DÓCHAS (PREVIOUSLY THE IRISH 30)- Monthly Health & Wellbeing webinars

Dóchas, as béarla, is a word to describe hope and trust.

Join us for these free monthly wellbeing webinars designed to promote the mental health and wellbeing of the Irish Community in Australia.

Each session will explore a different aspect of health and wellbeing, guided by the latest evidence and facilitated by an expert in the field.

First Monday of the Month at 7 pm via Zoom

Dóchas // Festive Finances

Monday 4th December, 7pm

As 2023 comes to a close, many of us will be feeling the pinch financially, with the cost of living rising.

So with this in mind, we will be joined by Jessica Brady, a leading licensed financial adviser in Australia and has over 17 yrs experience in the Financial Services industry, working with some of the biggest names in finance including, Macquarie Bank, CBA and Zurich. Recently she launched, The Greenhouse -an online program designed to make accessing affordable financial programs jargon free, stigma free and fun!

We will be exploring why Christmas time induces us to spend more money and how can we set boundaries with ourself and others when it comes to Christmas spending.  

If you have taken a big hit financially in 2023, we will look at how can we look towards our financial future in 2024 without dread and anxiety.

Jessica will also be hosting an online Goal Setting Workshop on Tuesday 5th December. This special guided workshop will take you through a 6-step process for creating financial goals for 2024 and will give you a framework to make sure they actually happen!

You will leave with a clear action plan and blue print for what you want to focus on and what steps you need to take to get there!

Dóchas // Sleep is your superpower

Monday 9th October 2023 at 7pm

Have you ever had a poor night's sleep and you notice your mood, energy and attention span has completed depleted?

Sleep plays a pivotal role in maintaining and promoting good mental health. Sleep is also a cornerstone of good physical health. It serves as the body's natural reset button, allowing the brain to consolidate memories, process emotions, the immune system strengthens, and hormones, such as those that regulate appetite and metabolism, are balanced.

When we consistently get an adequate amount of quality sleep, our cognitive functions are optimised, enabling us to think clearly, make sound decisions, and manage stress effectively.

On the other hand, chronic sleep deprivation can lead to a range of mental and physical health issues, it can also exacerbate existing conditions.

Join Emer McDermott, Clinical Psychologist, who views Sleep as one our Superpowers! Something that significantly improve our overall wellbeing. We will dive into some of the causes of ill-sleep and what we can actually do (that works!) to get a better night's sleep.

Dóchas // Managing Expectations

Monday 7th August 2023 at 7pm

Have you ever felt pressure to achieve a certain milestone—a career, marriage, education or motherhood—by a certain age? 

At some point, many of us will have witnessed how society’s expectations of what we should have in our lives—and by when—affects us. How it demoralises us. How it becomes a driving force in our lives and the inflection point of our decisions. 

So how can we get a better understanding of what it is we actually want in life, things that align with our values, versus, the expectations that we put on ourselves, through social conditioning and being told, well this is what you should want, and also a sense of inherited legacy from our parents? 

Join us as we delve deep into this with Irish expat and psychotherapist Claire Quigley. 

Watch back here or listen back here.

Dóchas // Settled

Monday 3rd July at 7pm

Dóchas is back after a six month break!

Join us as we explore the choice that Irish emigrants make on permanently settling in Australia.

We will be chatting with a number of people who have chosen to call Australia home.

Some have lived here longer than others, and some have found the decision easier to make than others, but for their own personal reasons, they chose to emigrate to Australia and permanently settle here.

As an expat, we are often faced with the unbearable decision as to where to spend the rest of our lives. For some, the pull of the heartstrings to Ireland, calls them back home. For others, that pull, is not enough, and whilst they may miss Ireland and their family, the life they have created in Australia, wins out.

This episode aims to bring a sense of hope and optimism about a future in Australia, but we will also be asking the tough questions about how difficult the journey might have been.

Watch back here or listen back here.

