Deb Vanderwerp

What drew you to study the Diploma of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing?

“My intention and desire was to find ways to apply what I learned in the classroom and find ways to share my experiences and knowledge with my colleagues and others involved in education.”

In 2008 my youngest son was experiencing anxiety and we were advised to go and see a psychologist who worked with positive psychology. My husband and I were both educators, heavily involved in the arts and arts education and found his perspective combined with our personal meditation practises very useful.

I was a teacher and a course coordinator at TAFE and began doing further research into the use of Pos Psych in the classroom. In 2013 TAFE funded me to do a Executive Certificate in Positive Psychology Coaching. At this stage both my sons were teens, both finding their secondary education dissatisfying. I was teaching many students who had disliked school and after taking on board various elements I was learning about strengths, mindfulness and resilience for example, and applying them in different teaching situations, I was able to see how these techniques and theories could benefit all students and educators. At the end of that year I gave a presentation on the potential benefits of using Pos Psych techniques in the classroom and I was inspired to continue to research options to learn more and discovered the Diploma of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing.

And so in 2014, in the midst of the chaos that was the Victorian TAFE sector at the time, I commenced the Diploma.

How was your experience studying this course?

“The tools I had been given in the Diploma didn’t fix the pain of losing a job I was good at and had done very successfully for 15 years but they helped me deal with it better.”

When I started the course in April of 2014 my oldest was in year 12 and was finding it challenging and my youngest was in year 9 and not enjoying any aspect of school. I could see the writing on the wall for myself, my staff and my students at TAFE. I was battling to take care of myself well and was tired, drained and needed a shot of something that would help me through. I naively thought doing the Diploma was going to be about becoming a better teacher and parent, but it showed me techniques to be a more flourishing person and to understand the ways in which I could apply managing emotions, gratitude, creating flow, savouring, and so forth to myself, in my relationships, my marriage, my classroom and in my broader community.

I loved the many OMG moments of realisation and understanding in the course. The course was the beginning of a significant reboot. As I did the course work, mostly with a study buddy I’d met during the course, I found what I thought was a life path forward. In September it was confirmed my faculty would close at the end of the year and we would all be made redundant. I decided to look for work that would give me a chance to rethink my future and I wrote the phrases ‘I am open’ and ‘find the joy’ on post-it notes on my home computer screen.

On Jan 8 I was offered a job at Victorian Opera as their Education Officer, this felt like a great opportunity of bring arts and education together. When my husband returned from a camping trip with our youngest son and one of his mates, I accepted the position.

On Jan 14 my husband, Lance headed out for his annual summer motorbike trip with mates but he died in a head on collision that afternoon outside Jindabyne.

How are you spreading positive ripples in your world?

“The Diploma had given me the language and the science to understand what the boys and I were experiencing and a way to manage the stress.”

The days, weeks and years that followed were the most challenging I’ve ever had to negotiate, for myself and for my sons. The grief and the pain were immeasurable, but I had two sons who had lost their father and somewhere on that first night I had this huge moment of clarity - I had to lead my sons through this tragedy by being the best I could be in memory of Lance and for my sons. This choice and these young men were his legacy.

The tools I learnt during the Diploma and meditation were key sources of the ‘strength’ I found to move through each day. I believe that preparing for death is a part of living and so I tried to focus on being in gratitude, on trying to effectively manage my many conflicting emotions and on being mindful of my reactions and responses and I tried to share these tools with my sons. I didn't always succeed in doing this well but I had so much to be grateful for, my friends and family, the support of the TAC which meant I got to keep our house, and a job.

I decided to start the new job on the day my youngest was to start year 10. I eventually continued my Diploma studies and completed the course in May of 2015. I was able to share some of my learning with colleagues at Victorian Opera, but mostly I have shared the knowledge these last three years with family and friends as we negotiated the pain of Lance’s death.

For the next three years I listened to sensational musicians making beautiful music and worked with some extraordinary people. Lance and I had both trained as violinists and I am sure savouring the music I heard at Victorian Opera helped me immensely. However I was missing teaching and at the end of 2017 I was unexpectedly offered the opportunity to return to the TAFE sector, teaching young adults with intellectual disability and learning difficulties personal development, life skills and drama. I feel I have returned to my true vocation with a far greater life wisdom to draw on.

For the past 8 weeks I have reconnected to many of the education tools I learnt in the Diploma and have managed to apply these with the students and share them with the staff in the courses in which I am now teaching. Helping students become more resilient, learn how to manage their adolescent emotions, and learn to be less fearful and even more awesome each day, is truly inspiring.

By the way, my oldest is studying, has held down regular work and a beautiful relationship these last three years. My youngest completed year 12, is taking a gap year, got his license and bought a car. We miss Lance every day, but we are embracing life.