Nothing will sustain you more potently than the power to recognise in your humdrum routine, as perhaps it may be thought, the true poetry of life – the poetry of the commonplace, of the plain, toil-worn woman, with their loves and their joys, their sorrows and their griefs.
– Sir William Osler
In order to enrich the conference theme of honouring the art of palliative medicine, the conference organisers at the upcoming Australian and New Zealand Society of Palliative Medicine (ANSZPM) 2016 Conference in Perth, Western Australia have created a specific room for self reflection.
The Reflection Room will provide a nurturing space for conference participants to consider the human connection that we all experience as palliative care clinicians, and the impact this has on our own personal growth. The room will contain powerful art pieces that depict resilience in the face of dying, which aim to help delegates reflect on their experiences over the course of the conference, undertake guided mindfulness, or most importantly, just be.
Have you been to another conference recently where self-reflection, mindfulness and art featured strongly in the program? Was there space set aside for delegates to practice these activities amidst all the hustle and bustle of the conference program? Was it useful for you?
palliverse.com 
What a fantastic idea – and great value-add for delegates at the conference!
The Palliative Care Nurses Australia conferences have in the past featured free foot reflexology/massages or a ‘Self-care Room’ with artwork and guided mindfulness activities etc.
I personally think these kind of things should become a mainstay for all future palliative care conferences.
Before these kind of initiatives came into being, I used to find myself needing to ‘exit the venue’ for a walk to escape the occasional moment of ‘information overload’ – but now (with a space for reflection provided as part of the conference) I find that I no longer have to escape. And the bonus is that there is a social and collegial aspect to it (in sharing the experience with other delegates) that reinforces the message that “it’s okay to take care of your own needs as well”.
What do others think? And what other kinds of innovative activities have you experienced at conferences?
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I confess I am not very good at this at conferences – too many interesting people to catch up with and things to read! I will make an effort to do this , this time
sonia
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