Mental Health, Menopause and Wellbeing in the Workplace

Presenter Details

Lydia Edwards

Lydia Edwards is an organisational and coaching psychologist with deep expertise in leadership, high performance, and wellbeing in the workplace. Originally from Hawkes Bay, Lydia studied psychology and business at Otago and Massey University, finishing with a Master of Science in Industrial and Organisational Psychology. Originally from a consulting background, she then joined the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) where she spent the next eight years. Initially in a learning and development role as a civilian and then as an Army Officer and Psychologist. Lydia's last full time role with the NZDF was as the Head of Army Psychology which she finished in 2022. Lydia is still an Army reservist but has resettled with her husband and two daughters in Tauranga to be closer to extended family. She partners with organisations to advise on, design, and deliver strategic people solutions as a consultant and facilitator. She also works 1 on 1 with leaders, professionals, and athletes who want to stay at the top of their game, achieve their goals, and stay well. In addition, Lydia can support people and their leaders to navigate challenges which make it difficult to feel engaged and well in their work and personal life.

Dr Linda Dear

Dr Linda is a UK trained doctor and certified menopause practitioner with the North American Menopause Society. She is the director of Menodoctor - a private menopause clinic that sees women all over NZ for virtual consultations, as well as face-to-face appointments in Tauranga (www.menodoctor.com). She is also the creator of the NZ Menopause Survey (www.menodoctor.com/nzsurvey) which gathered data from 4.288 Kiwi women about their menopause experiences and how their symptoms impact their work, relationships and their mental health. She holds a post-graduate diploma in women’s health from the UK Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. She is also a psychology graduate, certified personal fitness trainer and yoga teacher. In her younger years, she competed as an international gymnast and is a Commonwealth games bronze medallist. Through Menodoctor, she brings together all of this expertise to offer women holistic and personalised consultations to support them through their perimenopause and menopause journeys".

Becky Gardiner

Becky, an accomplished HR generalist, brings forth over 20 years of invaluable experience in the healthcare sector. Her deep understanding of the challenges faced within both primary and palliative care, including funding constraints and the substantial demands on team members, ignited her mission to enhance support for teams operating in this environment. With an unwavering passion for people, Becky has played a pivotal role in formulating and executing organisational policies that facilitate advancements in this critical area. Notably, at Waipuna Hospice, an organisation committed to the well-being of individuals, she has been instrumental in prioritising the care of their own team. This experience stands as a fantastic example of fortifying well-being and resilience, and she is looking forward to sharing her insights and learnings.

Sponsor Details

Copeland Ashcroft Law

With thanks to our Event Sponsor

Copeland Ashcroft Workplace Lawyers have offices in Tauranga and around the country, providing advice and assistance regarding New Zealand’s workplace law framework, across the spectrum of contentious and non-contentious employment law, immigration and health and safety matters. They have a wealth of experience in employment law work, including in relation to restructuring, development of strategy, policy development and implementation, performance systems and development, compliance, and union relationships. They also manage disciplinary and performance management processes, complaint investigations, restructuring and redundancy situations, personal grievance claims and other disputes and have substantial expertise in health and safety law as well as regularly advising clients on immigration and privacy law issues. Check out www.copelandashcroft.co.nz for to access a raft of articles and e-resources covering a range of workplace law topics, or to sign up for their monthly InTouch newsletter which will help you to stay up to date with all legislation changes, case updates and seminars and workshops on offer throughout the country