As you get older you want to make a change to your life. Things that once felt like your purpose no longer align.

Well, you’re not alone.

My guest in this episode has not only experienced the same thing, he has written about it in award winning fashion. Dan Kieran suffered from many phobias from agoraphobia, fear of flying, getting in lifts and more. To move through them he had to put in the work.

And every time he did, he felt more whole. As though he had discovered a missing piece of himself.

Dan talks about how he moved through the phobias and his experiences in business leading companies. As well as his second journey of individual development later in life.

“In failure, in disaster you will always find the most lifechanging realisations” – Dan

You'll hear about:

01:56 - What does success mean to Dan?

06:39 - Dan's journey to where he is today

12:43 - The symptoms showing things weren't right

18:20 - The seed leading to an authentic life

27:19 - Did Dan have any crisis moments?

33:04 - Dan or writing The Surfboard

38:30 - The impacts Dan's fear of flying has had

44:27 - You have to sit in the pain

Dan’s resources:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-kieran-b49a3329/

Find out all about Dan and his books - https://www.dankieran.com/

Petra’s resources:

Petra’s website - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@petravelzeboer397 

Buy Petra’s book: Begin With You: Invest in Your Mental Well-being and Satisfaction at Work - https://shorturl.at/nyDOX 

In this episode I am joined by ex-partner of a law firm, Helen Pamely, who speaks out against the sector’s record on mental health.

Helen challenges the pre-conceptions and norms of the industry to forge a new way. An ex-lawyer turned coach; she has lived experience at the top levels of this high-pressured environment. She discusses the radical changes needed to prioritise mental health and how the culture needs to evolve.

She calls out the practices that are compromising mental health in law firms, and the toxic cultures that enable them.

There is a real need for a more supportive and understanding work environment in law, Helen shows the way in how to achieve that.

“It’s misogyny, it’s bullying, it’s being iced out, it’s being fired. People hurt people” – Helen

You'll hear about:

00:56 - What does Helen aspire to?

01:52 - Is it possible to prioritise mental health in the legal sector?

05:33 - How Helen changed career help others

10:09 - The toxic nature of becoming a partner

13:04 - Helen on emotional intelligence

17:29 - Helen's messaging that resonates the most

19:45 - The real impact of tragic stories

24:21 - What is the radical change needed in law?

28:47 - Helen's mental health non-negotiables

Helen’s resources

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenpamely/

Website - https://helenpamely.com/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/helenpamely/?hl=en

Listen to Helen’s podcast More Than A Lawyer - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/more-than-a-lawyer/id1729325503 

Petra’s resources: Petra’s website - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@petravelzeboer397 

Buy Petra’s book: Begin With You: Invest in Your Mental Well-being and Satisfaction at Work - https://shorturl.at/nyDOX

This is the perception that my guest in this episode, Todd Hopwood, has been fighting to break.

The cultural expectations of men often mean they keep quiet about their wellbeing, a problem in itself that can do far more damage. Todd has been using his position as a leader to advocate for the mental health of his workforce by leading by example.

After posting his mental health score at work one day his colleagues began to open up to him, which led him down a path of supporting people, in particular men, to talk about their own challenges.

We discuss the challenges of showing vulnerability, and the need for trust and communication in relationships. Todd also shares his personal journey of caring for a family member with mental health issues, the barriers he faced in disclosing his struggles, and the transformative power of being open about emotions.

The conversation emphasizes the necessity for radical changes needed to support men to talk more. 

“What I wasn’t planning for was that lots of people started talking to me about mental health” – Todd

You'll hear about:

01:35 - Why is mental health important to Todd?

04:41 - Todd on showing vulnerability

08:48 - The impacts of sharing his mental health score at work

17:40 - Networks and leading by example

22:35 - Todd's relationship with mental health growing up

29:40 - Could anyone have supported Todd differently?

33:43 - How partners can support men challenging conditioning

40:52 - The impacts of stress on your responses

44:33 - Should we care for ourselves first before others?

48:00 - The most radical change we need in wellbeing

51:24 - What do men need to know about mental health?

Todd’s resources:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-hopwood-00404310/ 

Petra’s resources: Petra’s website - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@petravelzeboer397 

Buy Petra’s book: Begin With You: Invest in Your Mental Well-being and Satisfaction at Work - https://shorturl.at/nyDOX

Be honest. It’s probably a lot isn’t it, your phone, TV, your laptop. They are always there next to you or in your pocket.

