Testimonials
Meg Durham is an experienced speaker who has been able to preserve her authenticity and natural connection to herself...
“to create an atmosphere of closeness and intimacy with her listeners. One loses all sense of time whilst listening to the engaging narrative of her true passion - the importance of teacher wellbeing.”
Olli-Pekka Heinonen
Director General, International Baccalaureate Organization
Meg presented at our Staff Wellbeing Professional Learning Day.
“Having listened to Meg’s podcast and connecting with her, I was excited for our staff to hear Meg’s wisdom and strategies on how we can all look after ourselves, and she did not disappoint. From the get go, Meg connected magnetically with our staff and her sense of humour, wit and ability to understand exactly what we are feeling and experiencing was not only a wake up call but refreshing. Meg cut through the nonsense and gave us practical strategies on how we can better our wellbeing in small steps. In just 1 hour, Meg was able to challenge our thinking and help us to reflect on the why’s and how’s of personal wellbeing and many of our staff walked away already setting personal and collective goals.”
Liana Colaluca
Head of Students, Catholic Ladies College
We opened our school year with Meg as our guest speaker.
“Staff Wellbeing is a focus for us as it is for most organisations. I did not want the advice around staff wellbeing to be about tokenistic gestures, but rather being led to understand how we can care for ourselves and what stops us from not doing this, even though most of us know what we should be doing. Meg was brilliant at challenging our habits of thinking or the default position we go to which prevents us from moving forward. Personally, I felt that she had almost read me (and my excuses) in a context which was so human and understanding. Others felt the same way. Her presentation was humorous, backed by solid research, and had a powerful impact on the staff. This week as we automatically started to say and do our usual things and go into our usual habits, I have heard people pull themselves up and laughingly quote her to challenge themselves and each other to move to more positive, productive and less toxic habits and behaviours.”
Marise McConaghy
Principal, Strathcona Girls Grammar School
Meg is an excellent speaker and presenter, with a very realistic approach and outlook.
“Meg's presentation was engaging and allowed time for reflecting, thinking and sharing. She spoke in a way that was inclusive of all and did not focus solely on teaching staff. Meg gave us a lot of food for thought and the feedback from teaching and non-teaching staff has been extremely positive, with people referencing Meg's words, quotes and anecdotes since her day with us at Santa Maria. Staff were grateful for the opportunity to work with Meg and to be introduced to Meg's podcasts, too.”
- Nadia Petrocco
Deputy Principal Operations and Staff, Santa Maria College
Meg presented to 70 of our primary school staff, initiating a staff wellbeing strategy.
"Her ability to provide critical information and facts regarding the topic of wellbeing, through engaging narrative and in a relatable way, is outstanding. Her presentation was dynamic; moving staff through light hearted ownership of our strengths and challenges, into the critical importance of the impact healthy wellbeing practices can have on our personal, professional and relational selves. As a school principal seeking to initiate a whole of staff strategy, I couldn't have asked for the initial presentation to go better."
- Glen Bucklar
Principal, Siena Catholic Primary School
Meg’s passion for walking with our educators through the challenges of caring for our wellbeing was outstanding.
"Her years of experience supporting educators in many different contexts which has given her numerous first hand stories she has lived, gives her an insightful knowledge and understanding of wellbeing in schools, which strengthens her genuine warm connection that inspire educators to want to learn more. Meg’s presentation on wellbeing for our school leaders was engaging, real, impactful, fun and timely for educators who continue to face growing challenges of self-care, as the need for connection and care for young people in schools grows."
- Josh Culverhouse
President, Brisbane Metropolitan Deputy Principal Network
I wanted to express our gratitude for the fantastic whole staff wellbeing session that you presented recently.
"Your presentation was both timely and relevant, it provided us with valuable insights into how we can prioritise our own wellbeing to avoid exhaustion and burnout and has left a profound impact on all of us. We were especially impressed by the way you connected with us on a personal level, and shared your own experiences and insights. This made the session feel very relatable, thoughtful and practical. Overall, we feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work and learn with you."
Kathryn Quinn
Deputy Principal and Wellbeing Leader, Clairvaux Catholic School
Meg demonstrated a deep understanding of the challenges facing school staff in today's world...
"and provided practical tools and strategies to promote positive mental health and wellbeing for all. What stood out to me most was the passion and enthusiasm that Meg brought to the table and her knowledge backed by personal experience allowing her to connect to the audience. The presentation was engaging, interactive and thought-provoking, and left many of us feeling motivated and inspired to make positive changes. I highly recommend Meg to anyone looking to promote wellbeing in a school setting. Thank you for this enlightening experience."
Steven McKnoulty
Deputy principal, Red Hill Special School
Her voice in the teacher wellbeing space is long overdue, but worth the wait!
"Meg's presentation is more than inspirational. It is actionable, authentic, and respectful of the complex role educators play in our human ecosystem. She leaves you feeling empowered to take small steps toward building resilience in both your personal and professional life. Her voice in the teacher wellbeing space is long overdue, but worth the wait!"
Georgia Heffernan
Pedagogy Coach, Parade College
Meg has a great style of delivery, weaving humour and lived experience and practical activites into her important messages.
"I attended Meg's session where she shared practical, thought provoking information about how we can support our own wellbeing. Meg has a great style of delivery, weaving humour and lived experience and practical activities into her important messages. Her years spent teaching give her incredible insight into some of the pressure and challenges teachers and schools face and the critical importance of supporting teachers' own wellbeing to ensure they can fulfill their own potential and in turn support students and other staff."
Hilary Shelton
Chief Executive Officer, ACHPER Victoria
If laughter is the best medicine, then our staff session with meg was the most wonderful medicine we have taken as a staff team.
