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Being present in the moment is a task often easier said than done. Join Gilda’s own Mindfulness Meditation facilitators Rae, Sanah, and Emily, as they teach us about what it means to practice mindfulness, and its many mental and physical benefits.

They will also be providing live demonstrations of their respective styles of mindfulness meditation.

Presenters: 

Rae Luise (They/She), Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Rae is a relational psychotherapist, mindfulness educator, and trauma-informed yoga therapist working in collaborative health and healing efforts in Toronto. Since encountering meditation practices in 2006, Rae has been dedicated to practicing and sharing the skills of meditation, and the benefits of cultivating a conscious, compassionate, and curious relationship with oneself. Across their career, Rae has been driven by the desire to create more safe spaces for health, healing, and community and to advocate for dismantling systemic barrier to accessing health and wellness supports. Rae strives to create a space that is conscious of the interconnection between mind and body, and between the personal and systemic as they shape our experiences of pain and ease, and our ability to connect and thrive.

Sanah Iftikhar (she/her)
Is a public dental health care practitioner, currently pursuing the field of psychotherapy, and a mindfulness facilitator working with a trauma-informed, trauma-sensitive facilitation approach. She is trained in Applied Mindfulness Based Chronic Pain Management (MPCPM) through the University of Toronto and has completed MBSR and MSC training. Sanah has been sharing her skills in meditation to help facilitate a mind-body connection and to help participants integrate mindfulness in their daily lives. Having been a previous Gilda’s member, Sanah has a personal understanding of cancer, and is driven to help participants open up spaciousness that can hold the pain and trauma experienced from illness with ease and a non-resisting mindful awareness.

Emily Reed
Emily Reed is honoured to join Gilda’s Club as a Volunteer Meditation Facilitator.  Emily has been facilitating meditation groups for the past decade and appreciates the act of gathering for a shared, intentional pause.  Emily sees meditation and mindfulness as a way to hone our ability to be truly present to our experiences, to connect with what is authentic and alive within ourselves.  Some of the ways that Emily practices mindfulness, aside from formal meditation practice are while: working as a Registered Psychotherapist; caring for her family; getting her hands dirty in the garden; and on her journey as a bereaved daughter. She looks forward to meeting you in group!