Over 40 Years of Improving Retention, Well-Being, and Engagement with
Self-Determination Theory

More than 40 years ago, Immersyve Health’s principals Drs. Richard Ryan and Edward Deci created Self-Determination Theory (SDT) as a measurable scientific model of motivation, engagement, & well-being.

Self-Determination Theory: A Leading Model for Motivation and Engagement
With thousands of scholars, researchers, and professionals around the world now using SDT as the basis of their work, today it has become the leading behavioral science model for motivation and engagement in the world. SDT has close to a million independent research studies confirming its remarkable value in understanding, measuring, and improving engagement, well-being, and performance. It provides a powerful framework for understanding how to foster individuals’ growth and reduce burnout and turnover in a variety of circumstances, including healthcare, education, and of course, the workplace.

Creating Conditions for Flourishing: Supporting Autonomy, Mastery, and Belonging

Self-Determination Theory challenges all of us to shift our thinking from how do we motivate people, to a much more effective question: How do we create the conditions for people to flourish? By supporting fundamental needs in others — notably the needs for autonomy, relatedness, and mastery — high quality motivation and engagement will naturally arise in its strongest and most durable forms. The result will not only be greater performance, but greater well-being, retention, and personal growth for everyone involved.
At Immersyve Health, we practically apply the principles of SDT through scalable online solutions to help healthcare organizations across the world reduce burnout and turnover, and improve engagement.

The Leadership Team

Immersyve Health’s principals are the same folks who created Self-Determination Theory and who currently lead its research and applied work worldwide
Dr. Daryl Sharp
Nurse Leader and Educator
Dr. Sharp is an advanced practice nurse, educator and administrator who has developed and led innovative education and care delivery models across various healthcare settings. Her work is focused on behavioral health integration, patient engagement and healthy work environments.
Dr. Richard Ryan
Co-Creator of Self-Determination Theory
Dr. Ryan is a renowned psychologist and co-developer of both Self-Determination Theory and Immersyve Health. Throughout his distinguished career, he has authored over 400 papers and books in the areas of leadership, motivation, organizational effectiveness, and well-being. His work has over 650,0000 citations.
Dr. Scott Rigby
CEO of Immersyve Health
Dr. Rigby is an author, behavioral scientist, and CEO of Immersyve Health, a company that applies behavioral science to help healthcare organizations flourish. Dr. Rigby works with organizations worldwide to improve performance, well-being, and engagement.
Dr. Paul Adachi
Senior Vice President at Immersyve Health
Dr. Adachi works with a variety of healthcare organizations to practically apply the Self-Determination Theory principles to improve retention and engagement, and reduce burnout.

Top Insights

Our programs provide the scalable and practical tools and training for busy healthcare professionals.
Driving Culture Change With Immersyve Health's Proven Approach to Combating Nurse Burnout
Leading the Change: Innovative Training that has Reduced Nurse Burnout and Turnover by Up to 50%
Enhancing Healthcare Well-being: A Strategy for a Healthier Workplace
The Power of Self-Determination Theory in Healthcare
Nurse Retention and Burnout Prevention: Expert Insights on Cultivating a Resilient Team
Boosting Nurse Retention: Proven Strategies to Create a Thriving Nursing Staff
Nurse Burnout Relief Program eBook