This week at ZestAgain, we’re feeling both proud and deeply grateful. On Saturday 5 September, we’ll be sharing our learning at the University of Queensland Compassion Symposium, highlighting the insights gained from supporting the compassion satisfaction and wellbeing of 356 palliative care clinicians across Queensland.
This work has been one of the most meaningful chapters in our journey at ZestAgain. Palliative care clinicians carry extraordinary emotional weight — often quietly, often without pause — and yet they continue to show up with tenderness, skill, and humanity. Supporting their wellbeing has reminded us again and again that caring is powerful, but it is also demanding. And when teams are given space to reflect on that reality, something shifts.
What We Learned From 356 Clinicians
Across Queensland, clinicians shared stories of purpose, fatigue, connection, and the invisible energy they invest each day. Through workshops, reflective practices, and the Professional Quality of Life (ProQoL) measure, several themes emerged:
Team functioning becomes clearer when people have space to reflect.
Teams identified strengths, stress points, and opportunities for improvement that often sit beneath the surface of busy clinical environments.
Intentional wellbeing spaces matter.
When clinicians are invited to pause, share experiences, and explore their own data, curiosity grows. Conversations deepen. Collective responsibility strengthens.
Awareness changes behaviour.
As clinicians recognised the emotional demands of their roles, they began to adopt healthier habits, set stronger boundaries, and cultivate more compassionate team cultures.
The Impact: Compassion Satisfaction in Action
Participants reported:
- increased understanding of Compassion Satisfaction,
- greater appreciation for self‑compassion practices, and
- renewed motivation to cultivate positivity within their workplace.
By combining awareness‑building, data‑driven reflection, and practical improvement processes, the program supported teams to develop more resilient, compassionate, and sustainable workforce practices — essential foundations for anyone working in emotionally complex care environments.
Why This Matters
Palliative care clinicians don’t just provide medical care; they hold families through some of life’s most profound moments. Their wellbeing isn’t optional — it’s central to the quality of care they deliver and the sustainability of their workforce.
We’re honoured to share their stories, their insights, and their courage at the UQ Compassion Symposium. And we’re excited to continue championing Compassion Balance as a core part of healthy, thriving care teams.
If you would like to join Sue Cosgrove at the UQ Compassion Symposium, please click the button below, and be part of a powerful day of learning, connection, and perspective‑shifting.
It’s a wonderful opportunity to explore the many ways compassion can shape our communities, ease pain, strengthen kindness, build emotional resilience, and support genuine human flourishing. We would love to see you there and share this meaningful conversation together.
With gratitude,
The ZestAgain Team
