"(The MBCT course) has empowered me by helping to bridge my private 'spiritual' life with my professional public life, an embodied metaphor for the meeting of 'East' and 'West'. As a result I am more at peace, relaxed, focussed, happy, contented and energetic."
Chris Ridley, Social Worker, Western Adelaide Palliative Care, QEH
"It brought my attention to my difficulty in staying focussed on the practice. Learnt about serenity vs insight meditation which was new to me."
Attendee from Cultivating the Heart-mind with Mindfulness
"I have found the concept of engaging fully with what it is I am experiencing, rather than applying the experiential avoidance brakes, has provided me with an level of acceptance with life that was not previously present."
Helen Duffy, Nurse Psychotherapist, Community Mental Health
"The MBCT course has made a big difference in both my professional life and my personal life. I have a very different focus (the present!) in many areas and I think in particular parenting my teenagers has improved. They have benefitted from having a mother who is more willing and more able to actually be with them and not somewhere else in my head while trying to listen. For myself I experience more joy day to day."
Kathy Rohan, Consultant Psychiatrist, Southern Mental Health
"The concept of the mindfulness framework was a very useful realisation, paving the way for the incorporation of various facets."
Attendee from Cultivating the Heart-mind with Mindfulness
"I gained an understanding for the first time that mindfulness offers a powerful form of insight not available through cognitive reflection and self-analysis."
MBCT Course participant
"Although the concept of mindfulness appears to be very simple (in fact deceptively so) - the practice of it is far from that. In the world we live in where we are often called upon to multi-task, the concept of bringing awareness to what I am experiencing at a particular time has proven invaluable."
Helen Duffy, Nurse Psychotherapist, Community Mental Health
"I gained different experiences that will help me with my regular practice plus helped create a desire for more."
Attendee from Cultivating the Heart-mind with Mindfulness
"My experience with the 8-week MBCT participant course at the Mindfulness Centre was beneficial to me personally and professionally. I found the experiential approach necessary to understand the theory of MBCT, and the leaders modelled acceptance very clearly."
Michael Proeve, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, University of South Australia
"I am happier because of it, and more at ease and confident, consciously, at work. Bravado has disappeared. Liana is a great teacher and wonderfully inspirational to listen to and work with."
RP, Adelaide, South Australia
"I am certainly glad I attended the Mindfulness course. I got so much out of it and I am enthusiastically applying it in my Practice with patients - with really great results!"
Sharenne Bernoth-Doolan, Clinical Psychologist, QLD
"After completing the MBCT course, I found that it has had ongoing subtle effects in my life. I am able to be more focussed and less distracted in my work. It is also easier to maintain awareness of my priorities at work and in life."
Michael Proeve, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, University of South Australia
"Before I was less effective, now I have more momentum, less procrastination. I am more effective."
Participant
"I learnt the value of discipline, and that when I was kind and compassionate to myself it was easier to learn."
Participant
"My alert system has greatly improved."
Participant
Back to Top
Individual Wellbeing
"Loved it - felt inspired and curious and refreshed. Very valuable personally and professionally."
Attendee from Cultivating the Heart-mind with Mindfulness
"I very much appreciated the Sydney course and the experiences throughout!! Replenished, reinvigorated, inspired."
Sue England, Counsellor/Psychotherapist NSW
"Attending the mindfulness course with Liana Taylor was an enriching experience for me. It had a profound impact on my own well being. I attended the course with an open mind, allowed things to happen ... and in fact with the support of Liana I was able to learn the skills to spend time with myself meaningfully, practised the skills to stay in the moment and challenged myself to face the present."
Abraham Francis PhD, Mental Health Social Worker, SA
"Time to reflect throughout the workshop has opened the opportunity to reflect/apply to myself. The movement exercises were wonderful on many levels."
Attendee from Cultivating the Heart-mind with Mindfulness
"The study of mindfulness has brought me personal peace, focus in my work and greater enjoyment of the present, and Liana's course in particular has helped crystallise many of its core concepts for me."
Catherine Johnson, Physiotherapist, Private practice, Malvern, Adelaide
"I highly recommend the 8 week MBCT training course. It offered me a valuable opportunity to consider the contribution mindfulness can make to clients' wellbeing, but more importantly, it has been a chance to bring mindfulness back into my own daily life. Being part of a group added richness to my learning, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching an excellent teacher at work!"
KS, Social Worker, Adelaide
"The {MBCT} course was most skillfully presented by Liana Taylor. Her wisdom, non-judgemental manner and humour were deeply appreciated as we dealt with the issues which arose. The course came along when I was experiencing an extreme level of stress in my life and the mindfulness approach allowed me to accept and observe what was going on at a deeper level...through a process of gentle healing and guided inner work. I know that mindfulness will now become an integral part of both my professional and personal life...and there is so much more to learn."
M.F., Counsellor
"Being aware of what nourishes and what drains me helped me reassess how I spend my time."
Participant
"I feel more grounded, more peaceful and comfortable within."
Participant
"The MBCT course I did ... was the entry to finding the root of my anxiety problems which used to lead into long depressive episodes over time. It was uplifting ... to find a tool that is really useful not just daily but from minute to minute."
RP, Adelaide, South Australia
"I learnt the importance of kindness – like a compass and a guide."
