About us
Do you ever feel like you need some time away from the demands of work to rest and reflect?
We understand where you are coming from.
The About Wellbeing Ltd team has a shared mission to make supported and meaningful self care opportunities more accessible. .
For our retreats we have a team of Wellbeing advocates who are Professionals from various backgrounds, including Medicine, with the skills and experience to support the holistic aspects of each event. About Wellbeing has connections with a wider Transformational Coaching Community and can offer an integrated referral service.
If Coaching services are what you are after please go to the coaching page for more information.
Our range of coaching, workshops and CPD certified retreats are open to high stakes professionals such as Healthcare professionals, teachers, care workers and the emergency services, and to those in professional OR personal caregiving occupations such as those caring for loved ones who need to take the time out to invest in their own wellbeing.
Meet the Team
Jo Hacking
Retreat organiser. Founder & Director of About Wellbeing Ltd
Dr Jo Hacking is a certified Transformational Coach and runs her own coaching and wellbeing training business “About Wellbeing Ltd”. She also works as a Mental Health and Wellbeing advocate, retreat organiser, and an Education and Wellbeing Support worker for the WIltshire Wildlife Trust.
Jo has a medical background of over 25 years as a doctor, with 10 years as an NHS Consultant in Paediatric Emergency Medicine. She experienced a burnout and mental illness journey some years ago and learnt the power of accepting help, honest self-awareness and compassionate self-care. Her lived experiences – with the benefits of going through psychotherapy (provided through Practitionner Health) and coaching – inform her current work, but it is the importance of Nature – and the human experience of being a part of nature – which provides the dominant theme underpinning Jo’s value set.
She is an advocate of creating cultural change and increasing opportunities to support the benefits of nature connection for wellbeing. This has now become a full time occupation, such that she finally stepped away from clinical medicine in 2023.
She lives in Wiltshire with her husband, three children and various other animals.
Lalith has enjoyed a career in paediatrics and paediatric emergency medicine, as an educator, researcher, and a clinician in low-resource settings across Asia.
He is a storyteller and facilitator, health and wellbeing advocate and massage therapist and – among many other talents founder of Behind Your Mask
Carrie Shay
Retreat Caterer
Carrie is the chef, and owner, behind Oh My Nosh! Providing private dining, corporate catering, weddings and events within Berkshire, and the surrounding counties.
Carrie has worked in the hospitality and catering sector for eighteen years, both as a chef and front of house.
Her mission is to bring joy through ‘good nosh’ by using fresh, locally sourced and seasonal produce in each dish she creates.
Dr. Katya Miles
Career Coach, Wellbeing Trainer, Specialist in Workplace Wellbeing, Former GP & Occupational Health Doctor
Katya is a GP and Occupational Health Doctor turned Wellbeing Trainer, Career Coach & Specialist in Workplace Wellbeing. She has worked at the Mayo Clinic, USA & in the UK as a GP for both civilians & the Armed Forces; as well as in Occupational Health.
Having navigated through Burnout she is passionate about helping healthcare professionals thrive at work. This passion drove her to establish the Working Well Doctor, where she uses her professional expertise and life experience to empower others to thrive at work with career coaching, workplace wellbeing and creative writing training.
We have the pleasure of her joining us with a Creative Writing workshop.
Maura
Barber-Oosterhuis
Senior Yoga Teacher, Authentic Self-Care Coach and founder of One Day Retreats
Maura’s love of yoga is infectious. Committed to offering a deeper experience she will encourage you to reach further by breathing fully and feeling deeply. Her 20 years of yoga experience range from the dynamic Ashtanga and Vinyasa Flow Yoga to the gentler Somatics, Yin and Restorative Yoga.
With a keen interest in mindfulness and meditation, her unique style is infused with these. Always taught from the heart, Maura’s gently flowing yoga is a compassionate blend of deep breathing and mindful moving.
Here’s what some of our attendees have to say about our welcoming & supportive team
“Jo and Lalith in themselves were positive throughout. We learned a lot through the workshops with them. I loved experiencing yoga and the sound bath for the first time and enjoyed every part of the retreat.”
“The facilitators were excellent and made me feel welcome and supported.
The food was INCREDIBLE, thank you Catriona.”
“Time for myself, away from the distractions of home and work. Beautiful countryside,fresh air and walks, meditation, mindfulness and story telling sessions. Wonderful supportive faculty and lovely group of people. Food was just superb!”
Find out how we can help you
Coaching
Sometimes we know where we are going but cannot quite see the way. Coaching provides a space to explore your own goals and decisions.
Retreats
We provide a range of wellbeing retreats in the heart of nature offering self-care experiences and training tailored to your professional group
Workshops
We offer or recommend a range of wellbeing workshops suitable for groups of various sizes and applicable to any professional group
Find more support
One role of the team is to signpost guests to suitable additional support if this is requested. Other Valuable sources of advice and support are available if you need them. We have listed a few here – click to visit their websites.
Practitioner Health
Free, confidential NHS primary care mental health and addiction service with expertise in treating health & care professionals.
BMA Wellbeing
Free and confidential 24/7 counselling line and peer support service open to all doctors and medical students.
Royal Medical Benevolent Fund
Support for doctors and their families through all stages of their career and beyond.
Doctors in Distress
Independent charity that promotes and protects the mental health of all healthcare workers and prevents suicides in the medical profession.
Mind
UK charity offering information and advice to people with mental health problems.
The Samaritans
Provides emotional support to anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope or at risk of suicide.