Tag: Professional Development

Japan: Ideal Destination, Ideal Nanda Journey

In October of 2018, Dr. Nada Stotland, an accomplished and world renowned psychiatrist, led a journey of fellow mental health professionals to Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan.

Dr. Stotland had previously enjoyed traveling to Japan with her family and was eager to return, in a professional capacity, to explore Japan’s attitudes and policy toward mental health care. She also remembered how kind and gracious her hosts were and was excited for her fellow mental health professionals to experience the warm hospitality of the Japanese people and the supreme beauty of Japan.

During their time in Japan, Dr. Stotland and colleagues visited with academics, clinicians, government officials and business owners all involved in the advancement of mental health policy and practice in Japan. The professional exchange allowed for roundtable discussions on current trends, challenges and new approaches to mental health in Japan.

Speaking with us ahead of the journey, Dr. Stotland said:

“The world is a big place.  Learning first-hand about mental health care in widely differing countries helps us to think outside our local boxes and to appreciate what can be done with different sets of resources, policies, and attitudes.”

Upon her return, Dr. Stotland wrote:

“Having led more than ten mental health journeys, to countries on six continents, and enjoyed excellent professional experiences, cultural enrichment, and travel logistics on each, I found that Japan offers a unique combination of exotic culture and modern development.

The Japanese insistence on the freshest seasonal produce and fish means that every snack and meal is interesting and everything is perfectly safe to eat and drink. Cultural norms are different from those in the West—but conveniently include order, punctuality, and safety. The neon and bustle of the Ginza contrasts with the beauty and serenity of mountains, rivers, forests, and the ocean. We especially loved being dressed in kimono (no plural) for a traditional tea ceremony. Don’t miss Japan!”

Each time we create a Nanda Journey, we do so with the utmost care given to ensuring our professional participants are afforded the opportunity to connect with fellow professionals in varied yet relevant professional settings. It is also important to us that we showcase the very best there is to see when in a new country. The goal is not to merely rush through the iconic locations, but rather to take a moment to immerse in the culture and engage with community members in meaningful ways.

It is always a proud moment for us when we receive kind words from our leaders and guests. It affirms our love of travel and why we do what we do! Our own little piece of Nanda (Joy in Sanskrit).
Thank you, Dr. Stotland, for over a decade of faith in our team. It is an honor and a privilege to be continually selected as your global professional travel partner.

We are excited for your Mental Health Journey to Iceland later this year.

Professional Enrichment Travels with Nanda Journeys – A leader’s perspective.

How do you spell “first rate?”  I have travelled with Nanda Journeys to Peru, Cuba, and South Africa. The trips were worry-free, so we could concentrate on the cultural global experience.

I have included some photos from my travels.  The accommodations are always first rate.  The meals and cultural experiences are also top shelf.  With qualified guides, we had ample opportunity to learn not only about the people, but also about the place.  From safaris, to jungle river exploration, to arts and architecture—the trips helped enrich my personal and professional life.

The cultural experiences in hospitals and schools for us were varying and enlightening. I visited schools in the Andes mountains where the children spoke three languages; schools for the deaf in Johannesburg where all children had cochlear implants; and schools for the deaf in Havana where sign language was used. I visited a school in a township of Cape Town where the children’s hearing and vision was being tested using blue tooth technology since there was no electricity in the school. I visited the sparse polyclinics in Cuba,  a rehabilitation center in the Andes mountains of Peru, and a state-of-the-art hospital in Johannesburg. All the visits were varied and all showed that people everywhere are doing what they can to deliver services given their circumstances.

But the best feature of the travels is the opportunity to develop professional relationships with like-minded people. The friendships and relationships have extended beyond the time of the trips themselves. The travels have also enriched my professional life. Since returning from South Africa, I have made conference presentations at national conferences with my colleagues that I met in Johannesburg.  I have consulted on a publication about speech language services in South Africa and published an article on health care in Cuba.

I am looking forward to the next planned journey to Vietnam and Cambodia in the spring of 2019.  Because of the interest in interprofessional service delivery here, and because of the mode of delivery of services in southeast Asia, the spring trip is intended to be interprofessional with rehabilitation specialists.

About Dr. Dolores Battle

Dr. Battle is Professor Emeritus of Speech Language Pathology at SUNY Buffalo State. She is the former president of both the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), and the International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics (IALP).  She has received numerous awards for her work in multicultural and global issues in the profession including Honors of ASHA, Honored member of the IALP, The Diversity Incentive award from the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Science and Disorders.  She is widely published in communication disorders in culturally and linguistically diverse populations and  has traveled professionally to 37 countries on five continents including in Kenya, South Africa,  Brazil, Greece,  Switzerland, Denmark, Canada,  and Australia.