Katie O'Connor
Mindfulness Teacher
Counsellor

Qualifications

• ACC approved
• MNZAC
• BA (psych)
• Dip. Soc Services (Counselling)
• Dip. Integrative Psychology (Hakomi)
• Cert. MBSR Teacher
• ​LTCL

About Katie

I’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.