Learn the basics of mindful eating from expert mindful eating teacher, Dr. Heidi Douglass in this 90-minute workshop delivered live via Zoom.

Scientifically proven Mindful Eating skills can help us to stop emotional eating, binge eating and assist with weight loss. With Mindfulness, we can become more compassionate towards ourselves and feel more positive about our body no matter what the scale says.

“So honest and relatable. Great new ideas made simple. Made me feel that all my inner dialogue and disagreements around food was normal, just thoughts, and could be managed with mindfulness, time and kindness to myself. Thanks so much.” — Jenny D.

“Just telling people to eat healthier and exercise more if they want to lose weight doesn’t work for everyone; it gives some people terrible self-esteem when they fail to do that. Mindful eating teaches people to tap into their built-in natural systems. They don’t have to calorie count; they just have to listen to their body.” — Dr. Heidi Douglass

✔ Reduce binge and emotional eating.

✔ Reduce mindless eating.

✔ Feel better about yourself, your eating behaviour and your body image.

✔ Better understand sugar cravings and how to reduce them.

✔ Learn how to leave shame and guilt related to eating choices behind.

“Mindfulness helps you to keep your thoughts in the present moment. As you practice, you tend to get better at calming the mind and keeping things in perspective. ” — Dr Grant Blashki is a practising GP and Beyond Blue’s lead Clinical Advisor

✔ What is Mindful Eating?

• What is mindful eating and how can it be helpful?
• What evidence do we have that it works?
• How can we cultivate mindful eating behaviour?

✔ Chasing Taste: Mindfulness of our Taste Buds

• We will demonstrate how mindfulness of how our taste buds operate can influence how much of any one type of food we consume.
• We will look at how we can shift our focus from quantity of food to quality of food: we can eat less yet feel more satisfied.

Please prepare these items for the workshop:

In order to do the food experiments in this workshop, you will need 4 plain raisins AND either 3 plain potato chips OR 3 pieces of plain chocolate.

DISCLAIMER: Information offered in this Mindful Eating workshop is for educational purposes only. Dr. Heidi Douglass is not providing therapy through this educational workshop and the material should not be used as a substitute for seeking professional care. The potential risks associated with improper diagnosis or treatment can only be minimised by direct consultations with mental health professionals. For further information about a condition or a treatment mentioned, please consult your health professional.

Learn from the best.
Course facilitator, course designer and mindfulness expert
— Dr. Heidi Douglass

Dr. Heidi Douglass is an American-trained Clinical Psychologist with over 35 years of experience in the field of Psychology. This Scientist-Practitioner is an expert in the treatment of obesity, emotional eating, binge eating and behaviour change. She is the lead trainer of the Mindfulness Works Mindful Eating program.

Dr. Douglass uses the power of scientifically proven behavioural strategies, mindfulness skills & talk therapy techniques to help her clients regain control of their eating behaviour & to feel more at ease in their body & mind.

Clients who work with Dr. Douglass get their eating behaviour back under control, increase self-compassion, self-care and motivation to exercise, while decreasing their negative thinking. Her clients also learn how to manage their weight safely; without dieting, without counting calories and without food restriction. Dr. Douglass is able to break down complex behavioural change into easy to follow steps and she delivers her training materials with an emphasis on science, kindness, compassion and fun.

Dr. Douglass understands that the mind and body are intrinsically linked and that the health and well-being of one impacts the other. Inspired by the research literature on how Yoga can help her clients keep weight off, decrease anxiety and improve body image, Dr. Douglass became a registered yoga teacher at the age of 50. She has now completed over 540 hours of Yoga Alliance approved yoga teacher training.
Over the years, Dr. Douglass has held clinical and research positions at some of the most prestigious American Institutions including: Harvard University, Columbia University, Boston University, Mt Sinai Hospital in NYC, Brown University and 3 Hospitals of the American Veterans Administration, and within New Zealand at the Otago Medical School. For two and a half years, she worked as an obesity expert for the public health system in New Zealand.

Dr. Douglass has a very thorough understanding of the scientific literature regarding the health benefits of a Whole Foods Plant Based Diet (WFPBD) and she is certified in plant-based nutrition through the T. Colin Campbell Institute at Cornell University in the USA.

Dr. Douglass is currently based in New Zealand and she works with clients in person and online. drheididouglass@gmail.com

“The course was extremely informative. It was practical, insightful and useful for everyone. Heidi truly has the skill to put people at ease and able to deliver. I think it was great.” — Sandnya F.

“So interesting! Heidi has a beautiful, friendly, kind and understanding personality. Awesome to be with others dealing with similar feelings. Loved the balance of meditations and discussion.” — Kate U.

How this workshop is delivered

This is a live, online beginners mindfulness workshop delivered through Zoom. Zoom is free and works on all modern smartphones, computers and tablets. This workshop is fun, personalised and responsive and with real-time engagement with the facilitator, the participants and the practice.

“Made me really think about my actions and decisions that lead to over eating.” — K Coulter

“ Warm, friendly, real instructor. Does make you think and notice the value of meditation to thoughts and behaviour.” — Andrea E.

“It has been useful and enjoyable. It has been really nice to make time for myself and learn skills that I can apply to my everyday life.”
— Anna S.

“Heidi is absolutely lovely and explains everything thoroughly. She makes it interesting to listen and learn and love her accent.” — Meena P.

“I have found your style to be very effective and informative and I have learnt a lot. I like your humour and your knowledge. I find you to be welcoming and down to Earth.” — Elizabeth

“Interesting, animated – fostered self-acceptance.” — A.M.

Refund and Transfer Policy

• Full refunds are available up to one week before a workshop starts.
• Free transfers to other workshops are available up to one week before a workshop starts.
• If you attend this workshop and feel you have not got value, you are entitled to and will be given a full refund.
• Refunds are not given if you do not attend the workshop.

