About Thrive

A bit about me…

I educate my clients on what sustainability within the workplace looks like and how to ideally enhance work performance while also taking care of yourself. Many clients are likely to have experienced this before but not known how to properly deal with it.

Hi! I’m O’Donis, Founder and Owner of Thrive on Principle.

I always knew I wanted to be in a line of work that could truly help people. I applied to become a psychiatric nurse right out of school and in 2018, immigrated to Aotearoa from Michigan, USA.

I settled in Wellington and began to work for the Wellington Crisis Management team; a service dedicated to helping those within the Hutt Valley and Wellington who were in need of urgent assistance regarding their mental health. We were dealing with various people on a daily basis who were suicidal, having psychotic episodes, mental breakdowns and who posed a risk to others.

The stress and intensity of the job was a lot to handle and after three years, I suffered from my own mental breakdown by having a panic attack on the motorway on the way to work. I said to myself, enough is enough and took a full week off work to rebuild and repair from this burnout, and then resigned. This notion inspired me to found Thrive on Principle; a business dedicated to increasing resilience, long-term sustainability, and overall mental wellness not just in the workplace, but within individuals as well.

Why Should You Care?

Relevant Statistics

-Harvard Business review revealed unaddressed emotional wellbeing in the workplace costs Australasia organisations billions per year. This includes:

-$13 billion annual in sickness absences due to emotional difficulties 

-23.5 billion annual in reduced productivity 

-$3.7 billion replacing resigning staff due to mental health distress 

A recent New Zealand workplace diversity study showed that wellbeing/wellness was the biggest workplace challenge.

  • Employees’ mental health challenges increased to 80.7% from 74% in 2021

  • Employee’s stress challenges increased to 78.8% from 69% in 2021

The Tools I Utilise

The tools I deliver in relation to burnout specifically, address each individual stage of burnout with appropriate interventions. I engage my audiences through:

  • Thought-provoking exercises

  • Practical resources

  • Captivating stories.

Credentials & Experience

  • Registered Psychiatric Nurse with 10 years experience

  • Three years working for the Wellington Crisis Resolution team

  • QTC Therapist

  • Public Speaker & Expert Communicator

  • Health improvement practitioner (ACT therapy)

What People Say About Thrive

  • "O’Donis utilizes props and open dialogue with audiences to develop and maintain engagement to convey his message. His presentation at an event themed ‘Resilience in planning’ resonated with most attendees present and prompted some self-reflection on the way we conduct ourselves at work and the need to have stronger personal boundaries. I would recommend him for any event related to well-being, stress, and work/life balance."

    Alicia Todd, Resource Consents Planner, Hutt City Council

  • “The way O’Donis Person tackles getting out of your comfort zone to create change is so great and so cool and inspirational! I’m grateful to be included in the process.”

    Kara Mcglaughlin, Mental Health Community Nurse, Wellington

  • Eloise Carstens, Team Leader of Kapiti Coast District Council, NZ

    “I attended a presentation by O’Donis that focused on the stages of burnout. Working in a high stress environment, this has put things in perspective for me when managing my team. I have since looked at ways to incorporate his tools in my team management.”

    Eloise Carstens, Team Leader of Kapiti Coast District Council

  • "Excellent session that was empathetic and constructive. We used O'Donis for a professional resilience workshop and he received rave reviews from those that attended."

    Richard Sheild

  • "The instructors leading the program were knowledgeable, friendly, and supportive throughout the entire experience. They provided helpful tips and advice, answered all of my questions, and made sure that everyone felt comfortable and included. I would highly recommend Thrive On Principle's wellness program to anyone looking to improve their health and well-being. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced health enthusiast, this program has something to offer for everyone. Thank you, O'Donis, for an amazing experience!"

    Rebekah Fraser

  • “Attending the Thrive on Principle workshop was a life-changing experience for me. The practical tips and tools shared have helped me cultivate a healthier, happier, work balance and lifestyle ever since.”

    Neriah

“Thriving is about asking ourselves the right questions in alignment with our identity, intention and the principles that build us.”

O’Donis Person