ABOUT | Minds Matter Now

Meet the team...

At Minds Matter Now, we have a passion for sharing our experience and the practices we use that restore balance for busy people who want to find freedom, contentment and fulfilment in our fast-paced, high-pressure world. It is the mix of our personal and professional experience that makes us different – this is a bit more about us:

John Towler - Consultant

Paula Seabourne - Founder

Professor Jamie Hacker Hughes

Aside from her qualifications and work experience, Paula’s life experience allows her a tremendous insight into mental health as an overall subject. Having lost her younger Brother, Sean to suicide, her interaction with various mental health and support organisations gave her a good understanding of how fragile our minds can be and how people need to take preventative measures rather than relying on there being a cure- which there often is not.

Subsequently, Paula’s bereavement led her to re-evaluate her life choices and where she could best make a difference. It was at this stage that she embarked on the MBSR(Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) course- this was the beginning of her journey.

In 2015 Paula was proud to be involved with the ‘The Mindfulness Initiative’, which helped the Mindfulness All Party Parliamentary Group conduct an inquiry into how Mindfulness could be incorporated into UK services and institutions.

The resulting Mindful Nation UK Report was published in October 2015 and work continues with government ministers, opinion-formers and employers to raise awareness of the report’s findings and recommendations.

Paula also runs a charity group in Brighton – SOBS (Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide) and is involved with ‘Grassroots’ steering committee based in Brighton.

Paula has obtained the following qualifications:

• Diploma in Stress Management

• Teacher Training Pathway 1 for MBSR(Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) – Bangor University

• 8 week MBSR course

• Further Diploma in Mindfulness

• 1 year Foundation BSc Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine and Philosophy – Greenwich University

• MHFA (Mental Health First Aid)

• SOBS Support Group Facilitator

• Grassroots-member of the steering committee

Paula is a member of The International Alliance of Neuro Linguistic Programming and Coaching and the International Alliance of Holistic Therapists.

My resilience builder: Mindfulness meditation and single tasking

My workplace stressor: Computers!

One of my favourite quotes: Serenity Prayer

My greatest achievement: Giving birth to my Son

John has 28 years of experience in learning and development and has designed and delivered training at all levels and in a wide variety of environments both in the UK and abroad. With considerable experience in training needs analysis, design, delivery and evaluation, he was Head of Training for one of the UK’s largest banks before moving to freelance consultancy.

During his career with the bank John suffered a period of stress-related ill-health that led to considerable time out. Recognising, accepting and recovering from this to go on to a more productive and fulfilling career and lifestyle has developed a passion in John for enabling others to recognise early signs of stress, to overcome its debilitation and, ideally, prevent adverse effects.

A certified practitioner in neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), John specialises in recognising specific needs and practical application of learning, with extensive experience in field-based coaching and performance development. His clients have included many large and small corporate organisations across a wide range of sectors.

As well as his work in stress management, John has been running his own hospitality business for the last five years. He maintains a firm grasp on the reality of the pressures faced by people in business today that ensures a wholly pragmatic approach and a conscious focus on “keeping things real”.

My resilience builder: Swimming and reading

My workplace stressor: Time

One of my favourite quotes:

What lies behind us and

What lies before us

Are tiny matters compared to

What lies within us.

My greatest achievement: Living true to myself

Professor Jamie Hacker Hughes PsychD CPsychol CSci FBPsS FRSM FAcSS is a clinical psychologist, psychotherapist, clinical neuropsychologist, supervisor, researcher and academic

After a short service commission in the Army and five years in sales and marketing management, Jamie studied psychology, psychopathology and clinical psychology at UCL, Cambridge and Surrey universities.

He worked in the NHS, first in intellectual disabilities and then in adult psychological health, before returning to the MoD as a military psychologist and running a military research team at King’s before becoming defence consultant advisor and head of clinical psychology at the MoD. In this capacity, he visited Northern Ireland, Bosnia. Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan to support and supervise colleagues.

In 2014, he established a military veterans and families research unit, the Veterans and Families Institute, at Anglia Ruskin University and he holds visiting and honorary professorial appointments at Anglia Ruskin, Hertfordshire and Moscow Lomonosov universities.

Jamie’s psychotherapeutic training has included CAT, CBT, clinical hypnosis, EMDR together with group analysis, systemic and psychoanalytic approaches.

He is committed to inclusivity and social justice and, as well as his specialist field of anxiety, stress and trauma, he is particularly interested in the dialogue between faith and psychological health.

He became President of the British Psychological Society in April last 2015 and is currently the Society’s Vice President.

My resilience builder: Running and praying

My workplace stressor: Having said “yes” to too many things (no one to blame but myself)!

One of my favourite quotes: Unto thyself be true

My greatest achievement: Gosh, that’s a difficult one. Becoming the President of the British Psychological Society, perhaps but, more importantly, giving the role my absolute all, and getting some real results

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