Mindfulness Teacher
David Treleaven
Trauma-sensitive mindfulness teacher and author
- Trauma-sensitive mindfulness
- Mindfulness and trauma
- Meditation teacher training
- Trauma-informed practice
- Counseling psychology
- Mindfulness-based interventions
David Treleaven, PhD, is a writer, educator, and trauma professional best known for his work at the intersection of mindfulness and trauma. He developed the framework of trauma-sensitive mindfulness, which helps teachers and practitioners offer meditation in ways that account for the effects of traumatic stress, and is the author of the widely read book "Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness: Practices for Safe and Transformative Healing." His teaching and writing have been incorporated into mindfulness teacher trainings around the world. Below you'll find David Treleaven's practices and teachings shared on Mindfulness Exercises.
Originally from Toronto, Canada, Treleaven trained in counseling psychology at the University of British Columbia and received his doctorate in psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. He has served as a visiting scholar at Brown University, and his work has been integrated into programs at institutions such as UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center and Bangor University's mindfulness program in the United Kingdom.
His first book, "Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness: Practices for Safe and Transformative Healing" (W. W. Norton, 2018), examines how mindfulness practiced without an awareness of trauma can sometimes intensify symptoms of traumatic stress, and offers concrete modifications to help keep practice safe and stabilizing. In 2025 he followed it with "The Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness Workbook: A Comprehensive Guide for Mindfulness Teachers" (W. W. Norton), a practical resource of exercises and guidance for those who teach.
Treleaven's approach centers on practical principles for trauma-informed practice, including the roles of attention, arousal, relationship, and dissociation, with an emphasis on keeping mindfulness both safe and supportive for people affected by trauma. Through writing, teacher trainings, and a community of practitioners, he focuses on equipping meditation teachers, clinicians, educators, and other professionals to teach mindfulness in trauma-sensitive ways.