Health professionals of all disciplines are at high risk of burnout, especially those in mental health care. Conscientious, empathetic caregivers who seek to support the suffering of others are frequently exposed to vicarious trauma. Without adequate support, this repeated exposure to trauma may impact their ability to care for themselves and their loved ones, leading to symptoms of burnout including emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and a loss of professional satisfaction. In order to sustainably serve those in need of mental health support, practitioners require trauma-informed environments, compassionate communication skills, and personal resilience scaffolding such as embodied practices of mindfulness and self-compassion.
We are currently experiencing an epidemic of depression and anxiety. Stress is at an all-time high. Even as the world returns to a “new normal,” many of our clients are feeling worse than ever. In this session, Jules will take you through the various presentations of depressed and anxious clients, their predisposing and contributing factors, and how to gently unravel the case to achieve lasting results.
Australia is the second highest prescriber of antidepressants in the OECD (10% adult population) and it has been demonstrated that antidepressant prescribing is not consistent with current clinical guidelines – AJGP Volume 50, Issue 12, December 2021. At the same time, the prescription rate of anxiolytics has increased by 31% and the long-term use of these medications is of concern to many professional bodies.
Many patients who seek out natural medicine for their mood disorders often wish to come off current medications or have done so recently, which commonly exacerbates the original symptom picture. In this session, we will discuss the physiological changes associated with mood drugs and opportunities to restore homeostasis with diet, lifestyle and supplemental intervention, with a view to achieving better long-term outcomes.
You’ve created an acute care plan, identified the underlying issues to be addressed… now what? In this session, Jules will take you through a framework for exploring the next layers of care, other associated health issues to look out for, and how to keep the ball rolling so that your client continues to improve (and thrive!).
Kobie Alison, is an experienced psychodynamically trained Psychologist and the Director of a multidisciplinary allied health clinic, Modern Minds. Kobie's practice is trauma-informed with her special interests being complex trauma, personality disorders and eating issues. In this session, Kobie will illuminate opportunities to provide co-ordinated and collaborative care, recognising that true healing and health optimisation can only be realised when a person is supported in mind, body and soul. Kobie will introduce psychodynamic principles for the modern practitioner, in order to facilitate optimal mental health outcomes for the both patient and clinician alike. Practical clinical examples will enable immediate integration into naturopathic and holistic medicine practice.
Over the past decade, neurobiologists and microbiologists have paid increasing attention to the microbiome-gut-brain axis (MGBa). In this session, the existing evidence on flagship psychobiotics will be reviewed and an update on the most recent research and insights emerging from the literature will be provided. Promising new research on the MGBa and its effects on specific conditions and disorders will also be discussed.
Our goal as health practitioners, particularly when treating clients with mental health conditions, is to deliver a sustainable prescription that leads to better long term health outcomes. This sometimes requires significant lifestyle changes to be made by the client. We are usually experts in understanding the pharmacological, nutritional, herbal or dietary aspects of our prescription; however, when it comes to advising lifestyle changes, we sometimes feel it is either not within our scope or we simply don’t have the time to invest in supporting clients through this process. This session will highlight the importance of including lifestyle medicine as part of an overall prescription and the ways in which this can be accomplished effectively.
Unit 14, 34-36 Ralph Street
Alexandria NSW, Australia 2015
1300 884 702 or (02) 8339 0539
danielle@cornerstoneevents.com.au
https://www.biomedica.com.au
