20/10/2025
We are delighted to introduce Gari as our wonderful this Mental Health Month! 🧡
Gari has had an incredible career to date, working in healthcare as both a Registered Nurse looking after our patients, and now as our Wellbeing Consultant looking after our staff.
It all began for Gari at 17 years old in the United Kingdom when he started training in mental health nursing at the University of Northampton.
In the following decade, Gari worked in acute and secure environments, helping to care for patients experiencing mental illness, living with personality disorders, and recovering from brain injuries.
When an opportunity presented itself to work with patients who were Deaf, deafened and/ or hard of hearing, Gari took the role, learning British Sign Language (BSL) in the process.
By 2012, Gari headed down under in search of a new lifestyle by the coast – soaking in the sun, sand, and surf. He applied for a role as a Registered Nurse in the Forensic Hospital at Malabar and has been with us ever since.
“I worked inside the Forensic Hospital for five years in various roles, working closely with many of our patients. I also got the chance to support a young person who was Deaf to transition out of our care and return to his community,” Gari said.
Leading through creativity and innovation seems to come naturally to Gari, who in 2017 took on the role of Nurse Manager Practice Development Programs, then Nurse Manager Leadership Programs before moving into the position of Nurse Manager Staff Wellbeing and Development.
It was here Gari spent his time working with teams across the organisation to provide coaching, discover and develop their strengths, coordinate wellbeing activities, and enhance team collaboration.
In 2024, Gari began in his current role as Wellbeing Consultant in our Wellbeing team. He is a friendly face known to many across the organisation and is incredibly passionate about helping everyone who he crosses paths with.
This Mental Health Month, Gari and his team are leading the charge and putting One Foot Forward, encouraging our teams to take time for themselves, encourage connection and promote the benefits of physical activity. 🏃♀️
“Here at Justice Health NSW, we are creating 'Safe Spaces' for both staff and patients,” Gari said.
“These co-shared environments are unique and while we all share the same physical spaces, we also need to focus on creating safe spaces in our minds, that do not cause harm to ourselves or others.”
“Looking after our wellbeing is different for everyone – for some it’s spending time with family, participating in exercise, taking annual leave – and all of that together encompasses what we need to do to support ourselves and each other.”
Thank you Gari, your support is felt widely across Justice Health NSW, and we thank you for your service. ✨
Learn more about our organisation and available roles here: https://www.nsw.gov.au/health-and-wellbeing/justicehealth
