Faculty

Profession: Physician

Patricia Rockman is an associate professor with the University of Toronto, department of family and community medicine; cross-appointed to psychiatry. She is a medical psychotherapist focussing on mindfulness-based programs. She also provides mentorship and trains clinicians to deliver MBCT and MBSR. Patricia has been educating healthcare providers in stress reduction, CBT, and mindfulness-based practices for over 20 years. More recently she has become involved in psychedelic-assisted therapy training. She is the co-founder and advisor of Education and Clinical Services at the Centre for Mindfulness Studies and the developer of the MBCT Facilitation Certificate Program. She has co-authored a number of publications in the areas of mindfulness and mental health. 

Profession: Professor of Psychology

Dr. Zindel Segal is a distinguished Professor of Psychology in Mood Disorders at the University of Toronto Scarborough and a senior scientist in the Campbell Family Research Institute at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Dr. Segal pioneered the use of mindfulness meditation for promoting wellness in mood disorders and received the Douglas Utting Research Prize and the Mood Disorder Association of Ontario’s Hope Award for this work. His research has been continuously funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research for the past 15 years. His studies have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, CNN Health Online and the New York Times. An author of over 10 books and 150 scientific articles, Dr. Segal’s recent books The Mindful Way Through Depression and The Mindful Way Workbook, are patient guides for dealing with stress and achieving mood balance in everyday life.

Profession: Psychologist

Amanda Beaman is a registered clinical psychologist and has been practicing in Toronto since 2008. She has worked in a variety of clinical and academic settings including hospitals, family health teams, universities, and private practice. She completed her doctorate at Concordia University, in Montreal Canada, and her clinical training at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, in the mood, anxiety, and work-stress clinics. Amanda has provided training for students, interns and healthcare professionals to deliver evidence-based treatments such as CBT. She completed her MBSR training through the Centre for Mindfulness Studies in Toronto. She is also a certified yoga instructor. She brings a holistic approach to her clinical practice and is passionate about the potential role that mindfulness-based interventions can play in building resiliency in the workplace.

Profession:  Registered Social Worker

Profession:  Registered Social Worker

Cassandra is a Registered Social Worker/ Psychotherapist with a Master of Social Work and has been facilitating Mindful Self-Compassion Programs with the Centre for Mindfulness Studies since 2018. In addition to this, she is a Mental Health Practitioner with Inkblot Therapy, New Moon Psychotherapy and facilitates support groups with Wellness Together Canada. In her work, she utilizes her specialized training in Mindful Self-Compassion, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, Somatic Embodiment and Regulation Strategies, Internal Family Systems, CPT and Eco-Therapy. Her approach is rooted within Anti-Oppressive, Anti-Racist, Decolonizing, and Trauma-Sensitive theories and practices. She recently published a poetry book called Moment’s of Metamorphosis which shares her own story of cultivating a mindful and compassionate presence for healing. Cassandra has a heartfelt passion for teaching Mindful Self-Compassion because of the impact it had on her own life, and looks forward to meeting you one day in an upcoming program!

Profession: Mindfulness Teacher

Markus Bohlmann, PhD, is a certified Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher through the Center of Mindful Self-Compassion (CMSC), USA. He is also certified in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) through the Centre for Mindfulness Studies and the University of Toronto, where he has also completed the Foundations of Applied Mindfulness Meditation and the Applied Specialization in Mindfulness Meditation Certificate programs. Further, Markus is the translation coordinator for CMSC, overseeing the global translations of the MSC program, and he is the team leader of the LGBTQIAP2S+ affinity group of Circles of Practice, a public meditation offering by CMSC. Markus also serves on CMSC’s DEIB committee (diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging) to promote the inclusion of minorities and those facing past and present oppression and discrimination. You can reach Markus at markuspjbohlmann@gmail.com.

Profession:  Registered Social Worker

Prabh is an experienced mindfulness facilitator who has been working and facilitating programs with the Centre’s Community Program since 2020. Prabh has trained in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Stress Management and Resilience Techniques (SMART – UBC Okanagan School of Education), and in Mindfulness pedagogy. 