You do not have to live your life being ruled by technology. In this episode I want to explore how you can do this, because the impacts they have on your mental health can be huge.

It is so important to self-reflect regarding your relationship with technology, we need deeper connections in life to thrive. I give practical tips on how to manage your digital life, and why setting boundaries can have significant impacts for the better.

Ultimately, we need to take collective responsibility for our digital habits and strive for a balanced approach to technology use.

“Are Your Devices Ruling You?” - Petra

You'll hear about:

00:42 - Are your devices ruling you?

02:26 - What do we need more of?

03:45 - What is in our control?

07:30 - What is our social responsibility?

09:11 - Technology in the workplace

10:45 - Are digital detoxes the solution?

14:09 - Assess your relationship with your device

18:59 - Tips to evolve your relationship with technology

Petra’s resources: Petra’s website - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@petravelzeboer397 

Buy Petra’s book: Begin With You: Invest in Your Mental Well-being and Satisfaction at Work - https://shorturl.at/nyDOX 

The moment you take ownership of it is the moment you take power over it. 

My incredible guest in this episode, Chana Buisson, experienced trauma in her childhood. Physical and mental abuse led to depression and suicidal thoughts later in life.

Chana shares with so much honesty what she went through, and beauty the lessons she has since learned. She discusses how she overcame her trauma to find empowerment. She also talks about the challenges of dealing with depression and finding the motivation to keep moving forward.

What Chana says resonated so much with me and my story. And it also shows that real self-care involves giving ourselves tough love to get us out of situations to get up and move forward.

“It’s worth being uncomfortable with your story so you own it and it doesn’t own you” – Chana

You'll hear about:

01:15 - An introduction to Chana

06:40 - The role Chana had in her family

10:50 - Was nursing a follow on from her childhood role

13:27 - Femininity and owning your power

19:09 - Things Chana still works on because of her past

23:40 - Perpetuating the idea of staying stuck

28:24 - Did anyone say anything useful to move from the dark?

34:51 - The self-care we really need

38:22 - What Gen Z need?

42:11 - The radical change we need in wellbeing

Chana’s resources:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chana-buisson-1922002b2/

Website - https://www.fullofnectar.com/

Petra’s resources:

Petra’s website - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@petravelzeboer397 

Buy Petra’s book: Begin With You: Invest in Your Mental Well-being and Satisfaction at Work - https://shorturl.at/nyDOX

The bad news we see daily, the world in trouble. I would argue that we have a responsibility to protect ourselves from it. And live in a way that doesn’t overload our mental health.

By all means be active on the issues important to you but recognise that you have the control over the information you consume.

In this episode I discuss how to navigate the troubles we see in the world. I want to encourage you to question your relationship with the news and prioritise where you place your attention and energy. We should be focusing on causes that align with our zone of genius, all while protecting our brain and nervous system. 

Turning down the volume on negative influences and turning it up on things that bring us energy will enable us to create real impact in the world.

“What is our responsibility when it comes to navigating the amount of information that could be bad for our mental health?” - Petra

You'll hear about:

01:04 - How we navigate a troubled world

02:33 - Being prepared for the next bad thing

03:29 - Navigating all of the information out there

05:29 - The defences I often hear on this topic

06:58 - What causes are you connected to?

09:20 - Having intention on connecting to the world

11:43 - I don't watch the news at all

13:16 - Question what is in your control

Petra’s resources:

Petra’s website - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@petravelzeboer397 

Buy Petra’s book: Begin With You: Invest in Your Mental Well-being and Satisfaction at Work - https://shorturl.at/nyDOX 

But it is possible. So, what does it take to get there and stay there?

In this episode I am joined by Chinazom and Ije, a couple who are business and leadership coaches. They discuss the challenges and rewards of working together as a couple and as business partners.

They also explore the concept of mental fitness and its importance for performance and wellbeing. We cover the importance of psychological safety in teams and the role of leaders in creating a culture of mental fitness. Allowing employees to flourish and experience joy.

We also share our experiences of building trust and psychological safety within our teams, including the importance of leaders modelling vulnerability and creating a safe space for employees to share their challenges to build real trust.

“If there isn’t a sense of trust people will respond falsely” – Iljeoma

You'll hear about:

01:07 - An intro to Chinazom & Ijeoma

03:03 - Was learning about coaching transformative?

