In our special column this month, we are glad to host an interview with Ms. Gisa Paredes, a Licensed Psychologist and Chief Operating Officer at WellAtSea program which has now reached more than 8,000 seafarers globally. Ms Paredes shares with us her secrets for business development; among many, connecting with intention, practicing mindfulness and seeking help from professionals have helped her a lot towards. With regards to crew welfare, she believes that united and collaborative efforts along with a widespread use of technology, would help seafarers’ health significantly.
SAFETY4SEA: How did it come about that you joined shipping industry and your field of expertise specifically?
Gisa Paredes: How I ended up in shipping was all by chance. I was meant to leave the Philippines to take my second Masters Degree. When the funding did not fall through, I had to decline my acceptance to the university. One week later I was asked to join colleagues in Singapore to assess the work environment on board an FSRU vessel with my background in Psychology and human behavior. The rest, as they say, is history!
S4S: What about your current job/ role most excites you and why?
G.P.: I would have to say the best part about building a program like WellAtSea is the ability to marry my creative thinking with science and evidence-based theory. In my undergraduate degree, I was trained to think interdisciplinary and so being able to pull from various schools of thought and bring them together in the WellAtSea program is already so exciting for me. In addition, if we were not in a pandemic, another part of the job I really enjoy most is interacting with the seafarer, going on board, and being present to each of them.
S4S: When you think of the word successful who’s the first person who comes to mind and why?
G.P.: There are too many to mention, but one thing they have in common are what frame my own ideas of success. To me, success means being able to empower other people, to use creative ways for psychoeducation, and to be able to honor my own needs and boundaries. Many spiritual teachers, educators, and inspirational speakers fall into this category that I take my time to learn from regularly.
S4S: Who is/was the most influential person/mentor to you & why ?
G.P.: My post grad thesis adviser definitely influenced me to go down the path of health behavior and health psychology. Her research and work inspired me to carve my own path.
S4S: What is the most worthwhile career investment (in energy, time, money) you’ve ever made?
G.P.: Investing in my post graduate studies in psychology and becoming a licensed psychologist are definitely the best investments I have made in my career. And I intend to keep learning.
S4S: If you could give a piece of advice to your 18-year-old-self one thing, what would it be and why? What piece of advice should you ignore?
G.P.: Everything that is meant for you will be for you. And those that are not will lead you down a better life. Let life surprise you!
S4S: In the last five years, what new belief, behavior, or habit has most improved your business life?
G.P.: Connecting with intention, practicing mindfulness and meditation, keeping a journal, and seeking help from professionals have helped form me as a professional and aligned me with my vision for business.
S4S: What would you like to change in the current maritime landscape and your area of expertise specifically and why?
G.P: I would very much like to see a united and collaborative front towards crew welfare – wherein solutions complement each other through the full health cycle of a seafarer by adopting the use of technology.
S4S: What is your personal motto?
G.P: Always for the highest and best with ease and grace.
The views presented hereabove are only those of the author and do not necessarily those of SAFETY4SEA and are for information sharing and discussion purposes only.
About Gisa Paredes, Chief Operating Officer, WellAtSea
Gisa Paredes is the Chief Operating Officer at WellAtSea and Licensed Psychologist. Gisa led the design and implementation of the WellAtSea program which has now reached more than 8,000 seafarers globally. Over the course of the pandemic, Gisa and her team designed a COVID Care Package and Quality Quarantine program to safeguard the physical and mental well-being of crew.