Upcoming Events
Well Doc Series: Combating Burnout - Fostering Supportive Work Communities
Date: February 25, 2026
Time: 6:00pm Registration & Dinner, 6:30pm - 8:00pm Presentation
Location: Lions Gate Hospital - Multi-purpose Hall at Paul Myers Tower
231 E 15th St., North Vancouver, BC
Speaker: Dr. Maureen Mayhew, MD MPH PCC, Program Physician for Physician Health Program.
This 1.5-hour interactive workshop explores approaches that foster supportive communities and combat physician burnout
Objectives:
- Understand burnout and contributing factors to it
- Consider how your local day to day interactions influence wellbeing
- Explore implementing healthy boundaries and potential consequences
- Experiment with techniques to foster support in the workplace
Dr. Maureen Mayhew is a family doctor of several decades and a professionally certified coach with over 10 years of experience coaching physicians and other leaders in a variety of healthcare and academic institutions across Canada. She works part-time for the Physician Health Programs of BC, PEI and Nfld and frequently designs interactive workshops on topics aimed to improve physician health.
Maureen’s medical career has led her from urban medical centres to remote corners of most provinces and territories in Canada, as well as in Asia and Africa. She was a frontline physician for many years then added leadership positions at regional, provincial and national levels.
She currently uses her expertise in medicine, leadership, academics and public health to influence health systems and drive physician health forward. Her memoir “Hand on My Heart: A Canadian Doctor’s Awakening in Afghanistan” was published in 2023. It is an adventure story of self-discovery.
Register Here
Please note that registration is open to LGH MSA and NSDFP members only.
Ongoing Course
BCALM Art of Living Mindfully (ALM) Course with Dr. Mark Sherman
Dates: From Jan. 8, 2026 - Feb 26, 2026
Time: 7:00pm - 8:45pm every Thursday evening for 8 weeks.
Location: Virtual Zoom Meetings
This 8 week course is offered for North Shore and Lion's Gate Hospital physicians. The facilitator is Dr. Mark Sherman.
It runs on Thursday evenings starting Jan 8, 2026 until to Feb 26, 2026. This will be a virtual course and from 7:00pm - 8:45pm.
There is no cost to attend, but the course is limited to 20 participants and participants had to commit to attend all the sessions.
This course provides grounding in mindfulness based strategies useful in navigating stress and in recognizing patterns of thought, speech and behavior that may be contributing to stress and suffering.
Home meditation practice is a major component of this course in order to embody concepts learned in class and to then apply them into life. Exercises focusing upon mindfulness and cognitive behavioral strategies complement the meditation practice and allow participants to further explore key concepts of inquiry, acceptance, non-attachment, compassion, loving kindness and non judgement.
Previous Events
Title: Well Doc Series 7: Resiliency by Design - The Physiology Behind Injury-free Movement
Date: Thursday, December 4, 2025
Speaker: Dr. Michael Ryan, PhD, C.Ped (C)
Description: This presentation explored how targeted exercise can prevent the onset and progression of chronic conditions such as osteoporosis, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease. Drawing from biomechanics, cellular physiology, and aging science, Dr. Michael Ryan highlighted how movement acts as medicine when done right.
Title: MDs4Wellness: 4th Annual Hike & Pizza at the Cleveland Dam
Date: Wednesday, September 10, 2025
Description: A social hike for NS Division and LGH Physicians and their families at the Cleveland Dam hike, including a scavenger hunt activity. Pizza and Bjorn Bar treats were provided to everyone who attended!
Title: Well Doc Series 6: The Neurobiology of Happiness
Date: Tuesday, June 24, 2025
Speaker: Dr. Chris Honey, Professor and Head of the Division of Neurosurgery at UBC
Description: This lecture focused on the neurobiology of happiness – what areas in the brain generate happiness and pleasure (they are two different areas!) and how can we activate them in our daily lives.
Title: Canapes & Colleagues at Capilano Suspension Bridge
Date: Thursday, May 8, 2025
Description: MDs4Wellness hosted a social event with appetizers and mingling at the Cliff House restaurant, sponsored by Capilano Suspension Bridge.
Title: Controlling What is Still Ours: Rebuilding Rational Culture in Medicine
Date: Thursday, March 13, 2025
Speaker: Dr. Jillian Horton
This interactive presentation explored how important parts of medical culture have eroded physician well being and fulfillment. Dr. Horton discussed how we can positively contribute towards rebuilding a sense of fulfilment in our profession by tending to our relationships with self, others and our shared medical culture.
Title: Introduction to Pickleball
Date: November 2024 - March 2025
Description: Spouses / partners were welcome along with LGH Medical Staff and North Shore Division of Family Practice members to learn and participate in pick-up Pickleball games!
Title: Well Doc Series 5: Longevity 101
Date: Monday, November 25, 2024
Speaker: Dr. Rob Stenstrom, Emergency Physician at St. Paul's Hospital
Due to unforeseen technical difficulties, there is no recording of this event available. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Title: Well Doc Series 4: Cure Your Time Stress - Practical Solutions for Joyful Productivity
Date: Wednesday, June 5, 2024
Speaker: Dr. Kelly Luu
Title: 3rd Annual Hike, Pizza, Bjorn at the Cleveland Dam
Date: Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Location: Cleveland Dam Park, 3735 Capilano Rd., North Vancouver, BC
Title: Well Doc Series 3 - Learnings from CBT That Can Help Us & Our Patients
Date: Thursday, April 18, 2024
Speaker: Dr. Lisa Gaede
Title: Well Doc Series 2 - Self-Compassion: Your Untapped Superpower
Date: Tuesday, February 13, 2024
Speaker: Dr. Jennifer Baxter
Resources:
- Insight Timer - offers guided meditations/practices - Kristin Neff, Tara Brach
- Self-Compassion Retreat for Female Physicians: https://drjennbaxter.my.canva.site/may-self-compassion-wellness-retreat
- Websites:
- Center for Mindful Self-Compassion: https://centerformsc.org/
- Includes further training opportunities in Mindful Self-Compassion
- https://self-compassion.org/
- A great resource with free practices available online (Kristin Neff).
- Center for Mindful Self-Compassion: https://centerformsc.org/
- Books:
- The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook (Neff/Germer)
- Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself (Neff)
- Fierce Self-Compassion: How Women Can Harness Kindness to Speak Up, Claim Their Power, and Thrive (Neff)
Title: Well Doc Series 1 - Physician (un)Wellness: A Review of the Landscape and Finding Some Solutions Withing
Date: Thursday, January 11, 2024
Speaker: Dr. Simon Pulfrey, LGH ER Physician