07:18 - The unsaid things in business

14:58 - The art of reflection and communication

19:50 - Chinazom's version of mental fitness

29:34 - Bringing wellbeing into the light

33:49 - How Petra talks about mental health in her organisation

41:39 - The problems in the modern workplace

46:46 - Recognising your partners mental health needs

51:48 - The most radical change we need in wellbeing

Chinazom & Ijeoma’s resources:

Website - https://www.dreamcatchersperformance.com/

Chinazom - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chinazomsunnynwabueze/

Ijeoma - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ijeoma-jemie-nwabueze/

Petra’s resources: Petra’s website - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ 

We need to be able to align our decisions with our truth. That means not just choosing what we think is a good decision but what we think is a great decision.

But how do we know what a great decision is?

In this episode, I discuss the concept of good versus great and how it relates to finding our purpose and living in alignment with our truth. That truth can change as we move through different phases of our lives. So, we need to embrace the idea of the 'dark night of the soul' and how it can be a transformative period of growth and self-discovery.

Ask yourself the question of what good versus great is in your life, and bravely say no to the good to pursue the great.

“Challenge the thinking that’s around you and think for yourself” - Petra

You'll hear about:

00:50 - Good vs great

01:35 - The different phases of life

05:25 - It takes self-awareness

08:16 - Hone in on your zone of genius

11:41 - How do we know the phase has changed?

14:38 - What should our zone of genius be about?

16:28 - Challenge the thinking that’s around you

Petra’s resources: Petra’s website - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@petravelzeboer397 

Buy Petra’s book: Begin With You: Invest in Your Mental Well-being and Satisfaction at Work - https://shorturl.at/nyDOX 

We are all going from one aspect of our lives to the other, trying to keep everything afloat, but what of we reframed it as work life harmony?

This outlook on leadership and wellbeing is championed by my guest in this episode, Andre Young. He is the founder of You Evolving Now, author and leadership trainer helping create better work culture, and improved interactions between leaders and employees.

Andre shares his perspective on what work life harmony is and the importance of setting priorities and boundaries. Andre shares his own experiences with trying to maintain this harmony with 4 kids, his wife, friends and 2 businesses.

There is so much we are told about what our work life balance should look like, let’s get to the truth about what we are all going through.

“Once you know who you are, once you know who your people are, you don’t have to take things personal anymore” - Andre

You'll hear about:

00:57 - What's exciting Andre right now?

02:32 - The biggest thing Andre is currently learning

06:55 - Andre's role as a kid

13:18 - It starts with self-awareness

15:19 - Work life harmony according to Andre

29:00 - Everyone needs to know the vision

32:32 - The types of wins we celebrate

38:50 - Does work life balance have to look a certain way?

44:55 - The skill of intentional communication

52:50 - The most radical change Andre wants to see

Andre’s resources:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/youevolvingnow/

Website - https://youevolvingnow.com/author/andre-young/

Petra’s resources: Petra’s website - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ 

Whether they are inside your head or out there in the real world, they exist for all of us.

The hard bit is finding the right people to hear you out and give you the insights you need to make your next move.

In this episode I discuss the importance of creating a circle of support in what can be a world of isolation. And that support may need to evolve over time. I explore the concept of the boardroom in our heads, where different voices influence our decisions, we need to listen to those just as much as the voices around us from the outside world.

Don’t be afraid to ask for what you need, it will help you get the right kind of support at the right time. 

“The boardroom that got you to where needed to go is not the same as the one you need for the next phase of life” - Petra

You'll hear about:

00:50 - Creating your circle of support

04:07 - Our personal board room

05:52 - Having blind faith in yourself

07:34 - Sitting with the darkness

10:03 - Authenticity over connection

17:24 - Identifying the voices in your head

20:25 - The in real life aspect

25:56 - Final thoughts

Petra’s resources:

Petra’s website - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@petravelzeboer397 

Buy Petra’s book: Begin With You: Invest in Your Mental Well-being and Satisfaction at Work - https://shorturl.at/nyDOX 

The connection between how our gut is feeling and how our brain feels is becoming more and more understood.

That’s why in this episode I invited Dana Chapman, a health and wellness expert, to talk us about how to look after ourselves by looking after our gut. She is trained in Nutrition Science, incorporating elements of how genetics, stressors, environment, food, movement and sleep all impact how we feel think and perform. 

We discuss the connection between gut health and mental health, and where to start to look after ourselves if we are feeling stressed. We also touch on the impact of technology on our ability to listen to our bodies and the responsibility of organizations in promoting employee well-being.