Dóchas // Reflections on Alcohol

Monday 5th December at 7pm

Join us as we examine our relationship with alcohol, especially during the festive season and how to recognise problem drinking and addiction in ourselves and our loved ones.

The festive season is a good time to reflect on our drinking culture and the way we drink. 

Alcohol can not only affect our physical health but it can also significantly affect our mental health and emotional wellbeing. Some people may feel down over Christmas and New Year, and drinking can make this worse. 

The relationship between alcohol and mental health is complex. Some people may drink alcohol to relax or help cope with daily stresses; however, alcohol is a depressant drug that can cause anxiety and increase stress. Alcohol can negatively affect thoughts, feelings and actions, and contribute to the development of, or worsen, existing mental health issues over time. 

We are delighted to be joined by Joan Purcell, COO of Foundation House, Geraldine Leyden who has lived experience of alcohol addiction and Melissa Meenan who made the decision to stop drinking in her late twenties.

Show notes:

Geraldine Leyden - https://www.instagram.com/serenitytenx/

Melissa Meenan - https://www.instagram.com/lady_mil123/

Joan Purcell - jpurcell@foundationhouse.net.au / https://www.foundationhouse.net.au/

Tune into this podcast episode here.

Dóchas // Supporting a loved one through a crisis

Tuesday 15th November at 7pm

Supporting a loved one through a crisis is one of the most difficult things you’ll ever have to do, and so often we tough it out alone. We do our best with the skills and knowledge we have, but often we’re fumbling in the dark, unsure of whether we’re on the right track, afraid of doing more harm than good.

While most people have some intuition and the best of intentions when it comes to caring for loved ones in crisis, most people could benefit from some upskilling provided by a mental health professional, alongside a group of people going through a similar experience. We will be joined by clinical psychologist Emer McDermott and our special guest Sean Keenan who has lived through this experience

Dóchas // Coping with a serious illness living abroad

Monday 5th September at 7pm

Hear from people who have had this experience and a professional's guidance if you find yourself in this situation.

A diagnosis of cancer, or other serious illness can be devastating. But there are ways to cope with the emotional distress and preserve your quality of life.

Many serious health problems seem to develop unexpectedly, upsetting your life out of the blue. You may feel overwhelmed by waves of difficult emotions—from fear and worry to profound sadness, despair, and grief—or just numb, frozen by shock or the feeling that you’ll never be able to cope. The emotional upheaval can make it difficult to function or think straight, and even lead to mood disorders such as anxiety and depression.

But whatever your diagnosis or emotional response, it’s important to know that you’re not powerless.

We will hear from Martine, Helen and Gillian who have all been through their own journey with a health diagnosis and we will also chat to Conor McCaffrey, GP who offers some information about healthcare for serious illness and how we can look after ourselves mentally during this time.

Dóchas // Understanding our nutritional needs

Monday 8th August at 7pm

In this episode of Dóchas, we were delighted to be joined by Marie Holland, Clinical Nutritionist and Johnny Klusch, Provisional Psychologist and PT, to discuss nutrition.

In this episode, we aimed to explore nutrition and what it actually means. Our bodies, as we know, are our temples, so of course we know that we must look after them. But sometimes, for different reasons, we can find that difficult to do. What we do know is, that what we eat, can directly affect our physical but also our mental health.

Sometimes, our relationship with food is rooted in our early understandings about how and what to eat from how we were brought up. With that in mind, we looked at the possibility of rewriting our relationship with food and learning to get back to our healthiest selves.

Marie and Johnny talk to us about food habits, and how you can make a change by keeping it simple. They also discuss how food can heal us, and how research has shown that what we eat, directly affects how we feel.

Dóchas // Pride Awareness- Supporting the LGBTQI Community and information for expats moving to Sydney.

Monday 4th July 2022 at 7pm.

In this episode of Dóchas, we belatedly celebrated Pride Month! For some time we have looked at the ways in which we can support our friends and family in the LGBTQI community and with that we have invited 2 prominent members of the community to talk to us about life in Sydney, especially for those who are perhaps planning a move over here. We also looked at the support and resources that do exist for the community, and we also heard some personal experiences about the coming out journey.

