Counselling Conversations - Julie Thomas

COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS

FROM BEYOND THE SURFACE COUNSELLING

September brings the national “Are you OK?” day (Thursday 8th September 2022) dedicated to reminding everyone that it is not just one day, but every day is the day to ask, “Are you OK?” to support those struggling with life’s challenges. The most frequently asked questions are, how do I recognise or notice the signs of mental health struggle in family, friends and colleagues? And how do you support someone with a mental health concern, condition or disorder?

Trust your gut instinct

We know the people in our lives very well; we notice that when things are different, it may be a change in what they are saying or doing. We may not know what it is, but we get a sense of something not quite right, trust that gut instinct and take the time to ask them, “Are you OK?” Reaching out to someone shows them they are cared about and supported. It can be difficult for someone to acknowledge their mental health challenges; but we can all make a difference by starting a conversation and commenting on the changes you have noticed; this may help your friend, family member or colleague.

What are the changes you may see?

What are they saying? It may include moodiness, confusion, loneliness, low self-esteem, being a burden on others, and fear of the future. What are they doing? Are they socially withdrawing, changes in sleep patterns, mood swings, behaving recklessly, lack of focus, loss of interest in things that brought joy, or are less concerned with health, hygiene and appearance. What is happening in their life? Relationship issues, health concerns, financial difficulties, work pressure, constant stress, and loss of someone or something meaningful in their lives.

What do I say, and how do I help?

Family, friends and colleagues are an effective and necessary support system for someone experiencing a challenging time. It is essential to know what to say and do; however, it is not always easy to find the right words to start a conversation or when someone discloses that they are having a hard time with their mental health or might be thinking about suicide.

Helping adults - listen to them.

Let them know you care and support them. Please treat them with respect and dignity. Talk with them about their feelings. Suggest they speak to someone they feel comfortable with; their General Practitioner or other mental health professionals may help. Offer practical assistance such as making the appointment or arranging the meeting, and offer to be their support person to accompany them to appointments if they wish. If your friend, family member or colleague is not comfortable sharing their feelings with you or is open to seeking help, you can: Share information sourced from health professionals. Share e-mental health resources. Share self-help books that have relevant strategies. If you are concerned and believe their mental health has deteriorated, or you think they are at risk of harming themselves or others, seek guidance from a health professional.

Children and adolescents

Mental health challenges in young people, particularly adolescents, should be taken seriously. This age group is particularly vulnerable to developing mental health illnesses. Provide an uninterrupted, stress-free time and

COUNSELLING

CONVERSATIONS

with JULIE THOMAS

setting to talk with your child. Suggest they might feel better if they get help. As a first step, suggest they speak with a friend or relative they are comfortable talking with. Suggest a visit to the General Practitioner, school counsellor or other mental health professionals.

Treatment

The treatment process is integral to supporting someone with mental health challenges. Treatment differs and may include medication, psychologists, and counsellors. Counselling engages the person to reflect on life situations and relationships. While this can be challenging for all concerned, it is a practical and significant step to resolving mental health challenges. Seeking help through treatment assists the person in re-engaging with the positive and good things in their life.

Looking after yourself

A person experiencing mental health challenges requires a supportive network of people. Family members, carers and friends are also impacted and are under stress. Part of caring for others is to care for yourself, to prevent you from getting physically rundown and assist you in dealing with the thoughts, feelings and emotions of caring for someone with a mental health condition.

Julie Thomas MCouns, BPsychSC, BEd(ECTeach) Member of Australian Counselling Association Member of AUSPATH, WPATH

References and Additional Information: ruok.org.au blackdoginstitute.org.au headspace.org.au au.reachout.com carersnsw.org.au carersaustralia.com.au arafmi.com.au/ (Association of Relatives and Friends of the Mentally Ill) carergateway.gov.au butterfly.org.au

REVIVE IV WELLNESS

Veronica Hibbard has been an emergency nurse for over 16 years, and has often wondered about the ongoing health of some of her patients. So after her own positive experience, she is now offering IV vitamins here on the Coffs Coast to help people improve their overall health.

Hey Veronica, tell us a bit about your background and why you started Revive IV Wellness?

