I am a researcher, socially responsible entrepeneur, teacher, mother, wife, gurfer (girl surfer) the list goes on. All of the disparate ways in which I have found myself working and living have at their heart a central value of increasing wellbeing for individuals and communities by supporting them to reconnect with themselves and others. The major ways in which I pursue these passions professionally are through:
– Private practice
– Public workshops and training programmes
– Corporate wellbeing workshops and retreats
My natural habitat early in my career was with homeless youth and other marginalised groups and more recently I have been working with corporates. The lefty in me found this transition in clientelle difficult initially on a values level, however once I crossed the threshold into the companies I have worked with, I realised these spaces have much to offer for the wellbeing of our communities. I prefer to work with socially responsible companies who are already challenging the status quo of how and why we work. I have found these businesses to be invested in the wellbeing and growth of their employees and enjoy the new challenges this right had turn (excuse the pun) has presented for me professionally. Don’t get me wrong, I am still a lefty (politically I mean).
Dr Mel Taitimu is so much more than a ‘speaker’. At our retreat she facilitated a full day outdoor (hiking) experience exploring concepts of identity, hidden burdens and play. The experience was so well crafted that even our more ‘restrained’ forum members gave rave reviews. She was a pleasure to work with in planning the event, crafting an experience to suit our ideas, and handling numerous logistics and third party arrangements to make it all happen seamlessly.