Support Services:

ACON: Health promotion organisation specialising in LGBTI health.

W: www.acon.org.au P: 1800 063 060

QLife: National telephone line and web counselling service for the LGBTQI community.

W: www.qlife.org.au P: 1800 184 527

SQI: a service to support those who identify as LGBTQI within and connected to the Irish and Irish Australian community in Sydney and NSW.W: www.sydneyqueerirish.com P: 1800 184 527

Dóchas // Returning to Ireland

Monday 6th June 2022 at 7pm

In this episode of Dóchas, we will be hearing from members of the community who have made the return home to Ireland.

Everyone has their own story to tell and experience to share. Some have found the move to be exactly what they hoped for, that returning to Ireland has filled a void that was present as an expat. Being close to our loved ones is the driving force behind many people’s choice to return. However, some have found the move quite difficult, logistically and emotionally. Saying goodbye to an established life and friends is never easy. Often, when people return, they realise that life has not stood still whilst they have been away and that many people have moved on with their lives.

Making such a move, is a very personal decision, and one that is not easy. Especially when there is so much chatter on the subject, that you don’t know what to believe.

People also have to return in times of crisis or distress, which can cause an additional level of turmoil in a difficult situation.

So weighing all of this up, we felt it was important to hear from those who have made the move and ask whether they have any particular insights to share.

We will be joined by Donna McKiernan, Natalie Lucey and James Parnell.

In 2016, James returned to Dublin after 16 years in Sydney.

He published several articles in the Irish Times about his experience, appeared on RTE, TodayFM and Newstalk and participated in Irish Government forums helping emigrants return to Ireland. Mostly though, James is a fellow emigrant navigating through his new life and wanting to share the journey with fellow returnees.

Dóchas // Relationships

Monday 9th May 2022 at 7pm.

In this episode of Dóchas, we will be looking at relationships, in particular with a partner. As an expat, often romantic relationships can have additional stresses put on them, so we want to create a safe space where we could talk about the issues that we can face in terms of boundaries, communication and expectations.

We are delighted to be joined by Katie O’Donoghue, originally from Cork, Katie is the resident relationship coach at the online counselling practice 'The Indigo Project', host of the self-help podcast 'Self Explained' and creator of 'Reclamation' a newly launched self-paced Inner Child program. She coaches a mix of singles and individuals in relationships who are looking to rewire their patterns so that they can rewire their relationships.

Dóchas // The Confidence Crisis

Monday 2nd April 2022 at 7pm.

The confidence crisis - understanding self-esteem and self-worth, learning to rebuild and reclaiming our confidence.

Whether it's a new feeling, or something that you have felt for some time, low self-esteem can be hugely impactful on your everyday life.

Whether you are feeling a little lost, a bit low, or disconnected, join us to discover how we can truly embrace and care for ourselves.

We will be joined by the lovely Fionnuala Doherty of Infinnite You, a certified life coach who helps people everyday with reclaiming their self worth and Johnny Klusch of Klu Coaching who recently completed his thesis on self-affirmation and the impact on our self esteem.

Dóchas // International Women’s Day Celebration of our everyday heroes

Monday 7th March 2022 at 7pm

The theme of this year's IWD is #BreaktheBias. and with that, we are delighted to welcome, Paralympic Gold Medallist Ellen Keane to join us in conversation.

Ellen discusses normalising disability in society as well as in sport. She also discusses destigmatising the misconceptions people with disabilities face every day. Ellen victoriously took home the Gold Medal in 2021 in Tokyo and is an inspiration to all women.

We are also pleased to welcome Julie Mooney - Somers, Associate Professor at the University of Sydney. Originally from Dublin, Julie uses her academic resources to understand and advance the health of socially disadvantaged people and communities. For Julie, International Women's Day is about the learnings and education she can take from other women and encouraging a shared platform amongst all women, especially those who are often underrepresented.

