Who Are We
Workplace Wellbeing Institute™was established in 2013 by Robyn Simpson (Masters of Gestalt Therapy [M. Gestalt. Therapy]) and Gary Simpson (Bachelor of Counselling [BCouns]) from their combined 40 years of working experience and committed involvement in the Health, Community Services and Education Sectors. Workplace Wellbeing Institute™ is based on Social Enterprise Principles of social justice, social inclusion, social equity, and compassion based humanitarism. Workplace Wellbeing Institute provides individual, team and whole of organisation education, training, consultancy services, program implementation and program supervision in the areas of Trauma-Informed Care & Practice, Workplace Wellbeing Programs, Mindfulness Practices & Techniques, Conflict Resolution, Respectful Communication and Team/Group Building/Bonding Process (For additional information on our Trauma-Informed Care & Practice Models & Programs please view our Trauma-Informed Care page. For additional information on Workplace Wellbeing & Mindfulness Programs & Practices please use this link).
Of the hundreds of individuals and numerous, organisations, agencies and schools, that Robyn and Gary have worked with over the years one of the common themes that continually arises is the issue of Unresolved Trauma. Whether, it is the individual’s complex-trauma history, or the challenge that their resultant highly creative and adaptive behaviours present to the individuals, organisations, agencies and schools that are asked to work with and to support them, and often their families, to cope, adjust and learn. One thing that is abundantly clear is that Unresolved Trauma negatively impacts on virtually every area of an individual’s life, throughout their lifespan, unless their Trauma, in some way and degree, can be resolved (for additional information please read our Trauma-Informed Care page). Consequently, a Compassion Based Model of Trauma Resolution is a primary professional and therapeutic focus of Robyn & Gary and the Workplace Wellbeing Institute™.
Robyn Simpson
Robyn is a qualified Gestalt therapist, group therapist and facilitator with her own private psychotherapy and counselling practice.
Robyn holds both a Diploma & Masters in Gestalt Therapy and is also a Graduate Member of Gestalt Australia & New Zealand (GANZ). GANZ is an accredited member association of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA). Robyn’s Master’s Thesis was on Trauma & Domestic/Family Violence. Robyn’s Master’s Thesis combined her years of clinical experience within the domestic/family violence field with current, evidenced-based neuro-scientific &trauma-informed care models and the therapeutic/clinical & practical skills, techniques and interventions that minimise and, at some level, alleviate the life-long impacts and consequences of early childhood trauma and insecure attachment.
Robyn’s Masters’ Thesis also clearly established the link between early childhood trauma, its negative impact on secure attachment and the consequent detrimental impact on neurological, cognitive, emotional, mental, social and relational development on that child throughout their lifespan.
Robyn has also worked extensively within the Non-Government & Not-for-Profit Sectors. Particularly within the domestic/family violence arena in both a group therapy format as well as one-to-one therapy. Robyn has been involved in the development, implementation, facilitation and training of a number of successful group programs, including the Womanhood Program, Learning to Love Relationship Program and the Hero/Heroine’s Journey Archetype Program.
Gary Simpson
Gary holds a Bachelor of Counselling degree and is a qualified psychotherapist, counsellor, group facilitator and educator (TAE40110) specialising in the areas of Youth and Adolescence Development, Family and Relationship Dynamics and Men’s Health and Wellbeing.
Gary first trained as a telephone counsellor in the mid-1990s and has extensive group facilitation training. Gary also has his own private psychotherapy and counselling practice.
Gary has extensive clinical and managerial experience in the Health and Community Services sector as a Program Manager/Coordinator and within a variety of Educational and School based settings. Gary has collaborated with Government Departments, Non-Government Organisations, Public Charities and Private Enterprises in the development and delivery of a variety of programs for supporting disadvantaged and marginalised young people, both within and outside of their formal education settings, in achieving their career and personal goals and ambitions.
Gary has also trained in the field of Traumatology, particularly in the area of managing and minimising the impact of Compassion Fatigue, Vicarious Trauma, Secondary Traumatic Stress and Burnout on professional carers, helpers, support workers, therapists, counsellors and teachers. Gary has a particular interest & training in Mindfulness & Mindfulness Practices, from a martial art (Aikido & Tai Chi) perspective, as a way of creating a Calm, Grounded & Present-Centred Awareness irrespective of the circumstance or situation.
Robyn and Gary have trained, and continue to train, with some of the world’s leading experts in the fields of Traumatology, Compassion Fatigue Prevention, Mindfulness & Mindsight, Positive Psychology & Positive Education, Positive Emotions & Happiness and the art, craft and science of creating respectful, loving and lasting Relationships. Some of Robyn & Gary’s international trainers, researchers, clinicians and academics include; Drs Dan Siegel, Martin Seligman, Bessel van der Kolk, Richard Davidson, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Stephen Porges, Barbara Fredrickson, Eric Gentry, Shelly Gable and John Gottman.
Robyn and Gary have designed and contine to develop their own unique therapeutic approach for working with individuals with complex trauma histories and the individuals, agencies, organisations and schools that work with and support them. Their unique therapeutic approach is termed ART© (Attachment Relational Therapy-Theory).
