Mindfulness Therapy Groups & Workshops in Nanaimo, BC & Online

Workshops • Groups • Retreats — Online and In Person

At Mindful Groups, we’re a team of certified therapists dedicated to helping you reconnect with your deepest sense of self — free from fear, reactivity, and unnecessary suffering. Through our mindfulness workshops, therapy groups, and retreats, we invite you into a community of practice where you can rediscover presence, compassion, and authenticity — both within yourself and in relationship with others.

Our approach integrates time-tested mindfulness teachings with contemporary psychology. Drawing inspiration from leaders such as Jon Kabat-Zinn (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction), Richard Schwartz (Internal Family Systems), and Eugene Gendlin (Focusing), we weave together evidence-based therapeutic tools with the wisdom of spiritual masters including Eckhart Tolle, Thich Nhat Hanh, and Ramana Maharshi. The result is a holistic, experiential path to healing that nurtures both psychological integration and spiritual awakening.

Each of our offerings is designed and facilitated by experienced mental health professionals who bring compassion, safety, and depth to every session. Whether you join online or in person, you’ll find a supportive space to slow down, breathe, and listen inwardly — cultivating awareness that transforms how you meet yourself and the world around you.

Our programs are open to adults of all backgrounds and levels of experience. Whether you’re taking your first steps into mindfulness or deepening an existing practice, you’ll be welcomed into a community that values curiosity, authenticity, and care.

Join us to experience mindfulness not just as a concept, but as a living practice — one that helps you reconnect with your essential being and engage with life from a place of clarity, peace, and presence.

John Woychuk M.A. CCC

I'm a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, who offers a calm, supportive space for people navigating stress, anxiety, trauma patterns, and life transitions.

I have been working in my private practice, J. Woychuk Counselling and Psychotherapy, since 2021. My approach is grounded in compassion and non-judgment. Whatever you’re facing, we meet it together, gently and with respect for your pace.

I work from a foundation of showing up for every interaction as a human being first— with the belief that you already carry the wisdom needed for healing. I support the therapeutic process using several methodologies such as Focusing, Internal Family Systems (IFS), mindfulness-based approaches, CBT, ACT, and trauma-informed methods. I draw from both modern psychology and the teachings of mindfulness leaders like Eckhart Tolle and Thich Nhat Hanh, integrating whatever is most helpful for your growth.

My values — peace, truth, respect, family, and community — guide how I show up as a counsellor and as a person. I’m an LGBT2SQ+ ally and welcome people of all identities, backgrounds, and cultures. Prior experiences living and working abroad also help me connect with clients who feel different, displaced, or outside their usual supports.

Alongside my formal training, years of presence practice and meditation shape my work. I’ve seen firsthand how bringing awareness to painful emotions and thought patterns creates new choices and meaningful change. It’s an ongoing journey for all of us — and it’s an honour to support people on theirs.

Our Approach: Learning and Practicing Mindfulness Together

Our groups and workshops are guided by the teachings of a prominent mindfulness teacher or author — someone whose wisdom provides a meaningful foundation for practice. Drawing from influential figures such as Jon Kabat-Zinn, Eckhart Tolle, Thich Nhat Hanh, and others, we explore a central theme or text that becomes the framework for our journey together.

This shared focus offers participants a clear and grounded path into mindfulness. Rather than a collection of disconnected techniques, the group becomes a living exploration of how awareness can transform daily life — from moments of stress and reactivity to experiences of presence, compassion, and connection.

Throughout the sessions, our certified therapists guide participants through a process of learning, reflection, and practice. Each meeting blends experiential exercises, mindful dialogue, and periods of quiet awareness, creating a balance between insight and embodiment. Participants are encouraged to explore how mindfulness unfolds in their own lives, noticing both the ease and the challenges that come with sustained practice.

An essential part of our approach is relational mindfulness — learning not only to be present with oneself, but also to bring mindful awareness into connection with others. In small group discussions and guided interactions, participants practice deep listening, authentic sharing, and supportive presence. This creates a community of mutual care, where mindfulness becomes something we cultivate together rather than alone.

By the end of each program, participants leave with:

• A solid foundation in the key principles of mindfulness as taught by leading teachers.

• Practical tools for integrating mindfulness into everyday situations — work, relationships, and moments of difficulty.

• A felt understanding of how to support and be supported in a mindful community.

Our goal is for you to carry this learning forward — to continue your practice with clarity and confidence, grounded in both understanding and experience.