Priority One The significance of finding true meaning in what we do Finding meaning in what we do is extremely important to our wellbeing reports Priority One Executive Manager Nat Dunton. Whilst we often advocate calm through strategies such as mindfulness or meditation, what we know is that when our experiences require contemplation and reflection, true meaning can often be found in adversity. This is a concept within Priority One that we also refer to as Post Traumatic Growth. This growth or meaning making has even led to new career paths in some instances and on a recent road trip with Clark Magele from Townsville to Ingham, he relayed a story that happened almost 25 years ago about this very thing:
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Priority One Executive Manager, Psychological Education Nat Dunton.
“Magele, you’re in!” were the words that Clark remembers as he stood in the pouring rain, looking out at the 10-foot dinghy being skilfully manoeuvred by the farmer through the flooded waters from the other side. He suddenly wished he could have fit under the covered area like the others and been a bit more inconspicuous. However, waiting on the other side, at the farmhouse some distance away, was the wife of the farmer, and the birth of their child was imminent, so time was of the essence. Clark jumped into the boat and held the equipment close to him to protect it from the weather and started contemplating some contingencies should he and the equipment end up downstream! On making it to the other side, Clark’s adventure continued as he now had to get up the mossy rocks and into the station wagon that also housed the farmer’s other nine children. With only the driver side door that opened, Clark laid himself across the seats as best he could, still holding the kit and equipment and it was all getting very cosy. The mud was thick and the rain continued to pelt down. Just as Clark was wondering how they were going to get through the mud, the tractor ahead of them started and the farmer told him they were just going to follow in the tractor treads – obviously! The mud from the tractor flicked up onto the windscreen and the farmer now driving with one hand on the wheel and another acting as a make-shift windscreen wiper to allow him to follow the tracks caused Clark to say a prayer or two that they would make it to the farmhouse intact. His prayers were answered, they made it to the farmhouse and Clark assisted in the safe delivery of the baby. Clark now had the baby, the mother and the equipment and they all made their way back to the boat and back across the flooded creek the same way they had just come. Clark remembers praying and contemplating his faith several times throughout the job somewhat unconsciously. Upon reflection though, Clark ponders
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about this providing the meaning for him that ultimately led him to following a path to study theology and become the QAS Senior Chaplain. More recently, Clark has accepted the role of Manager of Statewide Spiritual and Pastoral Services as part of the new structure within Priority One.
Priority One expansion boosts proactive support for QAS staff and families This revised structure of the Priority One unit was an important expansion to ensure consistency and clarity across the state in terms of support and psychological education delivery as well as to provide a more proactive and preventative focus. To accomplish this a further three portfolio management positions were established to assist the Director, Todd Wehr in implementing this new model and include:
• Executive Manager of Clinical Psychological
Support – Dr Renee Treloar-Munroe. Renee has been within QAS HR Services for more than a decade, is trained as a Clinical Psychologist and undertook her PhD with Emergency Medical Dispatchers. Her role is to support and lead the internal and external Counselling teams and ensure that we continue to provide consistent evidence-based psychological interventions.
• Executive Manager of Psychological Education – John Murray. John is well known within QAS with more than three decades experience in various roles as a Critical Care Paramedic, Clinical Educator and more than a decade as a Staff Counsellor. He is currently taking some well-deserved Long Service Leave and his position is being filled by Nat Dunton. Nat is an experienced Psychologist, having worked within QPS and QFES. John and Nat’s role is to provide leadership and direction around evidence-based psychological education across the state.
• Executive Manager of Peer Support – Terri-ann Spence. Terri-ann, who will be known by many of you is a Psychologist who has had more than two decades within QAS, having worked as a paramedic and for more than a decade as a Staff Counsellor. Her role is to provide leadership, support and ensure consistency across the Peer Support groups located throughout the state.