Finally, we welcome the tenacious Joan Butler. A stalwart of the Irish Australian community here in Sydney. Joan came to Australia over 50 years ago on the 10-pound scheme. She worked as a nurse across the healthcare industry, and raised a beautiful family. Her advice for women today, ''Do whatever your heart desires.''

Community Heroes as nominated by you

Dóchas // Riding the Wave - understanding anxiety, navigating life and regaining resilience

Monday 7th February at 7pm

We will be joined by Helen O'Byrne. Helen O’Byrne is a highly experienced Registered Integrative Psychotherapist, Trauma therapist and co-founder of the Elysian Holistic Centre in Sydney.  Her work reflects her training in Process Oriented Psychology, Jungian psychology, Somatic psychotherapy. and Celtic Shamanism.  Helen works across a range of mental health issues including life transitions  anxiety, depression, trauma, abuse, PTSD, grief and loss.

It is her belief that therapy should be accessible to all people and not just in times of crisis.  As an Integrative Psychotherapist, central to all her work is a strong belief that the mind and the body are not separate entities.  As such her approach is holistic working with the mind, body, heart and soul.  Helen uses a wide range of creative and expressive therapeutic modalities alongside the more standard evidence based traditional methodologies.  She believes there is no one size fits all approach to therapy and encourages individuals to explore different options to see what resonates for them personally to help with their individual challenges. 

Helen’s approach recognises that painful experiences are often stored in the body. When emotions are repressed, denied or not allowed our systems become contracted and blocked resulting in unease, anxiety, unhappiness and this can create pain. She believes that many of us can feel this in our physical bodies, feeling anxious, stressed, a weak immune system, depleted energy, an inability to move forward and an overwhelming sense of just not feeling right.

This imbalance often keeps us feeling stuck and has a negative impact on our relationships and our general perception of the world. 

Helen will talk to us about anxiety and the challenges we have all faced as a collective. She will share some  practical tools and somatic practices to empower you to feel supported, calm and  in control as we look towards a brighter future and rememerge as more resilient beings.

Helen is originally from Dublin and has lived in Australia since 1995.

She has a love of writing and playing music, piano, Celtic Mythology and the ancient Celtic ways.

If you would like to get in touch with Helen, please go to www.celticsoulgoddess.com.au

Irish 30 // Minding yourself at Christmas

Monday 6th December at 7pm

For December's instalment of our Irish 30 webinars, we looked at how we can look after our mental health and wellbeing during the festive season.

You might be struggling this year for the first time. Or you may have found Christmas difficult in the past, and you're dreading it again this year.

You may also enjoy Christmas, but not be able to celebrate it how you'd like to. Or you might find some parts enjoyable, but other parts stressful.

We are joined by Siobhan Cregan and Megan Cahalin, both Mental Health practitioners who will help guide us through this time.

Siobhan is a qualified therapist, social worker and mental health practitioner who is a Clinical Team Leader with Headspace, the National Youth Mental Health Foundation. Working on a voluntary basis to pilot the program, Siobhan was instrumental in assisting us with the design and development of SOLAS, our new mental health support service to facilitate access to essential mental health supports for our community.

Megan is a professionally qualified Social Worker originally from Bray, Co. Wicklow. Megan’s clinical experience includes working in child protection and youth mental health. Youth mental health is Megan’s passion and through this work, she has supported young people experiencing a variety of different mental health presentations from mild to acute.

Irish 30 // The Roadmap back to School

Thursday 28th October at 7.30pm

As children are returning to the classroom after a long lockdown in NSW, we will look at how we can prepare ourselves and our kids to go back to school. We are aware of how difficult this has been for students, parents, and teachers and this presentation aims to demystify some of the expectations we have put on ourselves and our kids and offer some relief and hope as we look to the future in the classroom.
This will be a really informative presentation, with key takeaways and easily integrated skills.

We are joined by Dympna Kennedy and Miriam Meaney.

