Travel Health News
Monthly travel health news about disease outbreaks around the world, from our Lead Nurse JO THOMPSON.
“A Pathway For A Healing Process”
When a civil war began in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, local staff with the international NGO ZOA continued to provide support to those who needed it. But they were…
Things To Know As You Support Staff Impacted By The Israel-Palestine Conflict
In a recent webinar we shared guidance with HR, leaders and managers on how they can best care for their team right now. Here’s 10 things that were…
When Conflict Impacts You Or Your Workplace
As the upsetting events in Israel and Gaza continue to unfold, we’ve been taking enquiries about ways we can support clients through the different, complex challenges they are…
Things To Know About … Creating A Trauma-Informed Workplace
Are you ‘trauma-informed’? We asked BEN PORTER and DIANA CHEPKOSGEI from our psychosocial team to explain why this is an important question for all HR, managers & leaders…
See You In Geneva?
From 25-26 October we’ll be at the world’s leading humanitarian aid and disaster relief event in Switzerland, AIDEX. Here’s the lowdown. AIDEX features high-level conference sessions, workshops, discussion…
Introducing Our New Chief Thriving Officer
We’re pleased to announce that KAREN ABBS is joining our leadership team. In this Q+A she introduces herself and the role, and tells us what excites her as…
‘We’ve Seen People Come Back To Life’ – Tales From Tigray
TEDDY CHAKEE and ELIAS OMER from our psychosocial team have in recent months been providing mental health support to NGO workers who live and work in the war-impacted…
Introducing Our New Psychosocial & Wellbeing Lead
BEN PORTER is our new ‘Psychosocial & Wellbeing Lead’! In this Q+A he pays tribute to his predecessor, shares his hopes, and explains why his role is a…
The Overlooked Ways To Build Trust In An NGO Team
How do you build trust in a team? What if that team’s work is often complex and stressful? We were recently asked to write some answers to these…
Why Church Leaders Should Prioritise Their Self-Care
Over the years, Doctors SIMON CLIFT, TED LANKESTER and MATT EDWARDS have all noticed that the care church leaders give to others often comes at the expense of…
“You are genuine, genuine world class experts”
What’s the culture like in your workplace? Would the most junior member of your team describe it in the same way as the most senior? And how can…
8 Workplace Trends We’re Noticing At The Moment
In our work equipping purpose-led organisations to thrive, we try to take time out to reflect on the trends we notice. At the midpoint of 2023, CEO LEANNE…
Things To Consider When Choosing A Counsellor
When you first access counselling with us, you’ll be offered a choice as to who you‘d like to work with. But what should you consider when choosing a…
Does Duty Of Care Stop At Passport Control?
Many organisations send their staff to see a travel health specialist before they embark on a big journey. But what about afterwards? DR. TED LANKESTER explains why this…
8 Ways To Foster Belonging In Your Workplace
We all need to feel like we belong. On the blog last year, our CEO LEANNE MAREGA talked about why this is true in work as well as…
The Psychosocial Impact Of The Russian Invasion
Thrive’s ANASTASIA THOMAS is a member of our psychosocial team from Kyiv, Ukraine. A year on from the start of the war, this is what she’s noticed about…
How To Keep Your Work Culture Healthy In A High Risk Environment
A toxic culture makes work a harder place to be. But if you’re an aid worker in a warzone, a toxic culture can make work a more lethal…
Why You Should Consider A ‘Gentle Finish’ To The Year
If you’re putting pressure on yourself or others to complete as many work tasks as possible before the Christmas break, Thrive’s DIANA CHEPKOSGEI has an alternative message for…
How To Help A Workforce Become More Resilient To Change
Thrive’s ANN MURAYA helps organisations large and small grow resilience in their teams, so they are more prepared to face uncertain times. Here she lifts the lid on…
The Two Foundations Of Staff Wellbeing
Our Consultant Psychologist GRAHAM FAWCETT gets to the heart of what makes for a happy, healthy team. In his book Dying For A Paycheck, the researcher Jeffrey Pfeiffer…
How To Talk About Wellbeing At Work
It’s not always easy to talk about. But it’s crucial we do so. Here Staff Care Specialist BEN PORTER shares ideas for both staff and managers on how…
The Paradoxes Of Time & Memory
Why do some memories of distant events seem like ages ago and others seem like yesterday? Consultant Clinical Psychologist GRAHAM FAWCETT explores… In counselling sessions, we often ask…
The Joy Of Rest
Whether you’re an intern or CEO, young or old, working outdoors or at a desk, the truth is the same: you need rest to stay healthy. Here’s nine things we at Thrive know about rest.
Why Staff Need To Feel A Sense Of Belonging At Work
Why is it important for staff to feel a sense of belonging in their jobs? Our CEO LEANNE MAREGA explores…
Preparing And Caring For Staff Who Travel
The pandemic has not only changed how people travel, it’s changed how people feel about travel too. In a recent webinar, three of our staff care experts shared…
How Do You Know A Person Is Psychologically Able To Work In A Dangerous Place?
