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Cathy Parsons

 

Member profile details

First name
Cathy
Last name
Parsons
 

My Story

The Change I Want to See in the World
The world I want to change is in health care. Performance of health care professionals is becoming eroded because the environment is not conducive to supporting their mental health. We can teach individuals strategies to protect their mental health and even to thrive. However, this occurs in environments that are coherent: a) where basic hierarchy of human needs is supported, b) where there is trust and compassion, c) where individuals have the resources necessary to do their job; and where there is support of individual and collective use of strengths.
Books That Greatly Influenced My Life
Ann of Green Gables; Man's Search for Meaning; The Road Less Travelled; The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem; Learned Optimism; The Optimistic Child; Authentic Happiness
Fun Facts About Me
I have and appreciate a good sense of humour!
My husband and kids are my best friends.
I love dogs, especially daschunds.
I love learning and new experiences, eg. karyoke, hot air balloon flights, ziplining, climbing the mesas in Arizona.
 

Personal information

Bio
Cathy has spent over 40 years within health care as a nurse educator and professional practice consultant. In those roles she was devoted to improving the practice and experiences of all health care professionals serving patients and families within the health care environment.

Following the completion of the MAPP program, she introduced applications of positive psychology interventions to enhance meaning and engagement for nurses, students, allied health care professionals, and leaders in both the practice and academic settings. In 2010 she facilitated the use of Appreciative Inquiry to support nurses to re-envision their practice.

Cathy facilitates discussions with members of the public and private sector to raise curiosity and awareness about the science behind well-being and happiness. She has also fostered the concepts of strengths-based practice within patient/family care and in academia. She was involved with a work team that implemented the Canadian Mental Health Association's National Standards on Psychological Health & Safety in the Workplace.

Her passion is to help individuals, teams, and organizations identify ways to flourish.
Photo
 

Professional Information

Primary Focus
Fostering the psychological well-being of health care professionals within environments that have a culture of learning and growth.
Primary Focus Details
Strengths-based philosophy and applications within health care and academic settings. Fostering psychological capital, in particular resiliency, to re-engage professionals with their personal lives and professional practice.
Professional Area
  • Medicine
Active Professional Interests
  • Appreciative Inquiry
  • Consulting
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Government & Policy
  • Health Care
  • Humanities
  • Old age
  • Yoga
Professional Skills
  • Consulting
  • Facilitating groups
  • Leadership development
  • Speaking
  • Teaching resilience
  • Writing
Fluent in Languages
  • English
Certifications
Crucial Conversations Facilitator

Strengths-Based Mindfulness Meditation program, VIA Institute

Course in Compassion and Mindfulness.
 

Education

Degrees Before MAPP
Registered Nursing Diploma

Bachelor of Science in Nursing
 

Social Media

 

Speaking Experience

Interested in Speaking Referrals
Yes
Speaking Topics
Psychological Safety in the Workplace - Health Care
Personal & Professional Resiliency in Health Care
Harnessing Strengths to be more Mindful at Work - Health Care
Experience speaking to large audiences
Yes
 

Publications

Capstone title and abstract
Positive Psychology and Positive Interventions for Nurses

This capstone project draws on concepts from the field of positive psychology and applies them to the practice of nurses. More specifically, the author is interested in the design and use of positive interventions that could be used by nurses to enhance their experience of work in the health care setting. The intended purposes of such interventions - to foster individual autonomy in the creation of positive emotions, and enhance meaning and engagement in the workplace. Foundational to the design of these positive interventions is relevant research from the fields of positive psychology and nursing. The context of the Canadian health care environment and factors related to quality of work life form the backdrop for the interventions generated. The positive interventions designed provide the researcher, educator, leader and direct care provider opportunity to apply the strategies and determine their ability to enhance well-being at work while potentially building greater psychological capacities
 

Contact data

Province/State
ON
Country
Canada
MAPP Geography
  • Canada
 

MAPP Information

MAPP Graduation Year
2008
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