Who is this workshop suitable for?

This workshop is suitable for any of the following:

• Any adult who is overweight.
• Adults who struggle with emotional eating, binge eating or mindless eating.
• People who struggle with guilt over food decisions. People wanting to explore mindfulness and meditation in relation to relaxation, stress reduction and wellness.
• This workshop is aimed at adult men and women. It is not an appropriate workshop for children.

Mindfulness Works is the largest mindfulness training organisation in New Zealand. Over 10,000 people have completed the Mindfulness Works Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation 4-week course.

Mindfulness Works is committed to:

• Providing accessible and affordable mindfulness courses.
• Offering a diverse range of experienced and skilled mindfulness trainers.
• Providing courses in a practical format with exceptional supporting resources.
• Improving the mental health of all of us and fostering self-love in all.
• Supporting our facilitators with options for further professional development.

Are you tired of emotional eating or binging? Are you tired of having little control with foods like chocolate, cheese or potato chips? Evidence based mindful eating strategies can help.

An Introduction to Mindful Eating workshops

3-hour workshop including morning or afternoon tea

THE ORIGINAL MINDFUL EATING EDUCATION PROGRAMME DEVELOPED BY REGISTERED CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST DR HEIDI DOUGLASS

MINDFUL EATING BASICS – 90 MINUTE ZOOM WORKSHOP

There are no up-coming 3 hour Introduction to Mindful Eating in-person workshops coming up BUT we do have the fantastic Mindful Eating Basics Zoom workshop with Dr Heidi Douglass. See all information, schedules and book now here.

THE MINDFUL EATING ALTERNATIVE

Mindfulness provides an alternative to diets. With mindfulness, you don’t restrict any food or food types, you don’t calorie count or weigh-in. Instead you learn to use the systems that you were born with.

With mindfulness, you eat whatever you want. You learn to stop eating when your taste buds tell you the taste is no longer as good. When you are mindful, you notice how the chocolate or chips don’t actually taste as good after the third or 4th bite.

THE BENEFITS OF MINDFUL EATING

REDUCE BINGE AND EMOTIONAL EATING 

LEARN HOW TO BREAK FREE FROM OVER EATING PATTERNS

BETTER UNDERSTAND CRAVINGS FOR FOOD AND HOW TO REDUCE THEM

LEARN HOW TO LEAVE SHAME AND GUILT RELATED TO EATING CHOICES BEHIND

DEVELOPED BY NZ BASED CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND BASED ON MB-EAT

The Introduction to Mindful Eating workshop has been developed by Hamilton-based Registered Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Heidi Douglass and is drawn from the scientifically-proven Mindfulness Based-Eating Awareness Training (MB-EAT) programme created in the USA by Dr. Jean Kristeller and colleagues.

 “Are you really good at beating yourself up and calling yourself names when you fail yet again at another diet? We can teach you how to stop doing that.” – Dr. Heidi Douglass 

“Mindful eating involves use of meditation and mindfulness practices to build our capacity to be aware and to direct our attention to the present moment. With mindful eating, we can better observe our triggers to overeating and eating when we are not hungry. With mindfulness, we can develop a new, flexible relationship to food and eating. The use of mindful eating techniques can help us, with regular practise, to reconnect with our body’s own systems for hunger and fullness and to start to identify the thoughts, emotions and behaviours that lead us to overeat or eat when not hungry. By listening to what our body needs, we can move toward a more positive relationship with food and with our body.” – Dr Heidi Douglass.

“Just telling people to eat healthier and exercise more if they want to lose weight doesn’t work for everyone, it gives some people terrible self-esteem when they fail to do that. Mindful eating teaches people to tap into their built-in natural systems. They don’t have to calorie count; they just have to listen to their body.” – Dr Heidi Douglass

BOOK HERE | ALL WORKSHOPS RUN FOR 3 HOURS AND INCLUDE MORNING/AFTERNOON TEA

Course Locations and Timetables | Click menus to expand

SAFE, CONFIDENTIAL ENVIRONMENT

This course and all course facilitators are non-judgemental.  All people who come to the Introduction to Mindful Eating course are attending for similar reasons. Your privacy and confidentiality is fully respected.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN ON THIS WORKSHOP

• Ways to decrease mindless eating, emotional eating and binge eating.
• How to reconnect with your body’s own built-in systems of hunger and fullness.
• How to release yourself from negative judgements about food and your body.
• How to slow down, savour and more fully taste and enjoy food.
• How to become less reactive and more calm; especially when making food decisions.

WHAT YOU GET WITH THIS WORKSHOP

• Three guided, online, mindfulness meditations for you to access.
• A small guidebook emailed to you in pdf format.
• A delicious morning tea during the workshop.
• Food to be used as food experiments during the workshop.
• Opportunities for questions and answers.

“So honest & relatable. Great new ideas made simple. Made me feel that all my inner dialogue and disagreements around food was normal, just thoughts, and could be managed with mindfulness, time & kindness to myself. Thanks so much.”  – Jenny D.

What The Workshop Covers…

What is Mindful Eating?

• What is mindful eating and how can it be helpful?
• What evidence do we have that it works?
• How can we cultivate mindful eating behaviour?

Our Body and Our Thoughts: Internal and External Triggers to Eating

• We will look at internal and external triggers for hunger and eating.
• We will discuss how our patterns and habits of thinking can influence when we eat and how much we eat. These thought patterns can lead to mindless eating, emotional eating and binge eating.
• We will cover black and white thinking and behavioural chaining.
• We will discuss the benefits of taking a non-judgemental stance towards ourselves and the food choices that we make.

