I have recently retired from my role as Director of Continuing Professional Development for the Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice (CMRP), at Bangor University, where I worked for eight years. Prior to that I have been a teacher and trainer for CMRP since 2001, including teaching on several Masters modules. Before that, I worked as a psychiatric nurse and psychotherapist in a variety of contexts including the NHS since 1975.
As a psychotherapist, I have an interest in combining mindfulness and counselling/therapy and have co-developed and taught on the Mindfulness and Individual Therapy module for CMRP.
I have worked extensively with children/families and relationships as a therapist. Since 2010 I have developed a mindfulness course for parents, called Nurturing Parents, and now train others to teach this. I work with family support charities and local authorities.
Qualifications
- Trained in MBSR with Center for Mindfulness, Massachusetts (CFM)
- Trained in MBCT with Mark Williams
- Trained in Mindfulness-based Childbirth and Parenting with Nancy Bardacke
- Recently completed a Mindfulness-based Compassionate Living course and plan to complete training to teach MBCL in November 2017
- Psychotherapy
- Certified Transactional Analyst
- Cert Couns (Relate)
- PGCE
Teaching / Training Specialisms
- Mindfulness for parents and childbirth
- Mindfulness and psychotherapy
- MBCT for clinical settings
- MBSR for vulnerable populations, e.g. trauma
Retreat Lead Experience
I have been a teacher and trainer of mindfulness since 2001, during which time much of the training has been through residential retreats. I have led secular mindfulness retreats in the UK, France and USA.
Retreat Specialisms
I am particularly interested in providing retreats for populations who might not normally access retreats, as well as for mindfulness teachers’ students and therapists.
As a recent Grandmother, I would love to provide retreats for parents/ grandparents to offer opportunities to contemplate this important and sometimes tricky life transition.
Personal Practice
I was introduced to mindfulness practice by Ferris Urbanowski, one of the original teachers at CFM. Since then I have attended annual retreats with a variety of teachers, including sitting two insight dialogue retreats with Gregory Kramer.
My personal practice is very much led by my own current inclinations, and always includes movement practices and formal sitting. I am particularly interested in exploring the role of intention in practice and everyday life. From time to time, my practice explores a particular focus that has been inspired by poetry or texts, for example, David Whyte and Tara Brach. I very much enjoy exploring personal practice with students and supervisees, believing we can all learn from one another.
