You care for people all day.
Now let’s care for you.
We got into healthcare because we care. But there are times, maybe more than we’d like to admit, when it feels like we’re running on empty.
We’re asked to do more with less, with no real systemic solutions in sight.
We may not be able to change the system, but we can change our experience. Together we can recover, recharge, and reconnect.
If you’re feeling burned out, morally conflicted, or just worn thin from holding it all together—you’re not alone, and you’re not failing.
This work is hard. It asks a lot.
Imagine having
A community of healthcare workers who understand the challenges we face
A space where you are celebrated on the good days, and supported on the hard ones
Simple, effective tools to feel happier, and a cheer squad to keep you encouraged and accountable
That’s what The Healthcare Huddle is here for.
Welcome to The Healthcare Huddle — A Place for Us
The Healthcare Huddle is a community of healthcare workers who want to feel better now. It's a space to reconnect with ourselves and with others who get it. We believe that positive change can begin on the frontline.
We define healthcare workers as anyone who provides care to people receiving healthcare — whether you're at the front desk, in a treatment room, behind the scenes, or at the bedside. Everyone plays a vital role, and everyone deserves support.
Too often, frontline workers are overlooked when it comes to solutions. We’re asked to do more with less, expected to carry on without real support.
The Healthcare Huddle offers another way.
Here, we help ourselves first, and in the company of each other, we become the change we’ve been waiting for.
We don’t need to wait for permission or a policy shift to feel more aware, energized, and fulfilled. The Healthcare Huddle is a place to begin to shift, and build momentum together.
Change doesn’t always come from the top, it can rise like a wave from within.
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When we are happier, everyone is healthier.
The Heart of the Huddle
At the heart of The Huddle are three guiding principles:
Awareness
Awareness invites us to pause, sometimes for the first time all day, and tune in. Not just to what’s happening around us, but to what’s going on inside. Whether we’re alone or with others, awareness is the first step toward meaningful change.
Attitude
Observing our attitude helps us recognize how we’re relating to ourselves and others — whether with curious compassion or criticism, with kindness or resentment.
Action
When awareness and attitude guide our actions, small but mighty shifts begin. A breath to calm down. Celebrating a colleague to lift each other up. Dancing out of work to shake off the day and have a little fun.
We explore mindfulness, mindset and somatic practices to experience new ways of being, not with people who’ve heard about our world, but with people who live it. And slowly, we begin to feel more connected, more steady, more fulfilled.
That’s The Huddle.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
— Margaret Mead
Ways to Get Started
There’s no one-size-fits-all path to feeling better, and there are plenty of places to begin. Whether you're starting small or looking for something deeper, you're welcome here.
The Huddle is forming, and your input helps shape what it becomes. What you need, and what you share, will guide future offerings so The Huddle continues to meet the reality of our work and lives.
Here are a few simple ways to start reconnecting with yourself and our community.
Try a Breath Work Session to Reset and Restore
Breath work is one of the quickest ways to shift how you feel — physically, mentally, and emotionally. It’s a core part of The Healthcare Huddle because it’s simple, accessible, and powerful. And sometimes, one intentional breath is what helps us stay present in the moment, instead of reaching the edge of burnout later. Whether you're new to breath work or just need a reset, you're welcome to join a guided session and experience it for yourself. Try it now:
Looking for One-on-One Support?
Sometimes we need personalized support alongside community connection, or we feel more comfortable starting with private sessions.
Individual therapy is available for those who want to explore personal themes in more depth or prefer a one-on-one approach. We’ll start with a brief call to introduce ourselves, understand what you are looking for, and make sure I am the right fit for you.
Happier in Healthcare
While there is no universal definition of happiness, it is generally understood to be a state of mind characterized by positive emotions, a sense of purpose and feelings of fulfillment. Alone it is hard to find our way out of unhappiness. It helps to have a guide.
Happier In Healthcare, is our 7 week group program to help you restore your energy, reconnect with your purpose and fell more moments of joy and fulfillment at work and at home.
