1:1 MENTORING
MEDITATION IS A PROFOUNDLY REWARDING AND TRANSFORMATIONAL PRACTICE.
WORKING 1-TO-1 WITH A QUALIFIED TEACHER IS ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO FACILITATE THE BENEFITS OF A SUSTAINED MEDITATION PRACTICE.
Some of the benefits of a long-term meditation practice include strength & stability of mind and increasing clarity & insight. Science tells us that meditation can also help to reduce stress and anxiety. However, without a clear understanding of the methods and process, people often find themselves struggling with the practice and maybe even ready to give up completely.
Receiving a proper introduction to the practice from a qualified teacher who can provide clear instructions, a customized structured practice schedule, and ongoing feedback, support and guidance based on your individual needs is a proven formula for creating a sustainable meditation practice.
Dharma Moon’s teachers have many years of meditation experience. They have studied directly with Dharma Moon’s founder, David Nichtern, and have undergone our rigorous teacher-training path. Our team is happy to offer you the support you need to integrate the rich rewards from these powerful practices.
MEET OUR 1-TO-1 TEACHERS
Brittaney Valentino
Brittaney is an E-RYT 500, YACEP and Mindfulness meditation teacher and owner of Rooted Nest LLC, a Yoga and Meditation company based in Wilmington, De. She is also the co-founder of Embodied Mind LLC, a mindfulness-based consulting company.
Along with offering online and in person classes nationwide, she also moonlights as a Senior Teacher and the Programs Coordinator at Dharma Moon Incorporated, an online mindfulness-based learning platform, and global community under the direction of her mentor, Senior Buddhist teacher David Nichtern.
When not teaching or practicing, she enjoys making memories with her family with traveling, being in the woods, hanging out by lakes, cooking, and gardening.
Susan Layden
Susan is a senior teacher with Dharma Moon, serving as the coordinator of the 100hr Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training programs and a close senior student of David Nichtern’s for over 10 years.  She received her 100hr meditation certificate from David Nichtern and Kaia Yoga. She is a yoga and meditation teacher.   She is a 500hr E-RYT and a YACEP(continuing education provider- with yoga alliance) and holds a 100 certification from Little Flower Yoga to teach mindfulness and yoga to children.
Susan is a 4th degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido. She has studied and taught under Grand Master Ik Jo Kang for over 20 years. She is registered under Tae Kwon Do Jidokwan in Korea. She is the mother to three precious adult daughters.  Susan is committed to her practices, her family and giving back to her community. She has been in recovery for over 30 years.
René Fay
René is the Community Director for Dharma Moon. They are a certified mindfulness meditation teacher and death doula, they studied comparative religion and gender studies, and they earned their black belt at 17. René’s career has a long and extensive history of advocacy, with a focus on collaboration with, support of, and focus on: at-risk youth; queer communities and people; intimate partner violence/sexual assault prevention and intervention; and grief and crisis counseling. René is passionate about making meditation and dharma teachings radically accessible and has personally used meditation to transform their relationship with their own anxiety and chronic health issues. Outside of work, they're likely to be knitting while trapped under a cat listening to podcasts.
Stephanie Belhomme
Noel Coakley
Noel is a psychotherapist, meditation teacher, and former elementary school special educator. He has studied Tibetan Buddhism since 1997 and the Bön tradition since 2013. He is a father, husband, and friend to a dog named Clementine. Noel is the director of the Boston Center for Contemplative Practice (thebccp.com) and an assistant director at Dharma Moon (dharmamoon.com). Noel is dedicated to the accessibility of the dharma and its application in modern culture.
Sammy Goodrich
Sammy is a meditation teacher and 500-hour certified yoga instructor. She has practiced and studied meditation since 2014, receiving her MMTT certification in 2016 from Dharma Moon and Tibet House. Sammy has introduced meditation programs in a variety of settings including prison, high schools, yoga studios, and wellness centers. Sammy is an assistant teacher and meditation mentor at Dharma Moon and considers David and the Dharma Moon community her main touchstone for both supporting and enriching her meditation practice and Buddhist study. Sammy is particularly interested in applying mindfulness principles to modern life and the unavoidable challenges that arise with it, including living with cancer. Beyond work, Sammy is a partner, a mother of 3 children, and companion to 2 dogs and one grumpy cat.
Eric Gerard
Eric has been practicing mindfulness for about nine years and currently serves as a mindfulness teacher at Dharma Moon after graduating from the Spring 2024 MMTT cohort and three years of private study with Ethan Nichtern. He also completed the two year Yearlong Buddhist Studies course, which has shaped his life and practice in meaningful ways. Originally from Chicago, Eric is an actor and also serves as the Co-Owner and Artistic Director at Blackbox Acting, a school that aims to prepare artists for their careers through a holistic approach. Eric is passionate about helping artists foster genuine connections with themselves and their work while encouraging vulnerability and bravery. He hopes to support others in developing a mindful and healthy relationship with their craft, whether that craft is art or the complex journey of existence.
Panos Mavromatis
Panos has studied and practiced Tibetan Buddhism in the Karma Kagyu and Nyingma traditions since 2006, and counts David Nichtern and Ethan Nichtern among his mentors. He is a certified Dharma Moon and Tibet House meditation instructor, and joined the Dharma Moon Teacher team in 2021. Apart from meditation, Panos has been teaching and researching music theory and the psychology of music at New York University since 2003, where he directed the music theory program until 2021. In addition to music, Panos holds degrees in mathematics and physics and enjoys exploring connections between Buddhism and Western science.
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READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP?
Please use the form below to schedule a complimentary 15 minute Zoom session to meet our teachers, discuss your goals, and see if our 1-to-1 sessions might be a good fit. If you have a preference for a particular teacher, please indicate which one in the form below. 1-to-1 Sessions cost $125 for an hour a five session package costs $500.
Once we receive your request, our team will contact you.
Schedule Your 15 Minute Zoom Session
Please note: Meditation teachers are trained to help develop your practice and share the teachings of meditation. Therefore the scope of these sessions is limited to supporting your meditation practice and sharing their associated teachings. Anything beyond that, for example, mental health concerns, require other forms of outside support, such as licensed therapists, psychologists, or psychiatrists who are trained to provide that type of treatment. Meditation is not meant to treat or diagnose any medical or psychological conditions, and is not a substitute for medical or psychological treatment.
