Submitted by Melissa Williams-Platt, PCC
ICF South Africa Chapter

For the past few years, Meliassa Williams-Platt has been focused on coaching health professionals in all disciplines in South Africa. With the onset of COVID, this became even more important now that health professionals were not only faced with the daily trials of healthcare, but the normal work overwhelm was now coupled with the impact of COVID-19. Their over-burdened plates were now loaded with additional superhuman demands, anxiety, trauma, grief and loss. 

Melissa worked alone in terms of the one-on-one coaching, and together with a colleague psychologist for workshop sessions. While difficult to quantify the impact fully, more than 11 hours of pro bono coaching was provided in this period. She also participated as a support coach in the Victors Registrar “Tea” Zoom meetings — (Their weekly Victors meetings stood for: Virtual, Informal, Chat, Tearoom style, Opening (the way to), Resilience and Strength). These sessions were started by their Head of Department at Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital, Wits University.