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

Sundays 4.00PM – 5.00PM

Weekly Deep Dive Sessions with Mindfulness Experts

M+ Enlighten offers you a chance to explore the deeper aspects of meditation practice including what it means to wake up to who we really are. All sessions are facilitated by one of Mindfulness Works expert facilitators. There will be time for questions and answers.

✅ Log on 10 minutes before your sessions starts

It’s great if you can be relaxed and ready to enjoy your session as soon as it starts.

✅ Keep your camera on — remember you’re amongst friends

These sessions are best when we can see each other. Remember you are amongst friends.

✅ Ask questions

Make the most of these sessions and ask your expert mindfulness meditation expert teacher questions.

DATE AND TIMES: All Enlighten sessions are held on Sunday afternoons, 4.00PM – 5.00PM.

HOW DO YOU REGISTER? Simply find the session or sessions you would like to attend below and register.

HOW DO YOU GET THE ZOOM LINK AND ARE THERE REMINDERS? Instructions for accessing the Zoom link are emailed to you upon registration. Reminders are sent out to you from 24 hours before your class starts.

ARE THE ZOOM SESSIONS RECORDED? The Zoom sessions are NOT recorded. This is to preserve the confidential environment.

HOW MANY SESSIONS CAN YOU BOOK IN FOR? You can book in for as many Zoom sessions as you like as part of your Mindfulness Plus membership.

QUESTIONS OR HELP: If you have any questions or require any help, please contact Karen Kopp on 0800 308 007 or karen@mindfulnessworks.co.nz

Anne Rodgers

Formerly Managing Director of Starcom Adelaide, part of a global media and communications agency, Anne turned to yoga and mindfulness to support her own mental health and to cope with the rigours of business. She was so taken with the benefits of these contemplative practices for her own wellbeing, she took a great leap of faith and changed her life’s direction.

Anne launched Oasis Mindfulness in 2016, to support people to deal with anxiety and stress by using the latest approaches, tools and techniques of mindfulness-based practices, meditation and yoga; the aim being to guide people to find happiness and enjoy life, even in the most challenging professional and personal circumstances.

Anne’s credentials include: Diploma of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing and a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Teacher (Jon Kabat-Zinn lineage). She is a registered Hatha Yoga Teacher and a member of Meditation Association of Australia and is trained to teach the Oxford Mindfulness Centre’s, Finding Peace in a Frantic World.

Elisha Xantaya

Elisha is the Founder of Xantaya Health, and ‘Wild Song’ Vocal Empowerment Programs, focused on uplifting and empowering individuals and the collective, through healing, community connection and creative offerings.

She is a Singer/Songwriter, Sound Healer, Vocal Empowerment and Energetic Mastery Coach. Her foundation training began with a Specialised Diploma of Bowen Therapy and she is an accredited Mindfulness Coach for Mindfulness Works Australia. Her Programs and Mentoring Courses are available online.

Glenda Irwin

Glenda is a senior facilitator for Mindfulness Works.

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.’

Maurice Harvey-Hall

Maurice Harvey-Hall 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.

Nat runs Wellness with Nat located in Umina Beach and online.

Neil Shepherd

Neil loves helping people in a time where skills in self-awareness, self-regulation, stress management and resilience are paramount. He has gained over 20 years experience with a variety of mindfulness techniques.

Neil comes from a corporate background so understands corporate challenges, structures and cultures. He has qualifications in mindfulness, resilience coaching, workplace training, business improvement, complex systems management and business intelligence across a variety of industries including aviation.

He has trained with Dr Russ Harris in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Dr. Joe Dispenza in the neuroscience behind mindfulness and meditation. He completed Google’s mindfulness program and a  “Peaceful Kids” facilitator — amongst others.

Neil founded Inner Synergy and works with organisations, individuals and groups to help build personal leadership, resilience and stress management skills using advanced coherence techniques and biofeedback technologies as a certified HeartMath™ Coach. Emotions and stress are measurable!

Growing Mind Intelligence™ to help people thrive, not just survive!