At the start of the pandemic, the NGO Medair asked us to help them develop an online method for recruiting staff to work in places of conflict. This led our Psychosocial Director GRAHAM FAWCETT and Medair’s Staff Wellbeing Advisor DANIELA KRISOVA on a journey. Here they share the story.
Ready For Launch: Our New Support Network For Climate And Conservation Leaders
Psychologist and Facilitator JESS BRAINCH is co-hosting a series of sessions at Thrive designed to support leaders who work in climate change and conservation. Here she tells us why, and how you can be a part of it.
In Search Of A Cure For Polarising Politics
In August millions of people will go to the polls in Kenya’s national elections. It’s a season that often evokes past traumas and stokes political divisions. In the…
Feeling Lonely? You’re Not Alone.
It’s Mental Health Week in the UK and in this blog Thrive’s GRAHAM FAWCETT reflects on a topic he often encounters in counselling with humanitarian and aid workers:…
The Ukraine War: How To Care For Staff Who Are Impacted By It
How can you best support team members who are responding to the war, or have been affected by it?
The Battle Against Climate Anxiety
Working in conservation and climate change is hard. As more of our clients ask us to support them in this area, we want to better understand their needs. And so we recently invited a small group of them to tell us about the obstacles to their wellbeing. Here’s some of what they told us.
Travelling For Work: A Waste Of Time Or Time Well Spent?
From short commutes to international travel, Thrive’s Psychosocial Director GRAHAM FAWCETT encourages us to notice the unsung benefits of travelling for work. Over the last two years, we’ve…
Stress In Aid And Development – Getting To Know Its Causes & Remedies
What causes stress in aid and development work? And what can be done about it? Thrive’s LOTTIE SHIPP has been digging deep into our data to look for…
Ending Burnout Culture In The Aid Sector
The work of DR. GEMMA HOULDEY is close to our heart. She’s a Wellbeing Advisor and Researcher whose new book The Vulnerable Humanitarian is about ending burnout culture…
Medical Reviews For Travelling Staff: A Serious Gap In Duty of Care?
As the pandemic continues to distract attention away from other health issues, Travel Medicine Specialist DR. TED LANKESTER makes the case that organisations need to ensure their staff…
13 Lessons On Living With COVID-19 In 2022 & Beyond
Our panel of doctors, psychologists, occupational health and organisational consultants recently gave a holistic view of how to care for yourself, your team and your organisation in 2022…
Coping With Political Crisis – A Look At Ethiopia
Civil conflict in a country can cause tension, fear and loss. Psychologist DIANA CHEPKOSGEI shares a number of ways you can cope during the ongoing political crisis in…
Returning To The Office – 7 Things We’ve Noticed
Many organisations we support are starting to return their teams to the office. In a recent webinar, we shared with them some ways to make this transition simple,…
Protecting Your Mental Health In An Unequal World
Many of you who read this blog dedicate much of your life to reducing inequality, and so we asked our Psychosocial experts BEN PORTER and LIZ PYCROFT to…
7 Tips For Going Back To The Office
With the world learning how to live with the virus, things are slowly opening up. For some, this means going back to the office. Psychotherapist BEN PORTER thinks…
COVID-19 Vaccines – FAQs
Our Medical Director MATT EDWARDS answers your questions about the Coronavirus vaccine. Last updated 27 May 2021. How does a vaccine work? It trains and prepares the body’s natural…
Understanding Mild Cognitive Impairment
Our Consultant Psychologist GRAHAM FAWCETT looks at the phenomena of Mild Cognitive Impairment during the pandemic, and shares tips on what to do about it if it’s affecting you. Have…
Emerging From Lockdown… Again!
With many countries starting to lift restrictions, Psychotherapist BEN PORTER reflects on the feelings we may now encounter. For some people, this second lockdown has been characterised by…
9 Ways You Can Create Psychological Safety In Your Organisation
When members of a team feel able to speak up, to raise a concern, or to disagree with others, they work harder, perform better and are more creative….
10 Books To Help You Thrive
Books have been a great source of hope, joy, growth, learning and escape for many of us at Thrive. If you’re looking for something new to read, here’s…
Coaching You Through The Pandemic
Thrive Coach NANCI HOGAN explores how the pandemic has slowly eroded our vitality, and how coaching can help us develop the insights, skills and actions to reverse this…
Riding The Second Wave – Self-Care Tips
Staff-Care Consultant and Psychotherapist BEN PORTER on how each of us might best look after ourselves as the pandemic continues. Here we are, the second wave of Coronavirus…
Staff Wellbeing In The Second Wave – The Role Of Managers
Psychosocial Director GRAHAM FAWCETT on how managers are brilliantly placed to support colleagues in the coming months. Managing staff and organisations is a challenge at the best of…
COVID-19 Travel Clearance For UK Residents
If you live in the UK and need to prove you don’t have COVID-19 before travelling to another country, then our ‘COVID-19 Travel Clearance’ service is for you….
