About us
Values
Governance
Fee Structure
Advisory Board
Teaching Team
Our values
Openground staff provide courses which are safe, engaging, and effective by embodying the following core values:
- respect for each individual's uniqueness
- provision of an empathic, responsive environment in which to learn
- integrity in terms of ethical and professional responsibilities
- rigour and depth of experience, training and supervision in the fields which contribute to excellence in mindfulness-based training
All Openground teachers engage regularly in professional development, silent retreats and ongoing personal practice.
Governance
Openground Training and Consulting operates as a partnership between Timothea Goddard and Peter Baillie. This partnership operates and is directly responsible for the MBSR courses in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and the professional training programs.
Courses in Canberra, Perth, Hobart, Maitland, Southern Highlands and Alice Springs are operated by associates of Openground, and the respective teachers of those courses are responsible for all aspects of course delivery, advertising, fee structure and professional and clinical decision-making.
The teachers group of Openground functions as a source of ongoing peer supervision, consultation and support in the service of making the MBSR courses we offer accessible, sustainable and of a high quality for participants.
Fee structure
We understand that mindfulness meditation teachings are traditionally offered in a spiritual context on a donation basis. The MBSR program has sprung from this tradition, but is offered by professionals as part of their work. Hence fees are charged for the classes.
We have a commitment to making the MBSR program accessible to as many people as possible, even when people can’t afford the full fee. To this end, we offer strongly discounted places and payment plans. (Since its inception the Sydney - Melbourne - Brisbane arm of Openground has given away 35% of possible income as discounted places.)
In referring to our programs, feel free to refer people who require discounted places. And keep in mind, that in order to continue offering such strong discounts, we also need to have places filled by people who are able to pay the full fee.
Advisory Board
The Openground Advisory Board consists of a group of professionals drawn from the disciplines of medicine, psychology, education, psychotherapy, sociology, philosophy and spiritual practice. The members of the Board are knowledgeable and interested in exploring the relevance of mindfulness meditation practice to a range of arenas including physical and emotional health, education and the wider community. They bring a wealth of experience, training and life experience to assist the Openground group with advice and perspectives on professional, ethical, clinical, theoretical and practice issues.
The members of the Board are:
Geoff Dawson, BA, MAPS, Zen teacher.
Dr Gillian Deakin, MBBS, MPH, Dip. FP, FRACGP.
Dr Gemma Summers, PhD.
Dr Susan Murphy, PhD, Zen teacher.
Dr David Shapiro, PhD, MAPS.
Openground Teaching Team
The instructors of the MBSR courses are experienced in facilitating learning and change. They teach out their own mindfulness practice, which is supported by daily practice, regular retreats and other professional development.
Timothea Goddard - Director
(BA, Dip. Psychotherapy (ANZAP), Cert. IV in Workplace Training, Cat 2, Mem., A.A.S.P., A.N.Z.A.P., Member PACFA Register).
Timothea works as a psychotherapist, educator and workplace trainer for the past 20 years having trained in humanistic, body-oriented, and psychodynamic therapeutic orientations as well as MICBT and MBCT. Her interest in mindfulness has been deepened by being a long-time student in the practices of Aikido, yoga, and meditation. She is an accredited MBSR teacher with the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Healthcare and Society, University of Massachusetts Medical School, USA, and maintains strong professional links there.
Sue Hays
MSc, MClinPsych, MAPS, M. Australian Pain Society, M. Australian Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
Sue Hays is a Clinical Psychologist in private practice who has worked in a variety of mental health and rehabilitation settings over the past twenty years. She has taught MBSR classes since 2004 as well as two Practicum programs for health professionals. She has completed the TDI at the CFM, UMass, USA and practices in the insight tradition.
Nique Murch
B.A. Dip.,Adult Education, Feldenkrais Practitioner, Dip. Mime Mask and Movement
Nique has taught movement, improvisation and critical literacies to adults for the last twenty years. She practices in the Tibetan and Insight traditions and has experienced first hand how effective a neurophenomenological approach can be in the management of chronic pain. Nique currently teaches at Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Studies and has taught MBSR for the past five years.
Eva Papadopoulo
Cert.Couns., Grad Dip. Psychotherapy, Mem., A.A.S.P.
Member PACFA Register.
Eva works in private practice having trained in body-oriented, contemporary psychodynamic, developmental and relational orientations. Eva has also had extensive experience in teaching meditation as pain-management with cancer
HIV and AIDS and has worked in many organizations offering stress and anger management. Her interest in an integrated body-mind approach both personally and professionally has been deepened through many years of training in various meditations, yoga, Ortho-Bionomy, Body Mind Centering (BMC) and dance and theatre improvisation
Cecile Barral
(B.A., Dip. Psychotherapy, Post Grad. Dip. Adult Ed., Mem. PACFA, AASP, ANZAP).
Cecile has been a psychotherapist for over 20 years and a Zen practitioner for even longer. She has been involved with Openground from its onset, has taught the MBSR program for 5 years, and keeps being as passionate about it.
Nique Murch
B.A. Dip.,Adult Education, Feldenkrais Practitioner, Dip. Mime Mask and Movement.