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 organsiations; 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 first hand 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.

Sitara Morgenster

Sitara’s 55 years of life experience and her time living in five different countries around the world have given her compassion and understanding for people of all walks of life and knowledge of how we ‘tick’ and how systems work. This is what she brings to all her work and interactions with people, be it mindfulness teaching, writing or creating art.

Mindfulness/meditation has allowed Sitara to taste the fullness of all experiences and emotions, and be ‘strong’ so there’s no need to avoid anything (which doesn’t mean there aren’t things that need avoiding!). “We didn’t learn to brush our teeth for just a few times, either; we do it daily, because we don’t want to suffer pain and rotten teeth. So too with mindfulness/meditation, hygiene for the mind and our proverbial hearts. Our body is ancient, our lifestyle (often) crazy-modern, circumstances and people challenging.” Sitara wants to inspire herself and others to include the ancient, proven method of mindfulness/meditation “so we can all thrive, not just survive.”

EMPOWER SESSIONS

M+ ENHANCE SESSIONS

Tuesdays 7.30PM – 8.30PM

Weekly Zoom Specialist Sessions with Mindfulness Experts

Mindfulness Plus Enhance offers you a unique opportunity to explore modern and practical elements of mindfulness such as mindful eating, mindfulness and relationships, mindfulness and money, mindful parenting and much more. All sessions are facilitated by one of Mindfulness Works expert facilitators. There will be time for questions and answers.

✅ Log on 10 minutes before your sessions starts

It’s great if you can be relaxed and ready to enjoy your session as soon as it it starts.

✅ Keep your camera on — remember you’re amongst friends

These sessions are best when we can see each other. Remember you are amongst friends.

✅ Ask questions

Make the most of these sessions and ask your expert mindfulness meditation expert teacher questions.

DATE AND TIMES: All Enhance sessions are held on Tuesday evenings, 7.30PM – 8.30PM.

HOW DO YOU REGISTER? Simply find the session or sessions you would like to attend below and register.

HOW DO YOU GET THE ZOOM LINK AND ARE THERE REMINDERS? Instructions for accessing the Zoom link are emailed to you upon registration. Reminders are sent out to you from 24 hours before your class starts.

ARE THE ZOOM SESSIONS RECORDED? The Zoom sessions are NOT recorded. This is to preserve the confidential environment.

HOW MANY SESSIONS CAN YOU BOOK FOR? You can book in for as many Zoom sessions as you like as part of your Mindfulness Plus membership.

QUESTIONS OR HELP: If you have any questions or require any help, please contact Karen Kopp on 0800 308 007 or karen@mindfulnessworks.co.nz

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.

Elisha Xantaya

Elisha is the Founder of Xantaya Health, and ‘Wild Song’ Vocal Empowerment Programs, focused on uplifting and empowering individuals and the collective, through healing, community connection and creative offerings.

She is a Singer/Songwriter, Sound Healer, Vocal Empowerment and Energetic Mastery Coach. Her foundation training began with a Specialised Diploma of Bowen Therapy and she is an accredited Mindfulness Coach for Mindfulness Works Australia. Her Programs and Mentoring Courses are available online.

Gavin Eichholz

Gavin is a mindfulness-based coach and psychotherapist with a Masters in counselling and psychotherapy.

He is also a Chartered Accountant who has worked in the financial services sector and accounting practices where he has held numerous roles at a manager and senior manager level. He has completed all the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) examinations and has a Diploma of Financial Planning.

In the last 20 years, Gavin has embarked on a personal self-development journey that was sparked by an interest in meditation and mindfulness. He is passionate about mindfulness and meditation and has used them daily in his own life for an extended period of time.

Through his coaching business, Empower to Shine, Gavin does financial coaching for individuals allowing them to have a more positive relationship with money. He coaches people how to use mindfulness to effectively manage wealth creation and anxiety over money-related issues and decisions.

Glenda Irwin

Glenda is a senior facilitator for Mindfulness Works.

Dr. Heidi Douglass

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

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

Clients who work with Dr. Douglass regain control of their eating, 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.

