My pronouns are he/him, and I live, work, learn and play on the ancestral, unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, including the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlil̓ilw̓itulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
In 2002, after a career in geology, business, and education, I completed a M.Sc. in Occupational Therapy (OT). I have practiced as an OT at Vancouver Coastal Mental Health and Substance Use Program for 22 years, and currently teach mindfulness based courses there. From 2016-2023, I was an Advisor for the UCLA Training in Mindfulness Facilitation Program. As a facilitator trainer and mentor for MBSR and MBCT teacher trainees at the Centre for Mindfulness Studies, I am involved in helping to bring MBCT teacher training to Mandarin-speakers through a partnership with the China-Canada Mindfulness Association, and train MBCT and MBSR facilitators-in-training. I also offer mindfulness courses to the general public in group and individual formats, and teach mindfulness classes for Inspire Health, Douglas College and Langara College.
Committed to lifelong learning and a personal daily meditation practice, I am passionate about facilitating mindfulness, and strongly believe in the ability of individuals to find their own wisdom and strength in healing. I have witnessed this healing while facilitating numerous courses since 2006 including:
- Mindful Awareness Practices (MAPs)
- Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
- Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
- Deeper Mindfulness: Exploring feeling tone
- Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP)
- Mindful Way Through Smoking, and
- Introductory Mindfulness Meditation courses
Using mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral techniques, I have worked with individuals to help improve functioning in daily activities, and manage anxiety, depression, stress, addictions and psychosis.
Through the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), I completed the Training in Mindfulness Facilitation program, and am a UCLA trained MAPs facilitator. I am also a Certified MBCT and MBSR Teacher through the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Mindfulness Based Professional Training Institute. As a Clinical Faculty member at the University of British Columbia School of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, I enjoy introducing students to the applications of mindfulness and compassion in health care.
Professional Registrations and Certifications
Reg. OT, College of Occupational Therapists of B.C.
Access MBCT member
Certified MBSR and MBCT Teacher, UCSD School of Medicine Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute
Affiliated MAPs Instructor, UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center
Certified Mindfulness Teacher, International Mindfulness Teachers Association
Education
I have studied with mindfulness-based teachers including Adrianne Ross, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Diana Winston, Marvin Belzer, Mark Williams, Florence Meleo-Meyer, Susan Woods, Saki Santorelli, Mark Lau, Patricia Rockman and Andrea Grabovac.
2023 Mark Williams Deeper Mindfulness training
2017-2018 UCSD Certifications in MBSR & MBCT
2016 UCLA Training in Mindfulness Facilitation
2010-15 University of Massachusetts MBSR teacher training courses
2007 MBCT Teacher Training
2005-2006 MBSR teacher training
2002 M.Sc.(OT) McMaster University
1991, 1982 M.Sc. & B.Sc.(Hons) University of British Columbia