Profession:  Cognitive Neuroscientist

Norman Farb is a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of Toronto. His research examines the neuroscience of mindfulness, with a particular focus on how physical sensations are interpreted to create a sense of identity. He completed both his MA and PhD in Psychology at the University of Toronto, exploring neural mechanisms of mindfulness. www.normanfarb.com

Profession:  Registered Psychotherapist, MBSR & MBCT Facilitator

Jeremy Finkelstein is a Registered Psychotherapist and the founder of Mindful Living, a psychotherapeutic mindfulness-based meditation group for beginners and MBCT/MBSR graduates and a mindfulness-based facilitator for Mindfulness Everyday and The Centre for Mindfulness Studies. He has done facilitator training through the University of Massachusetts medical school and The Centre for Mindfulness Studies. At The Centre, Jeremy facilitates MBSR and MBCT and leads silent retreats and introductory workshops. With Mindfulness Everyday, Jeremy facilitates The Mindful Edge: Stress Reduction and Life Strategies for Teens.

Profession:  Naturopathic Doctor, Registered Psychotherapist

A mindfulness teacher since 2011 with extensive experience, Amanda (she/her) is a certified facilitator of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, and Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery.

Amanda enjoys teaching mindfulness programs to people experiencing anxiety, depression, stress, cancer and chronic illness. She values creating a safe and welcoming environment for all mindfulness participants.

Amanda is an Approved MBCT Mentor with the Centre for Mindfulness Studies and the University of San Diego Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute.

In addition to her work as mindfulness faculty, she has a private practice as a naturopathic doctor and registered psychotherapist, focused in mental health. www.wholehealthtoronto.com

Profession: Registered Nurse

Jacquie (she/her) is a community health nurse, mindfulness teacher, mindfulness teacher trainer, and yoga teacher. She was initially drawn to mindfulness to support her own healing journey, and she is honoured to share these practices with others.

Jacquie is a certified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teacher. In addition to MBSR she is also trained to teach Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Life (MBCT-L), Finding Peace in a Frantic World, and Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting (MBCP). She also completed the True North Insight 2-year Community Meditation Teacher Mentorship Program.

Jacquie is a passionate advocate for the needs of historically excluded and under-resourced communities. Learn more about Jacquie by visiting https://mindfulcommunityspace.com

Profession: Registered Social Worker

Alaina is a Registered Social Worker, with a BA in psychology from Wilfrid Laurier University, a BSW from McMaster University, and an MSW from Ryerson University. She presently is a practicing psychotherapist working in primary care collaborating with family physicians to assess, and treat their patients’ mental health needs . Alaina is extremely interested in the link between mind and body, the neuroscience of mood and mental health, and is continually taking new courses and trainings to improve her own quality of life and those of her patients’. Alaina’s journey with Mindfulness started in 2011 when she took a mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT) course at the Center to help her deal with the stressors and anxiety that her very busy career was having on her. She immediately started her training to become a MBCT teacher with the Center for Mindfulness Studies, due to the positive impact that mindfulness has had on her own life. She is now teaching MBCT groups with the Center, in addition to facilitating MBCT groups for the patient and clients she works with in both her private practice and in primary care.

Profession:  Occupational Therapist

Tom Heah works as an occupational therapist with Vancouver Coastal Community Mental Health and Substance Use Program, and has a private practice in Vancouver, B.C. He is a faculty and mentor in MBCT and MBSR with the Centre for Mindfulness Studies, and a mentor/advisor with the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center. He has completed certification through UCSD in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, and a year-long Training in Mindfulness Facilitation program at UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center. Since 2006, Tom has developed and facilitated mindfulness-based courses for people who have mental health and substance use issues, chronic pain, and neuromuscular conditions, health care professionals, college students and the general public. As a clinical faculty with the School of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of British Columbia, he is involved in research and preceptorships with students, and has also lectured on mindfulness in mental health at the Masters of Social Work program at the University of British Columbia.

Profession:  Registered Psychotherapist, OT
Location: Milton, Ontario

Angie Kingma is a Registered Psychotherapist, Occupational Therapist and MBCT Teacher with over 22 years of experience working in a variety of mental health and chronic pain settings.  Angie has received extensive MBCT and Mindfulness Teacher training over the years through University of California San Diego (UCSD), The Centre for Mindfulness Studies and The University of Toronto. She has completed the Advanced MBCT Facilitation Certificate through the Centre, certified by the University of Toronto. She loves delivering Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) programs to a variety of populations (including clients with anxiety, depression, chronic pain, as well as teachers/educators and hospital clinicians) and being a mentor to newer MBCT teachers. In addition to being on faculty here at the Centre, Angie owns a private practice called Mindfulness for Health and teaches Mindfulness-Based Chronic Pain Management (MBCPM) teacher training through U of T / NeuroNova Centre. You can learn more about Angie at www.mindfulnessforhealth.ca

