Our Teachers
Founding Teacher
Carmen Teo (she/her) is the founding teacher of Transform Heartminds, the first initiative in Asia – the birthplace of mindfulness, to integrate ancient wisdom with modern applications. She has practiced yoga since 2004 and discovered mindfulness meditation in 2007 as a graduate student in the US. She found her life transformed in bittersweet ways through self-inquiry and exploring the wisdom traditions of Yoga and Buddhism. Carmen's root practice is in the Theravada Thai Forest tradition of Ajahn Chah and the Mahasi method, with Patrick Kearney as her primary Dharma teacher. A dedicated meditator, she has attended nearly 20 silent retreats.
Carmen is a pioneer of non-sectarian mindfulness in Singapore since 2015 and is a fully certified Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) teacher. She mentors MBSR teachers through UC San Diego’s Center for Mindfulness and has trained with the Oxford Mindfulness Foundation, Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP), and Mindfulness Network UK. She is also a mindfulness mentor trained with Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach.
Carmen Teo, EdD
Additionally, Carmen is an Experienced Yoga Teacher (E-RYT 500) with Yoga Alliance, holding certifications in Hatha, Kids, Yin, and Yoga Therapy, and has practiced in the traditions of Vivekananda, Sivananda, and Iyengar, including residential stays in yoga ashrams. She is trained in Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness and is a Certified Facilitator of Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY). Carmen holds a Bachelor's degree from NUS Business School, a Master's degree from Cornell University, and an Education Doctorate from NTU-NIE.