Retreat for Leaders in Healthcare

Presence, Compassion & Wisdom

The challenges senior leaders and their teams face in healthcare systems internationally are unprecedented and in that context, this retreat will offer personal space and collective wisdom to inspire new ways forward: What do we need in terms of visions, paths, communities and embodiment to meet the challenges of the present moment and the emerging future? These are challenging questions, so the retreat will take place with a shared commitment to confidentiality.

The retreat for Leaders in Healthcare will also refer to compelling evidence on the key elements needed to transform cultures in health and care to meet the challenges we face today.

Key themes will include:

• compassionate leadership,
• developing high quality care cultures
• promoting effective top management team working
• leading across system boundaries
• nurturing innovationself-care and self-compassion

Key practices will include:

• mindfulness (non-judgemental awareness with open curiosity and care),
• meditation and yoga exercises,
• silent walks in nature,
• relational dialogue
• peer-coaching
• access to Compassionate Action Learning Facilitation

This is a rich opportunity to come together with a small group of Senior Leaders from various European countries for a retreat in a beautiful and peaceful location in the Netherlands.

For quiet reflection and focused conversations and to explore what leadership is needed in healthcare. We will share ideas and information, connect deeply with values, explore healthcare people’s concerns, and identify healthcare people’s problems.

The retreat

The retreat will take place in De Hoorneboeg. It’s a beautiful place in the middle of old trees and on the border of peaceful moorland. The food is excellent, the spaces are serene and comfortable. It is about 45 minutes drive from Schiphol Airport.

June 3rd: arriving day (arrival & check in possible from 1pm CET)
June 4th: start retreat
June 6th: 4pm CET, end of retreat

The price for the retreat is €4.800,- (VAT included).
The offering includes three nights accommodation, all drinks and meals, (master)classes from Barbara & Michael and access to Compassionate Action Learning Facilitation.

The retreat does not include any travel expenses to get to the location.

This retreat is subject to the BFC Compassionate Care & Mindful Medicine terms and conditions.

Do you think you should be invited? Please let us know!

This Retreat for leaders in Healthcare is by invitation only and there are limited places available. Are you a leader in healthcare and would you like to receive an invitation to this retreat? Please feel welcome to share your interest by sending an e-mail to Barbara Doeleman-van Veldhoven and Michael West. After november first, we will send some new invitations for the places that are still available.

Meet Barbara Doeleman-van Veldhoven and Michael West

Barbara Doeleman-van Veldhoven is the founder of BFC Compassionate Care & Mindful Medicine. Her education, professional experience and contemplative practice underpin her integration of mindfulness, compassion, research evidence and wisdom into supporting healthcare leaders. She coaches executives, teams of medical doctors and guides leadership retreats. She does this with humour, compassion and clarity. She has co-authored several books on holistic health and personal leadership and is a member of the Health Impact Cluster of the Golbal Compassion Coalition. Her work includes international partnerships, integrating compassion into teamwork and leadership to promote compassionate cultures in healthcare.

“I feel very privileged to welcome you and spend some time together to reflect and inquire the wonder of the endless source of effective leadership, called awareness. Guiding this retreat together with my friend and inspirator professor Michael West is such a joy. Beside the  enormous body of knowledge, insights and experience Michael carries, the embodiment of what he teaches on compassionate leadership is very contagious.”

Michael West is Senior Visiting Fellow at The King’s Fund, London and Professor of Organisational Psychology at Lancaster University, Visiting Professor at University College, Dublin, and Emeritus Professor at Aston University. He is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society, the American Psychological Association (APA), the Academy of Social Sciences and the International Association of Applied Psychologists. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow and an Honorary Fellow of Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery. He is a member of the Advisory Council of The Global Compassion Coalition and of the Advisory Board of the Center for Compassionate Leadership.

He assisted in developing the national People Plan for the National Health Service in England focused on compassionate and inclusive leadership and in Northern Ireland in developing the Collective and Compassionate Leadership Strategy for Health and Social Care (2017). He is supporting Health Education and Improvement Wales to develop the national health and care compassionate leadership strategy for health and social care. He co-chaired with Dame Denise Coia, the two-year inquiry on behalf of the UK General Medical Council into the mental health and well-being of doctors Caring for Doctors, Caring for Patients (2019). He led the review for The King’s Fund (commissioned by the RCN Foundation) into the mental health and well-being of nurses and midwives across the UK, The Courage of Compassion: Supporting Nurses and Midwives to Deliver High Quality Care (2020). His latest book (2021) is Compassionate leadership: Sustaining wisdom, humanity and presence in health and social care (London: Swirling Leaf Press). He supports many health care and other public sector organizations internationally to develop compassionate, high quality care cultures.

He was appointed a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2020 for services to compassion and innovation in healthcare.

“This retreat offers a rare opportunity for pressured leaders to pause, reflect, connect (with core values and with others) and learn in a peaceful and supportive environment. I am honoured to contribute to this retreat, helping you as leaders, and working with Barbara who embodies the and wisdom leaders need to support them in healthcare.”