Mindfulness Based Trauma Recovery (MBtr)

Next Program Starts
September 7th 2026

8 Weeks, Live Online, with a 3 night in-person retreat. With former Firefighter Paramedic Kate Duncan and Psychologist Lisa Brown.

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Mindfulness Based Trauma Recovery

with Lisa Brown and Kate Duncan 

Mindfulness-based Trauma Recovery (MBtr)  is a training program designed to cultivate the skills of mindfulness and compassion for trauma recovery. The program is conducted over eight weekly online sessions and an in person three-day retreat.

About MBtr

Lisa and Kate together adapted and created Mindfulness-based Trauma Recovery (MBtr) which over five years has consistently shown significant reductions in symptoms of PTSD, Depression and Anxiety as well as increases in a sense of Wellbeing. Both Lisa and Kate are both qualified, experienced facilitators in the fields of Psychology, Trauma Recovery, Mindfulness and Compassion Meditation and Trauma Sensitive Yoga. 

MBtr has been developed from the innovative work of Jon Kabat Zinn, and began at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1979. A large body of research has demonstrated consistently profound effects on health and wellbeing, including reductions in depression, anxiety and chronic pain.

The MBtr program has been adapted specifically for trauma recovery.

This course aims to teach participants to:

  • Practice trauma sensitive mindfulness in daily life.
  • Understand, experientially, the empirically supported benefits of mindfulness for trauma recovery.
  • Develop a greater understanding of the mind, body, and emotions.
  • Handle difficult emotions with ease.
  • Transform destructive emotional patterns and challenging relationships.
  • Approach difficulty with equanimity.
  • Learn skills and tools to support deep relaxation.
  • Develop a regular mindfulness meditation practice.

MBtr is suitable for anyone who wishes to cultivate these skills. As well as offering evidence-based practices for trauma recovery, this training is helpful to prevent burnout and enhance wellbeing.

The original MBSR Programme has benefited thousands of people around the world who report a variety of conditions and concerns including:

  • Stress Related Life Issues – Work, school, family, financial, illness, ageing, grief, uncertainty about the future and feeling ’out of control’.
  • Medical conditions – Chronic illness, chronic pain, high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, coronary heart disease, asthma, skin disorders and many other conditions
  • Psychological distress – Anxiety, trauma, depression, fatigue and sleep disturbances
  • Prevention and Wellbeing – Enhancement of health and wellbeing that encourages a deeper sense of equanimity in ourselves and our relationships.
  • This programme is challenging and life-affirming. Participating in MBSR-tr requires an ongoing commitment to yourself.

MBtr sessions include meditation training and practice, short talks, experiential exercises, small and large group discussion, gentle yoga/mindful movement and home practices. MBtr will involve eight 2.5 to 3 hour online training sessions and one three night trauma-sensitive mindfulness and yoga retreat focused completely on individual practice.

The course is aimed at anyone who has worked on the frontlines, where trauma is common, such as but not limited to police, fire, ambulance, military, health or criminal justice systems. There is no requirement for participants to have experienced significant trauma, anyone can join. The course is an excellent preventive model in addition to being a trauma recovery tool.

Kate is an Insight Dharma Teacher, a Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness and Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction teacher, and an E-RYT 500 Yoga Instructor. Kate facilitates silent meditation retreats, women’s retreats and leads mindfulness-based trauma recovery programs for frontline workers. She has been a practitioner of meditation for 15 years.

As a former Firefighter Paramedic and Intensive Care Paramedic, Kate deeply understands the stress, anxiety, burn out and post traumatic stress that can accompany a frontline workers life. She is most interested in exploring how frontline workers can return to a place of safety, ease and wellbeing in the world, regardless of what they have experienced.  

Kate has been deeply influenced by the role of mindfulness of the body, yoga and breath in her own recovery journey and is deeply passionate about sharing these body based practices.

Lisa Brown is a Registered Psychologist, Yoga Teacher, Certified Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction Teacher (Brown University, USA), Mindful Self-Compassion Facilitator and Insight Dharma Teacher. She is dedicated to helping people connect with their innate capacity for healing and wellbeing through practices which integrate ancient wisdom and modern science for trauma recovery.

As an Adjunct Lecturer at Charles Sturt University, Lisa taught mindfulness and retreats for post-graduate students and has a deep interest in the conjunction of western science, Buddhadharma and earth-based wisdom traditions in health, healing and trauma recovery. Lisa has 20 years experience as a psychologist and currently works in private practice in Coffs Harbour NSW. She has experience working with the NSW Sexual Assault Service, Child Protection, Family Therapy, Aboriginal Health and Diabetes. Her training as a Yoga Teacher provides an integration of somatic healing practices with mindfulness and wellbeing to support trauma recovery. 

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Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction for Trauma Recovery

8 Weeks, Live Online, with a 3 night in-person retreat. With former Firefighter Paramedic Kate Duncan and Psychologist Lisa Brown.