“If the gut is not happy, you are not going to be happy” - Dana

You'll hear about:

03:02 - The Gut-Brain Connection

11:31 - Managing Stress for Gut Health and Mental Well-Being

16:59 – Happiness hormones

23:07 – Is tech helping us listen to our bodies more?

28:12 - Prioritizing Individual Well-Being in the Workplace

34:17 - The Impact of Technology on Body Awareness

38:05 - The Responsibility of Organizations in Promoting Employee Well-Being

Dana’s resources:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-chapman-85b73316/ 

DC-Nutrition - https://www.dc-nutrition.co.uk/ 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/danachapmannutrition 

Petra’s resources:

Petra’s website - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@petravelzeboer397 

Buy Petra’s book: Begin With You: Invest in Your Mental Well-being and Satisfaction at Work - https://shorturl.at/nyDOX 

Feeling like every expert is telling us something slightly different to get us to the destination of being healed. But it doesn’t work like that.

In this episode, I discuss how to get the most out of self-help. And I challenge the idea of healing as a destination and emphasize the importance of the self in self-help. We need reflection, radical honesty, and checking our own bullshit to really be able to heal.

I also give tips on how to reflect on your body and needs, assessing the basics before getting fancy, and consciously consuming information.

“You are the expert of your experience” - Petra

You'll hear about:

01:17 - Navigating Self-Help Overwhelm and Addiction

02:59 - Being the Expert of Your Own Experience

08:09 - Reflection, Radical Honesty, and Checking Your Bullshit

11:00 - The Power of Meaningful Connections and Community Help

16:48 – Reflecting on your own path

21:28 – Checking in with other people

25:08 - Making the Most of Therapy, Coaching, and Support

Petra’s resources:

Petra’s website - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@petravelzeboer397 

Buy Petra’s book: Begin With You: Invest in Your Mental Well-being and Satisfaction at Work - https://shorturl.at/nyDOX 

The reality is that it can take far longer than it should according to my guest in this episode Dr. Ardeshir Mehran. He believes we should be emphasizing the importance of accelerated healing and the need to address shame and grief in the healing process.

Ardeshir Mehran is a leadership excellence coach, who enables leaders to achieve their personal and operating goals, at faster and higher rates. Listen as he highlights the connection between mental health and the quality of relationships and environments, particularly in the workplace. He also discusses the prevalence of depression and anxiety in high-achieving professionals and the need for fulfilment in addition to achievement.

We explore the themes of pain, change, and trauma as well as Ardeshir’s personal journey of realizing he was in the wrong role and the toll it took on his own mental health.

"People can get traumatized in a matter of minutes, hours or days. It should not take so long to heal” - Dr. Ardeshir Mehran

You'll hear about:   Chapters

02:17 - Accelerated Healing and the Journey to Wholeness 08:54 - The Impact of Shame and Grief on Mental Health 15:05 - Connections Between Mental Health and the Workplace 23:04 - Psychological Safety 25:15 - The Power of Brave Conversations in the Workplace 26:39 - Listening to Emotions and Pain 28:43 - Reclaiming Our True Selves and Setting Boundaries 33:29 - Being Present and Confronting Unhealed Trauma 37:21 - The Power of Connection: Belonging and Mental Health 49:44 - The Radical Change Needed in Mental Health

Ardeshir’s resources:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ardeshir-mehran-ph-d-a3457/ Ardeshir’s website - https://ardeshirmehran.com/

Petra’s resources:

Petra’s website - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/  YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@petravelzeboer397  Buy Petra’s book: Begin With You: Invest in Your Mental Well-being and Satisfaction at Work - https://shorturl.at/nyDOX 

This is one of the most common questions I get asked. We all try and set boundaries but so often we beat ourselves up for not sticking to them. But all it takes is a little tweak to make it work, and that’s what we’re going to cover in this episode.

I delve into my own struggles with boundaries and addiction, and the shame I have felt when I didn’t meet them. I also share tactics you can use to set better boundaries and break the cycles of addiction by celebrating small wins, radical honesty, and accountability.

So start noticing what you hide in the cabin of shame from, so you can solve it and challenge your own bullshit.

