I have a PhD evaluating Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in women with breast cancer from the University of Southampton. I started teaching mindfulness to NHS staff in 2001 and then trained to teach Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) with Jon Kabat-Zinn and colleagues at the University of Massachusetts in 2004. I have taught MBSR in health care settings to people with cancer, chronic pain and other life-threatening illnesses, NHS and charity staff, as well as general population.
I am a certified teacher of Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) and Self-Compassion for Shame. I teach privately as well as Live Online MSC courses for the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion. I teach mindfulness and self-compassion in the chronic pain service in the NHS and for a cancer support charity. I lead mindfulness and self-compassion retreats. I have been supervising and mentoring other Mindfulness Based Interventions (MBI) teachers since 2016 for the Mindfulness Network.
I developed my own hybrid MBSR and MSC 8-week course Exploring Mindfulness and Self-Compassion comprising 17 hours of live online classroom time which has been well evaluated.
I have researched mindfulness and self-compassion and have evaluated MBSR in several studies published in peer reviewed journals including women with primary breast cancer, women with metastatic breast cancer and published the first ever pilot study on MSC in people with breast cancer.
I have a four-year degree in Social Work from the University of Melbourne and am also registered nurse and trained in a range of complementary therapies. I practise bilateral stimulation (also known as EMDR) for PTSD both in person and online. I pioneered integrative mind-body approaches in intensive care and in cancer support at consultant level in the NHS and charitable settings. I was Clinical and Research Director at the charity Breast Cancer Haven for 20 years.
I completed the two-year Committed Practitioners Course with Bodhi College in 2019.
I love music and nature. I live by the coast and I love medition, Iyengar yoga, all year around ocean swimming, walking, cycling and kite surfing. I sing soprano in The Bach Choir, London which I have enjoyed for many years. I was born in Australia but now live in the UK.
I was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for services to people with breast cancer in 2014.
Qualifications
- Certified Self-Compassion for Shame Teacher, Center for Mindful Self Compassion, San Diego 2024
- Certified MSC Teacher Mindful Self-Compassion, Center for Mindful Self Compassion, San Diego 2019
- Self-Compassion in Healthcare Teacher (HS-SC) Center for Mindful Self Compassion, San Diego 2020
- Trained Mindfulness-Based Approaches Supervisor, University of Bangor 201
- PhD in Mindfulness, Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Southampton 2010
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Teacher, University of Massachusetts 2004
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for Healthcare Professionals, University of Massachusetts 2004
- Intensive Care Nursing Course, Prince Henry’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia 1985
- Registered General Nurse Training, Prince Henry’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia 1982
- Bachelor of Social Work, (BSW), University of Melbourne, Australia 1978
- Professional level trainings including Bilateral Stimulation (EMDR) 2023, Acupuncture 1999, Shiatsu 1992
Teaching-Training Specialisms
In NHS and charity healthcare settings, particularly cancer and life-threatening health conditions and for staff, including charity leaders.
- MBSR
- MSC
- Self-Compassion for Shame
Personal Practice
I started practising yoga and breathing practices in my mid-teens and a daily practice of yoga and Transcendental Meditation after being hospitalised with meningitis as a university student in 1975. I met Zen teacher, Sonia Moriceau, which started my mindfulness practice and exploration into Buddhism in 1992. This practice widened to include other forms of Buddhism over the years. I completed the two-year Committed Practitioners course with Bodhi College in 2019 and I am part of a weekly practice and study groups. I have a daily practice of Iyengar yoga, mindfulness and self-compassion. I do regular shorter and longer silent retreats in different settings and with teachers including Christina Feldman and Ajahn Sucitto.
Research Activities and Interests
I have been researching integrative approaches in healthcare including mindfulness since the late 1980s. My doctoral research evaluating MBSR in breast cancer was published in two separate publications in 2012. The main publication was in the prestigious Journal of Clinical Oncology. I published the first ever evaluation of MSC with people affected by breast cancer in 2023
Research Publications
A selection of my more recent research publications:
Hoffman C, Baker B. Effects of Mindful Self-Compassion Program on Psychological Well-being and Levels of Compassion in People Affected by Breast Cancer. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. 2023 Sep;29(6):36-41. PMID: 35648691.
Baker B.S., Hoffman, C.J., Fenlon, D. What can a third sector organisation provide for people with breast cancer that public health services cannot? Developing support services in response to service evaluation. European Journal of Integrated Medicine 2019; 30: 100943. Baker B.S., Marshall, J. and Hoffman, C.J. Evaluation of a charity-led secondary breast cancer support day: a model of survivorship care. E-Cancer Medical Science 2019; 13: 991.
Baker, B.S., Hoffman C.J. Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) to reduce the side effects associated with tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitor use in women with breast cancer: A service evaluation. European Journal of Integrative Medicine 2015 April; 7(2): 136-142.
Eyles, C., Leydon G.M., Hoffman C.J., Copson E.R., Prescott P., Chorozoglou M., Lewith G. Mindfulness for the self-management of fatigue, anxiety and depression in women with metastatic breast cancer: a mixed methods feasibility study. Integrative Cancer Therapies 2015 Jan; 14(1): 42-56.
Baker, B.S., Harrington, J.E., Hoffman, C.J. A service evaluation of The Haven at Home as a support programme for breast cancer survivors. European Journal of Integrative Medicine 2013 April; 5 (2): 153-164.
Hoffman, C.J. and Baker B.S. Breast Cancer Haven Research and Service Evaluation: 10-year report: 2012, December. Breast Cancer Haven.
Hoffman, C J., Ersser, S.J., Hopkinson, J.B. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in breast cancer: a qualitative analysis. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 2012 Nov; 18 (4): 221-226.
Baker, B.S., Harrington J.E., Choi B.-S., Kropf P., Muller I., Hoffman C.J. A randomised controlled pilot feasibility study of the physical and psychological effects of an integrated support programme in breast cancer. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 2012 Aug; 18 (3): 182-189.
Hoffman, C.J., Ersser, S.J., Hopkinson, J.B., Nicholls, P.G., Harrington, J.E., Thomas, P.W. Effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction in mood, breast- and endocrine-related quality-of-life and wellbeing in stages 0 to III breast cancer: a randomized, controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Oncology 2012 April 20; 30(12): 1335-1342. (Cited in 264 published journal articles).
Further Information
Email: caroline@drcarolinehoffman.com
website: www.drcarolinehoffman.com
You can also find out more about my MSC work at www.mindfulselfcompassionuk.com
I also lead practices for healthcare professionals for BFC Compassionate Care and Mindful Medicine (CCMM) https://ccmm.care
I lead Live Online MSC (LOMSC) courses and graduate MSC Circles of Practice for The Center for Mindful Self-Compassion, San Diego https://centerformsc.org/msc-circle-of-practice/
