Katie O'Connor
Mindfulness Teacher Counsellor Qualifications
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About KatieI’ve been practising and interested in mindfulness and contemplative practises for the past 18 years. I was first introduced to mindfulness in 1999 and went on to train in Hakomi psychotherapy which uses mindfulness as its core practice/tenet. Very quickly I noticed it was changing me from the inside out. I began to notice how much time I was spending thinking about the future and how that in turn created feelings of anxiety. The “crazy” mind and unhelpful thoughts started to diminish and the more I practised being in the moment the more I noticed a sense of peace. My well being improved and my life had more of a sense of calmness and groundedness.
I love teaching mindfulness and working with people in groups, corporate settings and on a one-to-one. I have taught children in schools Pause, Breath Smile through the Mental Health Foundation and during my time as a Guidance Counsellor working with teenagers for stress. More than five years ago I started teaching the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction programme and have been teaching that in the community in a variety of settings. My own daily practise has developed over the years and I regularly attend Zen Sesshins and silent retreats in both the Christian and Buddhist traditions. Many of the people I have worked with tell me that it has helped them with sleep issues, anxiety, low mood, pain and to have strategies to cope with difficult thinking and unpleasant feelings. |