In my mid-twenties, and after having my third baby, I realised that I wanted to do something in my life that would help others. So I decided to pursue a career in nursing. I completed my nursing degree while my children were still young and then settled into a 16-year career as an emergency nurse. During this time, I grew in skill and competence and had many fulfilling experiences which had positive effects on those I treated, but I felt something was missing. I realised that I didn’t get to see how my patients ended up and were they now in good health or not.

I have always had a keen interest in fitness, natural health and alternative solutions to health concerns and so I started researching many different vitamins, supplements, and alternatives to medications for problems like pain, digestive issues, hormonal issues and low energy. I had also suddenly entered perimenopause and felt not myself shall I say.

Then my husband and I found IV vitamins on a trip to Sydney and booked them every time we went to Sydney for business. We started feeling the benefits straight away in our bodies, energy levels and mental clarity. I turned to my

husband, while having

our treatment and said, “I could do this!!!” And so, the idea was born.

What is Revive IV Wellness? And how have you seen it work for others?

Revive IV Wellness is a treatment where vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, and other nutrients are delivered via a bag of hydration directly into a client’s blood stream. The IV bypasses the digestive system which delivers the vitamins straight into the cells of the body for better absorption. It’s a service which treats every individual with a tailored program to help them reach their specific health goal.

I have had some amazing results in those who have had these treatments, from people having more energy in their busy lives, an improvement of eczema symptoms, better and more restful sleep, clearer skin and healthier hair and just generally feeling better. I love seeing the instant results of the treatments, and hearing reports a few days later how even their flu symptoms finally dissipated.

What have you learnt about yourself starting a new business?

That I am first and foremost a nurse and a very good one at that, but the business side

The best part for me is seeing my clients look brighter after their treatment. of things has been I have had reports and testimonials of a more challenging. I am learning a lot about myself regarding my restful sleep, feeling strengths and things I calmer and having need to improve. But more daily energy. the challenge has been Reports of mental worth it as I know this clarity and feeling less business will benefit stressed. many people. My focus is hands-on with my clients and I’m lucky to have a great support team helping me with the business side of things.

Having spent your career in the medical field as a nurse, how much of this has helped you with this new venture?

The experience I have as an emergency nurse allows me to practice in this field of treatment, not only in a clinical sense, but being able to work with each client individually to find their optimum health through assessment and blood testing if required. So all my experience in the Hospital and all my training has advantaged me greatly.

What have been some of the success stories so far?

There have been many, and this is the part that motivates and excites me the most… The best part for me is seeing my clients look brighter after their treatment. I have had reports and testimonials of a more restful sleep, feeling calmer and having more daily energy. Reports of mental clarity and feeling less stressed. One client said he isn’t struggling to get out of bed every morning any more and is much more productive during the day, not feeling like he needs an afternoon nap. I absolutely love hearing this feedback and it is exactly why I am bringing this valuable business to Coffs Harbour.

What’s the process for each client?

Usually what happens first is an initial phone consultation or a quick sit down consultation at my clinic. After an assessment an appropriate treatment is agreed upon and delivered in a calm and homely clinic environment. The nurse is there the entire time to monitor and chat to you. If the client wishes to further tailor their treatment they can opt for a blood test to determine specific deficiencies.

Who would benefit from Revive?

Literally anybody who would like to optimise their existing health to those who are recovering from surgery, injuries or illness and anyone wanting to have more energy, vitality and wellness in their life. I personally want to be as fit and healthy as I can for my children and grandchildren and I know this is helping with that.

Where can we find out more info?

You can visit our website reviveivwellness. com.au or you can phone myself for a phone consult or just come and see me at the Clinic.

Thanks Veronica.

TOM MAJOR

Tom Major has been golfing for most of his life, and has been able to create a career from the sport. He is currently coaching back here on the Coffs Coast and inspiring a whole new generation of golfers.

Hey Tom, What is your earliest memory of picking up a golf club and falling in love with the sport?