Profession: Clinical Counsellor

Sarah Kinsley was the coordinator of the Embodied Mind stream of the Applied Mindfulness Meditation program in Continuing Education at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. She worked at Native Child and Family Services of Toronto as a Child and Family Therapist. She has trained with Indigenous Elders in the field of healing within Canada and abroad. Sarah has completed three Yoga Teacher Training courses, and studied with various Yogis in North America and Asia.

Leysa is completing her PhD in Clinical Psychology. Her research aims to address issues and concerns relevant to populations that are underserved or marginalized in mental health care. She specializes in community-based mental health care and the delivery of culturally-grounded, evidence-based services, including mindfulness-based cognitive and behavioural therapies. Leysa has trained educators and health care providers in North America, Southeast Asia, and East Africa. She currently leads partnership development in the Centre’s Community Program.

Profession:  Psychometrist, Registered Psychotherapist, Mindfulness Teacher 

Allison is a registered psychotherapist with a practice in assessment and counselling for over 30 years, working in social services, university and private practice settings. She has been facilitating mindfulness-based groups, including MBCT and MBSR, for over 13 years.  Allison has been with the Centre for Mindfulness Studies since its inception, coming to provide professional training and mentoring for those seeking certification to deliver Mindfulness-Based Programs.  Over the last few years, she has been engaged in curriculum development and mentoring for projects designed to train front-line social service workers in the delivery of mindfulness-based wellness and treatment programs to marginalized youth and adults.  Most recently she co-authored a mindfulness workbook for youth to be published by New Harbinger in 2022. 

Profession:  Teacher, Mentor, and Self Compassion Focused Therapist

Christine Grace McMulkin is a certified, seasoned, and revered Mindful Self Compassion Teacher, a Mindful Self Compassion Teacher Trainer, and a Self Compassion Focused Therapist.

Christine delivers Mindful Self Compassion programs through the Center for Mindful Self Compassion, the Centre for Mindfulness Studies, within her role as a Mental Health and Wellbeing Counsellor in a Medical Centre Family Health Team, and within Christine Grace and Community.

The MSC programs offerings Christine delivers include: the full MSC 8-week program, Live Online MSC (LOMSC), Self Compassion for Healthcare Communities (SCHC), and Kristin Neff’s newly created Fierce Self Compassion (FSC) program. Christine also taught the Teaching Self Compassion Online (TSCO) workshop.

An MSC Teacher Trainer, Christine supports MSC Teachers in Training through the Live Online Teacher Training (LOTT) program, as a Practicum Teacher and as a Mentor to beginning Teachers as they deliver their first MSC program.

Deep devotion to her personal practice continues to be foundational to Christine’s well-being. Through navigating times of personal change and challenge, she has learned and lives the importance of being with ourselves in kinder, gentler, and emboldening ways.

As well as the practices of Mindfulness and Self Compassion, Christine is supported by beach walks at dawn, singing soulful songs, dancing with carefree abandon to some old-fashioned rock and roll, hikes with a beloved golden retriever, heartfelt and laughter filled moments with family and friends, and endless cups of tea. The kettle is on. Christine welcomes connecting with you.

Profession:  Registered Nurse

Nikki Mohle is a registered nurse specializing in mental health. For the past three years she has been working with adults living with anxiety, depression, and substance use issues at the Homewood Health Centre using CBT and mindfulness-based interventions. She has practiced mindfulness for several years and studied the application of mindfulness and yoga to depression, anxiety, substance use, and disordered eating, including recent completion of her certificate in MBCT.

Profession:  Social Worker
Lead – MBSR Program

Gwen is a Certified MBSR and MBCT teacher and Approved Mentor in both MBSR and MBCT with the Centre for Mindfulness Studies and the University of San Diego Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute. She has extensive experience offering groups in medical and community settings. Her own training began with the 7-day Intensive with Jon Kabat-Zinn and Saki Santorelli and she has trained with many senior teachers over the years. She has been a teaching assistant in the 6-day MBSR intensive for professionals and is involved in training professionals and community peer leaders at the Centre. She facilitates both MBSR and MBCT programs and works with staff in the Community Program to offer mindfulness to marginalized peoples. She designed Finding Balance, MBSR for diabetes and is certified in Mindfulness-Based Eating Awareness Training (MB-EAT). Gwen is a Social Worker focusing on promoting wellness when living with chronic illness.

