How I came into teaching mindfulness

My mindfulness journey has been a river that has ebbed and flowed over the course of my life. I have been a long-term practitioner in Zen Buddhist traditions. I can trace the threads of my mindfulness journey to my late teens when began to explore ancient spiritual practices and my torch for social justice was lit.  

I moved into a career as a Social Worker in health and community services for more than 25 years. Throughout this time, I engaged in the pursuit of “well-being” practices in search of the elusive “work-life balance.”

My personal interest in mindfulness peaked when I experienced chronic workplace stress, fatigue and burn-out. I came to realise that the constant pursuit of “well-being” hacks at the end of a busy week could offer some temporary relief but that there was a deeper current to tend to – how to live more deeply and fully in everyday life.  And how to take care of my own very human suffering when life felt hard, rather than engaging my usual “go-to” habits – emotional eating, drinking too much and distracting myself to name a few!  

The path of mindfulness has been a transformational, helping me to let go of old habits that were keeping me stuck, understand my mental states and the wisdom of my body and learn new ways to care for myself. Having experienced the cumulative impact of stress in work environments that are overstretched and pressured, I am passionate about evidence-based techniques to help people who are struggling with stress to live a lighter, more empowered life.  

As a mindfulness teacher, we share this mindfulness journey together. Feeling the natural rhythm of our breath, maybe allowing our bodies to soften and bringing curiosity to our experience.  We explore and learn how to meet ourselves with awareness, gentleness and kindness and find new ways of being that support true well-being and flourishing.  

Background 

• Bachelor of Social Work
• Registered member of the Australian Association of Social Workers
• Bachelor of Fine Arts
• Masters of Fine Arts
• Registered Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction teacher with the Mindfulness Institute of Australia since 2023
• More than 25 years’ experience working in health and community services
• Many years’ experience of mediation practice, including regular annual retreats
• Ordained practitioner in the Plum Village tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh

Specialisation

Sally is a mindfulness facilitator with Openground and also teaches for other not-for-profit organisations in Victoria.  Having experienced the cumulative impact of stress and burn-out, Sally brings her 25 plus years’ experience in challenging workplaces with science-backed mindfulness training. Sally’s experience includes teaching mindfulness training for people who have experienced trauma, people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction and people from diverse cultural backgrounds.  

Teaching Philosophy

My teaching style is down-to-earth, encouraging and adapted for people with varying life experiences, circumstances and personal histories. I create an environment that is safe, inclusive and trauma-informed, honouring people’s own unique journeys and inner wisdom. I support people to bring gentle curiosity to their own experience, discover what practices work best for them and empower people with practical skills to thrive in their life.  

I love that mindfulness is a simple, trainable skill AND is backed by decades of science showing the real benefits for our minds and bodies. It’s a joy for me to offer mindfulness training and to witness the meaningful and real-world impact on people’s lives.