FROM OUR COLLEAGUES
“DAWN AND MICHAEL HAVE BEEN CHAMPIONING SELF-COMPASSION LONG BEFORE MOST PEOPLE KNEW SELF-COMPASSION WAS EVEN POSSIBLE. THEIR TEACHING IS EXQUISITE, AND ANYONE WHO HAS A CHANCE TO LEARN FROM THEM IS LEARNING FROM THE BEST.”
—CHRIS GERMER, PHD
Co-developer, Mindful Self-Compassion
Author, The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion
“DAWN MACDONALD IS ONE OF THE MOST SKILLED TEACHERS OF MINDFULNESS AND COMPASSION THAT I’VE EVER ENCOUNTERED. HER TEACHING IS KIND, AUTHENTIC AND GENEROUS, AND YOU CAN IMMEDIATELY SENSE THE DEPTH OF HER COMPASSION. DAWN’S DEPTH OF PRACTICE, LIFE EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION, TRAINING AND RESEARCH BACKGROUND ARE A UNIQUE COMBINATION IN THIS FIELD. HER ABILITY TO BE INCISIVE, GENTLE AND CHALLENGING ALL AT THE SAME TIME IS UNPARALLELED. AS A LEADER IN THE FIELD OF MINDFULNESS AND COMPASSION TRAINING/TEACHING, YOU CAN TRUST THAT DAWN WILL SKILLFULLY GUIDE, SUPPORT, TEACH, AND ENCOURAGE GROWTH IN MINDFULNESS AND COMPASSION WHETHER WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS OR ORGANIZATIONS.
THE DYNAMIC TEAM OF DAWN MACDONALD AND MICHAEL MCINTYRE IS A POWERHOUSE! NOT ONLY TO THEY HAVE AN INCREDIBLE DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND TRAINING, BUT THEY ARE AUTHENTIC AND GENEROUS IN THEIR TEACHING. THEIR PASSION FOR AND COMMITMENT TO THEIR WORK IS FELT BY ANYONE THEY WORK WITH. TOGETHER THEY CREATE A SPACE WHERE ALL CAN GROW IN MINDFULNESS, COMPASSION, AND WELLNESS.”
Mind and Life Research Fellow, Director of Humanities, International Society for Contemplative Research, IMTA CMT-P, UM Lead Coach, MSC Trained Teacher
—ERIN MCCARTHY, PH.D.
“IN THE MANY WAYS, OUR WORK IN THE FIELD OF MINDFULNESS PROGRAMS HAS BEEN INTERWOVEN; IT HAS BEEN A TRUE BLESSING TO BE GUIDED BY DAWN’S COMPASSIONATE CARING TEACHING AND GUIDANCE. AS A FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE, DAWN HAS TOUCHED AND NURTURED MY HEART THROUGH HER WISDOM AND INSIGHTS AS SHE HAS SO MANY IN THE FIELDS OF HEALTH-CARE, PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP, AND MINDFULNESS PROGRAMS.”
—ALLAN GOLDSTEIN
MBSR Teacher Mentorship • Development • Support
“DAWN WAS MY MENTOR WHEN I WAS WORKING TOWARDS MY CERTIFICATE AS A FULL-FLEDGED MINDFUL SELF COMPASSION TEACHER. I CANNOT PUT INTO WORDS HOW GRATEFUL I AM TO DAWN FOR TAKING ME TO THE DEEPEST NUANCES IN THE FELT SENSE OF SELF COMPASSION. SHE WAS MASTERFUL, GENTLE, KNOWLEDGEABLE, FULL OF RESOURCES, AND YET SO EMPATHETIC. I COULDN’T HAVE FOUND A BETTER GUIDE THAN DAWN. FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, I COMPLETELY APPRECIATE WORKING WITH HER.”
Mindfulness and Mindful Self Compassion teacher
—SWATI DESAI
”IT HAS BEEN MY PRIVILEGE TO EXPERIENCE DAWN MACDONALD AS A MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION FACILITATOR TRAINER AND A RETREAT LEADER. IN BOTH OF THESE SETTINGS, I HAVE WITNESSED AND BEEN A RECIPIENT OF HER WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE, PRESENCE, AND COMPASSION WHICH HAVE HELPED ME TO GROW BOTH AS A PERSON AND AS A PROFESSIONAL. I AM GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO CALL HER ONE OF MY TEACHERS.”
—DR. JO ANN UNGER, C. PSYCH
Clinical Psychologist
”I WHOLEHEARTEDLY RECOMMEND CONNECTING WITH DAWN IF YOU WISH TO CONNECT TO YOUR HEART AND THE WISDOM IT HOLDS. DAWN LISTENS WITH PATIENCE AND OPENS YOU TO YOUR INNER STILLNESS WHEN IT GETS LOUD, AND ENCOURAGES YOU TO BE THE BEST SELF THAT YOU CAN BE.”
—MARKUS BOHLMANN
Teacher of Mindfulness and Self-Compassion
”DAWN IS AN AMAZINGLY SKILLED, PATIENT, COMPASSIONATE, WISE SOUL. DAWN ASKS GREAT QUESTIONS THAT HELP BRING REFLECTION AND CLARITY IN A GENTLE WAY. EVEN THOUGH SHE HAS OVER 30+ YEARS OF PRACTICE, SHE READS, RESEARCHES, AND CONTINUES TO LEARN, GROW, AND STAY CURRENT. DAWN ALWAYS PUTS HER BEST INTO ALL THAT SHE DOES. NOT ONLY DOES SHE WANT TO DO IT WELL, BUT SHE WANTS TO DO IT RIGHT. SHE HAS INTEGRITY. SHE IS ETHICAL. SHE IS INQUISITIVE, APPRECIATIVE, AND HUMBLE.”
—VICKI VERGE
MSW RSW, Social Work Leader, Educator, and Regulator
“‘EXTRAORDINARY’ IS THE BEST WORD TO CAPTURE THE ESSENCE AND PRESENCE OF DAWN MACDONALD. SHE IS WISE AND HIGHLY SKILLED, BUT BEYOND THESE QUALITIES, DAWN EMBODIES EXACTLY WHAT SHE TEACHES, IN A WARM, INVITING, AND ENCOURAGING WAY. THE TWINKLE IN HER EYE BELIES A SWEET SENSE OF HUMOR THAT OPENS HEARTS AND MINDS TO THE POWER AND POTENTIAL OF THE PRACTICE OF MINDFULNESS AND COMPASSION. HAVING WORKED WITH DAWN FOR MANY YEARS, I KNOW HER TO BE A STRONG, THOUGHTFUL, AND KIND PERSON WHO WALKS MINDFULLY BESIDE THOSE WHO LEARN FROM HER. YOU WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AFTER ENCOUNTERING DAWN, AND YOU’LL BE GLAD YOU DID!”
—STEVEN HICKMAN, PSY.D.
Clinical Psychologist, Executive Director, Center for Mindful Self-Compassion