“Anybody who says they have perfect boundaries all of the time, it’s simply not true” - Petra

You'll hear about:

01:02 - We're all making it up as we go

02:10 - Why the context we are in matters

06:53 - My definition of addiction

09:18 - My journey with addiction

14:31 - Tactics for sticking to boundaries

16:55 - Assessing if you need a boundary

19:51 - You need to learn to be honest

Episode resources:

James Clear – Atomic Habits - https://shorturl.at/lqOW7 

Dr Ramani – You Are Why You Eat - https://shorturl.at/drvBS 

Petra’s resources: Petra’s website - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@petravelzeboer397 

Buy Petra’s book: Begin With You: Invest in Your Mental Well-being and Satisfaction at Work - https://shorturl.at/nyDOX 

From the person attempting it now needing mental health support, to the loved ones needing to re-build trust in them. Everyone must deal with the ripple effects.

In this episode I am joined by Clarke and Carrie Carlisle. Clarke attempted suicide which led them both down a path of having to work on their mental health for very different reasons. They share their experiences in getting to a place where the trust in Clarke’s words was rebuilt, the challenges supporting family members face, and the misconceptions around it all.

Clarke also share his experiences around unconscious bias in the health system and their thoughts on what needs to radically change in wellbeing.

“It didn’t matter how well he was, if I wasn’t well, I still believed he was going to kill himself” - Carrie

You'll hear about:

02:04 - An intro to Clarke and Carrie

11:25 - Rebuilding the trust after a suicide attempt

16:02 - Carrie on whether her mental health as the supporter

23:08 - What it takes to build healthy relationships

31:08 - Did Clarke experience unconscious bias in his treatment?

39:19 - The misconceptions people have

43:49 - The importance of knowing boundaries

48:32 - Adverse mental health vs emotional wellbeing

55:42 - The roles we give our children

59:24 - The most radical change we need in wellbeing

Clarke & Carrie’s resources:

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/clarkeandcarriecarlisle/ 

Website - https://www.clarkeandcarrie.com/ 

Petra’s resources:

Petra’s website - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ 

This episode is different! Tips, tools and advice from my story and hundreds of hours working with clients. 

All too easily we can numb ourselves when we feel those tough feelings, we need to recognise the importance of feeling both the highs and the lows of life.

In this episode I share my own experiences leaving life in a cult, overcoming addiction and suicidal thoughts, to being able to shift from a victim to a growth mindset. I also discuss how we can all truly connect to ourselves and embrace all the feelings life entails and why this can help us reach our potential and change your life. 

“I spiralled into hopelessness, despair, suicidal thinking, the works” - Petra

You'll hear about:

03:12 – How I changed my life

08:14 - Shifting from victim to growth mindset

13:06 - The importance of understanding one's blueprint

15:26 - Take action to overcome fear

18:52 – The impact of complex PTSD and trauma

24:14 – Feeling the feelings is what makes us alive

26:34 – Why I think we experience depression

Resources:

Website - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@petravelzeboer397 

Buy Petra’s book: Begin With You: Invest in Your Mental Well-being and Satisfaction at Work - https://shorturl.at/nyDOX 

But what is it really like to train as a Doctor?

In this episode I am joined by 3 Doctors in training to shed light on the realities they face and to bust some myths. They share the challenges they have faced throughout their training and the coping strategies they have developed to deal with stress and their mental health struggles.

They talk about burnout, why Doctors experience it and whether it is being addressed by the profession or not. Also, we discuss the impacts social media and technology are having on mental health both personally and within society as a whole.

“85% of doctors admitted suffering some sort of mental health problem” – Charlie Carey

You'll hear about:

00:00 - Start

00:40 – An introduction to the guests

05:09 – Misconceptions about medical students

10:51 - Medical school challenges and coping strategies

13:52 - Mental health struggles in medical school

19:26 - Burnout in the medical field

29:21 - Prioritising mental health in university life

35:55 - Social media's impact on mental health

44:35 - Technology's impact on mental health and well-being

50:31 - Mental health care improvements

Guest resources:

https://www.bmj.com/content/352/bmj.i1238#:~:text=A%20recent%20Medical%20Protection%20survey,among%20the%20most%20common%20complaints.

https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/8/e061331

https://www.bmj.com/content/379/bmj.o3066

https://futurecarecapital.org.uk/latest/half-of-doctors-struggling-with-their-mental-health/-

https://youokaydoc.org.uk/

https://instagram.com/youokaydoc?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

Petra’s resources:

Petra’s website - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@petravelzeboer397 

Buy Petra’s book: Begin With You: Invest in Your Mental Well-being and Satisfaction at Work - https://shorturl.at/nyDOX

Emily Warren believes it’s time that this is flipped on its head and we look at the environments, the cultures, and the structures we place around employees instead.

