While visiting Broome I was invited to share my Discover Breathing course with staff and co-workers of Boab Health Services. Discover Breathing, a meditative journey through relaxation and breathing, was developed and tested through years of teaching voice and breathing techniques and I am happy to announce the release of part one to this course.
The main focus of Discover Breathing, an eight minute re-set tool that can be used anywhere (home, office, etc), is to connect to relaxed (diaphragm) breathing that we all apply when relaxed and/or asleep but tend to lose when stressed. The music used for this course is from my album Arctic Aquarelles.
Australia’s Kimberley region has one of the highest prevalences of chronic conditions in the world. Boab Health Services provides services and programs to towns and communities across the Kimberley region of Western Australia. They support people living with chronic health conditions to keep well at home and out of hospital. The organization aims to provide holistic services and programs to their clients but prides itself in extending this same approach to their team of mental health professionals, dietitians, pediatric dietitians, diabetes educators, podiatrists, and Integrated Team Care.
Working in the healthcare field of the remote Kimberley region presents many mchallenging and confronting situations that are sometimes overwhelming and can lead to vicarious trauma (trauma that results from working with people who have experienced trauma and abuse). Boab Health Services’ healthy workplace initiative supports their staff to learn new ways to manage workplace stress. Breathing and mindfulness activities are simple ways that can help.
Keenly aware of how supporting a survivor of trauma and abuse can lead to vicarious trauma, but also to acknowledge the challenges her staff and co-workers are faced with on a daily basis, manager Robyn Powell invited me to lead this healing and guided journey through breathing and relaxation. She welcomes new ways to deal with vicarious trauma and reduce workplace stress for healthcare providers.