The first golf club I picked up was a little plastic set my Grandfather gave me when I was around three years old. He was a very keen golfer! He and my Dad would often go for nine holes whenever they got the chance, they sometimes let me drive the golf buggy, which I thought was the coolest thing ever. I didn’t seriously start playing golf until I was 9, when we would go to Coffs Harbour Golf Club and attend junior clinics on a Saturday morning. Saturday morning used to be all about golf, teeing off in the dark with about 30 subjuniors watching you, praying that you didn’t thin it, so you didn’t jar your hands from the vibration of the club. Winning would be the week’s highlight and meant you could buy a few extra mars bars from the shop. The group of juniors we had growing up were all very competitive, and I think that is what I loved about golf. No one was really winning every week. We would all have our purple patches but knew that if we kept practising, our time would come. I guess that’s what got me hooked on golf – coming together with everyone to practise and play a game in which only you could control the outcome and no one else.

When did you realise it was a bit more than a sport and you could turn it into a career?

I was very fortunate that my Mum and Dad could afford to take me to so many tournaments as a teenager which gave me a small taste of what it would be like travelling and playing golf as a living. As the end of school became near, I started searching for different pathways through which I could incorporate golf and study. There were two options which really stood out to me; a PGA Traineeship or a pathway with the PGA IGI. Either option would allow me to keep playing at a high level whilst developing my knowledge of the golf industry as a whole.

You were able to secure a scholarship through golf. How did this come about, and where did it take you?

Towards the end of 2013, I applied for the Adam Scott Foundation Scholarship, which, if successful, would mean I could relocate to the Gold Coast and study at the PGA IGI based at Sanctuary Cove. The scholarship opened up doors which I would never have imagined opening. I met many people, from world-class golfers to the best coaches Australia has to offer. Through the connections I made from the Adam Scott Foundation Scholarship, I was fortunate to gain employment at The Grand Golf Club and Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club. Both of these golf courses are private, exclusive courses and taught me a lot about the golf industry and how to stand out from the competition. When the job at the Coffs Harbour Golf Driving Range popped up, it allowed me to come back to the great golfing destination of Coffs Harbour and work in another part of the golf industry, in an area

in which I hadn’t had much experience and further developing my skills as a coach.

After all the years of playing and coaching, what would you see as the biggest highlight of your golfing career?

I have a lot of fond memories both on and off the golf course. A few memories I will probably take the most from would be playing nine holes with Adam Scott at Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club, caddying at the Japan Open for a good mate Anthony Quayle, and playing in the QLD PGA at Toowoomba. Each of these experiences has taught me something valuable that I will always have to look back and learn from. Whilst playing professionally has taken a back seat of late, I still enjoy being around and involved in tournament golf.

You specifically coach golfers these days. Has the sport changed much from when you started?

The game has changed over the last five years significantly, let alone since I started playing 13 years ago. Technology, like everything, has taken the game to a whole new level, and the distances we can hit the ball these days are making the game so much easier. Coaching has become much more accessible and online coaching is giving players and coaches the freedom to work on their own schedules. Biomechanics and physical screenings have taken the game to new levels, you need to do everything you can to perform at your peak to win a tournament. I learnt a lot of this when I was working at Hills Academy under the guidance of Ken Berndt. They would often get in physios, mental coaches and biomechanics experts to show the students what they need to put into practice to be performing at their best during competitions.

What do you get out of coaching other golfers?

Coaching juniors is what really ignited my passion for coaching. Junior coaching is where you can have a little fun and think outside the box. I enjoy using my imagination to come up with games or drills which challenge and teach the kids the skills of golf in a fun and, more importantly, engaging way. More recently, I have really enjoyed completing the Cause & Effect Coaching Course by the Swing Index, which has really helped take my coaching skills to another level. Changing one thing in the golf

Coaching juniors is what really ignited my passion for coaching. Junior coaching is where you can have a little fun and think outside the box. I enjoy using my imagination to come up with games or drills which challenge and teach swing has an effect on another which is a simple yet very effective way of coaching. the kids the skills of If you could do it all again, would there golf in a fun and, be anything you would change? more importantly, Definitely having a different mindset at engaging way. playing professionally. Instead of worrying about the result and where the next paycheck comes from, focus on what you want to achieve and what you need to do to achieve that. I’ve tried to take this outlook into work and personal life and look at things a little differently. Rather than getting worried about a task or a deadline, I try to look at the big picture and enjoy the journey rather than getting anxious about the end result.

Thanks Tom.