I work at the Oxford Mindfulness Centre, where I’m involved in teaching, training, and research. I teach MBCT for Life (MBCT-L) and Finding Peace in a Frantic World (M:FP) for general public, student and staff groups, and for occasional special projects such as Finding Peace for people with Long COVID. I train MBCT teachers internationally through the OMC’s teacher training pathway. I am also a tutor on the University of Oxford’s Master of Studies in MBCT.
My background is in clinical psychology and academia. I was a professor at the University of Kentucky for 33 years, where I taught and supervised several evidence-based mindfulness programmes. I also conducted research on mindfulness and published articles and books on a variety of mindfulness-related topics.
Qualifications
- PhD in Psychology (Clinical)
- Certificate of Competence to Teach MBCT (Oxford Mindfulness Centre)
- Professional Training in several evidenced-based mindfulness-based and mindfulness-informed programmes:
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Life (MBCT-L)
- Mindfulness: Finding Peace in a Frantic World (M:FP)
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
- Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Supervision training with the Mindfulness Network
- Training in Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness with David Treleaven through the OMC
Teacher Training Specialisms
- MBCT for general stress
- MBCT for Life
- Workshops on topics including Research and Evaluation; Ethics, Orientation and Assessment; Inquiry; Group Skills; and Cognitive and Behavioural Foundations
Supervision Experience
I supervised doctoral students in clinical psychology for over 30 years. This included both individual and group supervision for students providing evidence-based interventions, primarily cognitive-behavioural therapies, DBT, MBSR, MBCT, and MBRP.
Since moving to Oxford in 2019 to work with the OMC, I have supervised teachers who have recently completed one of OMC’s teacher training programmes.
Supervision Specialisms
- MBCT
- MBCT-L
- M:FP
Supervision Rate
- 1 hour individual sessions: 50-60 pounds
- ½ hour individual session: 25-35 pounds
Please see our Supervision FAQs for more details on the cost of supervision.
Personal Practice
I have been practicing mindfulness since 1997. I came to the practice through my professional involvement in DBT, which inspired me to delve more deeply into mindfulness meditation. I worked initially with the practices of MBSR and practices described by Thich Nhat Hanh, later including the practices of MBCT. My daily practice currently includes sitting, walking, mindfulness movement, and informal practice.
I have participated in several retreats of 7-9 days, in the Vipassana tradition, at the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts, as well as other retreats of 5-7 days in other parts of the US and the UK. My interest in mindfulness practice is primarily secular and psychological, although I appreciate the enriched understanding that comes from study of Buddhist psychology.
Research activities and interests
During my long career in academia (from which I am now retired) I was actively engaged in empirical research and scholarly writing. My research has explored assessment of mindfulness and compassion, effects of mindfulness-based programmes, and mechanisms of change. My current position at OMC is focused primarily and teaching and training, but I continue to contribute to research. I am particularly interested professional training and ethics in the mindfulness field, and in the prevention of harm and adverse events in mindfulness-based programmes.
