Services - Retreat Intensive

The Country Practice Retreats run for rural GPs in South Australia are the most well-evaluated and successful initiative in Australia designed to improve the wellbeing of GPs. Furthermore, to date they are the only mainstream evaluated initiative that has been shown to help retain GPs in rural general practice.

The retreat intensive has a strong focus on the use of cognitive behavioural coaching as an evidence-based strategy to ensure long term change in doctors’ behaviour. The retreats are not just an opportunity to rest and reflect (as many wellbeing initiatives are), but provide a structured and challenging opportunity for GPs to make real changes in their life that will make them more sustainable, less stressed and more balanced.

This program is often combined with the Personal Feedback Questionnaire™ and email coaching.

The retreat allows participants to:

• make decisions about what they would like to change to improve their quality of life
• develop customised and individualised strategies to assist with change (including time management, communication, self talk, self-awareness, saying no, dealing with perfectionism, etc)
• deal with obstacles or barriers to change, including internal barriers (self talk, high expectations, perfectionism) and external barriers (workload, others’ demands, lack of resources, financial and family pressures)
• ensure that personal goals have the best possible chance of being achieved and maintained through the development of personal plans, future support and ongoing networking

Who is it for?

We have customised versions of the retreat available for rural GPs, urban GPs, specialists, GP registrars and international medical graduates.

Length

1½ days with a maximum of fifteen participants. It is often offered as a weekend retreat for doctors.

Evidence

This program has been rigorously evaluated using a control group, for measurable outcomes in sustainability and wellbeing.