8 Weeks, Live Online, with a 3 night in-person retreat. With former Firefighter Paramedic Kate Duncan and Psychologist Lisa Brown.
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.
Mindfulness-Based Trauma Recovery (MB-tr)
ONLINE- Wednesday’s from 9 September to 28 October, 2026
Includes a 3 Day Practice Intensive Workshop in person – 6-9 October.
****The program has scholarships available and may be funded by your Insurer, Work Cover or Medicare. See more details below******
Why MB-tr is Unique:
MB-tr offers hope in a space of treatment resistance. Drawing on evidence-based programs of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction, Mindful Self-Compassion and Somatic practices including Yoga, Breathwork and Relaxation, the program integrates Trauma Sensitive research and is delivered by Zoom over 8 weeks and includes a 3 night in person workshop. Research into MB-tr over the past five years has consistently shown significant reductions in depression, anxiety, stress, PTSD as well as increases in interoception, self-compassion and mindfulness.
Facilitation: Led by Registered Psychologist Lisa Brown and ex Firefighter Paramedic Kate Duncan, both with lived experience as First Responders.
Core Program Components
MB-tr provides group therapeutic interventions that can alleviate the “invisible weight of service.”
Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness: Somatic practices including breath, body awareness, and interoceptive training.
Nervous System Regulation: Practical techniques for relaxation and secondary trauma prevention.
Self-Compassion Training: Skills to ‘attend and befriend’ or gently turn towards challenging emotions and sensations.
Social Connectedness: Building communication skills to reduce isolation and rebuild relationships.
8 Week Online Program
Participants will meet online each Wednesday for a 2.5 hour interactive session.
3-Night Mindfulness Workshop
The program includes a valuable 3 night practice intensive, where participants will come together in person at a retreat centre in the Otway Ranges, VIC
Dates: Oct 6th – 9th, 2026.
Location: King Parrot Cottages, Otway Ranges, VIC
Focus: This workshop integrates trauma-sensitive practices with scientific insights from Western Psychology. It utilises evidence-based Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) frameworks.
Created specifically for: Individuals experiencing the effects of cumulative trauma who require a safe, secluded environment to reset their nervous system.
The 3 Night workshop is NOT OPTIONAL. Participation in the program requires attendance at the retreat.
Suitability & Benefits
This program is specifically tailored for those who find little hope in standard clinical care. It is highly suitable for individuals navigating:
Treatment-Resistant Depression and Anxiety.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Cumulative Trauma & Moral Injury: Addressing cycles of chronic stress and compassion fatigue.
The Result: Participants gain improved emotional regulation, reduced social isolation, and enhanced self-agency, shifting from feeling “broken” to having a proactive recovery plan.
Contact & Referrals
We welcome referrals from General Practitioners, EAP providers, and veteran support organisations.
Eligibility Requirements
We welcome all frontline workers, such as police, fire, ambulance, health, military and more (other examples may include mental health workers, psychologists dispatchers etc). Please do contact us if you’re not sure.
Participation in the in-person 3 night retreat is part of the program and we unfortunately cannot accept participants for the online 8 week portion only.
Inclusions and Exclusions
Included in your fee is the 8 weeks, workbook, one-on-one interview with Kate or Lisa, and accomodation and 3 meals per day for retreat.
Not included is travel to and from retreat.
Payment Options
Insurer, Medicare and Work Cover
may be available for this program,
Please contact Lisa Brown to process through these avenues
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0400491477
Scholarships Available
A past participant of our program has generously set up the Equity in Recovery Scholarship Fund, which is open and available to all participants in need of assistance. No evidence of financial need is required- we welcome everyone to consider this option.
Please contact Kate Duncan to discuss a full or partial scholarship.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0475 771 918
Self Pay via Humaitix
We welcome those that wish to pay for their own place, which allows our scholarship fund to be extended further. If you wish to self pay, please consider the following:
$2100: covers the cost of your place in the program
$2600: is a supporting payment where $500 of your contribution goes into the scholarship fund to support another in need.
***If you wish to donate further please contact Kate or Lisa to discuss.
For this option simply register here on Humanitix
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:
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:
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, mental health, psychology, social work 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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8 Weeks, Live Online, with a 3 night in-person retreat. With former Firefighter Paramedic Kate Duncan and Psychologist Lisa Brown.