About Cathy

My journey with mindfulness began more than two decades ago when I was living in Hong Kong with my husband and son. The fast-paced and competitive environment often left me feeling depleted and frustrated. Seeking balance and emotional well-being, I turned to meditation. That was a revelation, particularly because I have diabetes, to discover the beneficial impact on my health. I felt calmer and my blood sugar management became more steady. The meditation practices not only helped me find inner peace, emotional equanimity, but also cultivated kindness and compassion towards myself and others.

Inspired by the transformative power of mindfulness, I founded MBH Advisory – Mind Body Health, eleven years ago in Hong Kong. Through that company, I had the privilege of offering mindfulness courses and workshops, meditation retreats and community practice to thousands of participants in Hong Kong and online in Japan. My last 3 years in Hong Kong were full of extraordinary stress with the political riots, government policy changes and the Covid-19 pandemic. Students, parents, working professionals, educators, health care workers and cancer patients all reported the many beneficial ways that mindfulness and compassion training had positively impacted their lives, especially in tough times. (see About Mindfulness)

In 2022, my family relocated to The Netherlands, embracing new chapters filled with change and adjustment. Navigating the unknown was challenging and triggered vulnerable feelings, but my meditation and mindfulness practice provided me with an inner calm in moments of anxiety and self-doubt. I’ve connected to the power of being fully present and embracing new possibilities with a gentler approach – far less reactive, and more responsive.

Alongside the mindfulness journey, creativity has always been an integral part of my life. While painting was not previously a primary focus, often something felt missing when I neglected creative projects. During the transition in The Netherlands, I made a promise to devote more time and energy to art exploration. Mindfulness has taught me that creativity arises from a space of presence and a quiet inner world. Being surrounded by nature in my new home has awakened my senses and inspired me in profound ways. From the variable weather changes, vast landscapes, and sights and sounds of the natural world, I find inspiration at every turn. I was delighted that my first painting completed in 2023 hung in the esteemed Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2023 in London. That greatly encouraged me to continue to investigate the intersection of mindfulness and creativity, as they both nourish and enrich my life.One of my favourite articles that serves as a powerful reminder to live authentically is written by a palliative care nurse named Bonnie Ware: “The Five Regrets of the Dying.” Why not make choices/changes in the present rather than finding regrets later in life?

As Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of MBSR, so beautifully said:

“Mindfulness is about being fully awake in our lives.

It is about receiving the exquisite vividness of each moment, feeling more alive, and accessing our own

powerful inner resources for insight, transformation, and healing.”

QUALIFICATIONS:

- - Gong Training with Sheila Whittaker, Devon, UK
  - Oxford Mindfulness App (Voice Recordings), Oxford Mindfulness Centre, UK
  - Member of VMBN (Vereniging Mindfulness Based Trainers Nederland), NL
  - Gong Training with Martha Collard, Red Doors Studios, Hong Kong
  - Supervisor of mindfulness-trained teachers, The Mindfulness Network, UK
  - Certified MBSR Teacher, Brown Mindfulness Center, Brown University, USA
  - Certified MBCL Teacher, The Mindfulness Network, UK
  - Certified MiSP Teacher (.b, paws.b, .b Foundations for school communities), Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP), UK
  - MBSR Guest Teacher, International Mindfulness Center JAPAN
  - Breathworks Teacher-in-Training, Breathworks, UK
  - Qualified MBSR Teacher, The Center for Mindfulness, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, USA
  - Masters in Buddhist Studies, The University of Hong Kong (HKU)
  - Convenor of the Hong Kong Mindfulness Teachers Network (HKMTN) 2019 – 2022