Chasing Taste: Mindfulness of Our Taste Buds

• We will demonstrate how mindfulness of how our taste buds operate can influence how much of any one type of food we consume.
• We will look at how we can shift our focus from quantity of food to quality of food: we can eat less yet feel more satisfied.

Cultivating Connection and Kindness Towards Ourselves and Our Body

• Many people with food issues make negative judgements about themselves and dislike their bodies. Guilt about food intake is common.
• We will discuss some ways to move away from this pattern and towards kindness and acceptance and a more positive relationship with food and with our bodies.

Who is this course suitable for?

This course is suitable for any of the following:

• Any adult who is overweight.
• Adults who struggle with emotional eating, binge eating or mindless eating.
• People who struggle with guilt over food decisions.
• People wanting to explore mindfulness and meditation in relation to relaxation, stress reduction and wellness.
• This workshop is aimed at adult men and women. It is not an appropriate workshop for children. Please organise offsite babysitting on the day of the workshop for any children you are responsible for.

BOOK A COURSE NOW

About the teachers

The approach by all Mindfulness Works teachers is straightforward, practical and heartfelt and is directed towards you discovering your own innate wisdom and authentic experience.

Dr. Heidi Douglass – Course Designer and Lead Facilitator

Dr. Heidi Douglass is an American-trained Clinical Psychologist who provides psychological assessment and treatment services for adults, children and couples in Hamilton. Dr. Douglass provides Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) along with other evidence-based therapeutic approaches (ACT & DBT) depending on the needs of the person.

Heidi has experience treating a wide range of problems including weight management, eating disorders, anxiety and stress, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, depression and trauma. Mindfulness Based Eating Awareness Treatment (MB-EAT) is one of her specialities.

Over the years, Heidi has held clinical and research positions at some of the most prestigious American Institutions including Harvard University, Columbia University, Boston University, Mt Sinai Hospital in NYC, Brown University in Providence RI and three Hospitals of the American Veterans Administration, and within New Zealand at Otago Medical School. For over two years, she worked as an obesity expert for the Waikato DHB in Hamilton. She resigned from this position to return to private work in August 2013.

Most recently, Heidi has become very interested in the scientific literature regarding the health outcomes of a Whole Foods Plant Based Diet (WFPBD). In March 2014, she completed a certificate program through Cornell University in the USA on plant-based nutrition.

Pat Alexander – Napier

I came to New Zealand eight years ago and since then, I have consolidated a passion for mindfulness. This personal journey came about from different life events, but significantly from the disconnect I felt when I was dealing with the impact of a big change in my life.

This challenging time brought a lot of self-doubt and emotional vulnerability into my life. However, I have found that mindfulness practice has enabled me to engage and rejoice in the complete person that I am and connect with the very being of me.

This journey has been in both my personal and professional life. It has been enabled through attending training, retreats and teachings and through the development of my own practice which has been a personal commitment to my journey and that at times has brought feelings of fear and trepidation. It has enabled me to connect with like-minded people and to receive guidance and mindfulness supervision through my teachers to whom I am very thankful.

As a clinician in mental health, I can see the great potential mindfulness offers and use it in my work. I observe the benefits it provides people – developing awareness and gaining a better understanding of what limits their lives and living to their full potential and freedom of choice.

I completed the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teachers practicum in 2012 and provide mindfulness-based interventions in my private practice.

I enjoy being part of the Mindfulness Works team and providing the Intro and Mindful Eating courses in Napier. With the Mindful Eating courses, we explore our relationship with food with openness, kindness and curiosity and allow ourselves more insight, understanding and compassion.

For more information and contact details please go to mindfulnessmind.co.nz

Kate Brandram-Adams – Rangiora – MBSR Qualified Trainer

Kate has a love for practising and teaching mindfulness. She has her home in rural North Canterbury. Her passion is to offer professionally led mindfulness workshops, retreats and courses to groups and workplaces in the area https://mindfulnessnorthcanterbury.wordpress.com/

Mindfulness is a fundamental part of Kate’s life. She has a daily meditation and yoga practice, attends regular meditation and mindful living retreats and has done personal development work with mindfulness therapists. It is a value of hers not to teach anything that she is not willing to experience herself, allowing her to teach with authenticity and compassion.

Kate is a Registered Mindfulness Teacher with MTIANZ and is trained to teach the worldwide evidence base course Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) that she offers as a follow up course in Rangiora. She is committed to ongoing training in mindfulness teaching and has recently completed her yoga teacher training too.

She is also a Registered Mental Health Nurse who specialises in addictions and holistic approaches (integrating body, mind and spirit for wellbeing) including training in naturopathy, nutrition and massage.

Kate has a passion for the integration of ancient wisdom with modern day neuroscience, thus uniting the art and science of supporting people to discover their own source of wisdom, wellbeing and healing; connecting with their own “inner teacher”.

Kate is grateful to the many mindfulness teachers in her life that include the animals and the nature around her.

Kovido Maddick – Dunedin

Kovido has over 35 years’ experience in mindfulness and meditation and spent 10 years training as a Buddhist monk in the Thai Forest tradition under Ajahn Sumedho.

Kovido has been teaching Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction programmes since 1996. He is co-facilitator of the Dunedin Men’s group and is a Hakomi Graduate. Although his training is primarily Buddhist he is very eclectic, drawing on the wisdom of many different traditions and contemporary teachers including Rumi, Osho, Ajahn Chah, Ram Dass, Jeff Foster and Thich Naht Hanh. Probably his greatest teachers have been his two foster children, Mason and Savannah, who can take him to love, joy, delight and rage and frustration and despair on a daily basis.

