Clearmind Founders
Duane O’Kane - Founder and President of Clearmind International Institute Inc.
Duane O’Kane is a Registered Clinical Counsellor, workshop facilitator, teacher and a dynamic
and entertaining public speaker. He has a lengthy background in mental health and social services,
with 18 years in the field before forming Clearmind in 1990.
Duane discovered A Course in Miraclesin 1990 while mired in a deep depression triggered
by a personal crisis in relationship, which nothing in his professional repertoire could adequately
address. It opened him to a revolutionary way of thinking and being that allows him to tap into the
joy available in the present rather than reproduce pain from the past. Duane transformed his pain into
an inspired pathway to love; a path where he now leads thousands worldwide. It is Duane’s passion and
creativity that started Clearmind and carried it through to its current evolution with Catherine.
Email: duane@clearmind.com
Catherine O’Kane - Co-creator and Senior Clinical Director of Clearmind International Institute
Catherine O’Kane is a Registered Clinical Counsellor, teacher, workshop facilitator and a gifted
public speaker with Clearmind International. She has a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology, and
has been a practicing therapist since 1992.
Catherine was first introduced to A Course in Miracles in 1991, but it was a near death experience
in 1994 that awakened her to the reality of the spiritual consciousness that forms the fabric of life.
This mystical experience dramatically impacted her view of her own existence, and fundamentally
influenced her view on the human psyche and relationships. Catherine is committed to assisting
others to tap into that same Loving Mind that ACIM and many other spiritual disciplines describe,
because it is from this foundation that true transformation emerges. Catherine first discovered
Clearmind in 1996, and is recognized today as co-founder of the company and co-creator of its
programs with Duane.
Email: catherine@clearmind.com
Clearmind International Head Office - Vancouver, Canada
Tasha Simms: Teacher / Workshop Facilitator
Tasha is a Registered Professional Counsellor with a Masters degree in Counselling Psychology
and a private practice in Vancouver. She uses her skills as a working actor, writer, and workshop
facilitator to teach passionate expression and self acceptance of the authentic self in all our
human aspects, both shadow and light.
She has been a student of A Course in Miracles for over a decade and has taught and contributed
to Clearmind's Program as well as co-creating the women's workshop Drawing Down the Moon,
Assistants Training, and The Summit. She is a certified Master NLP facilitator and also trained
in bodywork, energy healing and hypnotherapy.
Tasha’s integrity, compassion and juicy celebration of life are just some of the gifts she brings
to being of service. She has just produced an audio Body Awareness Training Series which wakes up
feelings in the body and invites a sensory experience of the divine.
Email: tasha.simms@clearmind.com
Maria Alexandre - Director of P.R.A.C. Administration / Teacher
Maria is a Registered Professional Counsellor with a private practice, as well as a teacher
for Clearmind International Institute. Maria has a degree in Transpersonal Counselling Psychology
and a Counselling Diploma from Clearmind International Institute.
Maria is passionate and committed to the process of awakening the human spirit and changing
suffering and struggle into a life of grace and purpose. Her own unique life's journey has
taught her that psychological pain, once transformed, can be a teacher and guide to the Divine.
Living authentically in joy is our sacred calling and Maria is committed to helping others
rediscover this truth. The empowerment and the extension of the feminine spirit, as well
as the healing work of couples in relationship, are two areas that Maria feels passionate about.
Email: maria.alexandre@clearmind.com
Angela Baff - Teacher / Workshop Facilitator
Angela Baff is a Registered Professional Counsellor, Occupational Therapist, teacher, and
workshop facilitator. She was drawn to the Awakening workshop in 2001 as a result of feeling
empty in her work. After the workshop, Angela could not deny the perceptual and experiential
shifts that occurred inside her, namely that love exists and we are all connected. She was left
wanting more, but this time not from a place of "empty" but from a place of following her joy
and her heart. Angela brings this determination and passion in guiding others to find their own
path to the joy and love that lives inside them. She leads with an accepting gentle heart that is
unshakeable in the truth that love is a fact.
Email: ang.baff@clearmind.com
Laura Bradley - Teacher
Laura Bradley is a Registered Professional Counsellor with the Canadian Professional Counsellors
Association and a Certified Group Facilitator.
