Dr David McMurtry – Director
I have had an interest in meditation since my teenage years, but my experience of formal practice began in 1978 when I trained in Transcendental Meditation. During the 1980’s I was member of the White Eagle Lodge and I led meditation groups in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, Scotland. In the first phase of my working life and career, I was a primary school teacher, and then a secondary school teacher of Religious and Moral Education.
My involvement with the Mindfulness Association (MA) began in 2009 when, as a Senior Lecturer and Director of Policy and Planning in the School of Education, the University of Aberdeen, I was a member of the team that founded and created the MSc in Studies in Mindfulness degree. This was in partnership with the Mindfulness Association, and with the encouragement and support of Akong Tulku Rinpoche and Lama Yeshe.
I was Programme Director of the MSc from 2012-2015, proceeded and followed in this post by colleague Prof. Graeme Nixon. During this time, I trained with the Mindfulness Association to teach their courses. In 2015 I relocated to Zagreb, Croatia (I am married to a Croatian!) and I began teaching secular mindfulness, in English, in local communities. With colleagues we set up an NGO, Mindfulness Hrvatska (Mindfulness Croatia), a franchisee of the Mindfulness Association, teaching the MA courses, including teacher training. I was the elected President of Mindfulness Hrvatska for two terms of office, and my active involvement with this organisation and in teaching locally and online continues.
Jane Negrych is the lead tutor and head of the Mindfulness Association’s franchise in Ireland. She is a graduate of the MSc: Studies in Mindfulness with the University of Aberdeen and has worked for the Mindfulness Association in various positions since 2014.
In recent years, she is a past Managing Director of the Sanctuary in Dublin City. She currently works in programme development for the Sanctuary and has developed programmes such as the Caring for the Caregiver programme, the Mindfulness and Compassion Based Professional practice course that is run in conjunction with Dublin City University, the Art of Rest, When Things Fall Apart (delivered alongside psychologist Dr. Tony Bates) and the Nature and Healing programme.
Jane Negrych is working towards her Masters Degree in Integrative Psychotherapy with Dublin City University (DCU) and is a member of The Irish Association of Counselling and Psychotherapists.
Heather has been training people to teach mindfulness since 2011 and has significant experience of mentoring and supervising mindfulness teachers. She is a tutor of the Mindfulness Association teaching on all four Levels of our courses and on the University of Aberdeen MSc in Studies in Mindfulness.
I work as a Clinical Psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor. I am neurodivergent and I have a keen interest in working with neurodivergent professionals. I hold an MSc in Adolescent Psychotherapy, a Post Grad in Mindfulness Studies, a BA Degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy and a Dip. in Supervision. More on more professional bio can be…
Jacky is the Communications Manager, a Tutor and Core Management Team member within the Mindfulness Association.
Individual supervision only.
Graeme is a lead Tutor and Supervisor for the Mindfulness Association, and lives in the Newcastle upon Tyne area.