The OMF is fortunate to have a family of dedicated and skilled mindfulness teachers/trainers/researchers and operational staff who share the OMF’s values/mission. They work to deliver the OMF’s goals across research, training, MBCT provision and education. They are a vital, valued and essential part of the OMF.
Ruth Baer
Teacher and Trainer
I’m a clinical psychologist and a mindfulness researcher, teacher, trainer, supervisor, and practitioner. Before moving to Oxford in 2019, I was a Professor of Psychology at the University of Kentucky, where I conducted research on mindfulness and taught and supervised several mindfulness-based programmes in...
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Jaya Rudgard
Retreat Leader
Jaya (Karen) Rudgard began meditating in 1984, and from 1996 to 2005 was ordained as a nun in the Thai forest tradition in England at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery. She subsequently trained as an Insight Meditation teacher in the USA with Jack Kornfield and Joseph Goldstein and has led meditation retreats and...
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Merran Barber
Teacher and Trainer
I am a mindfulness teacher, trainer and supervisor and am involved in teaching and training the Mindfulness for Life curriculum for the Oxford Mindfulness Centre. I am a Chartered Occupational Health Physiotherapist by background and for many years have had a special interest in the connection between physical...
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Alison Yiangou
Development Director – Training and Curricula. Teacher, Trainer & Supervisor
I am the Development Director – Training and Curricula for the Oxford Mindfulness Foundation (OMF). I am also a member of the University of Oxford Mindfulness Centre (OMC) Curriculum Development Group. I have an academic background in Psychology (MA Oxon). Most of my working life was spent in a business...
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Christina Surawy
Teacher and Trainer
I am a clinical psychologist and accredited BABCP cognitive therapist. I have been involved in teaching, training and researching MBCT with the OMF via the OMC collaboration since 2008 and have been particularly interested in developing MBCT for other conditions e.g. health anxiety and IBS. Until...
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Matilde Elices
Trustee, Teacher and Trainer
I am an Uruguayan psychologist and researcher living in Barcelona with my husband and my daughter. I work at the Institute Mar of Medical Research, one of the largest public hospitals in Barcelona. I manage research projects aiming to find innovative treatment approaches for severe mental...
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Pilar Puig
Teacher and Trainer
I am a mindfulness teacher based in Barcelona, Spain. I graduated from the Masters in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) at the University of Oxford in 2020. My struggles with my own nervous system led me to explore the emerging field of trauma-sensitive mindfulness, which has become an area of special interest....
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Marie Johansson
Teacher, Trainer and Supervisor
I am a qualified Social Worker, graduating from University of Umea, Sweden in 1979, when I moved to the UK. In 2006, I met Professor Mark Williams and began my training as an MBCT Teacher. I was then invited to join Mark’s team and became involved in developing the Oxford Mindfulness Centre (OMC). I worked initially as part...
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Debbie Clarke
Teacher and Trainer
I have been an associate trainer with the OMC since 2017. I’m a Consultant Clinical Psychologist leading a Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing Service for NHS and Social Care staff working and living in the Oxford Region. Over the three decades that I’ve practised as a...
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Jake Dartington
Retreat Leader
I am a teacher of Mindfulness-Based Approaches and Insight Meditation. I started to practice meditation in 1995 and trained with Christina Feldman at Gaia House, before starting to lead retreats in 2007. I have masters degrees in Buddhist Studies, Philosophy and Teaching Mindfulness-Based Approaches, and...
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