Hi I’m Ana Vavrek. I’m a Registered Nurse and Holistic Nurse Wellbeing Coach based in Canberra, Australia.
After many years travelling the world as a flight attendant, I decided to become a Registered Nurse. Quite a career change, right?! It’s now been ten years, and in that time I’ve had the privilege of working with some incredible nurses and nurse leaders, and I've seen first hand how burnout can affect nurses, especially during the pandemic. I experienced burnout myself, and it was a really difficult time for me. I felt overwhelmed, exhausted, and like I couldn't cope anymore.
The experience made me realise that I needed to prioritise my wellbeing. As nurses we can’t take care of others if we're not taking care of ourselves, right?! That's why I then trained with the Beautiful You Coaching Academy as a Life Coach and started my business as a Holistic Nurse Wellbeing Coach.
I wanted to help nurses cultivate resilience, prevent burnout, and rediscover their passion for their profession, and I honestly feel so grateful and privileged to have this opportunity to support nurses in this way.
On a side note, I love reading personal development books, travelling and exploring new places, singing and writing haiku poetry.
Ana Vavrek, Registered Nurse and Holistic Nurse Wellbeing Coach
How do you engage with your community or clients? Are there forums, social media groups, or other channels where clients can connect, share experiences, and ask questions?
I founded a free online community on Facebook. The Huddle Nurse Network is a positive and supportive space for nurses and nursing students of all backgrounds to connect, share their experiences and learn more about holistic wellbeing and self-care. I regularly go live in the group and present episodes for the self care series addressing the physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual and professional aspects of wellbeing and self-care.
The best social media channel to connect with me is Instagram.
Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today.
That’s a big question which unapologetically requires a big answer.
I was in my early thirties and four days into a dream holiday on the Amalfi coast, when my world shattered. My mother unexpectedly passed away, triggering in me years of an on-off relationship with anxiety and the occasional panic attack. But, I didn’t let it stop me from having an amazing life and career as a flight attendant – travelling the world, living between Italy and Tasmania, experiencing all the ups and downs of life, love and career. My life was good.
Fast forward years later, I pursued nursing, moved to another state, made beautiful new friendships, and continued to enjoy life. Then out of the blue, it happened.
2020. Everything changed. The world changed and then my world changed. Snap! Just like that, my anxiety came back.
The uncertainty and changes in my workplace triggered a stress response that left me feeling overwhelmed and helpless, ultimately leading to my burnout.
Looking back, I realise now that I’d been ignoring the warning signs – feeling exhausted, unchallenged and detached from work, difficulty sleeping, headaches and physical pains. I even began to question my abilities as a nurse and felt like an imposter at work. It was only a matter of time before something tipped me over the edge. And we all know what that was. The global pandemic!
While all my colleagues were hurried off to the ‘front line’, I was at home feeling numb, afraid and disconnected.
This was my burnout and the beginning of my healing journey back from it. My personal journey with burnout has shown me the vital importance of self-care, especially for nurses. Self-care is more than just a buzzword.
It’s a personal roadmap that helped me navigate the ups and downs of life, and while I’m not perfect and don’t always follow my own advice, I know that I have something to turn to when I feel stressed or overwhelmed.
I know how demanding and stressful nursing can be, and it’s so easy to put yourself last. I learned the hard way that neglecting your own wellbeing only leads to burnout. It’s the reason why I became a Holistic Nurse Wellbeing Coach. Nurses deserve to flourish and thrive in their lives and careers, not just survive.
If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why?
This is something I am 100% passionate about. I would advocate for more preventive measures to address burnout in the nursing profession. This would include incorporating wellbeing strategies into nursing education and promoting workplace cultures that prioritise self-care. It would look something like this:
Incorporating Wellbeing Strategies into Nursing Education
Equipping nursing students with the knowledge and skills to cultivate wellbeing from the outset of their careers is crucial in preventing burnout. I believe this can be achieved by:
Integrating wellbeing concepts and practices into the nursing curriculum is essential. This includes teaching stress management techniques, mindfulness exercises, and self-care strategies.
Promoting resilience training to empower nursing students to develop coping mechanisms and emotional strength to navigate the challenges of working in a complex healthcare environment.
Cultivating a supportive learning environment that promotes open communication, mentorship, and peer support to aid nursing student wellbeing both on-campus and while on practical placements.