For many many years, Kovido tried to get enlightened, improve himself, get better at meditation but constantly failed. Gradually his focus has changed to more self-acceptance, trusting his own intuition and being with life as it is on this wonder-full and

What People are Saying About The Intro to Mindful Eating Course and Course Designer Dr Heidi Douglass

“So interesting! Heidi has a beautiful, friendly, kind and understanding personality. Awesome to be in a room with others dealing similar feelings. Loved the balance of meditations and discussion.” Kate U.

“So honest and relatable. Great new ideas made simple. Made me feel that all my inner dialogue and disagreements around food was normal, just thoughts, and could be managed with mindfulness, time and kindness to myself. Thanks so much. ”
Jenny D.

“Interesting, animated – fostered self acceptance.” A.M.

“Made me really think about my actions and decisions that lead to over eating.” K Coulter

“ Warm, friendly, real instructor. Does make you think and notice the value of meditation to thoughts and behaviour.” Andrea E.

“It has been useful and enjoyable. It has been really nice to make time for myself and learn skills that I can apply to my everyday life.” Anna S.

“The course was extremely informative. It was practical, insightful and useful for everyone. Heidi truly has the skill to put people at ease and able to deliver. I think it was great.” Sandnya F.

“Heidi is absolutely lovely and explains everything thoroughly. She makes it interesting to listen and learn and love her accent.” Meena P.

“I have found your style to be very effective and informative and I have learnt a lot. I like your humour and your knowledge. I find you to be welcoming and down to Earth.” Elizabeth

You are about to start your journey into Mindful Eating with Mindfulness Works.  Over 500 people per month in New Zealand participate Mindfulness Works courses, so you are in very good company.

Email Confirmation

You will shortly receive email confirmation of your booking.

You do not need to bring your ticket, email confirmation or a copy of this page with you to the course as your facilitator will have a list of  your registration…

Access Your Guided Mindfulness Meditation Audios

To access your guided mindfulness meditation audios, go to the Mindfulness Works Soundcloud Page.  All of these guided meditations are free for you to use as you wish.  All audios can be streamed. They can are also downloadable to most devices. There may be some exceptions for mobile iOS devices, in which case we recommend you download them to a desktop or laptop (PC or mac) and then transfer them to your mobile device.

You do not need to listen to these guided meditations before the course starts.

Contact Us

You can contact Karen, our admin and operations manager on  027 664 9281

REDUCE EMOTIONAL EATING AND INCREASE YOUR ENJOYMENT OF FOOD AND LIFE WITH MINDFUL EATING

4 week Introduction to Mindful Eating course.

$99 for the entire course including four classes, guided mindful eating exercises and guidebook.

DIETS DON’T WORK

Diets don’t work. 80% of people who use a diet regain their weight plus more within 2 years.  Although people can maintain diets for short periods of time, ultimately don’t work because they restrict the types of food you can eat, which very few people can sustain over the long term.

THE MINDFUL EATING ALTERNATIVE

Mindfulness provides an alternative to diets. With mindfulness you don’t restrict any food or food types, you dont calorie count or weigh-in. Instead you learn to use the system that nature gave you.

With mindfulness you have whatever you want. You learn to stop eating when your taste buds tell you the taste is no longer as good. When you are mindful you notice how the chocolate or chips don’t actually taste as good after the third or 4th bite.

THE BENEFITS OF MINDFUL EATING

REDUCE BINGE AND EMOTIONAL EATING –  Bad day at work or is your partner being a jerkface?  Do you eat to make yourself feel better?  We can help you be more in control so you can choose other options.

REDUCE MINDLESS EATING – Do you repeatedly find yourself mindlessly snacking in front of the TV every night after dinner and you know that you are not even hungry? Or do you eat while driving or while on the computer or while reading? Do you find yourself doing late night snacking…when you are really just tired and in need of sleep…you eat instead of doing what you really need?

FEEL BETTER ABOUT YOURSELF, YOUR BODY IMAGE AND EATING. Do you find you use any excuse to buy yourself big bars of chocolate and then feel guilty when you eat them? Over-time with mindful eating practices you can learn (or re-learn) to feel good about your body and find that you are less likely to rely on food to try and feel good. Are you really good at beating yourself up and calling yourself names when you fail yet again at another diet? We can teach you how to stop doing that.

LOSE WEIGHT OVER TIME WITHOUT PILLS OR DIETS.  Instead of taking pills or another diet program learn to tune in to your bodies own built in systems for hunger and fullness and use that.

REDUCE SUGAR CRAVINGS WITHOUT GUILT OR SHAME  We offer hands on practice with chocolate and chips. You have support from the group as you engage with those foods you may feel little control with. With mindful eating you will find it easier to stay away from sugar and other foods that may not be good for you and be be less reactive and less compulsive. Mindful eating.helps you pause and make decisions more in line with your values.

DEVELOPED BY NZ BASED CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND BASED ON MB-EAT

The Introduction to Mindful Eating course has been developed by Hamilton-based Registered Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Heidi Douglass and is drawn from the scientifically-proven Mindfulness Based-Eating Awareness Training (MB-EAT) programme created in the USA by Dr. Jean Kristeller and colleagues.

 “Are you really good at beating yourself up and calling yourself names when you fail yet again at another diet? We can teach you how to stop doing that.” – Dr. Heidi Douglass 

“Mindful eating involves use of meditation and mindfulness practices to build our capacity to be aware and to direct our attention to the present moment. With mindful eating, we can better observe our triggers to overeating and eating when we are not hungry. With mindfulness, we can develop a new, flexible relationship to food and eating. The use of mindful eating techniques can help us, with regular practise, to reconnect with our body’s own systems for hunger and fullness and to start to identify the thoughts, emotions and behaviours that lead us to overeat or eat when not hungry. By listening to what our body needs, we can move toward a more positive relationship with food and with our body.” – Dr Heidi Douglass.

