Katie specialises in helping you discover your unique path to a calmer, happier life by inspiring you with ideas, activities and meditations drawn from the huge breadth and depth of mindfulness.
Her relaxed, approachable teaching style encourages you to flourish in your own time, at your own pace, following the paths of mindful exploration that resonate most strongly with you as an individual.
Having used mindfulness to support herself through the ups and downs of life since 2001, she was incredibly grateful to have a strong mindfulness practice to help her cope with the physical pain and emotional trauma of cancer treatment in 2015, and it was this experience that inspired her to move into teaching mindfulness full time.
“One of the great rewards of both learning and teaching mindfulness is that one concept, activity or meditation can carry different levels of meaning and significance for each person within a group: so you can experience insights that are uniquely relevant to you, whilst also being reassured that you share a common humanity.
This expanding awareness enables you to become kinder to yourself and to grow in self-confidence as you gradually discover new ways to respond to life, helping you to feel safer, more secure, and happier.”
Katie holds a Masters Degree in Education, a Post Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, and is a Fellow of The Higher Education Academy. She is a Breathworks accredited mindfulness teacher and is also qualified to teach mindfulness courses in the Plum Village tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.
Originally teaching nutrition on Masters Degree and Diploma courses for University and College students, she was gradually invited to share her personal practice of mindfulness at the workplaces of some of the post-graduate students that she had the pleasure of working with, and now teaches mindfulness full-time.
Katie researches, writes and presents CPD accredited webinars and seminars across the UK that combine mindfulness and nutrition for health practitioners, on behalf of nutritional healthcare company Pharma Nord UK.
Through an expanding network of personal recommendations she has led bespoke workshops and webinars for corporate clients including Adidas, Barclays, Barclaycard, Deloitte, Equity Housing Group, Greater Manchester Police, Magnox and Sellafield, as well as charities and support groups including Brain Tumour Support, Heart Valve Voice, Parkinson’s Care and Support UK, and the COVID-19 Primary Care web meet for UK Healthcare Professionals.
Katie has presented at conferences to a wide range of audiences, from the Northern Counties Society of Osteopaths to the Master Innholders General Managers, contributed interviews and articles to magazines and websites, and made guest appearances on podcasts and live radio.
At the heart of her teaching lies the regular mindfulness and meditation classes, courses and retreats for the general public, which she now offers both in person and on live Zoom calls in order to meet the global demand.
Katie also offers 1:1 mindfulness support to a limited number of individuals or small groups of family / friends who prefer a more confidential environment, compared to a group class. Please contact her directly to discuss your specific requirements: thank you.
Katie has been exploring mindfulness since 2001, enjoying practice sessions, training and retreats in both secular mindfulness and Buddhist traditions.
She regularly attends and shares the facilitation of UK Sanghas that practice in the Plum Village tradition of Zen Buddhist Master Thich Nhat Hanh, and is qualified to lead their ‘Be Calm, Be Happy’ and ‘Be Calm, Be Well’ courses. These Sanghas are groups of people from a wide range of faith backgrounds, who aspire to develop peace in themselves and in the world through the practice of mindful living.
Katie is also a Breathworks accredited mindfulness teacher, which qualifies her to teach the Breathworks 8 weeks Mindfulness for Health and Mindfulness for Stress courses.
Katie also attends regular CPD events to deepen her understanding of how to teach Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness.
She is therefore able to teach from personal experience, including using mindfulness during successful cancer treatment in 2015, as well as from strong academic foundations.
Mindfulness allows us to bring a gentle, compassionate awareness and curiosity to what is happening in the present moment. It is an opportunity to liberate ourselves from getting lost or caught in thinking about the past or the future, to pause, then to focus on ourselves and on what is happening around us at any given moment. This practice enables us to build a core of inner strength from which we can respond to life more creatively and constructively, enabling us to gain the insights we need in order to become calmer and happier.
Mindfulness is much more than a relaxation technique, and practices are far more varied than just the classic image of sitting on a meditation cushion, as any activity can become an opportunity to enjoy being fully present. It is not about escaping from the world, it is about engaging fully with both the wonderful and the difficult aspects of life, and ultimately with both healing and transformation.
Raised in the hospitality industry, Katie saw from an early age how food is used to bring people together and form the heart of happy memories.
She went on to study the ways in which food can be used to support both physical and psychological health, and has travelled extensively to teach on nutrition related subjects.
To inform her nutrition work she has a Foundation Science Degree and Diploma in Nutritional Therapy from the University of Bedfordshire and The Institute for Optimum Nutrition (ION). She has taught in various academic settings including as a Personal Tutor and Module Leader for MSc Nutritional Therapy at the University of Worcester, and CPD events for Lamberts Healthcare, the Institute for Optimum Nutrition and Pharma Nord UK.
Mindful Eating comes easily to most of us when we eat amazing restaurant food like this: we use all of our senses to look, smell and taste, and are therefore enjoying each mouthful in the present moment. Imagine creating such pleasure every time you consume something!
Mindful Eating is an opportunity to bring our attention to the food and drink that we consume, but also to our related physical and emotional responses. By connecting more clearly and compassionately with ourselves and with the choices that we make we gain valuable insights that help us to create a more relaxed, enjoyable and supportive relationship with our food.
Whether you want to lose or gain weight, develop a more balanced attitude towards food, or simply make more choices that support your health and happiness, mindful eating can help you to achieve your goals. It can also bring a sense of deep connection to the world around you as you develop the ability to see not just the food that is on your plate, but all that lies behind it: the seed, the soil, the sun, the rain, and the countless people and resources who have worked together to produce the nourishment you need in order to enjoy life to the full.
Interactive elements of the Soul Nutrition website such as The Happiness Calendar, SHIFT and Nourish were initially inspired by Katie’s personal experience of learning how to cope with various life challenges, and later by research undertaken as part of her MA Education.
Katie’s continuing motivation to transform her experience and knowledge into online formats reflects her desire to reach out to help more people than she could do in person, whilst also providing practical tools to support the content of her mindfulness meditation classes, events and workshops.