About Us » Our People » Therapists
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Paul BedsonPaul Bedson, BA, BCouns, BAcup
A counsellor, psychotherapist, meditation instructor and natural therapist, Paul has been working in the field of mind/body medicine for over 20 years. His particular interest is in helping people deal with the range of emotional issues associated with their healing journey. Paul also works with grief and anxiety issues and relationship problems.
Paul has studied meditation with Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, S.N. Goenka, Gangaji and Barry Long. He teaches Mindfulness-based styles of meditation which develop wisdom and compassion through awareness of body, emotion, mind and spirit as one integrated Self. Paul encourages lightness and spaciousness in meditation practice, and emphasizes the importance of enjoying it. -
Ruth GawlerDr Ruth Gawler, MB BS (Syd) MGPPsych (Monash) FACPsyMed
Dr Ruth Gawler is a GP with a specialised interest in Mind-Body Medicine and meditation.
As Ruth Berlin, she graduated from Sydney University, and spent 2 years as a Resident Medical Officer at Sydney Hospital before working in the Nairobi Hospital and Tumu-Tumu Hospital (a Presbyterian Mission Hospital in the Kikuyu Highlands) for 2 years.
She came back to Australia in 1985 to work at The Rozelle Hospital as a Psychiatry Registrar for a year, she then completed her training with the Family Medicine Program to become a vocationally registered GP.
From 1990-95 Ruth worked at the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress (Alice Springs) and was Medical Director of the Family Planning Association of Central Australia from 1991-1997.
In 2001 Ruth completed a Masters in General Practise Psychiatry and became a fellow of the Australian College of Psychological Medicine.
After 10 years in Central Australia, Ruth moved to Victoria to marry Ian Gawler in 2000, and has been working at The Gawler Foundation since 2001.
Ruth is a strong advocate of the therapeutic value of lifestyle factors, being convinced that they provide the fundamental tennants to prevent disease, foster long term good health and to powerfully promote healing. A key technique in this regard is meditation, which Ruth has been studying and practising since 1986, intially through Hatha Yoga and in the last 20 years using Mindfulness-Based Stillness Meditation and Imagery. Ruth has studied extensively the teaching of her husband Ian Gawler, and been trained by him directly over many years also being a longterm student of the great Tibetan Meditation teacher Sogyal Rinpoche.
She works leading group sessions in the - Life and Living Residential Program and Life and Living - the Next Step and providing medical care and personal counselling. Ruth has been teaching yoga and meditation at The Gawler Foundation since 2001, and is particularly engaged with the use of meditation therapeutically - for health, healing and wellbeing. She is also a member of the Board for ATMA. -
Maia BedsonMaia Bedson, DipHol Couns; Grad DipCounsHS
Maia is a counsellor, meditation instructor, a practitioner of various forms of natural therapies and has worked in the area of energetic healing for 15 years.
She has worked at The Gawler Foundation since 2000 and, prior to this, was in private practice as a natural therapist and meditation teacher. As well as her qualifications in these and in counselling, she is currently completing a Graduate Diploma in Clinical Nutrition to consolidate her more than 20 years study and practice in the area of diet and nutrition for healing and wellbeing.Maia is involved in the residential programs at The Foundation including Life and Living, Health, Healing and Beyond, Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis, Living in Balance, Living in the Now, Healing Meditation Retreats and weekend Meditation Retreats.
She uses her various skills and the experience gained from her own healing to inspire and support others on their path to wholeness and has a particular interest in helping people to access their own inner wisdom.
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Robyn JonesRobyn Jones, B.A, Dip Ed, Dip Holistic Healing
Robyn has more than 30 years experience working in health, healing and education. Her work has included teaching, nursing, counselling and management in both the disability and community health sectors, giving her a broad understanding of life and the issues people face.
Attendance at a conference in India in the early eighties stimulated what was to become an enduring interest in meditation and mind-body medicine. Then, she had nine years applying these principles in a community health framework, developing and delivering health and wellness programs, teaching meditation and counseling.
After several years in management, Robyn completed a diploma in holistic health, before joining the Gawler Foundation as a therapist and program facilitator. -
Natalie MurleyNatalie Murley DipEd, DipRef, Certified Annwn Therapist, Grad DipCounsHS.
Natalie is a counsellor, meditation instructor, natural therapist and educator working in the field of mind-body medicine since 1995. She has been studying and practising meditation under the guidance of the renown Tibetan Buddhist meditation master Sogyal Rinpoche, and many other teachers, for over 22 years, and she has completed post-graduate studies in counselling at La Trobe University.
Natalie's approach is grounded in a humanistic, person-centred style that empowers people to navigate their own healing process. She is an advocate of compassionate mindfulness and the interconnectedness of lifestyle, body, mind and emotion. She brings a passion for encouraging people to connect with their inherent wisdom.
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Jenni EvansJenni Evans, Dip Com Eng, NLP Trainer, Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner
Initially joining the Gawler Foundation to lead Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement sessions, Jenni is now the overnight supervisor and meditation leader. She has more than 30 years experience working with people to improve their wellbeing and take more control of their lives. Her work has included engineering, management, teaching, training, improvement coaching and Feldenkrais. She has worked with people of all ages, diverse backgrounds and many nationalities and cultures. Through this she has developed the skills of helping people dealing with significant life issues.
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Liz StilwellLiz Stilwell, DipOT DipClinHyp MPNLP
Liz Stilwell is a member of our therapeutic team. From the Hawthorn Centre base, Liz facilitates the 12 week Cancer Healing & Wellbeing programmes at Hawthorn, Footscray and Springvale, plus facilitates 2 meditation groups and 2 support groups. She is also involved in the counselling of clients at Hawthorn and has a range of Qualifications such as Dip. Occupational Therapy, 2 diplomas in Clinical Hypnotherapy, and is a Master Practitioner of NLP.
Liz was affiliated to the Breast Cancer Support Service in NZ prior to moving to Melbourne. She has been a regular attendee of The Gawler Foundation trainings since 2004.