Promoting Workplace Cultures that Prioritise Self-care
Creating workplace cultures that prioritise self-care and wellbeing among nurses is paramount in fostering a sustainable and fulfilling work environment. This can be achieved by:
Encouraging work-life balance by implementing flexible work arrangements, promoting adequate breaks, and discouraging excessive overtime can help nurses achieve a healthy work-life balance.
Providing access to wellbeing resources such as on-site counselling, fitness facilities, ergonomic workstations as well as access to wellbeing programs.
Recognising and rewarding self-care to those nurses who prioritise their self-care sends a powerful message that wellbeing is valued and encouraged.
Fostering a supportive and collaborative work environment where nurses feel valued, respected and empowered can go a long way to significantly enhance their wellbeing.
Addressing staffing shortages and ensuring adequate nurse-to-patient ratios can alleviate the workload and reduce stress levels among nurses.
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but by making a start and implementing these preventive measures, both at the educational and organisational levels, we can effectively address the burnout crisis in nursing, enabling nurses to flourish and provide the highest quality care.
Can you provide an overview of the products or services you offer, particularly those highlighted in your Black Friday offer?
I have a signature coaching program called Flourish. It’s a personalised one-on-one twelve week coaching experience designed to support nurses to achieve greater wellbeing while pursuing their personal and professional goals. The program includes:
practical strategies for managing stress and preventing burnout.
how to set better boundaries and prioritise your own needs.
effective communication skills for dealing with difficult patients and colleagues.
techniques for cultivating a positive mindset and resilience.
how to create a work-life balance that supports your wellbeing holistically.
Could you share more details about your Black Friday promotion? What discounts or special offers are available, and are there any unique features or bundles included?
Flourish is available this Black Friday until the end of November.
It’s offered at an incredibly generous discount of 40% off the normal price ($699 AUD up front instead of $1200).
I really wanted my coaching program to be accessible to as many nurses as possible, because I know how valuable having this support can be, which is why I’ve also included a monthly payment plan option ($245 AUD per month).
And the best thing is that nurses can take advantage of this promotion now, and not start the program until the new year.
The best features of the program are the:
Pre-coaching questionnaire
90 min kick starter session to zone in on your strengths and create your personalised wellbeing and self-care roadmap
5 x 60 min bi-weekly sessions via Zoom
Voxer messaging support between sessions
Personalised guided audio meditations
Optional one card oracle message to round out each session
There are also a couple of special bonuses including:
A personalised strengths assessment report which helps to boost your self-awareness, confidence and wellbeing through exploring your strengths (valued at $77 AUD)
My ‘Stressed to Refreshed Self Care Guide’ to help you create a meaningful and sustainable self-care roadmap to support you in your Flourish journey (valued at $39 AUD)
Do you have any testimonials or success stories from previous customers?
Nicola says: “ Ana turned my career confusion into clarity. My stressful job was taking a toll on me, and self doubt held me back. Thanks to Ana’s coaching, I prioritised my wellbeing, discovered my strengths and aligned my goals with what mattered to me the most. Now, I’ve found a fulfilling role, and Ana‘s support has been crucial in my personal and professional growth. I’m grateful for her guidance and belief in my potential”.
Jenni says: “Thanks to Ana’s guidance and insightful questions, I discovered what was holding me back from sticking to my health and wellbeing goals. She kept me on track with my vision of being more energetic, helping me tackle overwhelming days. I figured out what was draining me, physically, mentally, and emotionally, and found joy and vitality again in new and old things. Ana’s coaching tools and resources were also an extra supportive bonus to my experience with her”.
Kathryn says: “ Ana supported me in uncovering my deepest needs, extending beyond my initial goals. Making small adjustments honouring my burnt-out body transformed my daily life. Decluttering my space brought new found energy and productivity at work. Ana cheered me through tough days, leaving me with increased mental and emotional bandwidth to tackle whatever comes my way”.
How can clients access and take advantage of your Black Friday offer? Additionally, what support or assistance is available for clients during this promotional period?
My special Black Friday offer is available until the end of November at this link.
For anyone who has questions about the program, you can book a free 30 minute call with me to chat about your wellbeing goals and what the program would look like for you.
Here’s the link to book a call.