Participant
"Before [MBCT] I spent lots of time worrying about the future, or ruminating abut the past, I learnt that the experience of reality is a freeing place to be."
Participant
"I’m usually 15 steps ahead, now there is less chatter, I recognise this moment is important, and I relax more."
Participant
"Now I am more respectful of those most important to me, this leads to more valued living."
Participant
"The tendencies of mind have been a bit of a revelation for me - you do what you do and realise that not everyone does the same. ... It has been really interesting hearing where other people go, thinking about where I go, and looking at that in life and realising that there is a pattern."
Rachel Tyson, Psychologist, Canberra
"Mindfulness (along with a few other tools) has opened up many possibilities in terms of understanding myself and the way in which I interact with others."
RP, Adelaide, South Australia
Back to Top
Client Context
"The practical exposure and professional guidance {of the mindfulness course} has helped me to impart this knowledge to many. I have now been able to use some of these skills in my career, especially when working with mentally ill and emotionally disturbed clients to help them become aware of the thoughts, feelings and body sensations. ... Oh taste, and see what difference it can make to one's life."
Abraham Francis PhD, Mental Health Social Worker, SA
"I have gone from 'burnout' to fired-up! Whenever I can, I introduce ideas and practices of mindfulness to clients and colleagues alike, and enjoy seeing how such simple yet powerful ideas can be so effective."
Chris Ridley, Social Worker, Western Adelaide Palliative Care, QEH
"Deepened my understanding in applying these concepts in therapy in a practical reachable way to clients."
Attendee from Cultivating the Heart-mind with Mindfulness
"I really enjoyed hearing other people's experiences ... I like to take them away and think of that when I'm working with people - it just broadens my outlook."
Gai Torshavn, Psychologist, Headspace, Bathurst
"{Liana's} very gentle style felt good for me because it provided a good learning space ... I think I’ve got a much broader perspective on working with mindfulness and what mindfulness can mean - that separating out of the meditation from the mindfulness was very useful for me."
Judy Collett, Psychologist, Canberra
"It helped me with insight that I have the skill to be with clients as they are and gave me more information both for me and my clients."
Attendee from Cultivating the Heart-mind with Mindfulness
"I highly recommend the 8 week MBCT training course. It offered me a valuable opportunity to consider the contribution mindfulness can make to clients' wellbeing, but more importantly, it has been a chance to bring mindfulness back into my own daily life. Being part of a group added richness to my learning, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching an excellent teacher at work!"
KS, Social Worker, Adelaide
Back to Top
General
"I have returned home feeling inspired and focussed back on things that really matter. I appreciated your warmth, care and openness so much, Liana, as well as your enormous skill and expertise. You clarified so many things about meditation and mindfulness for me, and I feel more open to the practice as a result."
A.H., Victoria
"Really broadened and enriched my understanding of mindfulness - I feel I have more conceptual awareness."
Attendee from Cultivating the Heart-mind with Mindfulness
"My experience with the 8-week MBCT participant course at the Mindfulness Centre was beneficial to me personally and professionally. I found the experiential approach necessary to understand the theory of MBCT, and the leaders modelled acceptance very clearly."
Michael Proeve, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, University of South Australia
"I particularly enjoyed the ethos of the group, very 'soothing' is probably the best word."
Participant
"On the whole the material was EXCELLENT. The hand out was great too — really good."
Stephen Carthew, Adelaide
"I thoroughly enjoyed the day and found it very useful to build on the small amount which I already understood of mindfulness. I will look forward to continuing to learn more in due course."
Sue, Adelaide
Back to Top
Presenters
"A professional, experienced, approachable presenter."
Anne Medcalf, Acting Director, Pregnancy Advisory Centre, Adelaide
"Teachers were knowledgeable, wise and embraced the principles they were teaching. I loved Mal's stories, his humility, humour, openness and wisdom and all of the information was presented simply and easy to understand."
Attendee from Cultivating the Heart-mind with Mindfulness
"The pacing of the course is very good, and the back and forth between the cognitive aspects and the mindfulness aspects is very useful and a good model."
Dr Sandi Plummer, Psychologist, Canberra
"I felt comfortable and safe with Liana."
Anne Medcalf, Acting Director, Pregnancy Advisory Centre, Adelaide
"The presentation on the Buddhist origins of MBCT was very clear and useful, as was the discussion on the connections between MBCT, DBT, ACT and MBSR ... It was fascinating to discover the spiritual element to MBCT ... I enjoyed Liana’s personal stories and her stories about the personal discoveries of leaders in the field of MBCT."
Feedback from Introduction course in Canberra, February 2009
"Thank you both for your shared wisdom and generosity. I enjoy your honesty and ability to recognise diversity. It is very evident in your approach to the whole 'professional competence' approach."
Attendee from Cultivating the Heart-mind with Mindfulness
"Excellent presenter, very articulate and positive, bringing humour and very interesting."
Anne Medcalf, Acting Director, Pregnancy Advisory Centre, Adelaide
"It’s been really useful to see the integration of a number of different ways of doing things, and drawing a synthesis between the straight cognitive approach, the straight mindfulness approach, the more rigid teaching approach and the experiential approach."
Dr Sandi Plummer, Psychologist, Canberra
Back to Top
