Hello Members,
I hope you enjoyed the bumper previous DTA Connections edition. The 2014 Conference was a fantastic time of friendship, networking, growth and development. Thank you to all the contributors and especially to the hard working office staff and newsletter volunteers for putting together the last edition under time constraints.
Planning is already underway for the 2015 DTA Conference to be held on the Gold Coast. I would encourage all of you to also begin planning your own calendars so you have the opportunity to meet with your fellow Diversional Therapists. I know you will be uplifted, enlightened and excited!
As I write, I am spending a few days with my Mum in Southern NSW. She lives in a small coastal town, Sussex Inlet, 3 hours south of Sydney. It has been great to have a few days with her, and has reminded me of the need to stop, relax and to take the time to reassess what is important in our busy lives.
I would like to pass this message on to all of you, as we enter what, for many of us, is the busiest time of the year. Dr. Robert Thornton spoke to this at the recent DTA conference in Adelaide, when he highlighted the need to recognise stressors in our lives, and to review our individual needs and health. As we enter the month of November, it only seems a short time from Melbourne Cup celebrations through to Christmas. For the Diversional Therapist, this can be an exhausting time of planning and event organising, in supporting a diverse range of relational needs.
I would implore each of you to find some reflective time over this hectic period, where you can stop, assess and reassess, in considering your own individual needs and choices.
November also brings the Annual General Meeting. This year DTA, in conjunction with the National Education Officer, Steph, have taken a different approach as the AGM will follow on from an educational workshop. For those of you in NSW who are attending the workshop, I would encourage you to stay on for the AGM.
A fantastic initiative over the past few years has been the opportunity to phone in for the AGM. If you are part of a networking group, or even a few DT’s from the same or neighbouring organisations, consider if you might also be part of this. Why not share a light meal, network together and share ideas, before or after the AGM. Please let Diana know at the DTA office, so she can plan accordingly. There is no cost to you – all you will need is a speaker phone, so that you can all be part of the meeting. This is a great way for you to be up to date with what is happening within the peak body which represent you, the Diversional Therapist.
This year, I will be phoning in myself, and I look forward to connecting with many of you on the night,
Regards,
Louise Absalom
President