Together, we’ll explore and practice the three pillars that anchor the Huddle:
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Awareness: tuning into your body, breath, mindset, and the subtle ways stress and emotion show up
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Attitude: shifting from inner criticism to curious compassion, from frustration to agency
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Action: learning practical tools and micro-habits to feel more aligned and in control of your day and your life
This isn’t about “doing more.” It’s about doing differently, and feeling more like yourself again.
How it Works
The group program runs over 7 weeks, giving you time to integrate and apply what you’re learning.
Monday Evenings
(7:30–9:00 PM ET)
In Weeks 1, 3, and 5, we meet for a 90-minute session to explore one of the core pillars and embody it through breath work. These sessions are recorded, so you can revisit them anytime. Week 7 is our final Monday gathering — a space to reflect, connect the dots, and begin to carry this work forward.
Thursday Evenings
(7:30–8:30 PM ET)
We meet weekly for a live, unrecorded process group. These sessions continue throughout the 7-week journey, even on integration weeks, and offer a supportive space to reflect, connect, and feel seen.
This is a great fit if you:
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Work in healthcare and feel stretched thin, emotionally tired, or unsure how to keep doing this
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Long for a space where you don’t have to explain yourself — because others get it
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Want to learn tools that feel nourishing, not just one more task
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Are open to trying breath work, mindfulness, and mindset practices
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Are ready to feel more energized, present, and aligned in your work and your life
What to Expect
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3 powerful pillars delivered across 7 weeks, with time to integrate what you learn
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Weekly process groups to stay connected and supported along the way
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A supportive group of peers who understand the challenges of healthcare
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Practices to reconnect you to your intuition, your sense of play and power
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A return to the parts of you that may have been buried under burnout
You’ll leave with more clarity, more capacity, and a felt sense of possibility — in your body, your work, and your life.
When we don’t tend to our own well-being, it catches up with us in burnout, resentment, or a sense of losing ourselves. This program offers a way to reconnect with your work, and the person who chose it.
Tailored Support
If you're part of a healthcare team or organization looking for bespoke programs, we offer custom workshops and sessions designed to meet your group where they are. Together, we’ll co-create something practical and meaningful — whether the focus is on emotional well-being, team cohesion, or nurturing leadership from within.
Meet Gwen
Gwen Merrick, Reg. CASLPO, RP, is a registered speech-language pathologist, psychotherapist and breath work instructor. She’s worked in acute care, rehab, community services, and in an outpatient voice and swallowing clinic — where she witnessed the deep connection between voice and emotion. That experience led her to pursue psychotherapy as a way to support the whole person.
Today, Gwen has a private practice in Toronto, offering psychotherapy and voice therapy. Her approach is warm, encouraging, and grounded in compassion, with a little humour woven in. Gwen understands the stress of healthcare; how frustrating, isolating, and unsupported it can feel. The lack of curated support inspired her to create The Healthcare Huddle — a space where healthcare workers can reconnect, recharge, and reimagine what’s possible for our well-being and work life.
Outside of work, you’ll find her in nature with her partner and dog, contemplating consciousness, cooking plant-based meals, or laughing through a workout with friends (just not dancing with dumbbells... a story for when we meet).
Answers to Common Questions
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You don’t need to commit to everything all at once. The Huddle is designed to fit into life—start small or go deeper over time.
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This isn’t just for doctors or nurses. If you work in the public or private sector and support patient care in any way, you belong here.
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No experience is needed. Whether it’s breath work or mindfulness, everything is guided, optional, and beginner-friendly.
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Confidentiality is taken seriously. To create a safe space for everyone, all members of the community commit to protect the privacy of what’s shared in the group.
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You don’t have to share anything personal. Presence matters more than performance. You choose what, if anything, you want to share.
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Some services may be covered by insurance. One-on-one and group psychotherapy often are. Breath work sessions may not be. You’ll receive receipts to submit for reimbursement.
