{"id":2738,"date":"2025-05-09T10:53:25","date_gmt":"2025-05-09T01:23:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/mph-news\/?p=2738"},"modified":"2025-05-09T10:53:25","modified_gmt":"2025-05-09T01:23:25","slug":"creating-healing-hubs-reflections-from-the-2025-nt-clinical-academy-workshops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/mph-news\/2025\/05\/09\/creating-healing-hubs-reflections-from-the-2025-nt-clinical-academy-workshops\/","title":{"rendered":"Creating Healing Hubs: Reflections from the 2025 NT Clinical Academy Workshops"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"\" data-start=\"204\" data-end=\"558\">In early April, healthcare staff from across Central Australia gathered in Alice Springs for a two-day workshop series led by Dr Claire McKie, a geriatrician and intern supervisor from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.barwonhealth.org.au\/\">Barwon Health<\/a>, Victoria. Hosted by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flinders.edu.au\/flinders-nt\/regional-training-hub\/clinical-academy\">NT Clinical Academy<\/a>, the workshops focused on how emotion, compassion, and connection shape both patient care and staff well-being.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"560\" data-end=\"600\"><strong data-start=\"560\" data-end=\"600\">Why Feelings Matter in Clinical Work<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"602\" data-end=\"868\">Dr McKie opened the series with an intern session titled <em data-start=\"659\" data-end=\"673\">\u201cThe F Word\u201d<\/em> \u2014 where \u2018F\u2019 stood for <em data-start=\"696\" data-end=\"706\">feelings<\/em>. She challenged the idea that emotions don\u2019t belong in clinical settings, encouraging participants to view emotion as essential to compassionate, effective care.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2740\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2740\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2740\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/mph-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/79\/2025\/05\/Clinical-Academy-Event-Dr-Claire-McKie-Workshops-Alice-Springs_-1024x446.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"218\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/mph-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/79\/2025\/05\/Clinical-Academy-Event-Dr-Claire-McKie-Workshops-Alice-Springs_-1024x446.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/mph-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/79\/2025\/05\/Clinical-Academy-Event-Dr-Claire-McKie-Workshops-Alice-Springs_-300x131.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/mph-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/79\/2025\/05\/Clinical-Academy-Event-Dr-Claire-McKie-Workshops-Alice-Springs_-768x334.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/mph-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/79\/2025\/05\/Clinical-Academy-Event-Dr-Claire-McKie-Workshops-Alice-Springs_-1536x669.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/mph-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/79\/2025\/05\/Clinical-Academy-Event-Dr-Claire-McKie-Workshops-Alice-Springs_.jpg 1966w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2740\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Healthcare staff from across Central Australia gathered in Alice Springs for a two-day workshop<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"870\" data-end=\"913\"><strong data-start=\"870\" data-end=\"913\">Workshop #1: Compassion in Critical Care<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"915\" data-end=\"1280\">The first workshop explored how clinicians respond to emotional stress in high-pressure roles. Around 20 participants discussed the importance of self-awareness, empathy, and team support in caring for patients \u2014 and each other. <em data-start=\"1146\" data-end=\"1280\">\u201cWe looked at how we show up at work and how our emotional state impacts others. Compassion is something we can learn and practice.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"1282\" data-end=\"1320\"><strong data-start=\"1282\" data-end=\"1320\">Workshop #2: Creating a Healing Hub<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"1322\" data-end=\"1438\">On Friday morning, participants explored how hospital environments affect patients emotionally. <em data-start=\"1592\" data-end=\"1677\">\u201cWhat patients want to feel is often what we want too. That really stayed with me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"1322\" data-end=\"1438\">Key themes included:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1439\" data-end=\"1677\">\n<li class=\"\" data-start=\"1439\" data-end=\"1473\">\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"1441\" data-end=\"1473\">Designing safe, welcoming spaces<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"\" data-start=\"1474\" data-end=\"1543\">\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"1476\" data-end=\"1543\">Measuring success by how patients <em data-start=\"1510\" data-end=\"1516\">feel<\/em>, not just clinical results<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"\" data-start=\"1544\" data-end=\"1677\">\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"1546\" data-end=\"1677\">Embedding compassion into everyday practice<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"1679\" data-end=\"1718\"><strong data-start=\"1679\" data-end=\"1718\">Workshop #3: A Healing Hub for Staff<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"1720\" data-end=\"1916\">The final session turned inward: What do staff need to feel safe, respected and supported? Through group dialogue, participants mapped out the emotional foundations of a healthy workplace culture.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2742\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2742\" style=\"width: 375px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2742\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/mph-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/79\/2025\/05\/Clinical-Academy-Event-Dr-Claire-McKie-Workshops-Alice-Springs__-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"375\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/mph-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/79\/2025\/05\/Clinical-Academy-Event-Dr-Claire-McKie-Workshops-Alice-Springs__-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/mph-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/79\/2025\/05\/Clinical-Academy-Event-Dr-Claire-McKie-Workshops-Alice-Springs__-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/mph-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/79\/2025\/05\/Clinical-Academy-Event-Dr-Claire-McKie-Workshops-Alice-Springs__-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/mph-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/79\/2025\/05\/Clinical-Academy-Event-Dr-Claire-McKie-Workshops-Alice-Springs__-rotated.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2742\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The event closed with a visit to Parrtjima<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"1918\" data-end=\"1948\"><strong data-start=\"1918\" data-end=\"1948\">Connection Through Culture<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"1950\" data-end=\"2159\">The event closed with a shared meal and an evening visit to <a href=\"https:\/\/parrtjimaaustralia.com.au\/\">Parrtjima<\/a>, the light festival celebrating Aboriginal art and storytelling \u2014 a fitting reminder of the role of culture and reflection in healing work.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"2161\" data-end=\"2178\"><strong data-start=\"2161\" data-end=\"2178\">Looking Ahead<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"2180\" data-end=\"2418\">Participants left inspired to bring emotional awareness into their everyday practice. One hundred per cent of attendees from Workshop #2 said they would recommend it to others \u2014 a sign that these conversations are both needed and welcomed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"2420\" data-end=\"2626\">Dr McKie\u2019s sessions offered more than training \u2014 they encouraged staff to rethink care from the inside out. The question now: <em data-start=\"2546\" data-end=\"2626\">How do we want people \u2014 patients and staff \u2014 to feel in our healthcare system?<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In early April, healthcare staff from across Central Australia gathered in Alice Springs for a two-day workshop series led by Dr Claire McKie, a geriatrician and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5851,"featured_media":2741,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2863,4206,1625,5300,5297,4191,3540],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2738","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alice-springs","category-events","category-flinders-nt","category-nt-clinical-academy","category-nt-regional-training-hub","category-public-health","category-rural-and-remote"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/mph-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2738","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/mph-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/mph-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/mph-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5851"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/mph-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2738"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/mph-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2738\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/mph-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2741"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/mph-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2738"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/mph-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2738"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/mph-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}