Dr Ira van der Steenstraten MD

After having trained and worked as a psychiatrist, psychotherapist and systems therapist in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, I moved to Brisbane, Australia, in 2008. This 1- year sabbatical turned into a life-changing experience. Prolonging my stay in Australia opened up new opportunities, however, stepping outside of the security and comfort of being a practicing medical specialist after so many years of training was not an easy process. Transitioning to a coaching practice and adding coaching tools to my skillset meant I could still use my experience and expertise while empowering others.

Having faced personal and systemic challenges that doctors can encounter firsthand, this motivated me to specialise in Doctors' Health and Wellbeing and Women in Leadership.

The Australian Medical Association Queensland (AMAQ) commissioned me to develop and present the first Queensland-wide workplace intervention "Wellbeing at Work" program, which received the 'Best Public Health Initiative' Award in 2018. The experience of having worked with 5000+ doctors across hospitals in and outside of Queensland deepened my understanding of current challenges in the medical profession.

My current leadership positions include Vice President of the Queensland Medical Women's Society (QMWS), Immediate Past President QMWS 2020-2024, and Vice President management team of Doctors' Health in Queensland (DHQ).

My motto is:

Personal and Professional Wellbeing starts with the person within.

We can dedicate our lives to helping others, and still find it hard to reach out when we struggle ourselves. I experienced this myself, and I offer a non-judgemental space, using scientifically based tools to empower you to overcome your challenges.

The online Wellbeing Program (Compass of Life ©) will be available from late 2024 (www.vitaewl.com)