Psychiatrist, sleep specialist, and former Buddhist monk, Dr. Tony Fernando’s life journey is anything but ordinary.
Born in the Philippines, he began his medical career at the University of the Philippines before training in psychiatry and sleep medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Now based in Aotearoa, Tony has long held dual roles as a consultant psychiatrist and sleep physician, while becoming a beloved senior lecturer at the University of Auckland, where his teaching excellence has earned more than a dozen student-nominated awards.
Tony is uniquely qualified as Australasia’s only psychiatrist formally trained in insomnia, and he has developed a strong reputation as a medico-legal advisor in sleep-related violence. His contributions to the medical profession have been recognised internationally. In 2012, he was honoured by the President of the Philippines for services to sleep medicine and education, and in 2015 received the Chair’s Award from the New Zealand Medical Association for his groundbreaking work on physician wellbeing.
His fascination with compassion led to a PhD focused on why doctors lose empathy, and he has since become a leader in the field, publishing widely and organising national conferences on the role of compassion in healthcare. His research is deeply informed by his lived experience—Tony has been ordained as a Buddhist monk in both Myanmar and New Zealand, practices that shaped his understanding of kindness, presence, and human connection.
That lived wisdom inspired his bestselling book Life Hacks from the Buddha (HarperCollins, 2024), a modern guide to Buddhist psychology. Off the page, Tony walks his talk—he spent three years volunteering weekly at Mt Eden Correctional Facility, teaching mindfulness and emotional resilience, and continues this work with inmates in Manila. During New Zealand’s COVID-19 lockdowns, he recorded meditations for prisoners locked in their cells for 23 hours a day.
Beyond his professional world, Tony has faced personal fears with trademark humility and humour. Terrified of deep water, he learned to ocean swim and has crossed Auckland Harbour multiple times, even participating in Ironman relay events. His stories, whether from hospitals, monasteries, or prisons, are filled with heart and humour, always pointing toward a simple truth: a more compassionate, balanced, and joyful life is possible.
Talking Points
Finding Peace (or happiness)
We all want to be happy, peaceful, and successful, yet so many of us struggle to find it. The truth is, our brains did not evolve to make us calm or content. They evolved to keep us alive and reproducing. For survival, the brain developed habits that helped our ancestors — scanning for danger, worrying about the future, clinging to what feels safe. Those same habits now leave us anxious, restless, angry, and overthinking.Finding Peace (or happiness)
In this workshop, we explore how understanding the brain can free us from some of the suffering it creates. Instead of chasing peace outside ourselves, we look inward, where it has always been.
I draw on the teachings of the Buddha — not as a religious figure, but as, in my view, the wisest psychologist who lived 2,600 years ago. He left us a powerful mind-training curriculum, which modern psychology and neuroscience are only now catching up with. Knowing how the uncontrolled mind causes suffering is the first step. The next is learning how to retrain it through simple but profound practices like mindfulness, generosity, gratitude, and compassion.
This session is not religious. It is an invitation to pause, reflect, and experiment with tools that open the door to calm and resilience. Peace is not something we chase. It is something we uncover.
Mindfulness- what is it really?
These days, everything is “mindful.” We hear about mindful eating, mindful parenting, mindful leadership, even mindful cooking. But what is mindfulness really? And why has it become such a buzzword?Mindfulness- what is it really?
In this session, I go back to the source: the Buddha. Not a god, but in my view, the wisest psychologist who ever lived. More than 2,600 years ago, he taught practical strategies for living with less stress and more peace. Mindfulness was just one of his tools, but it has become the foundation of modern approaches to wellbeing.
Mindfulness is not about stopping your thoughts or becoming perfectly calm. It is about noticing what is happening in your mind and body, and being at peace with it — whether it’s joy, irritation, boredom, or restlessness. With practice, we begin to see the habits that trip us up: the tendency to overthink, to ruminate, to be overly self-critical, or to judge others harshly. Instead of being ruled by these processes, mindfulness helps us soften them, giving us more space and freedom.
We will also try short practices together — simple, everyday ways to be mindful while sitting, walking, eating, or even waiting in line. The point is not to become a monk but to understand how our minds work, see how they create stress, and gently loosen their grip.
Mindfulness is not a cure-all. But it gives us a mirror to see what goes on inside our sometimes crazy minds, and with that awareness, we can choose responses that are wiser, kinder, and more peaceful.
Better Sleep, Better You
Good sleep is one of the foundations of health and wellbeing — yet for many of us, it is also one of the hardest things to get right. In this talk, psychiatrist and sleep specialist Dr. Tony Fernando will explore why sleep matters and, more importantly, how to improve it.Better Sleep, Better You
We will look at the different kinds of sleep problems, from insomnia to excessive sleepiness to parasomnias such as nightmares and sleepwalking. The focus will be on insomnia, the most common issue, with a discussion of its causes and practical strategies for managing it.
One of the surprising truths is that worrying too much about sleep can actually make it worse. Learning how to relax and live well even when sleep is not perfect is a vital step toward better rest.
By the end of the session, you will come away with a deeper understanding of your sleep and some practical tools to help you sleep better — and feel better.
Kindness and Compassion – Can We Be Better?
Most of us want to be kind and compassionate, yet it is often the first thing to vanish when we are stressed, overworked, stuck in traffic, or simply overwhelmed by life. Why is it so hard to live up to our own ideals of kindness?Kindness and Compassion – Can We Be Better?
In this workshop, we explore what compassion really is, why it matters, and whether humans are truly wired for kindness or destined to be more of a dog-eat-dog species. Drawing on neuroscience, psychology, and timeless wisdom, we will see how kindness and compassion are not just feel-good extras, but powerful practices that change both brain and body. Research shows that compassion reduces stress, strengthens relationships, and even benefits the giver as much as the receiver.
Together, we will look at the science, reflect on our own habits, and learn simple, practical strategies to be kinder to ourselves and others — even in the middle of stress, burnout, or busyness. The session will include exercises you can take home and apply right away, so that compassion becomes not just a good idea, but a way of living.
Kindness is not weakness. Compassion is not optional. They are superpowers that can help us face a messy, pressured world with more balance, humanity, and peace.
Tony’s style is deeply engaging. He weaves together personal experiences and relatable examples that resonate with participants, making complex topics accessible and memorable. Beyond his ab ... keep reading McKinsey & Company
Tony was our closing keynote speaker at an international conference we hosted for 650 educators from 15 countries. They loved him and the feedback was terrific. Tony's keynotes are a perfect blend of self-improvement, wisdom and humour - with a little bit of Buddhism thrown in. Tony is entertaining, informative and practical with his advice. His 'Life Hacks' book is a great addition to his range of offerings. Every conference should have a Tony Fernando on the list and I would highly recommend his work.
