One of the five groups that experienced the Dovecot retreat was a team of eleven medical professionals from St. Mary’s Medical Center. Offered by the hospital’s chief nursing officer, Ruth Schwarzkopf, the attendees began with DiSC®, a personal assessment tool that stands for the four main personality profiles described in the DiSC model: (D)ominance, (i)nfluence, (S)teadiness and (C)onscientiousness. The model provides a common language people can use to better understand themselves and those they interact with, and then use the knowledge to reduce conflict and improve working relationships.

“The DiSC numbers reveal a lot,” said Palmer. “Nurses and medical professionals are typically very high ‘S’ for steadiness, but there is a lot of wear and tear. We help them create toolkits for self-care.” 

Palmer also creates an environment for learning mindfulness complete with singing bowls, a gratitude drumming circle, walking meditations, and journaling while observing the herd. The activities take the professionals completely away from their daily workplace and open a space for reflection. “It takes a day for people to let it go, especially given the last year,” said Palmer. “We spend time sharing how they will take the learning and practices forward in their work tomorrow.” When the St. Mary’s participants provided their feedback, attendees commented that it was “an amazing experience that helped me realize the need to be in the moment and slow down” and that they had learned “different ways to achieve mindfulness.” Palmer saw the change in just that one day. “The eleven who arrived in the morning looked like completely different people at the end of the day.”  

The BeWellPBC grant will fund an additional sixth retreat for the School District of Palm Beach County’s Wellness Promotion Collaboration Team, bringing the Dovecot experience to 60 participants in all. Other funded retreats included 211, mental health practitioners from Comprehensive Wellness Centers rehab facility and Keiser University. The success of the program has resulted in Palmer receiving additional funding from Palm Health Foundation to offer a similar program to nurses under the name “Barn to Bedside Retreat.”