“Just telling people to eat healthier and exercise more if they want to lose weight doesn’t work for everyone, it gives some people terrible self-esteem when they fail to do that. Mindful eating teaches people to tap into their built-in natural systems. They don’t have to calorie count; they just have to listen to their body.” – Dr Heidi Douglass

BOOK HERE | ALL COURSES ARE $99

Course Locations and Timetables | Click menus to expand

SAFE, CONFIDENTIAL ENVIRONMENT

This course and all course facilitators are non-judgemental.  All people who come to the Introduction to Mindful Eating course are attending for similar reasons. Your privacy and confidentiality is fully respected.

• Ways to decrease mindless eating, emotional eating and binge eating.
• How to reconnect with your body’s own built-in systems of hunger and fullness.
• How to release yourself from negative judgements about food and your body.
• How to slow down, savour and more fully taste and enjoy food.
• How to become less reactive and more calm; especially when making food decisions.
• Four weekly 60-minute group classes.
• Three guided mindfulness meditations for you to download.
• Handouts with useful reflections and practices.
• Opportunities for questions and answers.

“So honest & relatable. Great new ideas made simple. Made me feel that all my inner dialogue and disagreements around food was normal, just thoughts, and could be managed with mindfulness, time & kindness to myself. Thanks so much.”  – Jenny D.

What The Course Covers Each Week

Week 1: What is Mindful Eating?

• What is mindful eating and how can it be helpful?
• What evidence do we have that it works?
• How can we cultivate mindful eating behaviour?

Week 2: Our Body and Our Thoughts: Internal and External Triggers to Eating

• We will look at internal and external triggers for hunger and eating.
• We will discuss how our patterns and habits of thinking can influence when we eat and how much we eat. These thought patterns can lead to mindless eating, emotional eating and binge eating.
• We will cover black and white thinking and behavioural chaining.
• We will discuss the benefits of taking a non-judgemental stance towards ourselves and the food choices that we make.

Week 3: Chasing Taste: Mindfulness of Our Taste Buds

• We will demonstrate how mindfulness of how our taste buds operate can influence how much of any one type of food we consume.
• We will look at how we can shift our focus from quantity of food to quality of food: we can eat less yet feel more satisfied.

Week 4: Cultivating Connection and Kindness Towards Ourselves and Our Body

• Many people with food issues make negative judgements about themselves and dislike their bodies. Guilt about food intake is common.
• We will discuss some ways to move away from this pattern and towards kindness and acceptance and a more positive relationship with food and with our bodies.

How long is each weekly class and what happens?

Each class is  60 minutes long. A typical class will include:

• An overview of the topics for that session
• A practical mindfulness exercise
• A guided mindfulness meditation
• Time for questions and answers.

Who is this course suitable for?

This course is suitable for any of the following:

• Anyone who is overweight.
• People who struggle with emotional eating, binge eating or mindless eating.
• People who struggle with guilt over food decisions.
• People wanting to explore mindfulness and meditation in relation to relaxation, stress reduction and wellness.

BOOK A COURSE NOW

About the teachers

The approach by all Mindfulness Works teachers is straightforward, practical and heartfelt and is directed towards you discovering your own innate wisdom and authentic experience.

Dr. Heidi Douglass – Course Designer and Lead Facilitator

Dr. Heidi Douglass is an American-trained Clinical Psychologist who provides psychological assessment and treatment services for adults, children and couples in Hamilton. Dr. Douglass provides Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) along with other evidence-based therapeutic approaches (ACT & DBT) depending on the needs of the person.

Heidi has experience treating a wide range of problems including weight management, eating disorders, anxiety and stress, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, depression and trauma. Mindfulness Based Eating Awareness Treatment (MB-EAT) is one of her specialities.

Over the years, Heidi has held clinical and research positions at some of the most prestigious American Institutions including Harvard University, Columbia University, Boston University, Mt Sinai Hospital in NYC, Brown University in Providence RI and three Hospitals of the American Veterans Administration, and within New Zealand at Otago Medical School. For over two years, she worked as an obesity expert for the Waikato DHB in Hamilton. She resigned from this position to return to private work in August 2013.

Most recently, Heidi has become very interested in the scientific literature regarding the health outcomes of a Whole Foods Plant Based Diet (WFPBD). In March 2014, she completed a certificate program through Cornell University in the USA on plant-based nutrition.

Catrina Bengree – Lower Hutt and Wellington

Catrina Bengree has been eating mindfully for 20 years. She founded Nourish ‘N Nurture in 2009 when she realised it was her ‘true purpose’ to share mindful eating. Catrina is a motivational speaker and offers three courses which enable her clients to develop a healthy relationship with food.

Her business is based on her own personal journey of 20 years of yo-yo dieting and excessive exercise, culminating in a six-year battle with depression and bulimia. Since learning to eat mindfully in 1996, she has remained slim and healthy without starving, depriving or fighting herself. She no longer diets, exercises excessively or feels guilty about what she eats. Eating mindfully has enabled her to simply eat when she is hungry and stop when she is satisfied.

Catrina has been married for 17 years and has two teenage boys. She loves walking, reading, sports, travelling, personal development and meditation.

Catrina is also the Regional Manager for the Venus Women’s Business Network in Hutt Valley and Wellington.

Glenda Irwin – Auckland

Glenda began teaching mindfulness practice to families and parents. She has written and facilitated many adults mindfulness courses of her own. She wrote ‘Mindful Me’ and co-wrote ‘Resilient Me’ for teens.

She is the trainer of facilitators for the Mindfulness Works: Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation 4 Week Course.

Glenda and her partner, Chris Irwin, conduct workshops and retreats in mindfulness practice from their East Auckland base.