"Over time, we have explored many places/spaces/options to promote staff wellbeing with varying but often limited success. Taking a principal colleague's timely advice to book Meg has paid dividends for our team!
Meg's passion for the wellbeing of all 'big-hearted educators' is centre front in her presentation. She speaks with honesty; she knows the world of teaching and school so well! Our staff noted how easily they could hear and see themselves in the many examples Meg provided about the life of a teacher and the complex work we do in education. We all laughed our way through the personal recognition of our own truths, as to who we can sometimes be both personally, and in our staff community.
Meg imparted practical wisdom and advice to us for not only managing our own wellbeing, but prioritising our wellbeing. I highly recommend to school leadership teams to get in touch with Meg and see how she can help you to create a safe space to talk about and put in place strategies for improvement in wellbeing for all staff."
Jo Scott-Pegum
Principal, St Patrick's Primary School
Meg did not disappoint with excellent, practical and relatable information.
"Meg spoke to our staff at the beginning of the school year; it was great to invest in our staff. Meg did not disappoint with excellent, practical and relatable information. I would highly recommend Meg to speak and inspire your people."
Vicky Fraanje
Deputy principal, belgrave heights christian school
Right from the start, Meg formed an instant connection with our audience, making every person feel seen and understood.
"She has an impressive ability to grasp our emotions, nuances and experiences and deliver them as a reality-check wrapped in humour and warmth. Meg created a safe environment for our audience to recognise unhelpful habits and thinking patterns, that might have previously gone unnoticed, and walk away with practical and easy interventions for breaking them."
Lisa Davias
CEO, Positive Education Schools Association
Her 5-Step Energy Guide has been a game-changer and we can't thank her enough for taking the time to visit us
"We were lucky enough to have Meg visit the Howqua Campus and present separately to both staff and students. Meg very quickly identified the factors that affect our staff in a full-time residential program. Wellbeing is at the heart of our campus but can easily be forgotten as the program gets busy. Staff were amazed with how accurately Meg described their challenges. Her 5-Step Energy Guide has been a game-changer and we can't thank her enough for taking the time to visit us and share her evidence-based and experience-based practices."
Ali Manson
Vice Prinicpal, Head of Howqua campus, luriston girls school
we extend a heartful thanks to meg for her wonderful contribution to our community.
"As a part of Billanook College's continuous commitment to Staff wellbeing, we had the privilege of hosting an inspiring guest speaker who left a lasting impression on our Staff. The insightful and practical presentation delivered by Meg was a breath of fresh air. It left our Staff with a renewed motivation to prioritise their own mental health and wellbeing, so that they are better positioned to support and serve our College community.
Meg exuded a genuine understanding of our unique and caring community and spoke with consideration, compassion and a level of humour that captured our attention from the very beginning. Meg's background in education, combined with her knowledge and expertise in wellbeing was evident and allowed her to translate concepts into practical advice. The positive impact of her presentation is evident in the continued lively discussions and reflections in our workplace since the workshop.
We extend a heartful thanks to Meg for her wonderful contribution to our community."
Georgina Mullarvey
Head of primary school, Billanook College
I feel more connected with the staff thanks to discussing our shared experiences collectively.
"I love listening to Meg's presentations. Personally, I feel more connected with the staff thanks to discussing our shared experiences collectively. Acknowledging the complications and difficulties of balancing everything in life and the demands on educators in the modern day is so meaningful and vital to our well being. Enormously grateful for the support. Thanks Meg."
Blaza Nikolic
LSO, Clairvaux Catholic school
She (Meg) is a true advocate for all educators!
"I first heard Meg speak at ACU's Teachers Health and Well-being Symposium. She spoke authentically of teachers' difficulties in this current climate, including identifying the enablers and barriers impacting teacher's mental health and wellbeing. The meaningful way Meg detailed these factors helps to validate anxieties and reassures teachers they are not alone in their struggles. Meg provides teachers with strategies to mitigate these factors and steps to sustain better mental health. She is a true advocate for all educators!"
Dr Kim Rowston
Lecturer, Australian Catholic University
Meg's passion, expertise, and genuine care shine through in every session, making it easy to invest in and connect to the content being shared.
"Meg Durham has been the guiding force behind our school's transformative year-long journey titled "Thrive by Design". Meg's unwavering commitment to our well-being and her insights have had a profound impact on our lives, both personally and professionally.
Throughout this program, Meg led us on a journey of self-discovery, encouraging us to explore our limits, understand the importance of taking time for ourselves, and providing us with the tools to navigate the daily challenges of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Her approach is not just theoretical; it is a practical, hands-on approach that has given us the tools to implement positive changes in our lives.
Meg didn't just facilitate sessions; she actively listened to our needs, and then tailored her guidance to meet the unique context of our school. Meg's ability to create a safe and open space has allowed us to share our challenges and triumphs, fostering a sense of community among us.
Meg's work is powerful. Her teachings go beyond conventional well-being practices, offering a holistic approach that addresses the mental, emotional, and physical aspects of our lives. Through her guidance, we've not only learned to prioritize ourselves but also gained the language and understanding to support our colleagues on their own well-being journeys.
I, wholeheartedly recommend Meg Durham and the "Thrive by Design" program to anyone seeking a profound and lasting impact on their well-being journey. Meg's passion, expertise, and genuine care shine through in every session, making it easy to invest in and connect to the content being shared.
As educators, the demands of our profession are unique and often overwhelming. Meg has provided us with the tools and mindset to prioritize ourselves without guilt, recognizing that by doing so, we are better equipped to bring the best versions of ourselves to our work each day. The ripple effect of Meg's teachings is felt not only in our personal lives but also in the positive atmosphere she has helped create within our school."