A vision for multidisciplinary health
We are looking for like-minded allied health workers to contribute to providing world-class multidisciplinary health care. This initiative rests on the more than 50 year history of the Centre for Healthy Living in devising cutting edge programs to meet emerging needs.
Exceeding standards in mental health through lifestyle modification
From 2009-2012 THEF received State funding and then Commonwealth grants to provide a comprehensive lifestyle modification program to “hard to treat” patients with both physical and mental health problems. An 18 page report (see link) was submitted to the Queensland Government, results were presented at 3 national conferences and a report was published in Australasian psychiatry (See link). One ingredient in the success of this program was having the right facilities – namely, the use of the kitchen and the sports auditorium at the School of Total Education next door, the large course room which was used for Yoga and the conference room that was used for Carers’ meetings and team meetings.
Effective Pain Management
One of Centre’s directors, Jan Gudkovs, has developed Overcoming Pain, a program for people with persistent pain. The Program was run from 2019-2024 with funding provided by the DDWM PHN. It delivered very positive results in terms of lessening reliance on opioid medications for many participants. The option to use Medicare items for Group Psychology is currently being explored.
An advanced integrative program for ASD
Over the last 12 months research to identify effective treatments for ASD has been undertaken with the aim of developing a decision tree for how best to approach this complex condition. The goal within the next 6 months is to see this project come to fruition, and then to document treatment outcomes.
Therapeutic Yoga
With an increasingly large evidence base for a range of chronic conditions, we are able to offer Yoga for various physical and mental health problems, such as chronic headache, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, adult ADHD, depression and anxiety.
Building Resilient Teachers
This is a professional development program for teachers that can be run as a two-day workshop or a weekly program over 6 weeks. The opportunity here is to meet the need to relieve the ever-increasing levels of stress experienced by teachers. We have run this course in Toowoomba, Warwick and Brisbane with high participant satisfaction ratings.
We are aware that the Mayo Clinic started as the work of just two doctors in a small town in the United States who brought a standard of excellence to what they did. This inspires us to believe that excellent work in rural communities can make a lasting contribution to health care.
If this vision inspires you, please contact us.

