22May2025
View The Well Publication
  • 700 South Dixie Hwy. Suite 103, West Palm Beach, FL 33401
TwitterFacebook-fYoutubeInstagram
logotype
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Story
    • Impact Reports
  • Become a Steward
  • Impact Areas
    • Stewardship Coordination and Alignment
    • Community Solutions
    • Workforce Pipeline
    • Mini-Grants
  • Media
    • Well Said PBC
    • Now We’re Talkin’
    • Mini-Grant Videos
    • Get Your Green On Videos
  • The Well
  • Connect
22May2025
Learn about Mini-Grants ● View The Well Publication
  • 700 South Dixie Hwy. Suite 103, West Palm Beach, FL 33401
TwitterFacebook-fYoutubeInstagram
logotype
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Story
    • Impact Reports
  • Become a Steward
  • Impact Areas
    • Stewardship Coordination and Alignment
    • Community Solutions
    • Workforce Pipeline
    • Mini-Grants
  • Media
    • Well Said PBC
    • Now We’re Talkin’
    • Mini-Grant Videos
    • Get Your Green On Videos
  • The Well
  • Connect
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Story
    • Impact Reports
  • Become a Steward
  • Impact Areas
    • Stewardship Coordination and Alignment
    • Community Solutions
    • Workforce Pipeline
    • Mini-Grants
  • Media
    • Well Said PBC
    • Now We’re Talkin’
    • Mini-Grant Videos
    • Get Your Green On Videos
  • The Well
  • Connect
logotype
logotype
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Story
    • Impact Reports
  • Become a Steward
  • Impact Areas
    • Stewardship Coordination and Alignment
    • Community Solutions
    • Workforce Pipeline
    • Mini-Grants
  • Media
    • Well Said PBC
    • Now We’re Talkin’
    • Mini-Grant Videos
    • Get Your Green On Videos
  • The Well
  • Connect
logotype

    Self-Compassion Matters
    Home Mini Grants 2020 Self-Compassion Matters

    Self-Compassion Matters

    Self-Compassion Matters

    Imagine a day-long retreat learning resilience and mindfulness techniques surrounded by gentle, majestic horses and grassy pastures. If it lowers your heart rate a bit just by thinking about it, you understand the premise of “Self-Compassion Matters,” a program developed by Dovecot Farm’s co-founder and chief compassion officer, Sarah Palmer. With a mini-grant from BeWellPBC, Palmer has provided five retreats to date for Palm Beach County’s front-line medical professionals and caregivers at her Loxahatchee Groves equestrian center for much-needed self-care day during COVID-19. “It has been a long journey in the compassion industry,” said Palmer. “To know that these professionals are cared for, to give them time on a farm to walk in nature, experience sound healing, and observe horses as part of teambuilding, brings a sense of humanity and sets them up for more success in their daily work.”

     

    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.” 

    Palmer sees her work as extending the compassion and understanding to front-line medical professionals that they provide to others. “We’re here to help build personal strength and resiliency and nurture a more coherent team.”

    181 Likes
    It Starts with Me

    It Starts with Me

    December 29, 2021

    "Express Yourself" Fashion Art Ball

    December 29, 2021
    "Express Yourself" Fashion Art Ball
    Featured author image: Self-Compassion Matters

    Follow Us

    Stay Connected

    Follow us on Social Media to get the latest updates and Be Well!

    Featured image: Self-Compassion Matters

    Subscribe to The Well

    Stay Informed

    Invested Partners

    BeWellPBC’s funders provide far more than monetary support.
    They are true partners, contributing time and resources to support BeWellPBC to advance
    behavioral health and wellness for all residents in Palm Beach County.

    Partner-14Partner-14
    Partner-15Partner-15
    Partner-16Partner-16
    PBCBHC 2019-logoF-webPBCBHC 2019-logoF-web
    Partner-12Partner-12
    Partner-11Partner-11
    Partner-09Partner-09
    Make a Difference

    Become a Steward of Change

    Connect Today

    Our media

    BeWellPBC

    Contact

    700 South Dixie Hwy.
    Suite 103, West Palm Beach, FL 33401

    bewell@bewellpbc.org

    (561) 757-8990

    TwitterFacebook-fYoutubeInstagram

    IMPACT AREAS

    Stewardship Coordination & Alignment

    Community Solutions

    Workforce Pipeline

    Mini-Grants

    Our media

    Couch Conversations Podcast

    Impact Reports

    The Well of PBC

    Terms of use

    Privacy Environmental Policy

    © 2025 BeWellPBC. All Rights Reserved.  West Palm Beach Website Design

    Subscribe to The Well