Serving the Servers

Valerie has a deep compassion and ability to understand the many individual and group experiences. She facilitated teaching and nonteaching staff through her model of self-care at a time when many staff could not conceive the thought of kindness for themselves. She presents self care in parcels that enable a greater inner connection than any other familiar models. The particular areas of focus she introduces allow individuals to connect their own self care plan with organisational wellbeing strategies and in doing so enables empowerment through this telescopic connection of self, community and service to others.

Valerie entered an environment that is experiencing tremendous grief, loss and pain. She brought with her joy, light-heartedness and a reverence of respect for the school community facing many challenges and meeting them with great determination. The work that Valerie has achieved with the Hillcrest Primary School will be the first example of systematically refocusing wellbeing on staff so they in turn are able fulfil their role in developing younger people.

Valerie's insights into building resilience in ministry are built on deep and varied personal experience, which in tandem with the theory, are very powerful and helpful in growing participant self-care and developing sustained, fruitful, and joyful ministry practice.

The Bullet Proof course was an incredibly reflective space, where I was able to explore some of my strengths and shortcomings in taking care of myself. It was helpful to understand burnout prevention from different angles and how to highlight the different areas I need to work through to feel sustained as I continue my career in Psychology.

Valerie is a very engaging presenter. The presentations provided the perfect mix of new content, intellectual rigour, humour, real life examples, strategies and affirmations. Valerie spent time beforehand to understand the context of our school community in order, to create bespoke presentations. We have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from our school community about the presentations. I would highly recommend engaging Valerie Ling and her practice Effective Living.

Valerie's parenting seminar on raising resilient parents was insightful and wonderfully practical. She explained how to use a variety of tools across the age range to better connect with and support kids as they deal with emotions, starting with effectively modelling these strategies to your kids as you deal with your own emotions and responding to your kids/the situation they're in in a helpful way.

Valerie's Burnout Prevention Program came across my desk and little did I know how much I needed it. The program taught me content I didn't know I needed, but has that of which has made a significant impact in my day to day life. It has supported me to gain an insight into my behaviours and work to develop better processes, thereby not only helping myself, but also my team and my family. Thanks Valerie!