We Care™

Building Capability to Care for Yourself and Others

Understanding the Concept of Well-Being

People who spend most of their working day in service of others, or focused on the care and well-being of others, often pay little attention to their own self-care.

These people could be your employees, your colleagues, your boss … or perhaps you.

The relationship between self-care, experience of work, performance and outcomes of individuals and teams, is well known, but is rarely considered proactively.

When we talk about self-care we are meaning planning for and investing in your well-being.

Your well-being shows up every day; in the way you think, the things you do and how you relate with others.

Your well-being is personal. A whole range of factors can impact on your sense of well-being.

*Figure 1: A model describing how the set of actions operates to enhance well- being.*

We Care™ believe that attending to well-being in the workplace and within work teams through building capability for self-care contributes to feelings of positivity and purpose.

This means individuals and teams are more engaged, likely to proactively problem solve, have a sense of control over and positivity towards their work.

These are all important contributors to the experience of those who you are serving or managing, and the quality of your work.

We Care™ Program Overview

We Care™ is an evidence-based interactive online program co-designed and facilitated by experienced experts in their fields.
We Care™ is a customised staff development program, whereby the content and learning processes are tailored to the needs of the individuals and the sponsor outcomes.

The program builds psychological flexibility and resilience, reduces stress and burnout, and promotes mental health at work.
We Care™ enables skill development and provides tool and tactics for fostering supportive and effective relationships and teamwork.

We Care™ also includes a pre and post briefing session for program sponsors.
The initial briefing session helps us to understand the work context and goals.
The post-briefing allows us to provide high-level feedback and discuss ways in which practices learned within the program can be sustained.
Individual coaching for managers and leaders, in enabling the conditions of safe, effective, person-centred care is also available as an add-on to the program.

We Care™ Benefits

We Care™ builds on the skills, knowledge, lived experience, networks & resources that individuals bring to their workplace.

Designed for small groups, We Care™ promotes collaborative practices and collegial relationships. Groups may be an existing team or individuals in like-roles from across a service or organisation.

We Care™ enables participants to look inwards and appreciate their story and how it influences their sense of wellbeing, relationships and experience of life and work.

We Care™ also empowers the participant to find their voice, to share their challenges using a constructive approach. Providing the supported experience of listening, understanding their challenges through the lens of others and most importantly they determine their response and act as their own catalyst for change.

We Care™ Structure and Outcomes

Facilitated online small group sessions of 6 - 8 staff members.
Each program is co-designed with organisations, but it is typically delivered over 6 -10 sessions.
Specific content varies according to organisational needs but each session typically includes grounding, settling and mindfulness training, experiential practice, didactic skills training and facilitated peer consultation.

We Care™ builds workplace resilience, promotes good mental health at work, reduces stress/ burnout, and fosters a culture of mutual support and growth mindset within individuals and groups.

Outcomes are formally evaluated using an online participant survey before and after the program.

Cost: We Care™ is customised to the specific needs of each organisation. Please get in touch to discuss your specific needs and group size and to help us prepare a detailed proposal.

Further Information

**Please write to us at belinda@healthpsychclinic.com.au**
**Please include the following in your email:**
- What type of organisation you are
- Which staff groups you are considering for We Care™
**Following receipt of your email you will receive an industry specific brochure.**
**We would also welcome the chance to meet with you to further explore your needs, goals and expected outcomes.**

Facilitators

KAREN PATTERSON is widely recognised as a leader in her field. Karen has held senior executive and clinical roles in public health, tertiary education and private health sectors.

Karen has practiced LEADERSHIP as an Expert Advisor (Health Workforce Australia), Executive Director (Governance; Strategic Development & Performance), and Senior Policy Officer (NSW Health, Special Commission of Inquiry Response Unit), and has been rewarded through successful tenders, academic titles, awards and an extensive and powerful professional network.

Karen’s belief in HUMAN POTENTIAL is grounded in her clinical background as a Midwife, is expressed in her commitment to life-long learning and in her passion for enabling others.

Karen is RIGOROUS AND SYSTEMATIC in her approach. She has expertise in working within complex human systems and is experienced in the challenges of nurturing talent, fostering innovation and improving performance and workplace cultures.

Karen is skilled in building the leadership and management capabilities of individuals, teams and organisations. Karen is internationally recognised for her expert ability in FACILITATING small and large groups. Karen is an accredited strengths COACH, an experienced SUPERVISOR and MENTOR. Karen has experience in developing and delivering Masters level academic subjects, professional development WORKSHOPS and CUSTOMISED SESSIONS for groups and individuals

PATTERSON CONSULTANCY PTY LTD - FULL PREQUALIFICATION SCM0005 - Prequalification Scheme: Performance and Management Services, NSW Government Department of Finance

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Dr. Belinda Thewes (MAPS FCCLP) is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, and owner and director of The Health Psychology Clinic on the NSW South Coast. She is also researcher and academic health psychologist who has spent her career working in the hospital and community services sector.

Belinda’s career has focussed supporting people with cancer and chronic illnesses to live the best life possible. She has also worked clinically in community mental health sector and with adults and children with intellectual disability.

Belinda is passionate about teaching people PSYCHOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY skills, to help them cope with challenges in life and at work.

Having completed post-doctoral training in Australia and Europe, Belinda brings a SCIENTIST-PRACTIONER lens to all of her work. She is focussed on achieving MEASURABLE OUTCOMES, and helping people meet their GOALS.

Belinda believes in the power of connecting with VALUES as means of creating joy in life and at work. She also believes in the power of human CONNECTION, COLLABORATION and COMPASSION as a means to help up cope with life’s challenges. Over the past 20 years she has been a facilitator of therapeutic groups for people struggling with physical and mental health problems and has delivered staff training, tertiary education and supervision to trainees in a variety of health disciplines.

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Sue Sims is an experienced executive coach and leadership development practitioner with a Masters degree in Coaching Psychology and a Graduate Certificate in Health Leadership and Management. Sue is also a registered Physiotherapist and meditation facilitator with over 30 years of experience partnering with people to help them achieve their best possible physical and psychological health outcomes.

As an executive coach and leadership development practitioner, Sue works with senior leaders in a range of health institutions across Australia and New Zealand. Her areas of special interest include coaching in COMPLEX SYSTEMS, communication and interpersonal skills, and using SOLUTION-FOCUSED APPROACHES to goal achievement and problem solving. Sue aims to support and challenge individuals, teams and organisations to GROW TRANSFORM and ADAPT based on the principles of adult development and grounded in evidence based psychological and behaviour change theory.

Sue recognises the need for BESPOKE WELLBEING AND COACHING SKILL development programs to support health professionals at all stages of their life and careers.

Sue has facilitated experiential coaching skill development programs for medical, nursing and allied health professionals at the tertiary level, and continues to focus her efforts on designing and delivering bespoke programs for individuals, teams and organisations interested in promoting coaching as a way of engaging with people, both professionally and personally.