I have been teaching the general public since 2009 and specialise in working with the general public, many of them suffering with anxiety and general life-overwhelm. I have experience of working with a wide range of people, from counsellors and coaches attending for professional development to people with terminal cancer and other chronic health conditions. I teach ongoing 2-hour MBSR courses for The Mindfulness Project, adapted MBCT for Sussex Mindfulness Centre NHS staff courses. I’m also trained in MBCT-L.
I also work in the charity and workplace sectors, delivering online and in-person mindfulness for a variety of different workplaces in different formats.
I have embraced working on Zoom and am able to offer guidance on how to make this work for your teaching. I contributed to a book chapter in ‘Digital Delivery of Mental Health Therapies’ ed Dr Hannah Wilson.
I have had a meditation practice since 1997. A key component of my personal practice is enquiry, and I am particularly interested in the ways in which enquiry can lead to clarity and understanding. As such the enquiry process plays a central role in my work in the mindfulness classroom, and my work as a supervisor.
My MSc thesis focused on the role of home practice in mindfulness-based approaches as I know both how important and how difficult it can be to establish and maintain. Delving into personal practice forms an important part of my supervision.
In collaboration with Prof. Christine Parsons, my thesis was published in 2020: https://bmcpsychology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40359-020-00453-x/metrics
My other great love is the natural world and I am exploring how we can bring mindfulness practice into the outdoors, both for our own wellbeing as practitioners and as a way of increasing engagement and love for nature.
I have a keen interest in the Buddhist foundations of MBA’s, and in exploring the differences and overlaps with secular mindfulness.
Qualifications
· Certified Teacher of Mindful Self-Compassion (2022)
· MBCT-L training at Oxford Mindfulness Centre (2018)
· CMRP Supervision training (2015)
· MSc thesis under Prof. Willem Kuyken at Exeter University (2014)
· CMRP Foundation, Teaching 1 & 2 and Assessed Teaching Practice leading to Certificate of Competence to Teach Mindfulness-based Courses (2008-2012)
· Introduction to Counselling Skills (2008)
· BA Philosophy (UCL, 1995)
Teaching-Training Specialisms
· Mentoring new teachers.
· Working with the general public as an independent mindfulness teacher.
· Adapting the eight-week course for different contexts.
· Helping participants to establish a home practice.
· The enquiry process.
Supervision Experience
I have been supervising since 2014, initially on the Exeter University post-graduate mindfulness teacher training programme and for Mindfulness Network since 2016. I have co-taught with, and supervised, many trainees through Exeter and Sussex Mindfulness Centre as part of their training. I specialise in working with the non-clinical general public in a variety of contexts.
I co-run a thriving peer supervision group on Zoom.
Supervision Specialisms
I am particularly interested in working with new teachers and the enquiry process. Home practice is also a major interest in teaching and supervision.
I have considerable experience in setting up and running a business as a mindfulness teacher and can offer support in marketing, giving design briefs for advertising, mailing lists, tasters and efficient organisational processes.
I am a Certified Mindful Self Compassion teacher and can offer supervision for this too.
I offer group supervision.
Supervision Rate
1 hour individual session – £50
1 hour session for 2 co-teachers – £50
A limited number of reduced rates may be available for people who are not charging for their teaching – please mention this to Jiva in the initial contact session once your application has been received.
I offer groups in blocks of 4 sessions with 4-6 people (minimum 4), with a usual price of £120 per person for 1 ½ hours (4 people) and £80 per person (6 people) for all 4 sessions. If you are interested in Group Supervision please contact supervision@mindfulness-network.org.
Please see our Supervision FAQs for more details on the cost of supervision.
Personal Practice
I have had a committed meditation practice since 1997 when I was 24. I began with SN Goenka’s 10-day Vipassana courses in India, before moving to the gentler approach of western Insight Meditation tradition in 1999. I spent 7 years travelling in Asia, meditating, studying and practicing yoga and doing as many retreats as I could, which gave me a solid foundation for my practice. In 2004 I moved to Brighton, and am an active member of the meditation community. I am a founding member and trustee of Bodhi Tree Brighton Buddhist charity (www.bodhitreebrighton.org.uk) and run a weekly Open Meditation group as part of Bodhi Tree as well as doing the publicity.
I have drawn great inspiration from the secular mindfulness approach, particularly its emphasis on gentleness. Since training in Mindful Self-Compassion, starting in 2019, I have valued bringing more explicit compassion to myself in difficult times.
I have a regular sitting and yoga practice and find my allotment a great source of spiritual inspiration where I enjoy observing nature.
I attend retreats at Gaia House regularly, and spend time at Cittaviveka Forest Monastery on semi-retreat in a mindful community.
I have completed the Community Dharma Leader programme at Gaia House and regularly run the Gaia House Online Dharma Hall. (https://gaiahouse.co.uk/online-dharma-hall/)
I am now exploring mindfulness in nature.
Further Information
For several years, I mentored on Christopher Titmuss’ Mindfulness Training Course, an online programme of mindfulness practices and investigation into our lives.
I also love allotment gardening and find many opportunities there to practice patience, letting go, non-striving and careful cultivation. I have offered a Mindful Gardening course on my allotment site in Brighton.