Dympna Kennedy is the founder of CreatingBalance, a parent education, and early childhood advisory organisation. She has presented for Resourcing Parents (Families NSW), The Early Childhood Association, The Australian Nanny National Conference, the National Conference of The Australian Infant Mental Health Association, Sydney Local Health District, Australian Breastfeeding Association, and assisted The City of Canada Bay on their 'Let's All Play Strategy’. A co-author of two books; Remote Working! when daycare and the classroom return home and 'Woman Leading', establishing leadership in the home. She is a recipient of the Family and Children's Services' Award for Excellence’. Originally from Derry, Northern Ireland, Dympna resides in Sydney with her husband and two sons.

Miriam is a Principal at a primary school in Katoomba. Born in Cork, she lived in Dungarvan, Kilkenny and Dublin before emigrating to Australia in the late 80s. Miriam has a lifetime of teaching experience, both Irish and Australian. When she returned to Ireland in 2018 for an extended holiday, she did some casual work in Irish schools to reconnect with the Irish teaching experience. Miriam has three adult children, Alana, Aoife and Shane. Currently living in the Blue Mountains, Miriam loves reading, the great outdoors, and friendship as well as the work she does.

Domestic Violence Resources:

Legal Aid advocacy service for people experiencing DV

Domestic Violence personalised safety plan.

Domestic Violence and Family Violence support agencies

Irish 30 // Parenting in a Pandemic

Monday 6th September Webinar

Becoming a parent is one of life’s greatest moments. But it can also be extremely difficult. When you throw a global pandemic into the fold, the challenges that you are faced with can seem even more overwhelming.

Being away from your family and friends is hard as it is, let alone when you have a new baby and all you crave is to have your loved ones close by.

Join us as we welcome Michelle Bates from Child, Youth and Family Services NSW, who will address the supports that are currently available for all parents living in NSW, regardless of visa or medicare status.

From finding out you’re pregnant (What now?!) to the challenges of parenthood, myths of parenthood, mental health challenges, signs to look for and where to go for support, resources to use, services to reach out to in these challenging times.

We were also joined by some new parents who have gone through their own challenges during the past 18 months.

Watch it here.

Tuesday 3rd August Webinar

The internal struggle is real.

The Covid 19 pandemic has had us in its grips for the past 18 months.

We have missed out on life-defining moments of our loved ones. We have made decisions that break our hearts. How do we manage the emotional toll and impact that this is having on us?

We will be joined by the wonderful Orlaith Sheill who has been working as a counsellor for over 15 years.

We will also be hearing from members of the community who have personal experience of what it is to miss out on such poignant events.

Watch it back here.

Monday 5th July: Glow beyond your limits with Yvonne Kelly.

Yvonne Kelly, originally from Dublin, is the Founder and CEO of Glow up Careers.

''I found myself unemployed in Ireland in a recession. It was the most humbling, frustrating, upsetting, and awakening experience. It opened my eyes to inequity in hiring and the struggles people find themselves in. My purpose is to create equal opportunities for people to succeed in their career and to open their minds and hearts to inclusion.’’

Are you are looking to make a change in your work life or maybe you are looking to move internally, or seek a total transformation and a new place to call home?

Or maybe it’s just time you took control of your career path and find what values and passions drive you?

Watch the recording here and check out Glow Up Careers packed library of videos here.

Thursday 17th June: Irish 30 Special: Men’s Health

This Men's Health Week the Irish Support Agency hosts Katye from Mates in Construction and Kevin from the Wellbeing Outfit for a special edition of the Irish 30 on Men’s Mental Health.
We chat about the challenges men face, what we can do about it and the support that’s available.

Watch it here.

Monday 7th June: Financial Wellbeing Series, Part 4: Insurance with Laura Donovan

For our fourth session of The Irish 30 of 2021 will be continuing our focus on financial wellbeing. We are joined by Laura Donovan. Laura is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and holds Master of Financial Planning. Laura has been working in the financial advice industry for almost 10 years. She is passionate about delivering personalised advice to help clients embrace their finances and make well informed decisions.