Nique has taught movement, improvisation and critical literacies to adults for the last twenty years. She practices in the Tibetan and Insight traditions and has experienced first hand how effective a neurophenomenological approach can be in the management of chronic pain. Nique currently teaches at Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Studies and has taught MBSR for the past five years.
Lee Goddard-Williams
B.Psych.M.Psych (Clinical), Registered Clinical Psychologist, MAPS, Member Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Association of Australasia (PPAA)
B.Psych.M.Psych (Clinical), Registered Clinical Psychologist, MAPS, Member Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Association of Australasia (PPAA)
Lee is a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist who has been in private practice since 1988 having worked in child, adolescent and adult mental health and community development settings. She has completed the Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy training, MBSR Practicum training and recently attended a 5 day retreat in the USA with Saki Santorelli and Florence Meleo-Meyer from at the CFM, UMass. Lee has a particular interest in the psychological effects on emotion (particularly anxiety and depression) of loss and trauma in child and adulthood.
Elizabeth Granger
BEc, LLB, Dip. Som. Psych.
Libba is a psychotherapist in private practice and is also a qualified MBSR teacher. She previously worked as a litigation lawyer and now provides mindfulness based stress management training to the corporate environment as well as to the general public. Libba has had a long term interest in yoga and is passionate about mindfulness and its contribution to effecting real change and increasing human potential.
Maggie O'Shea
BA, MA (History), B Social Work
Maggie is a mental health social worker, educator, writer and mother and brings to teaching mindfulness a deep sensitivity and warmth. She is a Practitioner Associate with the Australian Centre for Grief & Bereavement and an experienced counsellor in the areas of anxiety, depression, loss and grief, cancer and other life threatening issues. She has also worked extensively in the areas of community consultation and development as a researcher, writer and video maker. She did her first meditation retreat in 1994 and has been practicing yoga and meditation for the past 15 years. She has trained in MBSR in the UMass Mind-Body Medicine 7 day training retreat offered by Jon Kabat-Zinn and Saki Santorelli in 2009 and with Openground in 2010.
Bjorn Mella
MA, B.App.Sc.(Acup). Dip.Rem.Mass
Bjorn Mella completed an internship in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) under Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical Centre (USA) in 1998. Bjorn has since completed further training with Jon Kabat-Zinn and other teachers and has been teaching with Openground in Australia since 2006. Bjorn has an established mindfulness practice cultivated over many years.
Bjorn is also an Acupuncturist and Manager of the Maitland Wellness Centre, which is run on Mindfulness-based principals.
Pamela Lovell
BSc, MSc, MA Counselling
Pamela is an Organisational Development Consultant with 20 years of experience working with leaders, managers and staff to effectively handle change and improve communication and behaviours for a better workplace. Pamela’s interest in teaching MBSR came through her work with organisations where work/life balance seemed elusive and many people were finding the stress of everyday life overwhelming. Since 2007 Pamela has taught MBSR privately and in organisation settings. Pamela has 13 years of experience with mindfulness and has studied this work for 20 years.
Astrid de Ruiter
MSc (Physics), Grad Dip Counseling, Dip Holistic Counseling
Astrid originally trained in physics and worked in the area of renewable energy. She now works as a counselor and psychotherapist in private practice having worked in community based services for a number of years. She has a long term interest and personal experience in mindfulness practice and the development of human consciousness. She has trained in both MiCBT and MBSR and has been teaching mindfulness since 2006. Astrid is passionate about helping people discover how they can use mindfulness in their everyday lives to make lasting changes and fuel ongoing personal growth.
Lisa Pollard
B Ed, Cert IV Yoga Teacher Training, Cert IV Fine Arts
Lisa Pollard is a trained yoga and meditation teacher with more than 20 years of self-practice and teaching experience. She is also a qualified teacher who specialized for 13 years in special education. Lisa also has a strong interest in Vipassana Meditation and has completed extensive training in Yoga, Ayurveda and has also trained in applications of Mindfulness meditation in clinical settings, including MiCBT (Mindfulness-integrated Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) and Advanced Training in ACT (Acceptance Commitment Therapy).
Lisa worked for six years at The Golden Door Health Retreat, 'Elysia' teaching yoga and meditation and taught yoga for six years at The Ashtanga Yoga School. She is endorsed by the Gawler Foundation www.gawler.org and is being mentored by Donna Farhi in yoga www.donnafarhi.co.nz. and is an ATMA Practitioner www.meditationaustralia.org.au Lisa is also an accomplished painter http://www.lisapollard.com/ and she enjoys the interconnectedness of her art practices and mindfulness. Lisa is currently completing her Advanced Diploma in Fine Arts
Mary McIntyre
B.A.(Business), Dip. Counselling MAIPC
Mary came to appreciate the clinical application of mindfulness through her own search for relief of the anxiety of persistent chronic back pain. She subsequently completed MBSR professional training with Openground . Mary has practiced meditation since 1988. With a strong interest in mind-body science and brain plasticity, she is passionate about how we can achieve optimal health through inner resources.
