Lead Teachers

Timothea Goddard

BA, Dip Psych (ANZAP) Workplace Trainer, Cert V, Yoga teacher (YA200H)

Timothea Goddard is recognised as a pioneer in bringing MBSR to Australia over the past 14 years being the first in Australia to complete the training and be accredited as an MBSR teacher through the Center for Mindfulness, UMass Medical Center, USA; she maintains strong professional links there. Timothea has worked in private practice for 30 years as a psychotherapist, educator and workplace trainer, having trained in humanistic, psychodynamic and body-based psychotherapy as well as comprehensive training in MiCBT, and basic training in ACT, Breathworks, .B, and Mindful Schools. Since 2007, she has been offering MBSR training and supervision for health professionals and others.

She is a long time student of yoga, Aikido and meditation and practices in the Insight tradition. She is the Director of Openground – an Australia-wide network of clinicians and teachers offering MBSR and related programs. She is a founding director of MTI and is currently the Director of Training. She is very interested in the interface of biology and psychology and how mindfulness practice can facilitate the integration between what we experience as "body" and "mind".

Nadav Avny

MA(Hons) Clinical Psychology, Advance Diploma Integrative Psychotherapy (ADIP), Member of NZ Psych Society and UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)

Nadav works as a Consultant Clinical Psychologist at the Adult Acute Mental Health Inpatient Unit of Auckland District Health Board (ADHB).

Nadav established and teaches an MBSR programme to mental health staff. He also leads sustainable implementation of mindfulness at ADHB Mental Health Services, including a Mindfulness Implementation Steering Group, Mindfulness Championing Group (working group) and supervises staff who completed the MBSR programme and are continuing to train as Mindfulness Based Programme teachers.

Nadav's clinical psychology training was psychodynamic. He also completed training in Integrative Psychotherapy (focusing on Gestalt and Existential Psychotherapy) and is a UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) registered psychotherapist. He provides psychological therapy to individuals, families and groups.

Nadav is Co Director of the Mindfulness Training Institute: Australia & New Zealand. He is an approved supervisor for people on the training pathway.

Regina Gerlach

Mary McIntyre

B.A (Bus) Dip. Couns, MACA II , SEP Trauma Therapy, Cert. Expressive Therapies, Cert IV Arch. , Circle of Security Parent Educator

Mary’s encounter with regular meditation practice began in earnest in 1989. She initially attended retreats in France in the Vietnamese Mahayana tradition (Thich Nhat Hanh) where she took lay ordination in 1995. Subsequently Mary moved from Europe to Sri Lanka for seven years where she explored traditional Theravadan and Western Insight traditions before emigrating to Australia in 2003 . She is motivated by various Insight style retreats including open, spacious style practices such as Reflective Meditation (Linda Modaro) which continues to inspire her. 

Practicum Curriculum Training Teachers

Pamela Lovell

BSc, MSc, MA Counselling

Pamela trained with the Center for Mindfulness and Openground and is a certified MBSR teacher with the Centre of Mindfulness, UMass.   She is an Organisational Development Consultant with 20 years of experience working with leaders, managers and staff to effectively handle change and improve communication and behaviours for a better workplace. Pamela’s interest in teaching MBSR came through her work with organisations where work/life balance seemed elusive and many people were finding the stress of everyday life overwhelming. Since 2007 Pamela has taught MBSR privately and in organisation settings. Pamela has 13 years of experience with mindfulness and has studied this work for 20 years.

Dr Tania Gibbie

BBSc(Hons), MPsych(Health), PhD

Dr Tania Gibbie is a Clinical and Health Psychologist, who works both in private and public hospitals. Tania received her initial training in Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy in 2005 through Southern Synergy and has attended further training retreats under Professor Mark Williams and Dr Maura Kenny. Since this time, Tania has taught MBCT groups in a number of settings, including clinical research trials, to professional athletes, and post graduate psychology students. She has worked extensively with people experiencing chronic pain and relapsing depression, and has a keen interest in the psychology of both physical and mental health and illness.