Karen Metcalf

Karen Metcalf is a certified mindfulness facilitator with the Oxford University Mindfulness Centre and the Mindfulness Training Institute of Australia/New Zealand. Karen has her own business teaching mindfulness in workplaces and the general community and lectures in mindfulness at the University of Notre Dame. Karen was a stressed-out perfectionist until she discovered mindfulness and is passionate about sharing the benefits with others.

“Karen is so welcoming and kind. Her voice is so soothing and calming and she is so knowledgeable, I could listen to her all day. I can’t wait to attend more of Karen’s classes.” — Niamh Maher, March 2021

“Karen is a lovely facilitator, warm, encouraging, inclusive and non- judgemental. Karen knows her material well and provides loads of firsthand examples of how to make mindfulness a part of our lives. Karen’s meditations are my go-to as her voice is very soothing and relaxing.” — Linda Williams, Feb 2020.

Katrina Mason

After many years of supporting vulnerable people in a professional context, Katrina knows first hand how difficult it can be to find the right balance between your own needs and those of the people you support and love.

For years she knew on a logical level that to find balance, self-care and self-awareness had to go hand in hand. “Mindfulness,” she says is “the perfect road map there!”

Katrina is dedicated to passing on knowledge and techniques in a clear and efficient way. It is all about showing you practical ways to loo after yourself, so you can do the same for others.

EMPOWER SESSIONS

M+ ENHANCE SESSIONS

Mindfulness Plus – The Fitness Studio for Your Mind and Soul

3 live and online mindfulness and meditation classes EVERY WEEK with the best mindfulness and meditation teachers in New Zealand and Australia. Choose the ones you want to attend, or go to all of them.

Mindfulness Plus makes regular and on-going mindfulness and meditation practice easy, fun and impactful.

Just like with physical exercise, the fantastic benefits from mindfulness and meditation come from actually doing it. We know that the benefits increase with long-term and consistent practice.

Fitness studios work because they are have regular, live group classes with expert teachers.

Mindfulness Plus works because it is has regular, live group classes with expert teachers.

Join now with our 14 day free trial to see what it’s like to focus on your mind and soul with unparalleled support from the best mindfulness and meditation teachers in New Zealand and Australia.

Stress Less. Live More with Katrina Mason
Mindfulness and Relationships with Glenda Irwin
Embracing Compassion with Nat Mallia
Enlightenment – what does it actually mean? with Sitara Morgenster

Extra resources you get with your Mindfulness Plus subscription

In-between your live Mindfulness Plus sessions, use these extra resources to bring more insight, mindfulness and meditation into your life. All included with your one Mindfulness Plus membership.

Mindfulness and Meditation Mentor

Bite-sized weekly mindfulness and meditation lessons, addressing common challenges and issues. Short practical mindfulness exercises. Lessons are sent every week for 3 months.

Interactive Worksheets

Access 5 new interactive mindfulness and meditation worksheets every month, each addressing different topics to deepen your experience and insight intro meditation. Enjoy a selection of pre-recorded guided meditations from a range of Mindfulness Works facilitators.

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

Anne Rodgers

Formerly Managing Director of Starcom Adelaide, part of a global media and communications agency, Anne turned to yoga and mindfulness to support her own mental health and to cope with the rigours of business. She was so taken with the benefits of these contemplative practices for her own wellbeing, she took a great leap of faith and changed her life’s direction.

Anne launched Oasis Mindfulness in 2016, to support people to deal with anxiety and stress by using the latest approaches, tools and techniques of mindfulness-based practices, meditation and yoga; the aim being to guide people to find happiness and enjoy life, even in the most challenging professional and personal circumstances.

Anne’s credentials include: Diploma of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing and a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Teacher (Jon Kabat-Zinn lineage). She is a registered Hatha Yoga Teacher and a member of Meditation Association of Australia and is trained to teach the Oxford Mindfulness Centre’s, Finding Peace in a Frantic World.

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.

