Jason Brennan is a psychotherapist and counsellor working in private practice in Wellington, New Zealand. Originally trained in Psychoanalytic Theory at LSB college Dublin, Ireland; he went onto have a career in recruitment consultancy and later as a team leader and manager within a number of corporate enterprises.
He gradually returned to his roots in counselling and psychotherapy by continuing his studies at the Wellington Transactional Analysis Training Institute after his move to New Zealand in 2000. Over the next 6 years he gradually built up his practice of private clients while also working closely with a variety orgnisations interested in focusing on wellness.
Through a social introduction to Pete Roe, a relationship began to develop that proved to highlight their mutual goal of introducing the importance of being well and staying well to others within the business community. Through this connection a working alliance began to be established to promote health and well being in the workplace by taking wellness out of the consultancy room. This grew into a professional referral system that was established to ensure that a timely, safe, confidential and appropriate service was being provided to individuals and organisations in complementing Pete's onsite wellness role.
Pete Roe is a Marist, born in Wellington New Zealand.
After the completion of his training at the Marist Seminary in Napier he was able, through his chaplaincy positions with the Royal NZ Navy and NZ Police Force, to begin to introduce the concept of an integrated wellness service into these workplaces.
During this time Pete also continued his studies and completed a degree in Post Graduate studies in Organisational Management and Administration, through Massey University Auckland. Along with a number of others in the Marist community Pete developed the City Ministry as an organisation focused on health, support and wellbeing in the city and within businesses.
For the past 15 years he has continued his onsite work for a number of organisations in Wellington, such as Wellington Free Ambulance, NZ Fire Service and Lifeflight NZ.
With the workplace referral service in place and their joint experience of successful individual short-term interventions, both Pete and Jason acknowledged the need to increase this service and the idea of proactive wellness – to complement the support needed for reactive wellness. While developing this concept and the value of increasing wellness awareness outside of one to one intervention, Vanessa Regan introduced the aspect of wellness education and training as a means to achieve both.
Vanessa Regan is a Learning and Development specialist running a consultancy business in Wellington, New Zealand. Vanessa's experience is in the design, development and delivery of training programs. Originally introduced to training within the customer services, sales, finance and call centre environments, Vanessa eventually became training manager for Spirit Telecom, Ireland. Since arriving in New Zealand in 2000 she has worked with numerous organisations in the public and private sector, including Telecom New Zealand, Kiwibank, Bank of New Zealand, ACC, Dept of Corrections; and continues to be involved with many of these organisations through her facilitation, training and presentation work.
Vanessa has always been passionate about learning and empowering people - advocating for each person's ability to be proactive in their work environment as well as in their own lives.
Vanessa introduced wellness training to the other services being developed as a means of emphasising the role and responsibility of the individual in the workplace and in the wider context. Highlighting the role of education in empowering the person to be proactive about their health and well being - both personally and professionally.
Mandy Lacy is an Organisational Consultant specialising in professional supervision and support services, coaching and mentoring and stress management. She works with leaders, managers and staff to reach beyond their potential for the organisation and themselves. Mandy also works with organisations in their strategic, workforce policy and wellness development and implementation by way of consultancy, facilitation, project management, professional development, training and leadership.
Throughout her career Mandy has worked in many sectors and business settings; from small to large businesses, general health, primary health, mental health and addiction, community and social services, sports organisations, government and non-government organisations.
Mandy is a Certified Transactional Analyst (CTA) specialising in organisations, she is internationally accredited as a Provisional Trainer and Supervising Transactional Analyst (PTSTA). She teaches and supervises TA in the organisational field throughout Australasia. Organisational TA is a psychology of organisations and groups understanding individuals within organisational settings and organisational culture, leadership, structures, behaviours and systems. It is also used in organisations for team professional development, attitudes and values, individual supervision and coaching focusing on wellness both for the individual and the organisation.
ThinkWell - Together these three approaches to wellness came together – Onsite, Counselling and Wellness Training, and ThinkWell limited was established as a joint venture. The aim of the organisation was to bring wellness to the workplace - with an emphasis not only on being well but also staying well. Gradually other services also became available and were developed to enhance this work.
Today ThinkWell Limited have a number of consultants working both from their own private practices, as well as a number of consultants working onsite for a number of large organisations. Each consultant is working to increase the awareness and to emphasise the importance of personal health and well being for individuals and employees. Together each consultant can promote and develop the passion and goal of ThinkWell Limited, by maintaining the values and professionalism that originally brought the founders of the company together – by having a shared belief, trust, integrity and passion for wellness.