Be Encouraged And Keep It Up!
Where do you find encouragement at the moment? In this blog post, Psychotherapist and Staff Care Consultant BEN PORTER reflects on this question, and looks at how we can cultivate…
Thinking About A Career Change?
NANCI HOGAN is both a Coach and Director of Thought Leadership here at Thrive. She reflects on a growing trend of people considering a career change, and shares some…
Fed Up With Coronavirus? A Suggestion From Week 22…
Our Psychosocial Director GRAHAM FAWCETT explores a feeling we can probably all relate to at the moment. If we could invent a term for the stage we are…
Our New ‘Wellbeing Focal Points’ Programme
We recently launched a new service to help organisations take better care of their staff, by training team members to look out for the mental wellbeing of their…
Counselling With A Translator – How It Works
For fifteen years, Thrive Counsellor and Trainer TEDDY CHAKEE has supported people across East Africa who have been impacted by conflict trauma, often working with a translator. Here…
Psychological Safety – Behind The Buzzword
‘Psychological Safety’ is being talked about in many organisations at the moment. Director of Learning ERIN LLOYD ROTICH explains what it is, why it’s important, and how you…
Staying Connected With Your Children When Separated From Them
Psychosocial Director GRAHAM FAWCETT and Adolescent Counsellors CLAUDIA SMITH and GEMMA CAMACHO offer practical insights and tips for parents who cannot be with their children at the moment….
Finding Insights In ‘Fast’ And ‘Slow’ Thinking
Our Psychosocial Director GRAHAM FAWCETT shares useful insights from his exploration of fast and slow thinking. Last year, popping to the shops was effortless. On one occasion, I had three…
3 Considerations For New ‘Hybrid’ Workspaces
With many organisations working out how to function as they emerge from lockdown, GRAHAM FAWCETT shares three considerations for how they might flourish in the long-term. Once upon a time,…
COVID-19: An Existential Crisis?
Our Thought Leadership Director NANCI HOGAN on the search for answers to the big questions some of us are asking ourselves at the moment. There are many aspects…
What Happened To April, March & May?
Psychosocial Director GRAHAM FAWCETT delves into our odd relationship with time lately. Our experience of time is weird at the moment. It’s simultaneously seems too slow and too fast….
We Need To Talk About Sleep
Our Consultant Clinical Psychologist GRAHAM FAWCETT takes a look at problematic sleeping. If you’ve experienced no sleep problems at all since the pandemic began to directly affect you,…
As You Emerge From Lockdown
With many countries beginning to lift restrictions, Psychotherapist BEN PORTER reflects on what feelings we might encounter moving forward. The effects of isolation have been studied with groups…
Feeling Fatigued? It’s Normal!
Psychotherapist and Staff Care Consultant BEN PORTER explains why many people feel tired at the moment, and what you can do about it. If you’re feeling exhausted at the moment,…
9 Ergonomic Tips For Working From Home
SIMON CLIFT is our occupational health guru, and these are his tips for staying comfortable and healthy if you are working from home. Set boundaries and prioritise recovery…
Leading Well In Challenging Times
Director of Health Services ALISON COULTER shares her thoughts. Very few leaders have been through times as challenging as these – the word “unprecedented” might be overused at…
Leadership & Decision-Making During COVID-19
Our Director of Psychosocial Services GRAHAM FAWCETT shares some considerations for organisation leaders. Leadership can be scary enough without throwing a pandemic into the mix. In this blog, I’ll…
Telemedicine – An Introduction
Our Director of Medical Services MATT EDWARDS explains how our Telemedicine service can help you access medical consultations wherever you are in the world. What is telemedicine? It’s basically…
10 Tips For Managing Remote Teams
Since Thrive launched in 2017, we’ve been a “virtual” company – with our team members all working from home and connecting online. Our CEO LEANNE KENNEDY has been sharing…
Looking After Yourself On The Frontline
Our Director of Psychosocial Services GRAHAM FAWCETT with some guidance for working on the frontline of the Covid-19 pandemic. So, this is mad. It’s a normal day at…
Parenting in a Challenging Season
GEMMA CAMACHO from Thrive shares some guidance on meeting parenting challenges during Covid19. If we had to choose one word to summarise this season, it would likely be…
10 Tips For Remote Learning
If you’re starting to explore remote, online learning in your work, then this blog post is for you. We asked our Director of Learning ERIN LLOYD ROTICH to…
‘So Now We Are Isolated…’
Our Director of Psychosocial Services GRAHAM FAWCETT shares ideas and tips for self-isolating. For most of us, most of the time, the idea of a day at home…
Managing Scary Thoughts In Scary Times
Our Director of Psychosocial Services GRAHAM FAWCETT shares a reflection on human responses to the Coronavirus outbreak. The wonderful thing about human beings is how exquisitely attuned we are…
Transdiagnostic Approach – An Introduction
In the first of a new series of blogs on ‘Transdiagnostics’, our Director of Psychosocial Services GRAHAM FAWCETT casts a critical eye over the ‘medicalisation of misery’, and…
4 Common Travel Illnesses… And How To Avoid Them
Thrive Worldwide’s JOELLE MUMLEY shares some simple tips for staying healthy when travelling. It is important to take care of yourself while travelling. One important way to do…
Dear Humanitarian, Are You Prepared For The Rains?
