After graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce, Graeme Cowan spent his early career as a Marketing Manager with Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson.

 

He then worked as a Team Leader in the Healthcare sector for the recruitment firm Morgan and Banks, before leading a new Organisational Change division.

 

In 1998 he joined AT Kearney Executive Search as their Joint Managing Director specialising in the Healthcare and Management Consulting sector.

 

Since he was 21, Graeme has had 5 major episodes of depression, but the last, which started in 2000, was by far the worst. This episode lasted for 5 years and his psychiatrist described it as the worst he had treated.

 

Whilst at his worst, he yearned for stories of people who had overcome depression, which lead to him writing “Back from the Brink: Australians tell their stories of Overcoming Depression”

 

The book was launched by John Brogden, the CEO of Manchester Unity and former Liberal leader in NSW, in June 2007. Such was the interest in the book, that Graeme has been interviewed by the media over 70 times since the launch and it has quickly became a bestseller.

 

Graeme speaks on:

Brinkmanship

Brinkmanship is the art of risk taking that turns adversity into opportunities.

Graeme describes how his own horrendous experience has lead to opportunities and gifts that he couldn’t have imagined. This background made him reflect on the lives of many people who have turned very dire circumstances into unexpected opportunities.

He came to realise that most people usually see problems and crises with the mind and opportunities and gifts with the heart.

 

He advocates that when faced with a crises you ask, “How can I serve?”

Step back

Enjoy NOW

Reach out

Value yourself and others

Energise your new mission

 

Filled with wisdom from Graeme’s own search, it includes examples that everyone can relate to. He concludes:

“In the long run, the most difficult thing is to search for an easy way.”

 

Overcoming Depression

Outlining his personal decline into mental illness, Graeme is able to accurately describe the decline that lead to him being hospitalised 4 times and his suicide attempt.

 

He describes his halting path out of the Black Hole, highlighting what eventually worked for him. This is also combined with anecdotes of other people’s recovery from the book and quantitative research on what strategies helps most in overcoming depression.

 

He is also able to answer what the loved ones of those living with depression can do to help most with recovery without sacrificing their own health.

 

Sustaining a Vital Workforce

With his knowledge of how organisations work, Graeme describes what people need to do to remain vital in rapidly changing times. This includes the results from clinical studies in areas such as exercise, emotional support, optimistic thinking, relaxation, and fulfilling work.

 

Graeme outlines the best evidence based strategies in stress management, which achieve the optimal out come for the individual and the organisation..

 

Integral to having vital culture, is having a system in place to identify people at risk of mental illness before it becomes a crisis. A confidential case manager should then be appointed to help guide the employee’s path to recovery.

 

If you would like to discuss Graeme’s suitability for you next event please call him on 0414 487 072.