Morning Meditations
Dorte Olivarius Koustrup
Foto: Søren Jul Lambert
About Dorte Olivarius Koustrup
My name is Dorte Olivarius Koustrup, and I am the founder of Mind the Busy Mind. With a foundation in mindfulness and compassion training, I support both employees in companies and private individuals in managing stress and finding more calm, presence, and joy in the midst of a busy, and sometimes complex and vulnerable, everyday life.
​
I guide meditations, facilitate workshops, and give talks in companies and organizations, where I create space for reflection, mental clarity, and well-being – always with a practical and human-centered approach. I also offer individual sessions for people who are going through difficult times – for example in connection with stress, grief, self-criticism, or life crises. Everything I do stems from a deep wish to help people connect with their inner strength - a deep presence that can hold and support them through life’s ups and downs.
​​
​Experience and Teaching
Since 2015, I have worked with people in Denmark, Norway, and the USA – through courses, workshops, talks, as well as individual sessions and supervision. I have taught since 2006, initially as a lecturer and student counselor, and later as an instructor in mindfulness, compassion, and joy – both in companies, educational institutions, and private settings.
My approach is academically grounded, practice-oriented, and personal – focusing on creating lasting change through small but conscious steps.
​​
A Personal Journey
My teaching is rooted in both professional knowledge and personal experience. At age 15, I lost both my sister and my father to suicide. For many years, I ran from the grief, living with inner turmoil and self-criticism.
It was only when I began working with mindfulness, self-compassion, and actively inviting gratitude and joy that something within me truly began to change.
​​​
The Book: “Tell Me, Is It Your Uncle Who Died?”
In 2022, I published the book “Tell Me, Was It Your Uncle Who Died?” – a personal narrative that blends autobiography with self-help. The book forms the basis for several of my talks, which focus on topics such as:
​
-
Stress reduction and managing thoughts
-
Grounding in the present moment
-
Emotional resilience through mindfulness and self-compassion
-
Gratitude and joy – how we, both individually and collectively, can choose to welcome more joy into our lives and work
​
A participant wrote after one of my talks:
“Wow, you were absolutely amazing at conveying your message. I felt every word deep in my heart. It was so beautiful, present, and authentic.”
~ Woman, 49 years old
​​
Compassion During a Breast Cancer Journey
In the winter of 2025, I was diagnosed with breast cancer – a vulnerable and life-changing time. Once again, meditation and self-compassion became my greatest support. Not as theory, but as concrete, life-anchored practice that carried me through and continues to support me.
This experience has deepened my understanding of what it means to meet yourself and others with kindness – even when life hurts. This is a knowledge I bring into all my work and relationships.
​​
Education and Background
I originally hold a Master’s degree in Business Administration (cand.merc.) from Aarhus School of Business and have worked in the private sector. Since then, I have followed a different, more human-centered path with deep professional and personal grounding in mindful presence and joy.
​​
My education includes:
-
MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction), Aarhus University / UMass
-
MSC (Mindful Self-Compassion), Center for Mindful Self-Compassion, San Diego
-
Awakening Joy Teacher, trained by James Baraz, Spirit Rock, California
-
Yoga Works 200-hour yoga certification (integrated as gentle movement in courses)
-
3-year Synthesis and Energy course with Helen Gamborg, Vækstcenteret
​
I continuously pursue further education and participate in retreats and courses both nationally and internationally – including trauma-sensitive mindfulness, self-compassion, and energy work. Every year I attend a silent retreat – my favorite place being by Limfjorden with instructor Helen Gamborg.
​​
Feel Free to Contact Me
… if your company is looking for a talk/workshop, a guided meditation, or an engaging session on topics such as workplace well-being, stress management, compassion, or anything else that might be relevant right now. Or if you, as an individual, are in need of support, insight, and a deeper connection with yourself during a difficult time – you are always welcome to reach out.​​
​​Mind the Busy Mind's vision:
​​
The vision of Mind the Busy Mind is to make the world more inclusive and warm. A place where we meet each other with more understanding and care and practice less judgmental behavior towards ourselves and others.
​
Mission:
Dorte hopes to inspire and help us embracing the whole package; learning to love ourselves for who we are - for better or worse. To dare to be WHOLE instead of running around out of breath in an attempt to constantly being good:.​
​
"I'll rather be whole than good"
~Jung
​​​
How?
By giving you hope. It is possible to have a good life!
​
Dorte will introduce to meditation, mindfulness and compassion tools that through practice can help you to find inner joy, wellbeing, and achieve greater mildness and understanding.
You will learn to use the present as an anchor, to be more grounded and robust, approach yourself and others with more kindness and understanding, and have a different and more constructive relationship with yourself and your thoughts and feelings.
​
Find more info på: https://da.mindthebusymind.dk/
Quotes:
"Thank you for a really good lecture yesterday in Viborg. What a wonderful, inspiring and warm-hearted person you are, who reached all the way down to the back row. It's great that you dare to challenge silence and meditation despite the fact that there are skeptics between us listeners. I felt your warmth, spaciousness and inspiration all the way to my heart"
~ Anne Løhde Rask
"Dorte is a warm and unpretentious person who has the ability to make meditation uncomplicated and very straightforward. For many years I have suffered from anxiety and through a course with Dorte I gained further self-insight. Through meditations with Dorte I have gained insight into how to cope with all my disturbing thoughts, learned to be more present and to find more calm ~ female participant, 43 yrs
​
"Sitting on my couch after a fantastic talk by you. Wow, how amazing you were to convey. I could feel every word right into my heart. It was so nice, present and authentic"
~ Lone Haarhøj Tollak
