In July 2018 The MindBody Trust of New Zealand convened a one day Public Symposium and Discussion, in Auckland , New Zealand, to explore the possibilities of expanding the important concept of Whole Person-Centred Healthcare. Eight speakers, chosen for their enterprise and energies relevant to this, were asked to communicate their work, vision and ideas in 10 minute talks.
Dr Brian Broom welcomes the attendees to the Symposium, and explains the purpose and vision of the MindBody Network and of the Symposium, in bringing change to the healthcare system.
Karen Lindsay, Clinical Immunology and rheumatology specialist physician at Auckland DHB, lecturer on the MindBody Healthcare programme at AUT.
What makes healthcare healing; how can we make it so for everyone, and bring the ‘whole person healthcare’ vision into the mainstream?
Galia Barhava-Monteith
Following her experience of being treated by the Whole Person approach for Churg-Strauss Vasculitis, Galia undertook a doctorate to explore the experiences of other patients treated according to this approach. She is driven by a passion to change the way mainstream clinicians work with people with chronic conditions.
Janette Tolich
Janette is a physiotherapist, MindBody clinician, and clinical educator at the AUT University Interdisciplinary Integrated Health Clinic is passionate about the incorporation of the whole person approach into healthcare education and practice. She has developed a programme with colleagues in multiple health disciplines that creates a unique organic space for healthcare students and whaiora (those seeking wellness) to explore together ‘what matters’ in healthcare.
Brigid O’Brien
Brigid is a part time consulting public health physician in community wellbeing, while being mother to 2 young daughters and member of the Mindfulness for Change community, involved recently in a submission campaign to the Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction. She is interested in the integration of different types of healing including of myself, other people, and systems (like healthcare).
Johanne Egan
Johanne is an Emergency Medicine Doctor at the Waitemata District Health Board, Auckland. “I have had the privilege of listening to stories over the past three years, gathering data to discover our experience of thriving as staff in the Emergency Department in order to promote and sustain it into the future. I would love to share this joyful journey into an aspect of healthcare that is often overshadowed.”
Robin Youngson
Robin is an Anaesthetic Specialist in the Waikato, North Island, New Zealand. He is the Cofounder of Hearts in Healthcare. His mission is an international movement to promote compassionate, whole-person care, health and healing, rather than a system of medicated sickness. To support that, “we need a whole new science of healing – human healing, ecological healing and societal healing.”
Nick Laurence
Nick lives in Wellington and is completing a doctorate in clinical psychology. He is part of Mindfulness for Change as a community builder. His principal inquiry is into the integration of ‘bodied ways of being’ and ‘awareness of inter-being’ into novel yet ordinary parts of life.
Helen Ker
Helen is the editor of a medical literary journal called Atlas, and is a final year medical student. She is interested in Atlas as a platform to share service-user experiences with clinicians to improve patient-centred care.
