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Episode 27

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Published on:

2nd Nov 2020

027: When Holistic Care Gets Associated with “Woo-Woo” with Michelle Powell

People oftentimes associate holistic care practices like mindfulness, reiki, or hypnotherapy with concepts like “woo-woo,” alternative, out-of-left-field, fluffy or wishy-washy. Such a negative connotation can stop people from getting the help that they need because of the fear of being judged for doing something less mainstream. In this episode, my guest, Michelle Powell, and I unpack where this misguided label comes from and how we can start to change the conversation around a holistic approach to health, self care and wellness. TOPICS WE DISCUSSED INCLUDE: Michelle’s holistic work (03:24) Holistic practices can be associated with a woo-woo label (04:02) The label can lead to fear or judgement among practitioners or laypeople (06:16) Alternative therapy is portrayed as using fluffy language (08:07) People shy away because of the fear of judgement or negative connotations (09:29) You need to start with the foundations (10:06) A model of self care (13:34) Overcome traumas from the bottom-up (14:15) Ultimately you desire to be the best version of yourself (15:04) You are human with needs and challenges in life (15:29) Being fiercely independent may be a trauma response (17:52) Touch is a powerful tool for healing (19:30) There’s a fine line between being needy and being human (22:37) When you allow someone to give, you both benefit from it (25:13) It’s the simple things like human connections that we need in life (27:02) You can go far with other people (28:37) Holistic health care involves sound, practical tools (31:04) Shared experiences and shared stories are powerful healing tools (33:14) These tools are based on ancient practices (35:19) Different types of therapies have their own places in healing (35:36) A therapist who will not judge (36:07) “Make time for your wellness, not your illness” (40:17) “I”llness vs. “We”llness (41:55) CONNECT WITH MICHELLE POWELL Michelle Powell Website Click Here to download your free Trauma recovery checklist Connect with Michelle on Facebook Connect with Michelle on Instagram Connect with Michell on Youtube CONNECT WITH ELAINA MULLERY HappyNurse.com.au Connect with me on Instagram and Facebook Connect with me on LinkedIn Subscribe to my Youtube channel
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About the Podcast

The Happy Nurse
Winner — APAC Insider Australian Enterprise Awards 2024 | Most Empowering Self Care Provider for Nurses. Burnout, compassion fatigue, and stress are rising in healthcare. This podcast exists to change that — one practical, honest conversation at a time.
Nurses are the backbone of the health system — always there to care for a stranger as if they were one of their own, forsaking precious moments with their own families to ensure others' loved ones are in good hands.
Compassion fatigue, stress, and burnout are rising across healthcare. Self care has never been more important — or more overlooked.
Elaina Mullery McDonald RN has 25 years of clinical nursing experience, a Postgraduate Certificate in Psychology, and a Master of Business Psychology in progress. She is a certified NLP Practitioner, hypnotherapist, and mindfulness practitioner — and the founder and host of The Happy Nurse podcast. Having experienced burnout firsthand, she is passionate about equipping nurses with practical, evidence-informed strategies to protect their wellbeing and sustain the career they worked so hard for.

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Elaina Mullery


Elaina Mullery RN has spent 25 years working across some of nursing's most demanding clinical environments — orthopaedic trauma, operating theatre, endoscopy, recovery, and day surgery. She knows firsthand what it feels like to run on empty, and it's that lived experience of burnout that drives everything she does.
Elaina holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Psychology and is completing a Master of Business Psychology at Edith Cowan University. She is a certified NLP Practitioner, hypnotherapist, and mindfulness practitioner, and has developed the 3R Framework — an original evidence-based methodology for building sustainable human performance at individual, team, and organisational level.
Through The Happy Nurse podcast, her online courses, and her white paper No Margin for Error, Elaina is on a mission to change the way healthcare treats its most valuable resource — the people who show up every day to care for others.