrea Nicole Smith, Executive Director of MAAC. "By incorporating cognitive harm reduction into our curriculum, we're giving educators and students a shared language for safety, resilience, and respect. We're equipping our communities to break the cycle of cognitive harm."
This collaboration advances The Limitless Foundation's mission to promote cognitive safety across all systems that shape human interactions.

About MAAC
The Mindful Awareness Academy for Children (MAAC) is a 501(c)(3) organization providing holistic college and career readiness programming centered on mindfulness, emotional wellness, and community engagement. Through programs like Level Up! and EmpowerUP!, MAAC serves students across the U.S. with flexible, accessible tools to build confidence, focus, and lifelong success. To learn more or enroll students in MAAC's programs, visit www.themaac.org.

About The Limitless Foundation
The Limitless Foundation is an independent nonprofit dedicated to redesign systems, advancing cognitive safety through research, education, and collaboration. To get CHR training into your educational programs visit www.thelimitlessfoundation.com.

Media Contact
Rachael Oettinger
The Limitless Foundation
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (408) 502-2160

SOURCE The Limitless Foundation