The story goes like this:
I married Rob along time ago in Melbourne just as I was graduating from Melbourne State Teachers College and he was completing his diploma in naturopathy. We talk in terms of decades now, not so much years, and despite all our very obvious foibles we ended up with three amazingly, beautiful, talented children who have undoubtedly been our life source and passion.

Over the decades I have taught in both the primary and high school (Drama, Art & SOSE). More recently, I have worked as a remedial massage therapist and counselled weight loss patients with a weight management program I had developed called Comfortable in my Jeans (CIMjeans).  

The objective of the 2 year long CIMjeans program is to provide a holistic, academic approach to weight control. The aim is to empower individuals as they develop life skills to overcome their deleterious, addictive healthcare behaviours. (Sorry guys - no quick fix on offer here. Anyone who wants to achieve personal health goals has to do the hard yards and develop the appropriate disciplines).

The 7NPs is actually the primary school version of CIMjeans and was first trialled at Mundingburra State Primary School in 2004.  Over the next four years around 10 schools and another 10 early years (0-5) sites worked with the program. Three primary schools also engaged in a pilot study where we discovered a significant deficit in student understanding of primary healthcare behaviours. (e.g. large percentages of children did not know how much sleep they should have each night; how much water they should drink each day and how much exercise they should do daily). During 2009 the 7NP's moved into another 30 schools, predominantly throughout Queensland and a couple of pilot projects in Sydney and Melbourne. The program has been funded by a number of government and not for profit organisations.  

 In 2010, schools and health organisations in Tasmania and Western Australia have also joined us in rolling out the 7NPs program. We are also working on a training DVD so that those in remote areas can have easy access to the program. I am still plodding along writing my thesis for my Masters of Education (Honours) at James Cook University and trying to have a voice in the community to alert health educators of the ‘glaring gap we have in the Australian health curriculum, i.e

1. We haven’t had a fun…creative….national health campaign that has captivated the hearts and the imagination of the Australian public since LIFE. Be in it. in the 1970-80s.

 2. Whilst we have an alphabet for language; a number system for maths, a rainbow for art and a scale for music we have not identified the ABC, rainbow, scale, etc for health and wellbeing so that individuals are positioned in a strong place to script their own health biographies…….. Who ever thought it could arrive packaged in such a cute way with the 7NPs.

Thanks for listening………. I wish you health and success at every turn.

Trish

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