Mindfulness & Functional Illness
A New Paradigm for Healing
A series of 4 seminars with Dr Gillian Deakin
Saturdays 9.30am – 11am (AEST)
9 and 23rd August, 6 and 20th September, 2025
$250 MTI Level 1 Alumni, $395 for others
We’d love to invite you to a special seminar series created for mindfulness teachers and health professionals working with complex body/mind issues. If you've ever had a participant or client say "I've tried everything, but nothing helps," or wonder "Why does no one take this seriously?"—this series is for you.
Functional disorders are increasingly common, confusing, and often misunderstood — by patients and professionals alike. This 4-part seminar series explores the nature of functional illness (explaining the physiological and relational domains) and the powerful role that mindfulness-based programs can play in recovery.
As teachers of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy or Mindful Self Compassion, we are often working with people who’ve “fallen through the cracks” of the medical system. They are told “nothing’s wrong,” but they feel terrible — and often, ashamed. These seminars will deepen our understanding of their suffering and offer tools and frameworks to support their healing through mindfulness and compassion-based approaches.
Your presenter:
Dr Gillian Deakin: A Pioneer in the New Medicine of Functional Disorders
Dr Gillian Deakin is a rare force in medicine — a GP, educator, and mind–body specialist who brings clarity and compassion to the often-misunderstood world of functional disorders.
While others dismiss symptoms that defy diagnosis, Dr Deakin helps patients feel seen and understood. Her work bridges cutting-edge science with whole-person care, drawing on psychoneuroimmunology, trauma-informed approaches, and the body’s own stress systems.
Her book "What the Hell Is Wrong With Me?" is a revelation — offering patients validation and professionals a clear, practical framework to support recovery. With warmth, precision, and decades of clinical experience, Dr Deakin makes sense of complex conditions and opens a hopeful path forward.
The Series
We’ll be running these online, interactive sessions over four weeks. You can join live or watch the replays.
Please purchase "What the Hell is Wrong With Me" by Dr Gillian Deakin if you will be attending:
While this workshop series isn’t formally accredited with any professional associations, you’ll receive a Certificate of Attendance to support your PD journey. Many participants successfully use this with their professional bodies to count toward their PD hours.