‘I attempt to live mindfully. I remind myself that mindfulness is a practice and is never perfected. Since eating is a part of our daily routine, Mindful Eating is the perfect opportunity to practise a conscious way of living.

Pat Alexander – Napier

I came to New Zealand eight years ago and since then, I have consolidated a passion for mindfulness. This personal journey came about from different life events, but significantly from the disconnect I felt when I was dealing with the impact of a big change in my life.

This challenging time brought a lot of self-doubt and emotional vulnerability into my life. However, I have found that mindfulness practice has enabled me to engage and rejoice in the complete person that I am and connect with the very being of me.

This journey has been in both my personal and professional life. It has been enabled through attending training, retreats and teachings and through the development of my own practice which has been a personal commitment to my journey and that at times has brought feelings of fear and trepidation. It has enabled me to connect with like-minded people and to receive guidance and mindfulness supervision through my teachers to whom I am very thankful.

As a clinician in mental health, I can see the great potential mindfulness offers and use it in my work. I observe the benefits it provides people – developing awareness and gaining a better understanding of what limits their lives and living to their full potential and freedom of choice.

I completed the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teachers practicum in 2012 and provide mindfulness-based interventions in my private practice.

I enjoy being part of the Mindfulness Works team and providing the Intro and Mindful Eating courses in Napier. With the Mindful Eating courses, we explore our relationship with food with openness, kindness and curiosity and allow ourselves more insight, understanding and compassion.

For more information and contact details please go to mindfulnessmind.co.nz

Meegan Care – New Plymouth

I have practised mindfulness meditation for 25 years, and am a registered Craniosacral Therapist (BCST) and Psychosynthesis Counsellor. I have worked with individuals in private practice for around 15 years and regularly facilitate retreats and workshops in New Plymouth.

In clinic, I specialise in working with individuals experiencing anxiety, stress and chronic pain conditions, and I love to teach my clients mindfulness-based approaches that support their health and wellbeing. I have personally benefited from this mindful approach to eating and am so pleased to now offer this course in New Plymouth.

I live in central New Plymouth with my husband, two daughters, a dog, cat and two happy roaming chickens.

Here is the link to my website: meegancare.co.nz

Kate Brandram-Adams – Rangiora – MBSR Qualified Trainer

Kate is excited to be part of bringing mindfulness courses to Christchurch, Rangiora and North Canterbury, where so many people have suffered losses and are experiencing ongoing stress in their lives.

Kate has a love for practising and teaching mindfulness as it allows for a way of being with people “as we are” in any moment… sad, happy, anxious, joyful, frustrated, lonely… the whole caboodle of this life as a human being! The 10 thousand joys and the 10 thousand sorrows. Mindfulness’ values of friendliness, openness, curiosity and not just going with what is said but checking it out in our own experience, resonate deeply with her. She loves the fact that you can’t get it wrong… your experience is your experience!

Mindfulness is a fundamental part of Kate’s life and infuses every part, imperfectly, with difficulty at times and ease at others, but it is always there. Even if it is simply the awareness of not being at all mindful! She has a daily meditation practice, attends regular meditation and mindful living retreats and has done personal development work with mindfulness therapists. It is a value of hers not to teach anything that she is not willing to experience herself, allowing her to teach with authenticity and compassion.

Kate has completed and continues to do ongoing training in teaching mindfulness: including Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) through “Openground’’. She teaches MBSR and mindfulness in other settings and groups. She is supported to teach by experienced mindfulness teachers from around the world.

Kate is also a registered mental health nurse who specialises in addictions and holistic approaches (integrating body, mind and spirit for wellbeing) including training in naturopathy, nutrition and massage.

Kate has a passion for the integration of ancient wisdom with modern day neuroscience. Thus uniting the art and science of supporting people to discover their own source of wisdom, wellbeing and healing; connecting with their own “inner teacher”.

Kate is grateful to the many mindfulness teachers in her life that include animals and the nature around her that she is part of.

Neave Ross-Wallace – Christchurch

In offering the Mindful Eating introductory course, I am delighted to bring together my experience as a Gestalt psychotherapist and mindfulness practitioner of 25 years. I believe that the challenges many of us face with regard to food and body image are multi-faceted and that practising mindful eating is a very real and useful way to bring clarity and balance to ourselves.

My own journey with mindful eating has seen me go from someone who, every day, felt confused about food intake and continuously dissatisfied with my weight to now being able to choose and eat food in a way that is easy and that keeps me both healthy and balanced.

What I have discovered for myself is that mindful eating is not a quick fix and that it has the ability to transform your relationship to food and how you feel about yourself. I am very much looking forward to sharing this reality with others.

For further information about me, please check out www.manawahouse.co.nz

What People are Saying About The Intro to Mindful Eating Course and Course Designer Dr Heidi Douglass

“So interesting! Heidi has a beautiful, friendly, kind and understanding personality. Awesome to be in a room with others dealing similar feelings. Loved the balance of meditations and discussion.” Kate U.

“So honest and relatable. Great new ideas made simple. Made me feel that all my inner dialogue and disagreements around food was normal, just thoughts, and could be managed with mindfulness, time and kindness to myself. Thanks so much. ”
Jenny D.

“Interesting, animated – fostered self acceptance.” A.M.

“Made me really think about my actions and decisions that lead to over eating.” K Coulter

“ Warm, friendly, real instructor. Does make you think and notice the value of meditation to thoughts and behaviour.” Andrea E.

“It has been useful and enjoyable. It has been really nice to make time for myself and learn skills that I can apply to my everyday life.” Anna S.

“The course was extremely informative. It was practical, insightful and useful for everyone. Heidi truly has the skill to put people at ease and able to deliver. I think it was great.” Sandnya F.

