In October 2021, we were delighted to host a Self-care Sunday programme of activities and talks. A very special thank you to Dr Wendy Molefi, Dr Ally Jaffee, Dr Lizzie Burns, Dr Natasha Holmes, and Dr Clara Farque, who kindly gave up their time to run sessions that help promote self-care and wellbeing. It is thanks to you all that we were able to deliver such a successful event!
We hoped that all who joined found the sessions rewarding and were able to discover new ways to look after their wellbeing. If you were not able to join, we are lucky enough to have most of our sessions recorded for you to watch below!
Click the links below to jump to full details.
Let the breath catch you – A practical mindfulness session with Dr Wendy Molefi
This practical mindfulness session was an opportunity to replenish, focusing on mindful awareness of the breath as the gateway to calm, steadiness and self-compassion.
Dr Molefi is a highly experienced GP and mindfulness teacher. She has a Masters degree in Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) from the University of Oxford. As a practicing GP and Appraiser with many years working in the NHS, she has the personal experience, professional insight and great appreciation of the many challenges faced by healthcare professionals on a daily basis, not least the recent challenges in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr Molefi is passionate about workplace wellbeing and mental health awareness within the health profession. She is an international keynote speaker, and also facilitates wellbeing workshops and teaches mindfulness courses.
More details about Dr Molefi and her work can be found on her website.
Designing your own wellbeing plan with Dr Natasha Holmes
Do you struggle with the idea of self-care? Do you feel that other people’s idea of wellness just isn’t right for you?
Self-care means different things to different people. There is no single best way to achieve personal wellness. Not every practice works for everybody.
Watch Dr Natasha Holmes for step-by-step instructions on how to design a Wellness Plan that works for you.
Dr Natasha Holmes is a junior doctor working in paediatrics and a trainee coach who is passionate about improving doctors’ wellbeing. She is a mental health advocate and blogger who openly speaks about her diagnosis of generalised anxiety disorder and her own journey with wellness.
She has a special interest in education around doctor’s wellbeing and the role that this can play in improving the transition from medical student to doctor as well as addressing the epidemic of poor mental health amongst doctors.
To read more about her work go to her website or you can follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
Pilates with Dr Clara Farque
Join Clara for this 50 Minute Full Body Pilates Class! Pilates is a low impact form of exercise which builds strength while challenging balance and coordination.
Clara will take you through various exercises which will target multiple muscle groups and leaving you feeling energised and refreshed.
This class is suitable for all levels of experience, and does not require any props.
Clara is a Medical Trainee based in Bristol who first discovered Pilates 10 years ago after a diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis. Its low impact nature meant that she could take a class even on her bad days. The strengthening properties of pilates, combined with medication, helped her symptoms improve, and her confidence came back as she became more mobile. Two years ago, Clara decided to take the extra challenge of qualifying to teach pilates through the Australian Physiotherapy and Pilates Institute (APPI). The positive impact pilates had for Clara gave her a real passion to help others find their own strength through movement.
Clara teaches online and in-person pilates to clients from a wide variety of backgrounds, and her biggest pilates achievement has been teaching free online classes to over 100 NHS staff during lockdown.
For those interested in practicing pilates more regularly, Clara offers online sessions. This class was filmed at Clifton Sky Yoga in Bristol, where she teaches in person classes. Head over to her Instagram account to find out more and book onto her online or in-person classes!
Disclaimer: You should seek the advice of a medical professional prior to exercising or taking part in this class. If you experience pain, dizziness or any other symptoms, you must stop exercising immediately. By taking part in this class, you accept that there is a risk of physical injury and that Clara Farque and Pilates with Clara is not responsible or liable for any injury or accident incurred during this workout. Please also note, this class is not appropriate for pregnant or postnatal people.
Origami for wellbeing with Dr Lizzie Burns
Dr Lizzie Burns hosted a wonderful interactive session on how origami can be a tool for self-care. She took us through 5 different folds which you can follow along with – we would recommend trying the Tulip!
Following a doctorate and research Fellowship in cancer research at the University of Oxford, Lizzie became a full-time science-based artist and communicator in 2002. Her artwork has been exhibited in the UK and US, and India at the invitation of the British Council, and was described by the previous Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir David King as ‘an exciting, refreshing, optimistic view of medical sciences in oils’.
Lizzie combines her background in science, art and teaching to develop workshops and events to inspire and engage people of all ages often with scientific themes including for the MRC, Wellcome and the Royal College of Pathologists. Lizzie works part-time for University College Hospital in London supported by the UCLH Charity providing support for patients and staff in Oncology.
Lizzie does a weekly Youtube live fold on Wednesday’s at 2pm. She has also set up the Anti-boredom Campaign and is a member of the British Origami Society.
Nutrition, well-being & medical innovation with Dr Ally Jaffee
Watch Dr Ally’s insightful talk about nutrition and the role it plays in our wellbeing. She will talk about innovation within the NHS, the origins of Nutritank and the importance of nutrition for both physical and mental wellness.
Dr Ally Jaffee is a Junior doctor, Diana Award recipient and co-founder of Nutritank. Ally is passionate about mental health and its intersecting fields, particularly the arts & nutrition.
A keen innovator, Ally is on the prestigious NHS Clinical Entrepreneurship Programme. Four years ago, Ally co-founded the BBC award-winning Social Enterprise Nutritank. Its mission is to promote greater nutrition and lifestyle medicine education within healthcare training, due to the staggering increase of chronic disease.
Ally has worked closely with BBC radio 4 presenter Sheila Dillon and was featured on Jamie’s Channel 4 television show promoting Nutritank. Her passion for nutrition in Psychiatry saw her recently piloting a cooking programme on a Psychiatric unit in London, with promising results.