Valerie Mason-John is the co-founder of Eight Step Recovery – Using The Buddha’s Teaching to Overcome Addiction, an alternative to the 12-step programs for addiction. Valerie is the co-creator of Mindfulness Based Addiction Recovery (MBAR). They are a certified professional Mindfulness Teacher, Recovery Coach, Life Coach, and a Compassionate Inquiry Facilitator and Practitioner. Valerie has been practicing mindfulness for over 30 years and is one of the leading African-descent voices in the field of mindfulness and addiction. She trains professionals working in the field of addiction all over the world. Valerie uses the pronouns they/their/them because they do not subscribe to how society defines a woman. She/Her limits their capacity to be who they truly are. Mason John continues to write, work as a self-awareness trainer; They perform and lecture internationally.