Elisha Xantaya

Elisha is the Founder of Xantaya Health, and ‘Wild Song’ Vocal Empowerment Programs, focused on uplifting and empowering individuals and the collective, through healing, community connection and creative offerings.

She is a Singer/Songwriter, Sound Healer, Vocal Empowerment and Energetic Mastery Coach. Her foundation training began with a Specialised Diploma of Bowen Therapy and she is an accredited Mindfulness Coach for Mindfulness Works Australia. Her Programs and Mentoring Courses are available online.

Gavin Eichholz

Gavin is a mindfulness-based coach and psychotherapist with a Masters in counselling and psychotherapy.

He is also a Chartered Accountant who has worked in the financial services sector and accounting practices where he has held numerous roles at a manager and senior manager level. He has completed all the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) examinations and has a Diploma of Financial Planning.

In the last 20 years, Gavin has embarked on a personal self-development journey that was sparked by an interest in meditation and mindfulness. He is passionate about mindfulness and meditation and has used them daily in his own life for an extended period of time.

Through his coaching business, Empower to Shine, Gavin does financial coaching for individuals allowing them to have a more positive relationship with money. He coaches people how to use mindfulness to effectively manage wealth creation and anxiety over money-related issues and decisions.

Glenda Irwin

Glenda is a senior facilitator for Mindfulness Works.

Dr. Heidi Douglass

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

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

Clients who work with Dr. Douglass regain control of their eating, 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.

John Fletcher

John Fletcher 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 Metcalf

Karen Metcalf is a certified mindfulness facilitator with the Oxford University Mindfulness Centre and the Mindfulness Training Institute of Australia/New Zealand. Karen has her own business teaching mindfulness in workplaces and the general community and lectures in mindfulness at the University of Notre Dame. Karen was a stressed-out perfectionist until she discovered mindfulness and is passionate about sharing the benefits with others.

“Karen is so welcoming and kind. Her voice is so soothing and calming and she is so knowledgeable, I could listen to her all day. I can’t wait to attend more of Karen’s classes.” — Niamh Maher, March 2021

“Karen is a lovely facilitator, warm, encouraging, inclusive and non- judgemental. Karen knows her material well and provides loads of firsthand examples of how to make mindfulness a part of our lives. Karen’s meditations are my go-to as her voice is very soothing and relaxing.” — Linda Williams, Feb 2020.

Katrina Mason

After many years of supporting vulnerable people in a professional context, Katrina knows first hand how difficult it can be to find the right balance between your own needs and those of the people you support and love.

For years she knew on a logical level that to find balance, self-care and self-awareness had to go hand in hand. “Mindfulness,” she says is “the perfect road map there!”

Katrina is dedicated to passing on knowledge and techniques in a clear and efficient way. It is all about showing you practical ways to loo after yourself, so you can do the same for others.

Lin, Ee 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 context; 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.’

Maurice Harvey-Hall

Maurice Harvey-Hall 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.

Nat runs Wellness with Nat located in Umina Beach and online.

Neil Shepherd

Neil loves helping people in a time where skills in self-awareness, self-regulation, stress management and resilience are paramount. He has gained over 20 years experience with a variety of mindfulness techniques.

Neil comes from a corporate background so understands corporate challenges, structures and cultures. He has qualifications in mindfulness, resilience coaching, workplace training, business improvement, complex systems management and business intelligence across a variety of industries including aviation.

He has trained with Dr Russ Harris in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Dr. Joe Dispenza in the neuroscience behind mindfulness and meditation. He completed Google’s mindfulness program and a  “Peaceful Kids” facilitator — amongst others.

Neil founded Inner Synergy and works with organisations, individuals and groups to help build personal leadership, resilience and stress management skills using advanced coherence techniques and biofeedback technologies as a certified HeartMath™ Coach. Emotions and stress are measurable!

Growing Mind Intelligence™ to help people thrive, not just survive!

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 organsiations; 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 first hand 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.

Sitara Morgenster

Sitara’s 55 years of life experience and her time living in five different countries around the world have given her compassion and understanding for people of all walks of life and knowledge of how we ‘tick’ and how systems work. This is what she brings to all her work and interactions with people, be it mindfulness teaching, writing or creating art.