“Heidi is absolutely lovely and explains everything thoroughly. She makes it interesting to listen and learn and love her accent.” Meena P.

“I have found your style to be very effective and informative and I have learnt a lot. I like your humour and your knowledge. I find you to be welcoming and down to Earth.” Elizabeth

Join the best mindfulness and meditation teachers in New Zealand for weekly, live, interactive bite-sized online Zoom mindfulness and meditation sessions.

Mindfulness and meditation are like meals, best enjoyed with the company of others. Practising with others and with a teacher gives us the inspiration, support and pleasure that makes it easier to embed these practices in our lives.

Mindfulness Plus booster sessions make regular and ongoing mindfulness and meditation practice easy, fun and impactful.

Learn from the best mindfulness and meditation teachers in New Zealand — live and interactive.

Annie Harvey

Teacher, tutor, speaker and wellbeing coach since 1999, Annie works one-on-one and in workshops to help with stress management and encourage people to live their life with purpose. Trained formally in ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), Annie believes that living a life on purpose whilst using mindfulness skills in everyday life, is the only way to experience real joy and success.

Annie was introduced to mindfulness when going through a difficult time in her life. She began studying and practising mindfulness and meditation as well as devouring hundreds of personal development books. These practices had a profound impact on her life and she wanted to share the skills with others. She hopes that teaching mindfulness within her community will provide an opportunity for people to experience moments of calm, joy and connection in this busy digital world that we all live.

Annie attends silent retreats in Thailand and Australia. Both lifelong learners and travellers, Annie lives with her husband Mark and their labradoodle, Meg, near the beach in Glenelg. They are also both trained Laughter Yoga Leaders which always provides a good conversation starter.

Chani Grieve

Chani has had a dedicated meditation practice for over 16 years, and has been teaching mindfulness classes, workshops and retreats in both New Zealand and Australia since 2012. She has participated in annual solo and group retreats ranging from a few days up to 3 months in length since 2009.

Chani works as a Feldenkrais Practitioner and is passionate about helping people connect with their bodies, to discover how they support a full and satisfying mindfulness practice. She has particular experience and skill in offering trauma-informed embodiment practice, and completed the Principles of Collective Trauma Healing training with Thomas Hubl in February 2021.

Chani’s warmth, authenticity, and clear communication make her a natural teacher who supports everyone to trust their experience and find their own genuine expression. She is delighted to share the powerful benefits of mindfulness in the community with Mindfulness Works to contribute to a healthier, happier, saner world.

Gavin Eichholz

Gavin is a qualified mindfulness educator/facilitator and psychotherapist. He has extensive knowledge, understanding and training in mindfulness both formally and through working with mindfulness teachers and supervisors for over 20 years in Australia, Thailand, South Africa, and America.

Gavin’s work is influenced by neuroscience, focusing, mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). He has also been a telephone counsellor with LifeLine Australia.

Gavin specialises in using mindfulness based techniques to support people who are experiencing stress and anxiety. He also does financial coaching for individuals and runs Connect Mindfully with Nature sessions.

He has facilitated mindfulness training in a variety of different sectors including financial services, advertising, management consulting and state government.

Glenda Irwin

Glenda is a senior facilitator for Mindfulness Works.

She began teaching mindfulness to children and parents by consultancy and alongside the Gifted Children’s Association in 2010. Training with teachers in USA, NZ, Australia and the UK, Glenda has since applied her extensive practice to mindfulness and relationships, eating, sleep and coaching models. She has a private consultancy: Red Letter Mindfulness & Positive Psychology offering coaching and therapeutic support for flourishing and optimal living. More on her extensive mentoring within corporate settings and individual sessions via Zoom and at her studio in Auckland can be found at https://www.facebook.com/RedLetterMindfulness.

Glenda is an ACT and CFT therapist and recently completed a Graduate Diploma Health Science (Psychology). Her combined trainings in acceptance, compassion and positive psychology support her strength-based approach to mindfulness consultancy.

Glenda observes the philosophical practice of mindfulness within Buddhist and Taoist traditions but considers herself a secular practitioner (not engaging in rituals or oaths). She has a love of learning and continues to apply her attention to further (Bachelor Hons Health Science) academic studies in 2022.

Ask Glenda what she feels is her greatest strength and she will tell you her resilience and luck in having a ‘glass half full nature.’ Glenda is a single parent to one son; she loves to dance and laugh out loud and loves her new hobby, kayaking.

John Fletcher

John has 15 years experience working with mindfulness in a variety of settings.

John first experienced the effectiveness of mindfulness when he attended a Breathworks mindfulness-based pain management programme in Manchester (UK) for his chronic back pain. He went on to become accredited as a trainer in the Breathworks mindfulness programme in 2006.

John lives in Tauranga and is an Educator for the Pause, Breathe, Smile Programme — teaching mindfulness in primary and intermediate schools. He also provides bespoke mindfulness training for groups and individuals with particular focus on health and wellbeing, chronic pain, children and families.

John is an experienced Clinical Supervisor and works with a variety of organisations around the Bay of Plenty region. His previous work experience includes senior roles in NGOs in the Disability Sector, Community Development and Children’s Services Development in the UK and NZ.

He enjoys being in the wilderness, reading science fiction and practising Taoist Tai Chi — a moving meditation. John is an Instructor for the Taoist Tai Chi Society of NZ.

Karen Bradford

Karen is a Registered Nurse, Meditation / Yoga teacher and Hypnotherapist, she has a keen interest and knowledge about how the body and mind impact each other and has been working successfully with many people to assist them to reduce stress, anxiety and overwhelm, then build resilience and flexibility in the face of challenges and adversity to find a place of ease and peace within themselves regardless of what is happening in the external environment.

