About Us

Nicholas Canby Ph.D.

Nicholas Canby, Ph.D. is a visiting assistant professor of Contemplative Studies at Brown University and a licensed clinical psychologist. He earned his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Clark University in 2022 and completed a two-year post-doctoral fellowship at the Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University under the mentorship of Willoughby Britton, Ph.D. and Jared Lindahl, Ph.D. Nicholas also completed his predoctoral and postdoctoral clinical training at Veteran’s hospitals in Tucson, AZ and Providence, RI, focusing on the treatment of PTSD and a wide range of evidence-based therapies. 

As part of the Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Lab at Brown University, Nicholas has conducted research on mechanisms and moderators of mindfulness-based interventions, influencing factors for the occurrence of meditation-related challenges, and the phenomenology of non-ordinary states of mind in meditation and psychedelics. His dissertation investigated changes in senses of self, specifically dissolution of self-world and self-other boundaries from multiple causes, including meditation, religious practice, psychedelics, trauma, and then assessed what factors predict life enhancing vs destabilizing trajectories. He was lead author on a study that found that social factors, specifically group cohesion and relationship with the teacher, were better predictors of therapeutic success than type or amount of meditation practice. He has also authored papers on the impact of childhood trauma, meditation teacher relationships, and dietary changes on meditation-related challenges and adverse effects. 

Scott Lippitt

My main motivation is to connect with meditators-in-distress and join them as a friend in their journey. I have 10 years of vipassana meditation experience and familiarity with most western buddhist philosophies and practices. I am trained as a peer supporter for Cheetah House, and have training and experience in helping others understand and work with adverse effects from meditation.

I have both benefited from and suffered from meditation practice over the years. I have lived experience with fear, anxiety, depression, dissociation, and changes in sense of self associated with meditation practice. In early 2020, I came to Cheetah House as a meditator-in-distress and benefited from the resources and direct support. I am moved to work with Cheetah House as a peer supporter, and I am eager to help those in distress know they are not alone. 

Link to Scott’s care team profile, and availability for consultations here

Mandy Johnson

Mandy Johnson is a Relationship, Family & Recovery Coach with an undergraduate degree from University of Cape Town in South Africa in Industrial Psychology and Sociology. Mandy completed her Graduate Diploma in Counselling (Coaching) through Sacap (South
African College in Applied Psychology). She is credentialled as a Master Practitioner Coach (CMP), with COMENSA (Coaches and Mentors South Africa) and has completed her Post Graduate Certification in Mindfulness-Based Interventions at Stellenbosch University through the Faculty of Medicine. Mandy was a Director for the Institute for Mindfulness South Africa and a Supervisor on the Stellenbosch
University post graduate programme. She offers courses and supervision for mindfulness teachers, coaches and anybody interested in recovery and wellbeing. Mandy worked in organisations for 18 years in Sales and Management and knows first hand the pressures faced by Executives. After suffering a burn-out and cancer, she studied further to find ways to support and grow individuals struggling with stress, fear and anxiety. Her guiding principle for establishing Introspect Coaching & Facilitation, is to explore new ways to support healing through employing recovery principles.

Mandy has taught many mindfulness courses including Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. She has recently been part of a new 8-week Feeling Tone course, designed by Mark Williams, the Professor of Clinical Psychology and past Director of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre and Principal Research Fellow in the University of Oxford Department of Psychiatry. Mandy has been in recovery for over 20 years and
her focus is primarily geared towards supporting recovery from codependency and the adult child syndrome. During a 30-day silent retreat in 2018, Mandy faced a crisis of confidence with mindfulness, suffering a reactivation of old trauma, which resulted in an intense period of two years, re-building herself back up and into balance. Through the support offered by Cheetah House and by Willoughby Britton, she was able to make meaning of the crisis and is now very determined to make sure that trauma-informed ways of teaching are at the forefront of all mindfulness programmes. Mandy, through her work, highlights the dangers of long retreats for traumatised individuals, especially when working with the adult child syndrome and its many manifestations, including addiction and codependency.

Mandy’s wrote a book about her journey, which can be found here

Link to Mandy’s care team profile, and availability for consultations here

Nathan Fisher Ph.D.

Dr. Fisher recently received his PhD in Religious Studies and Cognitive Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2011 and then joined the Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory at Brown University where he managed the 'Varieties of Contemplative Experience' (VCE) study from 2012-2015. Before starting graduate school, he was a visiting scholar at the Mind and Life Institute—where he organized a small conference on Abrahamic contemplative traditions—and lived in Jerusalem for 2 years to explore some of the living traditions of Jewish mysticism and meditation.

At Brown, Nathan began a replication study of the VCE project investigating meditation-related difficulties in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic contemplative traditions, and has continued this research project into his PhD program. The first paper based on the study, "Dark Nights of the Soul in Abrahamic Meditative Traditions," was published in 2019 and the second was published in 2022, “Flavors of Ecstasy: States of Absorption in Islamic and Jewish Contemplative Traditions.” Both papers focus on traditional appraisal processes related to challenging experiences, whereas in his dissertation he presents phenomenological data from the study and proposes a person-centered cultural psychological framework that can be used by clinicians and teachers to provide better care for those suffering from these experiences. His other research interests include: Jewish and Comparative Mysticism,  Differential Diagnosis at the intersection of Spirituality and Clinical Practice, and the emerging interdisciplinary field of Contemplative Science.

Nathan’s own journey includes contemplative practice in Jewish, Theravada, Christian and Chinese Internal Martial Arts communities—and experiencing tangible benefits and distressing challenges in all of them. After taking a sabbatical from contemplative practice and study, he is excited to be exploring safe and ‘sifted’ approaches to re-engaging with what he has found to be nourishing and resourcing within these traditions.

Link to Nathans care team profile, and availability for consultations here