There are many types of personal insurance, and it can be difficult to decide what is right for your individual circumstances. Join us for an informative discussion to be better informed on all things insurance!

A copy of the presentation can be found here and you can watch the recording here.

Monday 12th April: Financial Wellbeing Series, Part 3: Investments with Ciaran Davis

For our third session of The Irish 30 of 2021 will be continuing our focus on financial wellbeing. We are joined by Ciaran Davis who has over 20 years of experience in the industry. We will be looking at Investments and Risk; Planning for the future. Some valuable insights and information will be shared.

A copy of the presentation can be found here and you can watch the recording here.

Monday 1st March: Financial Wellbeing Series, Part 2: Superannuation with Ciaran Davis

Part 2 sees us delve deep into the topic of Superannuation. We look at the system in Australia but also in Ireland and the UK and compare and contrast the different policies. This is a very informative session for anyone who has questions about their entitlements and obligations. T

Our session is being led by Ciaran Davis who has over 20 years in the finance industry.

Audience participation is strongly encouraged as Ciaran wants to address as many of your questions as possible, please join us through zoom.

A copy of the presentation can be found here and you can watch the recording here.

Monday 1st February: Financial Wellbeing Series, Part 1: Budgeting, saving and buying a home with Ciaran Davis

These online webinars will be led by finance professionals who have volunteered their time and expertise, to look at our financial wellbeing through the lens of the lifecycle. Over the course of the series we will look at superannuation, mortgages, savings accounts, taxation, investments and much more.

Our first session is being led by Ciaran Davis who has over 20 years in the finance industry.

Audience participation is strongly encouraged as Ciaran wants to address as many of your questions as possible, please join us through zoom.

A copy of the presentation can be found here and you can watch the recording here.

Monday 7th December: Christmas Special: Preparing for a different Christmas this year with Lochlann from Helplink Mental Health

While many of us look forward to Christmas as a time of cheer and celebrations, for some the festive period can be challenging and can escalate feelings of loneliness and isolation. 2020 has heightened these challenges with international border closures preventing the usual trips home or visitors from Ireland.

That is why the ISA, in collaboration with other Irish community groups, have been working hard to pull together a huge line up of events to bring us together over the festive period. Baile as Baile (home away from home) kicks off at the end of November and features lots of in person and online events, including our final Irish 30 webinar of the year.

For this session we will be joined by Lochlann Scott, founder and CEO of Helplink Mental Health and member of the Board of Trustees for Mental Health Reform Ireland. Helplink is an Irish based charity that provides mental health services for children, young people and adults, locally in the West of Ireland, nationally and internationally. The organisation established the world’s first global online counselling service to the Irish abroad and the returning Irish for free in 2016 - a vital service, providing culturally sensitive support to those far away from home.

In this session we will be acknowledging the challenges this Christmas will being for many, and provide some practical tips on how to look after your wellbeing over the festive period.

Monday 2nd November: Coping with Grief & Loss: The Irish Perspective with Órlaith Sheill and Aoife Butler.

On November 2nd, traditionally known as All Souls Day, we had a special session on grief and loss which was incredibly insightful, honest and comforting.

Órlaith Sheill provided insights into the grief process, non-death losses including those we experienced in 2020, the role of culture in grief and the impact of COVID-19 on the Irish grieving traditions.

Mental Health Nurse Aoife Butler then bravely shared her experiences of losing her brother Matthew while he was in Australia. She share how she is learning to live her life while living with grief, how grief is not a linear process and how she found comfort in sharing her story to help others going through similar experiences.

Together they share how others can be a support to someone going through loss and resources that can help.

You can watch the session on youtube.

If you want to hear more excellent advice from Órlaith listen to her conversation with Clinical Psychologist Dr. Malie Coyne here.

