Empowering Well-being: Reflections from Our June Women in Surveying & Spatial Sciences WA Event

This morning, we were proud to host another highly successful and well-attended June event for Women in Surveying and Spatial Sciences WA. It was inspiring to see such a diverse and growing group of attendees, with professionals joining us from across the industry—surveyors, field staff, administrators, academics, training representatives, and many more.

The breadth of participation continues to remind us of the vast, often untapped nature of our industry. Traditional boundaries are no longer as defined as they once were; roles and responsibilities are evolving, overlapping, and expanding. It’s becoming increasingly clear that the spatial sciences sector cannot be neatly categorised—and within this dynamic landscape, the contribution of women is both significant and transformative.

A Focus on Self-Care and Boundaries

Today’s session centered around the important theme of “Self-Care and Boundaries – Sustaining Well-being Without Burnout.”

We had the privilege of hearing from Dr. Mandie Shean (PhD), who guided us through a thoughtful and practical exploration of self-awareness and resilience. Dr Shean encouraged attendees to recognise their intrinsic self-worth and identify the broad set of skills they bring to their roles—spanning social capability, coping mechanisms, conflict management, and personal insight.

A powerful concept discussed was the idea of our personal “backpack” of burdens. Each of us carries a collection of experiences, stresses, and responsibilities—both large and small. Over time, this cumulative load can become heavy. By consciously unpacking and addressing these burdens, we begin the process of reducing risk, prioritising self-care, and creating space for balance and well-being.

Understanding Our Worth

A key takeaway from the session was the importance of recognising that our worth is unconditional. We naturally invest our time and energy in what we value, yet we often tie our self-worth too closely to our roles, achievements, or external validation.

Dr Shean reminded us of the need to separate our personal worth from our professional identity. While it is important to acknowledge the value we bring to our organisations and teams, it is equally important to recognise our inherent worth as individuals—independent of any title or position.

Moving Through Emotions, Not Avoiding Them

Another important theme was emotional awareness. Rather than suppressing or accumulating emotions, we were encouraged to experience them fully, process them, and move forward with clarity and control. This approach supports healthier coping strategies and prevents the long-term impact of unresolved feelings.

A Lasting Impact

The session was both validating and empowering. It reinforced the idea that sustaining well-being requires intention, reflection, and a willingness to prioritise ourselves—not just in our professional lives, but personally as well.

We extend our sincere thanks to Dr. Mandie Shean for her insight and guidance. For those interested in exploring her work further, her book “Turning Points: Changing Direction to Become More Resilient” is available here:👉 https://www.amazon.com.au/Turning-Points-Changing-direction-resilient/dp/1923265016

Events like these continue to strengthen our community, broaden our perspectives, and support the well-being of those working across the spatial sciences sector. We look forward to continuing these conversations and seeing our network grow even further.

Finally, we would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our sponsors CR Kennedy, Veris and CK Maloney Surveying, whose continued support helps make these events possible and allows our community to grow and thrive. We greatly appreciate your commitment to supporting women in spatial sciences, and we look forward to bringing everyone together again at our next event.