MINDFULNESS AOTEAROA - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Facilitator and Counsellor
Dianne is a fully Certifed MBSR teacher and also Co-director of the Mindfulness Training Institute of Australia and New Zealand (MTI-ANZ) - a not-for-profit established to ensure the professional and rigorous training of individuals to deliver Mindfulness Based Interventions across Australia and New Zealand. Dianne is recognised as a Senior Mindfulness Based Teacher and authorised Supervisor for MTI-ANZ, training and supervising Mindfulness teachers on the pathway.
Dianne was one of the first teachers to offer the 8 week MBSR in Auckland, and has been offering Mindfulness Based programmes and individual counselling sessions for over 20 years.
For the past 10 years, she has worked in various hospitals offering Mindfulness training courses to staff.
Her personal practice and love of Mindfulness Meditation spans a period of over 30 years.
Jan is a fully Certified Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Teacher. She first came to mindfulness when undergoing cancer treatment and was offered mindfulness to help her cope with the physical, emotional and psychological stress and pain that comes with a serious illness. Jan soon found the benefits of mindfulness extended way beyond simply a coping strategy, and found it so life changing that she was inspired to become a teacher and share mindfulness with others.
Since then, Jan has worked with staff in a range of organisations in the public and private sector, including various District Health Boards and corporate organisations.
Alongside this, she runs MBSR courses for the general public, and has a particular interest in working with people coping with illnesses.
Jan is a long time student of Iyengar yoga, holds a psychology degree and has extensive knowledge and qualifications in positive psychology, health coaching and preventive health. She also developed a group course that provides knowledge, skills and support to help people move forward after cancer treatment in a positive and productive way.
Sarasi trained as a Mental Health Nurse in 2000 in the UK, and moved to NZ in 2007. From her experience of working in Mental Health, even at the start of her career she was aware of the importance of compassionate self care and stumbled upon mindfulness and meditation after trying a yoga class in 2004.