Laura is currently teaching Clearmind's three-year personal growth and leadership program.
She has developed and facilitated personal growth workshops, and has
experience counselling individuals and families.
Laura is also a community trainer and educator. Her main areas of expertise are post partum
adjustment, relationship and parenting. She has appeared on City TV and C-Fun radio, and contributed
to articles in The Globe and Mail and Today’s Parent.
Laura’s path to becoming a counsellor began with her own struggle with post partum depression in
1991; she cites her years of working with parents as "a huge influence on who I am as a therapist."
She is driven by the desire to give her children, herself, and others, the opportunity to create
what they want out of their lives.
Email: laura.bradley@clearmind.com
Lisa de Lusignan - Teacher
Lisa de Lusignan, MA, RPC, was drawn to A Course In Miracles from a desire to learn about
herself and to see the world in a different way. With the painful ending of her marriage,
Lisa was left with the sense that there had to be more than one way to be in a relationship,
and a more connected way to live in the world.
Lisa grew up in a large family; she understands and is curious about the complicated dynamics
that can cause painful disharmony in a family. She brings this, and her many years of experience
facilitating groups, and her passion for life, into her teaching and counselling practice.
Her specialty lies in family issues, self esteem, and relationship enhancement, empowering
people to take steps towards creating a more joyful and connected life. Lisa is a health and
wellness enthusiast; her passion is inspiring others to live with joy and beauty.
Email: lisa.delusignan@clearmind.com
Lana Gowler - Workshop Facilitator and Support Group Leader
Lana Gowler has a B.A. in Counselling Psychology and is a Registered Professional Counsellor and
Recreation Therapist, with over 20 years of experience in mental health. Lana came to Clearmind
after realizing that her “full”, apparently successful, life was not promising her the
peace that she was desperately seeking. Through surrendering her need to control everything, she
opened up to the process of understanding herself and the role she plays in the dynamics of relationship
with self and others.
Lana has an intuitive, curious approach to relationship dynamics and is a living example that it only
takes one person to change a relationship. Her specialty is inspiring others to fully embrace joy and
passion, knowing that in life “pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional”. She facilitates
workshops and leads support groups with laser-like insight, humour and tender-hearted love. Lana has
also been known to blend her health and fitness pursuits and her love of cooking to connect, and stir
others to follow their dreams.
Email: lana.gowler@clearmind.com
Denise Cunningham - Director of General Administration
Denise Cunningham, B.A., is a registered professional counsellor, facilitator, inspirational speaker,
commissioned quilt artist/teacher, and a Level II Reiki practitioner. Compassion and a
transpersonal perspective are at the heart of her healing practices, with a focus on bringing
peace and harmony to body, mind and spirit. Denise is passionate about empowering others to tap
into their innate resources, so that they can discover their personal value, and increase their
effectiveness in all areas of their lives. She believes that as individuals become more aware
of their unique contribution to the world, they are able to realize their full potential.
Denise's journey through a life threatening illness gave her an enlightened perspective on living.
She uses her warmth, compassion and insightful manner to meet people where they're at, in a
non-judgmental manner. Denise is an example of going beyond surviving... to thriving. Her vision
is to inspire others to do the same.
Email: denise.cunningham@clearmind.com
Satu Springer - Director of Workshops and Director of Promotions
Satu Springer is a Registered Professional Counsellor, facilitator, and teacher.
Satu has a Counselling Diploma from Clearmind International Institute and eight years experience
learning and teaching Shamanic healing modalities and traditions.
Satu left a fifteen year career in corporate administration to come to Clearmind to follow her
dreams of becoming a counselor. In the process, she found herself. She has learned to combine her
many business talents with heart, soul, and spirit; all the while learning and teaching how to move
through life with balance, integrity, faith and magnitude. Satu brings all her gifts to her work at
Clearmind, her shamanic healing workshops, and to her counselling practice.