Additional Resources:

• Griefline 1300 845 745

• Lifeline: 13 11 14

• Helplink.ie

Monday 5th October: Self Care with Kevin Clancy and Ronan MacDomhnaill

October’s session of the Irish 30 will explore the importance of self care.

Kevin and Ronan will discuss what selfcare really means, why it’s so important and how each of us can find our own way to better take care of ourselves. Selfcare is about choosing the right time and activity to put ourselves first. We can’t pour from an empty cup after all!

Kevin will answer all your questions based on his extensive experience and knowledge background in psychology.

Tuesday 8th September: The Science of Sleep with Kellie Hamill

In September we will be joined by Kellie Hamill who graduated with Honours from the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland after studying Human Nutrition. In 2013 she moved to Melbourne after travelling for a year. Early 2015, she started working in Nutrition research at the Be Active Sleep and Eat Facility, Monash University. It was then her interest in Sleep began, firstly managing the laboratory the working on a large insomnia Clinical trial. Since then she has become very interested in sleep and the impact on mental health. Outside of work Kellie enjoys travelling, reading, cycling and the beach.

You can access the webinar via zoom on Tuesday 8th September at 7 pm

Monday 3rd August: Living in Australia during a pandemic with Caroline McKenna

For the next Irish 30 webinar we will be joined with County Down native Caroline McKenna; teacher, mental health advocate and podcast host. Caroline will share her experiences of living in Australia during the pandemic, supporting her students through mental health challenges, maintaining her own wellbeing and the inspiration for her popular podcast, A “County Down” Under.

You can access the webinar via zoom on Monday 3rd August at 7pm

Monday 6th July: Your Job Search with John Corrigan

John started his career in marketing when he joined one of Ireland’s leading direct marketing agencies. John then emigrated to Australia in 2011 and made a career move into marketing recruitment. John brings a wealth of experience to date having worked with Globally listed and national recruitment agencies. He is currently the Director of Sharp&Carter Marketing Recruitment a national recruitment agency. His session will look at how best to position yourself in the current uncertain climate and give practical steps on how best to approach your job search. He lives in Sydney with his wife Rachel and 2 young daughters, a cat and a dog!

Monday 15th June: Social connection for wellbeing

Staying connected during physical distancing can be challenging but not impossible. In this webinar we will explore the impact that social connections have on our wellbeing, the importance of different types of connections and ways to remain connected during COVID-19. We will also outline the role that ISA plays in connecting our Irish community in NSW

Monday 1st June: Healthy Habits with Roisin Trainor

Roisin, who you may know as the ISA’s secretary, has tertiary qualifications in nutrition and health promotion. In her role as Health Promotion Coordinator at University of NSW she uses evidence based frameworks to promote student health and wellbeing, with a specific focus on mental health. Roisin previously worked as the Coordinator at the ISA, and has a deep understanding of the issues facing the Irish Community in Australia.

Monday 25th May: Mental Resilience with Ronan MacDomhnaill

 Ronan brings over 20 years of experience and expertise from the sports, technology, education, engineering, communications and National Governing Body fields. Originally from a technology background, he became a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the Neuroleadership Institute in 2015. Ronan is the founder of Cred., who work at the intersection of technology and education. Cred. specialises in helping individuals and organisations create behaviour change for good. Their work focuses in the areas of mental health and social impact. Originally from Dublin, Ronan moved to Sydney in 1999, where he lives with his wife, Niamh and their three young children, Alannah, Daire and Oscar.

Monday 18th May: Mindfulness with Kevin Clancy

Kevin’s background is in performance and sport psychology, and he has extensive experience of working in corporate, elite sport, clinical, community and voluntary environments in a varied career to date. Originally from Cork, Kevin is the Head of Service Delivery at The Wellbeing Outfit, who specialise in helping organisations to support the mental health, wellbeing and cognitive performance of their people. Kevin has worked in Ireland, the UK, Kenya, USA, New Zealand, the Middle East and Australia. He and his wife, Vicki, have lived in Sydney since 2013.