Rain can have both a physical and emotional impact on a humanitarian worker. As a team, it is important to know what this impact looks like and how…
The Basics of Burnout
Staff Care Consultant & Psychotherapist BEN PORTER shares some simple lessons about a complex term. Burnout. It’s a word that’s being thrown around quite a lot these days. And…
5 Staff Care Strategies To Remember In Times Of Redundancy
Our Director of Organisation Health ANN MURAYA shares her guidance on the unpleasant task of making team members redundant. Restructuring is an inevitable part of running an organisation….
Leadership and Management
Organisation Health specialist ALISON COULTER looks at the differences between leadership and management and how to build an effective culture in the aid sector. I have noticed how…
Reverse Culture Shock
If you have been on international assignment, adjusting to life back home is not easy, especially if you had a meaningful experience. Counsellor JOANNE ELSWORTH demystifies reverse culture…
Non-Communicable Diseases. Why Are They So Important to Know About?
Travel Health Specialist TED LANKESTER gives some profound insight on what Non-Communicable diseases are and recommends simple ways of staying healthy. This summer I spent a few days…
Coaching and Counselling…..Making an Informed Choice
Psychotherapist and Wellbeing Coach Martyn Watson looks at the differences between a life coach and a counsellor and how you can choose the right person and the right…
Is Peer Support Worth It?
Psychotherapist BEN PORTER highlights some of the opportunities and pitfalls of peer support in the development and humanitarian sector. I have been part of very effective peer support…
Insect Bites: Our Top Tips
Our lead travel health nurse Jo Thompson shares advice for avoiding and treating insect bites. Vaccines and medication prevent some insect-borne diseases, but many other diseases can only…
“My Personal Experience Of Family Liaison”
If someone is involved in a crisis and can’t speak for themselves, then someone else has to step in and speak with families on their behalf. Here Organisational…
3 Tips to Staying Healthy as you Travel
While travel can be fun, a lot can happen that might affect your physical and mental health. Thrive Worldwide’s JOELLE MUMLEY shares three things to consider for a…
Understanding The Mirroring Effect in the Humanitarian Sector
Have you walked into a team and almost immediately felt stressed, calm, happy, anxious and wondered why? Psychologist GRAHAM FAWCETT explores Psychological mirroring and the effects it has in…
Rising Above Cynicism: Appreciative Inquiry as a Way to Thrive
Have you always struggled to fight off cynicism and ended up losing every time? Dr. WHITNEY FRY believes that you may be looking at it the wrong way….
Humanitarian Resilience. Calling Home May Save Your Life.
Resilience goes beyond merely coping. It also involves growth, change and joy. Director of The Resilience CheckIn JOHN FAWCETT believes that staying connected will not only help you…
Safeguarding – Not For the Fainthearted.
Our Psychosocial Director GRAHAM FAWCETT takes an in-depth look at safeguarding to ensure safety in your organization ‘How can I help?’ I asked the po-faced Detective Inspector. ‘You…
Three Ways to Strengthen Your Commitment to Staff Wellbeing
Our CEO, Leanne Kennedy talks through three key ways you can strengthen your commitment to staff wellbeing and how we can come alongside you to this… Following the…
Reducing the Speed Limit for Environmental Professionals
Environmentalist and Co-Author SARAH CHILES suggests three ways we can reduce our ‘speed limit’ so that we can experience joy and hope along the way to securing ecosystems…
Thriving Leaders and Teams Creating Thriving Organisations
Director of Health Services ALISON COULTER shares principles of good leadership and how thriving teams can be developed and sustained from thriving leaders. I am still inspired by…
Duty of Care and the Role of Line Managers
Certified Practitioner FAYE EKONG sheds more light on duty of care for managers being more than an obligation, and how line managers can promote wellbeing and psychological safety…
Interview with Graham Fawcett, Psychosocial Lead
Psycosocial lead GRAHAM FAWCETT talks about his past experiences, cross-culture and his transdiagnostics approach in mental health. How does the work you’ve recently done as a Consultant Clinical…
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