Email: satu.springer@clearmind.com
Kelly Nakatsuka - Director of Regional Newsletters
Kelly Nakatsuka is a journalist by trade and has recently completed
the first year of Clearmind's three year program. He is
a graduate of the Langara College journalism program where his
training was primarily in print. But circumstance and a little
persistence led him to broadcasting and for the past five years he
has worked for CBC Radio in Vancouver. His work has been heard on
local, and national radio shows such as Richardson's Roundup and
Sounds Like Canada. He is currently enjoying a stint on network radio
programs that delve into two of his passions; the environment, and
food!
Kelly lives in Vancouver with his wife Sarah, two dogs, and a
cat. When he is not immersed in broadcasting or Clearmind's programs,
you can find him renovating his house (endlessly) and enjoying his
“West Coast” life, often with a frisbee in hand.
Email: kelly.nakatsuka@clearmind.com
Ondrea Ford - co-Director of Lectures
Ondrea's biography is coming soon.
Email: ondrea.ford@clearmind.com
Fran Brown - co-Director of Lectures
Fran Brown has a Masters in Education, is a registered professional counsellor, support group leader,
and student in Clearmind's P.R.A.C. for Life Program.
Fran has a background in teaching and worked for many years as a re-evaluation counsellor. At The
Awakening, she learned that her life was the real curriculum and that a new relationship with old pain
was possible. Clearmind's transpersonal perspective, and the experiential nature of its programs,
helped her fulfill her dream of becoming a professional counsellor.
Fran brings a gentle loving presence and intuitive understanding to Clearmind, as well as profound compassion
for the human spirit. She believes that what lies beneath our fears is a loving connection with all. She is
passionate about working with others to discover the light within ourselves, which can illuminate
the path toward our goals and dreams.
Email: fran.brown@clearmind.com
Marion Baker - Director of Property Rentals
Marion has demonstrated her love of food and community in her role as Clearmind's in-house cook for
the past four and a half years. Currently, she is in the second year of Clearmind's P.R.A.C.
program. Her goal is to become a teacher with Clearmind International.
Prior to this, Marion trained for two years with Leyline Inc., learning a hands-off energy healing
technique. She also completed five years of personal development work with Landmark Education.
Marion's vision and passion is planetary transformation through the empowerment of the human spirit.
She hopes to create a fun community dynamic at Clearmind in her position as Director of Rentals.
Email: marion.baker@clearmind.com
Ron Springer - Director of Springbrooke Retreat Facilities
Ron Springer is a multi-talented hardworking craftsman, handyman, and entrepreneur. Having run and
managed his own business for the last eight years, Ron now brings his diverse talents to Clearmind and
Springbrooke Retreat Centre.
Ron’s early love of woodworking and furniture-making has brought him to his present passion
of renovating. He enjoys making homes and properties beautiful and welcoming. Ron is excited to
bring his love of nature, his design skills, and his creativity and heart, to the care and attention
of Springbrooke Retreat Centre.
When Ron isn’t fixing, renovating, or landscaping, you will likely find him connecting with
nature by camping, fishing, hiking or just soaking in the outdoors.
Email: ron.springer@clearmind.com
Tracy Anderson - Support Group Leader
Tracy Anderson is a Registered Professional Counsellor, Adult Educator, and consultant in
private practice with Coastal Counselling Services. She is also a teacher of Transpersonal
Counselling with Clearmind International Institute.
Tracy’s passion lies in supporting others to choose love over fear, so that they may tap
into their fullest human potential. Her own personal journey has been an adventurous one,
leading her to explore questions of purpose, identity, career, relationships, spirituality
and what it means to be "home". This has inspired her to champion others seeking their own
path home. Her services include individual, couple, and family counselling, as well as related
support groups and workshops.
Tracy has a Diploma in Applied Transpersonal Counselling Psychology, a Masters degree in Adult
Education, and an Honour’s BA in Social/Cultural Anthropology. Her counselling and educational
approach is both holistic and experiential. She is gifted with a keen understanding of human
nature and sensitivity to diversity and cross-cultural issues, as a result of having worked
for over 15 years in community and international development programs in Canada, Asia and Latin America.
Email: tracy.anderson@clearmind.com
Steve Pritchard - Support Group Leader
Steve Pritchard is a Registered Professional Counsellor, Certified Hynotherapist, and graduate of
the Clearmind Institute three-year program. He provides group and private
counselling for individuals and couples, as well as teaching for Clearmind International.
