About Living Mindfully

For as long as I can remember I have been on a journey of self exploration and development...long before I knew there was such a thing! This led to a Degree and qualifying as a Person-Centred Counsellor. I initially worked in schools supporting young people with emotional and behavioural challenges and as a Therapist. After a detour into publishing, I returned to my first love, supporting others. Working with several charities I continued to develop my professional skills.

Buddhist practice was something that came into my life as a teenager, but a decade or so ago, I committed to a formal daily practice of meditation and mindfulness. It had such a significant, healing impact on my mental health and well-being, that I completed the secular MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) and MSC (Mindful Self Compassion) courses. 

As a way to bring my passion for these practices into my working life, I went on to become a trained MiSP (Mindfulness in Schools Project) Teacher and a trained  MSC and MBSR teacher.  I am a Trauma Sensitive Practitioner, having completed training at Oxford University Mindfulness Center "Becoming Trauma-Sensitive: Making Mindfulness and Meditation Safe for Trauma Survivors " with David Treleaven and I am trained in Mental Health First Aid and Mental Health Advocacy in the Workplace (Level 2).  (I'm an habitual student and won't list all of the qualifications I've earnt here! but will mention my Extended DBS status.) I now teach mindfulness and psychological education in community groups, workplaces, corporate sector, schools/colleges. 

Like everyone, I've had my share of choppy seas. Including the challenges of infertility, bereavement, cancer, long-covid, chronic pain, perimenopause and a voice disorder called "Spasmodic Dysphonia". When I finally gave up smoking many years ago, the (well-intentioned) cessation counsellor had never smoked!  "How can she possibly know the territory I'll be going through or guide me to the other side?" I thought.  I'm not suggesting we can't help people unless we have been through something ourselves, but I do value the wisdom my own life difficulties have taught me and can now share with my clients.  

As George Harrison said: 

Alongside working with some skilled therapists over the years, the key to my wellbeing relies on continued mindfulness and self-compassion practice.  Only when I truly befriend all that I'm experiencing and all of the different parts of me, can I offer myself the love and care needed to be resilient and respond more skillfully to all that life gives me.  In turn, this inner strength, experience and wisdom helps me guide those I work with.

I love this work and the people I work with, they are a treasured part of my own growth journey, which takes me to wonderful, painful, scary and joyous places. I'm so grateful that every day is a new opportunity to grow and live mindfully.