Biography of Neil Orr
Full Name: Neil Michael Orr
Tertiary education: BA (Pretoria); BSocSciHons (CT); MA (Research Psych; CT)
Completed his MA in Research Psychology in 1994, with a focus upon health psychology, and specializing in a new area (at that time), called Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI). PNI is essentially the area of research concerning how mental-emotional factors have a direct effect upon health, by means of hormone and nerve changes over time, which affect the immune system. His main area of interest was – and remains – chronic immune disorders, such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, and autoimmune diseases. His Master’s degree thesis is entitled: Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) and Coping Styles in HIV-positive People. This research thesis focused upon the psychosocial coping factors of a group of HIV-positive men, and whether these were linked to the rate
at which immune function declined in HIV infection.
Other education:
o NLP Practitioner (ABNLP-certified, 2005)
o Master NLP Practitioner (to be completed in September 2007)
o Time-Line Therapy (Performance Unlimited, UK, 2005)
o High Performance Coach (Performance Unlimited, UK, 2005)
Publications:
o Academic and other media articles:
o Nicholas, L., & Orr, N.M., 1995, AIDS Knowledge and Attitudes Towards Homosexuals and People With AIDS of Prospective Black First-Year Social Work University Students, Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk, 31(1), pp.90-96.
o Daniels, P., Nicholas, L., & Orr, N.M., 1995, Prospective Human Ecology Students' AIDS Knowledge and Attitudes Towards Homosexuals and People With AIDS, Journal of Community and Health Sciences, 2(2), pp.38-43.
o Louw, J., Orr, N., Horwitz, S., Vergunst, R., Tibbs, J., Roberts, K., Badroodien, G., Kaplan, S., Jeannot, C., & Nixon, M., 1995, The emergence of psychological themes in the South African Medical Journal, 1927-1975, South African Journal of Psychology, 25(2), pp.99-105.
o Patient, D., & Orr, N.,2005, Stigma and Belief Systems: Journal of AIDS Legal Network / ALQ (June 2005)
o Publications (Books)
o Positive Health (Jacana Media, 2007); Choices (Jacana Media, 2008); Sex Secrets (Juta); The Healer Inside You (Juta).
Data analysis / Epidemiology
o Analysis of sick leave and family leave for companies
o Calculating cost-to-company for absenteeism
o Tracking trends in absenteeism
o Correlation of HIV prevalence with absenteeism
o Design of mitigating interventions
o Actuarial projections and risk assessment w.r.t. HIV/AIDS in the workplace
o Clients include:
o Tsogo Sun Holdings (1998-2007)
o Global Forestry (2005-2007)
o UPS (2006/7)
o TNT (2001-2007)
Conferences & Presentations
o Neil Orr has presented at numerous conferences as a subject expert on Wellness, Absenteeism in a time of HIV/AIDS, PNI, and peer educator best practice. The following conference organisations have utilised his expertise in both facilitation and presentations in the last 2 years:
§ Sixth Sense
§ IQPC
§ Bristol-Myers Squibb
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