Rose Mina Munjee, PhD Cand., RP, MPS, BMATH, MBA, AMM-Mind
On Faculty at Centre for Mindfulness, CMSC, UCSD and Certified in MBSR, MBCT, MSC
Sessional Lecturer, New College, University of Toronto, BPM330 – Mindfulness-Informed Interventions for Mental Health

Helen Munt BSW, RSW

Profession: Registered Psychotherapist, Educator

Melissa Nigrini specializes in adult education and experiential learning, with over 20 years of experience designing, implementing and evaluating education programs and curricula. Melissa has been a mindfulness meditation practitioner for over 15 years and is a certified facilitator of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery and SMART Education. At the Centre for Mindfulness Studies, she is a facilitator, trainer and mentor, as well as curriculum and faculty development lead.  She is a senior instructor in the Applied Mindfulness Meditation Program at University of Toronto. She also designs and facilitates mindfulness programs for organizations.

Profession: Registered Psychotherapist, Certified MBCT & MBSR Facilitator, and Trained MSC Facilitator

Elaine is a Registered Psychotherapist, teacher and meditator. Elaine has received her MBSR Facilitation Certificate from the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. Elaine is certified in teaching Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and trained in teaching Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) as well as introductory mindfulness workshops.

Profession:  Medical Doctor

Shawna Perlin is a family physician in Toronto with over 30 years experience in her practice. She graduated with a Psychology Degree from University of Toronto in 1975, and a medical degree from Dalhousie University, in 1981. She completed a Family Practice/Emergency residency at MacMaster University in 1986.  She has a strong interest in Women’s Heath and Mental Health. She has done a lot of psychotherapy in her practice. She  began studying mindfulness and yoga in 2014. She is completing her MBCT certificate program and teaching MBCT groups at the Centre. She brings openness and humour to her groups along with her mindfulness teaching.

Profession: Engineer, Registered Social Worker, and Registered Psychotherapist

Rhea Plosker RSW RP is a Registered Social Worker, Registered Psychotherapist, and leadership coach working in private practice in Toronto, Ontario. She meets requirements for a clinical supervisor as defined by the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario.

Rhea has facilitated more than 40 MBSR, MBCT, and MBCT-Cancer groups. She designed and co-facilitates Mindfully Managing Anxiety and Uncertainty, an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy group program. Rhea is an instructor with George Brown Continuing Education and a program leader with Wellspring Cancer Support.

Rhea has a passion for improving accessibility to mindfulness-based programs, both online and in-person. She supported the Centre for Mindfulness Studies in adapting and designing program curricula for online delivery, and trained facilitators to transition online in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rhea holds certificates in CBT for Anxiety and Depression, Solution Focused Therapy, and is a Certified Intuitive Eating counsellor. She also has extensive training and supervision in the use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Narrative Therapy. Rhea has recently completed the following mindfulness training programs and retreats:

Embodying Metta Retreat (True North Insight 2021)
Compassion and Wisdom: Meditative Training for Professional Caregivers (True North Insight 2021-2022)
Buddhist Psychology Training (Spirit Rock 2022)
Living Dharma Program (Spirit Rock 2022-2023)
Love and Death-Opening the Great Gifts (Upaya Zen Center 2023)
Wellspring Cancer Support-The Healing Journey Level 1 Facilitator Training (2023)

Social Work and psychotherapy is Rhea’s second career, following a corporate career as an engineer, technology executive and consultant. You can learn more about Rhea at www.inspirationsolutions.com.

Profession: Registered Psychotherapist and Certified Mental Wellness Coach

Lynne Protain is a Registered Psychotherapist, a Certified Mental Wellness Coach, and a mindfulness and MBSR instructor. She supports people who are dealing with trauma, chronic illness, autoimmune conditions, women’s health issues, chronic pain, chronic stress and burnout. You can learn more about her services at Heal with Lynne.

She also has over 15 years’ experience developing and delivering workshops and programs as a corporate trainer for executive teams, entrepreneurs, not-for-profit organizations, school boards, universities and other diverse groups.