Mindfulness/meditation has allowed Sitara to taste the fullness of all experiences and emotions, and be ‘strong’ so there’s no need to avoid anything (which doesn’t mean there aren’t things that need avoiding!). “We didn’t learn to brush our teeth for just a few times, either; we do it daily, because we don’t want to suffer pain and rotten teeth. So too with mindfulness/meditation, hygiene for the mind and our proverbial hearts. Our body is ancient, our lifestyle (often) crazy-modern, circumstances and people challenging.” Sitara wants to inspire herself and others to include the ancient, proven method of mindfulness/meditation “so we can all thrive, not just survive.”

“Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes” – Carl Jung

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

Mindfulness Plus is a premium member only subscription service providing regular Zoom-based live Mindfulness and Meditation events. Find events that suit you and book in to as many as you like.

✅ Sessions are 100% live, unique and run every week.

✅ All sessions are free to attend for Mindfulness Plus members.

✅ Log on 10 minutes before your sessions starts

With practice and over time, mindfulness meditation can reduce the amount of stress and anxiety we experience.

✅ Keep your camera on — remember you’re amongst friends

Experience better sleep with mindfulness meditation. The more relaxed we become, the easier it is to sleep.

✅ Ask questions at the end

Mindfulness helps us realise we are perfectly OK just as we are, right here and right now.

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.

Weekly Zoom Mindfulness Meditation Sessions with Mindfulness Experts

Mindfulness Plus Empower offers you a weekly guided meditation event facilitated by one of Mindfulness Works expert facilitators. There will be time for questions and answers and you will enjoy the support of meditating with others.

✅ Log on 10 minutes before your session starts

It’s great if you can be relaxed and ready to enjoy your session as soon as it starts.

✅ Keep your camera on — remember you’re amongst friends

These sessions are best when we can see each other. Remember you are amongst friends.

✅ Ask questions

Make the most of these sessions and ask your expert mindfulness meditation expert teacher questions.

DATE AND TIMES: All Empower sessions are held on Monday evenings, 7.30PM – 8.30PM.

HOW DO YOU REGISTER? Simply find the session or sessions you would like to attend below and register.

HOW DO YOU GET THE ZOOM LINK AND ARE THERE REMINDERS? Instructions for accessing the Zoom link are emailed to you upon registration. Reminders are sent out to you from 24 hours before your class starts.

ARE THE ZOOM SESSIONS RECORDED? The Zoom sessions are NOT recorded. This is to preserve the confidential environment.

HOW MANY SESSIONS CAN YOU BOOK FOR? You can book in for as many Zoom sessions as you like as part of your Mindfulness Plus membership.

QUESTIONS OR HELP: If you have any questions or require any help, please contact Karen Kopp on 0800 308 007 or karen@mindfulnessworks.co.nz

Gavin Eichholz

Gavin is a mindfulness-based coach and psychotherapist with a Masters in counselling and psychotherapy.

He is also a Chartered Accountant who has worked in the financial services sector and accounting practices where he has held numerous roles at a manager and senior manager level. He has completed all the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) examinations and has a Diploma of Financial Planning.

In the last 20 years, Gavin has embarked on a personal self-development journey that was sparked by an interest in meditation and mindfulness. He is passionate about mindfulness and meditation and has used them daily in his own life for an extended period of time.

Through his coaching business, Empower to Shine, Gavin does financial coaching for individuals allowing them to have a more positive relationship with money. He coaches people how to use mindfulness to effectively manage wealth creation and anxiety over money-related issues and decisions.

Glenda Irwin

Glenda is a senior facilitator for Mindfulness Works.

John Fletcher

John Fletcher 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.

Lin, Ee Lin Ong – MBCT qualified teacher

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 context; community, schools, healthcare, workplaces. She appreciates nature, her mentors, family, friends and each one she is meeting on this journey.

Lucy Schwabe – MBSR qualified teacher

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.’