Elizabeth Granger

OPENGROUND TEACHER PROFILE

Elizabeth Granger

Director of OpenGround, psychotherapist, MSBR teacher, retreat leader & former lawyer.

How I came into teaching mindfulness

I came across MBSR when I was juggling young kids, a demanding career as a litigation
lawyer, and studying psychotherapy on the side. I realised pretty early on that my capacity to manage myself had a direct impact on how well I could attend to everything else in my life. However what I didn’t realise then, but now know, is that MBSR is not just about self regulation but is also a practice of wisdom and insight, which can transform how we relate to ourselves and others, and the way we live in the world. 

I have always been fascinated by the mind and the human spirit and seen it as so central to how we feel about ourselves and operate in the world. MBSR offers such an accessible way for people to get to know their own minds and bodies better, in a way that helps them live more fully and freely. There is also such an honesty to this practice which doesn’t skip over anything but everything is included – the good, the bad and the ugly, and of course the beautiful.

I always feel so lucky to have discovered, and now teach MBSR – it has certainly changed my life for the better, and given me so much more capacity to engage in and enjoy this “wild and precious life”. And it brings me so much joy sharing it with others and creating that space where people can show up just as they are. I am always so moved and inspired by the changes people make in big ways and small over the 8 weeks.

Background
  • BEc. LLB, Dip. Som. Psych (PACFA Reg), IFS Level II
  • Certified MBSR teacher having taught since 2007.
  • Somatic psychotherapist for 25 years also trained in Psychodynamic psychotherapy, Internal Family Systems, MiCBT and ACT
  • 20 + years of daily meditation practice, including yearly week-long silent retreats
  • Previously worked as a litigation lawyer for 14 years, including at partnership level
  • Experienced retreat facilitator having led many weekend retreats specialising in
    mindfulness, insight and compassion the past 5 years

Specialisation

Libba was one of the first people trained to teach MBSR in Australia back in 2007 and has been teaching ever since to the public and in a number of different organisational settings. She pioneered a customised MBSR program for veterans and their family members which has been independently researched showing significant reductions in PTSD, psychological distress, anger reactivity, and improved relationships. She has also led the first 8-week mindfulness programs to Federal parliamentarians and their staffers and sits on the Australian Expert panel to the Global Mindfulness Initiative which supports the cultivation of mindfulness and compassion amongst legislators worldwide to shift political culture and elicit wiser policy making.

Teaching Philosophy

Both happiness and freedom are an inside job. Everyone is welcome exactly we’re
they’re at, and that’s actually where they need to be to find out for themselves what
they need to learn and discover. I always find MBSR classes to be a very warm and
down to earth space to carry out these explorations with a healthy dose of humour
thrown in too.

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