Her approach is holistic, compassionate and trauma-informed while creating a warm, non-judgemental and supportive space.

Lynne attended an MBSR course with the Centre for Mindfulness Studies years ago to help her deal with burnout resulting from decades of working in the corporate world while having a chronic autoimmune condition and chronic pain. This was so life-changing for her that she immediately started her MBSR training at the Centre to support others in their journey to happiness and better health and is passionate about the many short and long-term benefits of mindfulness.

Lynne has a private practice and provides therapy, coaching services and runs group wellness and mindfulness programs. You can learn more about her at http://www.lynneprotain.com

You can contact Lynne directly at lynne@lynneprotain.com or book a discovery call to discuss how she can help you or your team.

She is dedicated to helping others manage stress better, find peace of mind, ease & better health! She celebrates all identities and abilities in all bodies and functions from a body-positive, LGTBQIA2S+ affirming, anti-racist and anti-prejudice framework.

Profession: Occupational Therapist and Registered Psychotherapist

Hricha Rakshit is a Registered Occupational Therapist and Registered Psychotherapist. She had completed her MScOT degree at University of Toronto in 2006 and subsequently pursued a career in mental health spanning over 14 years in leading mental health facilities like Ontario Shores,  Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and St. Michael’s Hospital. She is presently employed as a Group Therapist within the Mental Health program at St. Michael’s Hospital.

Hricha has vast experience in providing manualized and principle-driven cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), Mindfulness based Cognitive therapy (MBCT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) in her practice. She has completed her training for providing supervision for psychotherapy practice for registered Occupational Therapists in Ontario and is a member of the Psychotherapy Committee within the Ontario Society of Occupational therapists (OSOT). She is serving on the board of directors at the Gerstein Crisis Centre and is a non council member at the “ Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee” at the College of Occupational Therapists (COTO). She is also a status lecturer in the Occupational Therapy Masters Degree Programme at the Dept of Occupational Therapy and Occupational Science at University of Toronto. She is also active member of the College of Occupational therapists (COTO), the College of Registered Psychotherapists (CRPO) and Ontario Society of Occupational Therapists (OSOT)

Profession: Occupational Therapist, Mindfulness Meditation Teacher, Director of Education and Clinical Services

Blakie Sahay (she/her) BA, BscOT., MEd., is an occupational therapist, certified mindfulness meditation teacher and certified mindfulness based program facilitator and trainer. She holds advanced certifications in Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), and has additional training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT),  Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and various trauma-informed approaches. Blakie has additional training in trauma informed & trauma sensitive mindfulness approaches, anti-racism training and anti-oppression therapy practice.

Profession: Medical Doctor

Joanna is a family physician in a community practice. She has a special interest in women’s and children’s health, as well as navigating the challenges of parenting through the family life cycle. She has been in family practice for 20 years initially practicing and teaching at The University Health Network before moving to a community setting. She enjoys a personal mindfulness practice which lead her to pursue the Facilitation Certificate through The Centre for Mindfulness Studies.

Profession: Registered Psychotherapist

Elaine Smookler is a Registered Psychotherapist, teacher, public speaker, writer and performer. Elaine is the Inner Wisdom columnist for Mindful magazine (mindful.org) and she has taught  mindfulness as part of the curriculum at University of Toronto Medical School. Elaine’s video workshop “Get Started With Mindfulness” is available through Mindful.org and she teaches the project management course, The Mindful Way Through The Creative Process for the University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies.  For over twenty years Elaine has helped individuals, schools, organizations and businesses develop mindfulness and resilience in everyday life. Elaine has received the Core MBCT Facilitation Certificate from the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work and professional training as an MBSR facilitator. At the Centre for Mindfulness Studies Elaine offers MBCT, MBSR and Introductory Mindfulness programs. Elaine presents stress management programs, online talks and support to American corporations through eMindful and in-person mindfulness programs, coaching and psychotherapy to a wide variety of clients.  www.elainesmookler.com

Profession: Social Worker

Ian Singer is a Toronto-based psychotherapist in private practice with 20 years of experience delivering services to adults, couples and groups. Ian began training in Insight-oriented mindfulness meditation (Vipassana) in India and Nepal in 1992. He is an Instructor in the University of Toronto’s Applied Mindfulness Meditation Certificate Program, where he teaches about Mindfulness of Feelings. Ian can be reached at singer.practice@icloud.com.