As a university instructor, researcher, author and mindfulness teacher, Anne Randerson, Ph.D., has always been fascinated by the human mind-body-spirit connection. Her passion to help individuals learn to grow and thrive prompted her to spend 25 years of her life on three different continents.

       “Everyone wants to get the most out of life, but it’s not easy,” she affirms. “We know it’s important to achieve work-life balance, but that’s hard to do in our always plugged-in, modern society. It creates a lot of stress. But for what?”

       After living in Belgium, France, Spain and Japan, Randerson relocated to Encinitas seven years ago. “It was interesting moving back to San Diego county, where I was raised, after living abroad for so long.” She has been an intercultural consultant since 2007, when she created Cross Cultural Horizons, her originally Brussels-based cultural lifestyle integration training company. In fact, she took her own Reverse Culture Shock seminar to help her deal with the stress of moving back home.

       Randerson has been teaching Global Studies courses at California State University San Marcos since 2014, where she has also been teaching mindfulness as a volunteer for the past two years. Trained by the UCSD Center for Mindfulness, she completed their MBSR Teacher Training and Practicum in 2017. She speaks six languages, which helps her connect with the diverse range of students on her campus.

       Randerson’s research on mindfulness and holistic health dates to 1997 when she began working on her Ph.D. degree in Human Life Studies in Japan. Her six-year research was on East-West differences and human lifestyle and sensitivity toward nature from religious and philosophical perspectives. Through the years, in addition to teaching at universities, she has taught tai chi, qi gong and practiced yoga and meditation.

       This highly motivated mindfulness teacher’s chief aim is to help others become more balanced through a greater awareness of mind-body-spirit integration. “I strive to help people learn to become more present in each moment, highlighting the choices offered to them in all situations. This can help them remain balanced and more resilient to life’s challenges,” says Randerson, who notes that there is a disconnect between what people think they must do to be happy, and what they are actually feeling. “So many people lose sight of their priorities, putting their self-care on the back burner. Mindfulness training can help them keep their thoughts in the ‘now.’ Living more mindfully helps people realize how harmful a 24/7 stressed-out lifestyle is for their long-term health and well-being, and how beautiful life can be when they are fully present to appreciate it.”

       In addition to teaching mindfulness at her university, Randerson has been assisting Julie Chippendale with her Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course at Scripps Encinitas Hospital. “Julie is an amazing teacher and mentor. As an exceptionally experienced mindfulness teacher and nurse, she knows all about human physiology, the mind-body connection, and how the mind works. I’m very grateful to have Julie’s insightful, heartfelt guidance.”

Anne Randerson’s next eight-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course will be held on Wednesday nights at the Peace House in Encinitas, starting September 11, with a full Day of Mindfulness on October 20. Course fee: $475. For more information, contact 858-822-9799, [email protected] or visit CrossCulturalHorizons.com.