Rachel Ward

Rachel is passionate about the profound impact Mindfulness has on individual wellbeing and the capacity to learn. With a 30-year career in education spanning roles from teacher and teacher trainer to Senior Leader, Rachel currently serves as the Director of Wellbeing for a large Multi-Academy Trust.

Rachel's personal Mindfulness journey began 15 years ago, providing her with essential tools to navigate a challenging period in her life. This personal experience inspired her to train professionally. Beginning with the Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP) in 2017, she qualified to teach the Paws b curriculum (ages 7-11) and more recently the .b course (ages 11-18). Since training with MiSP in 2020 to become the Trust-wide Mindfulness lead for her organisation, she has regularly delivered the .b Foundations course (based on Finding Peace in a Frantic World), specifically supporting staff working in schools, often in very stressful roles.

Rachel is currently completing a Masters degree in Teaching Mindfulness at Bangor University’s Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice and offers the 8-week MBSR course.

In addition to her Mindfulness work, Rachel is a qualified Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England Instructor. She holds a Level 3 qualification in Mental Health First Aid and is accredited to deliver:

• Mental Health Aware
• Youth Mental Health Champions
• Youth and Adult MHFA
• Mental Health Skills for Managers

Rachel has also written many bespoke training courses and programmes to enable schools to support children and young people who are experiencing a range of mental health difficulties, including Emotionally-Based School Avoidance, Anxiety, and Self-Harm.