Steve blends clarity, compassion, and humour with his enthusiastic support of individuals to create
a life of passion, purpose, and authenticity.
Email: steve.pritchard@clearmind.com
Clearmind Ontario Canada
Lorraine Sudnik - Clearmind Ontario Contact / Facilitator
Lorraine is a Registered Professional Counsellor with the Canadian Professional Counsellors Association
and a member of the Canadian College of Professional Counsellors and Psychotherapists. She has
a degree in Transpersonal Psychology and Clinical Counselling. She provides individual and
group counselling through her practice and has created and facilitated personal growth workshops.
Lorraine began her own personal journey with A Course in Miracles in 1993, after the birth of her first
child. She realized that at a time in her life when she had all the reasons to be happy, she seemed only
drawn to things which made her angry. Often she found herself “going through the motions”. This
realization marked the beginning of her own personal journey of self discovery.
Her approach is compassionate and frank, and she brings clarity, integration and results to her work.
Her areas of specialty include relationship dynamics, conflict resolution, empowerment, self image and esteem.
Email: lorraine.sudnik@clearmind.com
Clearmind Stockholm Sweden
Bill Eneqvist - Clearmind Sweden Contact / Facilitator
Bill Eneqvist is a certified clinical counselor in Sweden, teacher at the HumaNova School of
Psychosynthesis in Stockholm and the current director of Clearmind Sweden. He regularly leads study
circles and lectures on A Course in Miracles).
As a result of a relationship break-up in 1999, Bill became acutely depressed and, at the very bottom
of this downward spiral, he finally accepted that he had misunderstood the meaning of his life. This
led to a series of deeply spiritual and transforming experiences and, perhaps synchronistically, his
introduction to A Course in Miracles and Clearmind early in 2000. As a result of these experiences
he redirected his career as sales manager at a dot-com toward human resources management. This
subsequently led to him listening to a growing internal call to support others in self-exploration
and -realization; he returned to school to retrain as a psychosynthesis-based counselor. Bill has been
a practicing therapist since 2003.
Email: bill.eneqvist@clearmind.com
Clearmind Dublin Ireland
Valerie Ward - Clearmind Ireland Contact
Personal Profile Coming Soon.
Email: valerie.ward@clearmind.com
Clearmind London UK
Ronnie Purslow - Clearmind London Contact / Facilitator
Ronnie Purslow is a professionally trained rebirther and enery breather. Ronnie trained formally
with Leonard Orr, the founder of Rebirthing (US) and Artemus Foundations (UK). He trained in
Family Constellations and also as a yoga teacher in India. Currently training as a therapist
and facilitator for Clearmind London UK, he is a dedicated student/teacher of A Course in Miracles.
Email: ronnie.purslow@clearmind.com
Sadiye Stevens - Clearmind London Contact
Sadiye Stevens is a professionally trained Iyengar yoga teacher. She has worked with Ronnie
for two years and is a committee member and team leader for Clearmind London UK. An student
and teacher of A Course in Miracles, Sadiye's personal struggle has brought great compassion
and empathy for others that leads her to effectively help others.
Email: sadiye.stevens@clearmind.com
Clearmind Liverpool UK
Jacquie Johnston-Lynch - Clearmind Liverpool Contact
Jacquie is a qualified social worker and has managed teams of counsellors, psychotherapists and
body workers for the past 15 years. She is highly skilled and experienced in the management of
social care organizations and in the leadership and facilitation of therapeutic groups, staff teams
and experiential workshops. She has worked with Sally Fisher (Author and Founder of Life Mastery and
AIDS Mastery) and has trained as a workshop leader with Northern Lights Trust UK. Jacquie has followed
a programme of recovery and has been in a 12 step fellowship since 1997. Since joining Clearmind and
finding a new way through her own struggles, Jacquie has inspired and supported many people to re-think,
re-learn and re-experience their way out of their own difficulties. She is passionate and outrageous
in making things happen. Jacquie is a student of A Course in Miracles and is continually practicing
step 11 work throughout her continuing Clearmind supported journey.
Email: jacquie.johnston-lynch@clearmind.com
