Niina Tamura, PhD

Bio

Since discovering mindfulness and self-compassion, my own personal practice has enriched my life in ways I never dreamed possible. I feel both excited and humbled to be able to bring these teachings and skills to young people.

I’ve always been passionate about working with children and youth. As a teen, I remember feeling lost at times, but also searching for anchors in the storm of growing up. I completed my studies in Psychology at the University of Oxford, culminating in a PhD focussed on child development. Afterwards I completetd further training in child and adolescent psychotherapy at the University of Heidelberg and have worked at the adolescent inpatient unit at the Zentrum für Seelische Gesundheit Mannheim. Previously I have work with children and teens at a charity holiday centre, as an independent advocate for those in care and as a foreign language teacher.

Mindfulness and Self-compassion training

• combined Mindfulness-Based Stress-Reduction (MBSR) and Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) intensive with Lorraine Hobbs and Steve Hickman of the UCSD Center for Mindfulness (hosted by Zentrum für Psychologische Psychotherapie, University of Heidelberg)

• Teacher training in the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) programme with Chris Germer, Hilde Steinhauser, Regula Saner, Arve Thürmann and Christine Brähler (Arbor Seminare) - Trained Teacher

• Teacher training in the Making Friends with Yourself (MFY) programme with co-creators Lorraine Hobbs and Karen Bluth (hosted by Zentrum für Psychologische Psychotherapie, University of Heidelberg) - Trained Teacher

• Training in Mindful Compassionate Parenting with Jörg Mangold and Dominik Ohlmeier (hosted by Praxiszentrum Grüne Meile, Heidelberg)

• daily personal practice, regular retreat attendance