About me

I originally trained as a teacher and have worked in schools, youth clubs and colleges before retraining as a Counselling Psychologist. I then worked in the NHS, first in GP Practices and then in a Secondary Mental Health team, with people experiencing severe and enduring mental health problems. During this time, I trained as a Mindfulness teacher with the Oxford Mindfulness Centre. I was drawn to this having experienced the benefits of meditation in my daily life and through stressful times. As a psychologist, I was curious about the evidence for its efficacy in helping those with recurrent depression. Since then, I have explored the Buddhist roots of the secular Mindfulness-based interventions, which have proved a helpful guidance for me in life's vicissitudes.

After retiring from the NHS, I formed a company to offer Mindfulness courses to clinical populations and to the general public. Along with colleagues, I also ran courses for a local neighbourhood project reaching out to hard-to-reach populations, and for NHS staff in hospitals, as well as a monthly meditation group.

I am aware of my privilege as an educated white woman. Please tell me if you feel that this, or any other embedded experience of mine, is impeding my understanding of you, your culture, your lived experience. I am constantly seeking to understand the involvement of my own culture in the causes and injustices of Climate change.

Publications 

Kemp E., Wilkinson P., Cambray L., Johannson M., (2016),  Accepting what is Present: Could Learning Mindfulness Together be a Useful Intervention for a Couple Living with Dementia? FPOP Bulletin no 134, pages 18 - 22