Lea Godfrey

Lea is a mindfulness teacher and therapist, specialising in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Mindful Somatic Psychotherapy, Hakomi.

With extensive work in teaching mindfulness interventions for psychological wellbeing for the general public, in mental health and in the workplace.

With a Bachelor of Social Sciences in Psychology from Waikato University and as a graduate therapist in Integrative Psychotherapy and certified Buddhist chaplain, she works with bereavement and end of life counselling, as well as therapy for depression, anxiety, workplace stress and trauma.

Aware that meditation and mindfulness is a key to a healthy body and mind, she is passionate for others to experience the benefits of mindfulness practice and cognitive-behavioural skills training.

Lin Ong

Lin describes herself as a Kiwiporean who goes through the flux of life like most do. MSc in Psychology from Otago, she has worked as a psychologist and as a wildlife guide on a farm. Full-time, she is a long-term mindfulness practitioner and experiences mindfulness as an ongoing journey of discovery, adventure and service.

Her practice and training roots from the contemplative wisdom traditions, as well as the practical science-based traditions. She is a facilitator for Mindfulness Works, and trains new facilitators when they come on board. Lin specialises in Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy and its related programs. She is a Teaching Partner of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre, University of Oxford, UK and teaches, trains and supervises facilitators internationally. She is familiar with teaching mindfulness from the introductory level to the more in-depth and across a range of contexts; community, schools, healthcare, workplaces. She appreciates nature, her mentors, family, friends and each one she is meeting on this journey.

Lucy Schwabe

Lucy’s philosophy of mind-body work has evolved over 20 years of education and practice.

Beginning with a Bachelor of Health Science, she qualified as a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner and certified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction teacher.

She is passionate about bringing a holistic approach to health and wellbeing and enjoys working with individuals and groups in person and online. Lucy specialises in facilitating embodied mindfulness and tai chi courses. Her all-time favourite slogan is ‘Choose to stay curious.’

Martin Wilson

Martin is the principal of and a personal/leadership coach with Selfmade Coaching. He’s also an Associate for the Mental Health Foundation of NZ’s Working Well Programme.

Previously, Martin was a partner in a large commercial law firm and then established his own legal practice.

Juggling the challenges of being a busy lawyer, a parent and an over-thinking, over-achieving self, contributed to Martin’s first ‘foray’ into meditation 20 years ago. From there, he developed a broader interest and participation in mindfulness work and related self-awareness growth practice, much of which he engages in as a coach.

His principal mindfulness/meditation experience comes from the Vipassana tradition and yet he is a keen explorer of other approaches.

Maurice Harvey-Hall

Maurice is a Mindfulness Practitioner and a practising Mental Health Nurse with a Masters in Mental Health Nursing and certificates in various psychotherapies. He has studied Eastern philosophy, in particular Buddhism and Taoism, and has integrated these principles into Western psychological therapies. He has a passion for mindfulness-based therapies and is an experienced teacher in this field.

Maurice has been practising mindfulness for the past 20 years in different forms and mediums. He is also an avid triathlete who uses mindfulness in his training and racing. He is an authority in the field of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and utilises the ACT framework and meditation in his daily practice.

Nat Mallia

Nat has immersed herself in a life of mindfulness since 2015 after facing the prospect of going blind from a corneal degeneration disease.
She never gave up on the prospect that if she calmed her mind and accepted her situation, she would be ok. After spending three months in a Buddhist meditation centre in 2018, a shift occurred in Nat’s eye and with the help of surgery, a miracle occurred — she regained her sight!

Nat decided to leave her Executive role in the Australian Government and followed her long-time dream of moving to the beach, where she established her own meditation and wellness practice to share the gifts of mindfulness with others.

Nat is a certified Wellness Coach, a Buddhist meditation teacher and an ACT Mindfully Practitioner and is also accredited with Meditation Australia.

Rachel Tobin

Rachel facilitates Mindfulness Works courses in the lower North Island and is the director of the art of mindfulness, which offers 1-day and residentialmindfulness retreats; workshops; mindfulness training in organisations; and individual mindfulness-based life coaching and mentoring. Her work often includes meditation-in-movement practices, qi gong and breathwork. Rachel’s intention is always to point people towards the path of living with more ease, self-understanding, wellbeing and joy.

In her own words: “I know at firsthand our human capacity for pain, and I have understood that it is the mind which creates and perpetuates the most intense suffering. I have found mindfulness practice to be wonderful for learning how to slow down to a more natural pace of Life, to uncover limiting thinking patterns, and to cultivate more ease, spontaneity and gratitude in the daily duties of everyday life.

In 2007 I had the great privilege of meeting Aotearoa-born Spiritual Master, Sri Yanchiji, and am engaged in a practice of studentship with him. The spiritual journey, of re-discovering the natural and inherent joy that comes from simply Being — and finding out all that eclipses that happiness — is increasingly informing my work with others.”

Rachel is also a poet, a qi gong teacher and a Feldenkrais practitioner.

Mindfulness Plus – The Fitness Studio for Your Mind and Soul

LIVE and ONLINE mindfulness and meditation classes with the best mindfulness and meditation teachers in New Zealand and Australia. Each class is only $8.50 to attend! Find the ones that suit you now and book in.

Mindfulness Plus is powered by Mindfulness Works. Mindfulness Works is the number one mindfulness and meditation training organisation in New Zealand. Over 15,000 New Zealanders have completed our iconic Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation course. The vision of Mindfulness Works is “To significantly improve the mental health and well-being of all and to foster self-acceptance and self-love in all.” Thank you for being part of this vision.

“Thank goodness I came across Mindfulness Works. I have learnt so much in a year and am the happiest, authentic and content I have ever been. Learning acceptance without judgement as been an eye opener for me.” — Rebecca Young