Several years ago Kate Lindsay became very concerned about the levels of stress and anxiety she was witnessing in the classroom. She realised she wanted to do something about it…
As a transformational teacher and well-being and personal development coach Kate helps people, to let go of anxiety, create inner strength and lead richer and more rewarding lives.
Kate holds a BA (Hons), Diploma of Teaching, LTCL (teaching speech and drama), a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Enterprise and is well versed in the areas of Acceptance and Commitment Training and ACT for Thriving Adolescents. For the past thirty years Kate has been working professionally with teenagers helping them to excel academically. With Kate’s passion and desire to enrich the lives of her students, she saw a need to develop a programme to help teenagers decrease their levels of anxiety, de-stress, and super-charge their confidence. Kate has been perfecting this life changing wellbeing programme over the past seven years to the point where she is now teaching and sharing her MyDirection programme between New Zealand, Australia and online – helping not only teenagers but people of all walks of life to live healthier, happier and more enriched lives.
Kate’s MyDirection programme is highly endorsed by Columba College, Otago Boys’ High School and St Margaret’s Residential College in Dunedin, Southland Boys’ High School and St Teresa’s Primary School in Invercargill. Kate has also worked 1-1 with many university students who were referred to her from Otago University’s Student Health.
As a sought after wellbeing and personal development coach, Kate offers inspiring workshops to audiences throughout New Zealand and Australia, as well as her MyDirection life transformation programmes, both 1-1 and in a group format –to help her clients feel calm, motivated, joyful and excited about life.
Relevant certifications and training:
2019
2018
2017
2015
Responding Proactively to a Client’s Extreme Response to Life Issues, Robert Pereira, Canberra
Psychodrama Training Workshop, Huirapa Marae Dunedin
QPR New Zealand Suicide Prevention Course Why we Bully, Robert Pereira, Dunedin
ACT for Thriving Adolescents (with Louise Hayes) Sydney
Acceptance and Commitment Training Conference, Wellington
SENIOR MANAGEMENT REVIEWS
“Kate’s academic and teacher qualifications have ensured that MyDirection meets the requirements of curriculum design and coherency, and ‘translates’ well to the classroom and the needs and interests of students. Kate has designed the units of work in such a way that they can be classroom-based, or taught in small groups outside school hours. She is a very effective communicator, and is very comfortable addressing parent/teacher groups about the aims, and benefits, of the programme.
Kate enjoyed excellent relationships with students, colleagues, and parents. She is a creative and innovative teacher who is focused on ensuring the best outcomes for student learning and wellbeing, and on imparting beneficial life-long skills and strategies. She has a strength in designing, and modifying as required, units of work that aim to effect transformational change.
She was a valued member of staff, and I recommend her unreservedly.”
“Kate Lindsay ran a wellbeing programme over four weeks at Southland Boys’ High School during term one of 2019.
The programme was aimed at empowering two specific Year 9 and 10 classes. The focus was on their self-esteem and enhancing their understanding of their own innate ability. ...
The students universally took something positive from the course and were able to articulate their learning.
Southland Boys’ High School, its students and management team would like to extend their thanks to Kate for offering the programme to us. We have no hesitation endorsing the Wellbeing programme to students of all learning and engagement levels. ”
“During 2014 Kate offered to coach several boys over several weeks in strategies to live a well- rounded, fulfilling and happy life at a very busy and potentially stressful point in their lives. Kate’s sincerity and expertise in delivering the MyDirection programme made a positive and significant difference in the lives of the boys who completed the full course.
I remember discussing at length with one of the boys after he had completed his work with Kate how much he had gained from working with her. I recall particularly he had wished the same benefit he had gained should be available to all his mates.
More recently Kate helped share her expertise at a couple of Year 13 and Parent Evenings targeting that year group at our school who we know whose academic results diminish and suffer, for whatever reason, in their final year at high school. Kate shared strategies with both the parents and boys present. I know from feedback from parents and boys that the techniques in the presentation that Kate shared were considered useful, positive and lasting.
Kate certainly has a deep knowledge of her work through MyDirection. People and institutions working with young adults would gain by seeing what she has to offer.
I know at Otago Boys’ we could not recommend her highly enough. We would not hesitate to utilise, if offered, her skills and knowledge in the future.”