Thank you for stopping by.
I hope you find this site helpful. Its purpose to offer information about Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Programmes offered in the Geneva and Lausanne area. It also contains some information about other mindfulness activity in the Geneva area.
A little bit about us:
Main Teacher: Karl Duffy
Like many English speaking residents in the Geneva Area, I relocated to Switzerland because of work reasons, as my wife’s company had offered her a position in their Headquarters here. I took advantage of this to complete an MA in Psychological Counseling at Webster University, Geneva.
Following this I undertook the professional training programme established under the direction of Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, founder of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts and Dr. Saki Santorelli, Executive Director, UMMS Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society. I then completed the Teacher Development Intensive in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction offered by the Centre for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. I has personally been committed to meditation practice, in different traditions, for over 35 years. I have being running the Stress Reduction Programme here for three years now and have over 400 hours of experience in working with individuals and groups in this approach.
This recent work builds upon my earlier training and interest. I began my studies with BA’s in Philosophy and Theology and then completed a Masters in Theology in the Gregorian University in Rome, focusing on story, ritual and symbol in human lives. I have lectured on these subjects at University level in Ireland. I then worked as Manager of a Social Inclusion Community Group, focusing on training and development work with unemployed and rural disadantaged groups, while at the same time, facilitating bereavement, marriage support and spirituality groups for over fifteen years on a voluntrary basis. I then used these same group and training skills as a Trainer and Facilitator in a Change Management Programme in the Irish Public Sector.
Associate Trainers:
Allie Graylin-Frey
I began studying yoga in 1993, teaching yoga in 2004, and practicing yoga therapy two years later. While my teaching is inspired in part by studies in many different kinds of yoga (viniyoga, insight yoga, hot yoga, yin yoga, ashtanga, Phoenix Rising yoga therapy, Iyengar yoga, ashtanga and more), the heart of my practice and teaching is the Kripalu lineage. The Kripalu approach to yoga is designed, among other things, to help the student learn to listen to her/his body, to listen inwardly. While the teacher is always there to guide and offer suggestions, Kripalu yoga recognizes that each body is different; in fact, our bodies can feel quite different from one day to the next! So while we as students allow ourselves to be guided by the teacher, we also cultivate an awareness of our own bodies’ needs (as well as the needs of our hearts and minds) as we move through the practice. This is one of the ways that yoga becomes a vehicle for exploring our internal landscape, helping us to notice and open to whatever may be occurring in the present moment.
In our practice together, my intention is to create a safe place for exploring the body through postures, connecting with the breath, and becoming present to our experience. The study of yoga has been such a strong, positive force in my life; my wish as a teacher is to share this practice with anyone moved to try it.
Bianca King
Bianca has a BA in Philosophy and Psychology from Griffith University, Australia, a post graduate diploma in counselling from the Australian College of Applied Psychology and a Masters in Psychotherapy and Counselling from Regents College, London. Bianca began her career in counselling in Australia at the Petrea King Quest for Life Centre for people with terminal illnesses.
For three years, Bianca was based in London where she worked at Guy’s Hospital, the Awareness Centre and for the children’s helpline Get Connected. Bianca came to Geneva with her husband in 2008. Over the past ten years and throughout her work and studies, Bianca has also been practicing meditation and attending Tibetan Buddhist teachings.
Amy Chiconas:
Amy Chiconas is originally from the US and holds a Master’s of Science in Holistic Nutrition, is Certified in Nutritional Wellness, and is Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition. She is the owner and founder of Root Nutrition, where she serves as a Holistic Nutrition Coach to clients worldwide. Root Nutrition was created out of her desire to share a holistic perspective of wellness with others. Amy takes an individualized, educational approach to help each client adopt personal responsibility for their health.
Before entering the health field, Amy received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management & Organization and a Bachelor of the Arts in Spanish. She worked in the international business world for nine years holding various marketing, sales, corporate image and branding, and management positions in Denmark, Germany, and the US. She is currently focusing on eating her veggies, learning French, and enjoying the Swiss outdoors. Every day.
Lothar Bielke:
In 2007 the company that employed me as Marketing Director was bought by Nestlé. Having worked many years in different management positions for multinational companies, I felt the desire to take a time out in order to reflect about what I wanted to do with the rest of my live. I decided to take a sabbatical year travelling to Nepal and India. That’s where I got in touch with Vipassana Meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka in Igatpuri. Yoga courses in Rishikesh followed.
The experiences impacted me profoundly and after my return to Switzerland I decided to dedicate more time to it. Specific MBSR courses and further retreats followed.
My professional background is in economic sciences and business administration which I studied at the University of St.Gall in Switzerland (lic. oec. HSG) and at the Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium (CEMS MIM). Today I work as consultant and professional coach (CAS from University of Northwestern Switzerland, MAS ongoing / ICF and BSO member). Besides I currently spend a lot of time as regional president of the volunteers’ group of Terre des hommes, an international non profit organisation that develops and implements projects designed to improve the living conditions of disadvantaged children
Patrick Choucri:
Elisabeth Janz Mayer-Rieckh
