Mandy Johnson
Inner Intimacy: Reclaiming Wholeness
Over the past 20 years of recovery, I have had the privilege to be a witness to many human beings courageously grappling with their own self- loathing, challenges and grief. Their stories stayed with me and offered me insights into what it means to be a truly ‘whole’ human. In this book, I explore that it’s never too late to have a life that is not fuelled by so much compulsive and sometimes destructive doing, that you forget how to be kind and tender with yourself. What recovery requires, is willingness to admit powerlessness and that life in its current form has become unmanageable. This book is written as a support to those recovering, whether from an addiction or from life, inviting a going within, sensing and exploring how to embody ageless presence.
Inner Intimacy requires authentic stillness and holds at its centre a quality of invitation and receptivity, of drawing in healthy closeness, as opposed to the grasping and pulsating nature of its opposite, noise, which is perpetually and relentlessly seeking for attention and validation outwardly. Life is calling, inviting us to cultivate inner intimacy. All we need is a map. Together, let’s explore this sacred terrain.
About the Author
Mandy Johnson is a Mindfulness-based Recovery Coach, Supervisor and Facilitator with an undergraduate degree from UCT 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.
She has been in recovery for over 20 years and her focus is primarily geared towards supporting recovery from co-dependency 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 re-building herself and regaining balance. Through the support offered by Cheetah House and by Willoughby Britton, she was able to make meaning of the crisis and is now 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 co-dependency.
She is currently part of the Cheetah House care team, offering resources to clients who suffer adverse events from meditation and retreats. It has afforded her the rare opportunity to learn from pioneers in this field and to explore new modalities, treatments and interventions.
Scott Lippitt
Hi! I'm Scott Lippitt. I've been with Cheetah House for over two years. Along with attending support groups, music has been a key piece to my recovery from meditation-induced adverse effects. As cliché as it sounds, I've benefitted immensely from pouring my negative experiences into words and songs. In October 2022, I released a full album about by my adverse experiences in meditation as well as my journey to healing. It is called "Meaning Maker". It is my hope that this album will reach those who have suffered in silence and help them not feel alone. It is also my hope that this album will help change the dominant narrative that "meditation is always safe for everyone, and if you're having issues, you are doing it wrong". I am a care team member for Cheetah House and help run the support groups when I'm not too busy with pursuing music. I hope we get to meet!
Find Meaning Maker [Spotify] [Apple Music] [Download] [Scott’s website]
Learn more about Scott’s journey and album:
Finding Meaning in Life Again [Salt Lake City Weekly]
Other People’s Stories (podcast)
SLUG soundwaves (podcast)