Emily is responsible for a portfolio of EX projects and initiatives within the Avanade business, aimed at continually elevating the employee experience. She works in partnership with teams across the organisation, looking after 18,000 people globally as Global Wellbeing Director for Avanade, to deliver genuine human impact for Avanade employees.

In this episode Emily shares her own experiences with anxiety, mental health, and wellbeing. An experience that taught her a lot about how she works in the space. She discusses how she works in a global organisation but keeps the individual in mind and what is important to have in a wellbeing strategy.

“We need to revolutionise where spend our time as wellbeing professionals” – Emily Warren

You'll hear about:

01:15 – What got Emily into this work

03:02 – Thinking of individuals in large-scale initiatives

08:49 – Emily’s mental health story

14:50 – Emily’s experience being signed off work

17:52 – Wearing masks throughout our lives

24:49 – Wellbeing in global organisations

34:35 – What should be in a wellbeing strategy?

38:40 – Emily’s thoughts on the future of work

49:50 – The most radical change needed in workplace wellbeing

Emily’s resources:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilylwarren/  

Petra’s resources:

Petra’s website - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@petravelzeboer397 

Buy Petra’s book: Begin With You: Invest in Your Mental Well-being and Satisfaction at Work - https://shorturl.at/nyDOX

This simple and elegant view of DEI in the workplace is that of my guest in this episode Dr. Asif Sadiq MBE. Asif is the Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer for Warner Bros. Discovery, he was previously the Global Head of Diversity, Inclusion and Social Impact at adidas and has a long and rich career in the diversity and inclusion space with senior executive roles at The Telegraph Media Group, EY Financial Services and the City of London Police. 

In this episode he brings his wealth of experience to the discussion and talks about what the key things are to getting DEI at the workplace right, the challenges we have it making it happen and why DEI, mental health and wellbeing should all be combined into one discussion.

“There is no textbook response to DEI in the workplace” – Dr. Asif Sadiq MBE

You'll hear about:

01:24 - DEI progress Asif has seen

02:56 - What role did Asif take in childhood?

05:34 - The key themes to getting DEI right

10:53 - The challenges in bringing DEI to life

18:09 - Combining mental health, wellbeing and DEI

25:44 - Barriers to asking questions at work

32:00 - What is Asif most proud of in his work?

37:32 - What does Asif do to invest in his own wellbeing?

42:58 - The most radical DEI change the workplace needs

Dr. Asif Sadiq’s resources:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-asif-sadiq-mbe-b8a58b14/ 

Petra’s resources: Petra’s website - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@petravelzeboer397 

Buy Petra’s book: Begin With You: Invest in Your Mental Well-being and Satisfaction at Work - https://shorturl.at/nyDOX 

This is the belief of my guest, Subira Jones, The Corporate Hippie, an award-winning high performance, lifestyle, and burnout coach. Subira has lived through a year-long burnout cycle after completing her degree whilst her mum was in a coma to almost dying from Sepsis herself 9 months later.

This lived experience moved her to want to help others through the experience of burnout, and in this episode she talks about why we get burnt out in the first place, misconceptions people have about preventing it and how corporate has it all wrong when trying to deal with it.

“I am obsessed with burnout because it was obsessed with me” – Subira Jones

You'll hear about:

01:14 - An introduction to Subira

03:14 - Why do we get burnt out?

06:09 - The misconceptions around preventing wellbeing

11:17 - What could redefine how the working day looks?

15:43 - What was the role young Subira took?

19:40 - How did burnout show up for Subira?

25:01 – Subira’s journey to helping others

31:04 - Self-worth is not our achievements

37:00 - How Subira changed her life

45:54 - Thinking about how you want to feel

Subira Jones’ resources:

The Corporate Hippie Website - https://www.thecorporatehippie.uk/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-corporate-hippie/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/the.corporate.hippie_/ 

Petra’s resources:

Petra’s website - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@petravelzeboer397 

Buy Petra’s book: Begin With You: Invest in Your Mental Well-being and Satisfaction at Work - https://shorturl.at/nyDOX

Clare Munn is an entrepreneur, media executive & activist focused on disrupting irrelevant and redundant models by using story telling. She is the Award-winning Executive Producer of The Square - a 3 Emmy, Oscar Nominated film. She also coined and trademarked CQ: Communication Quotient: Expressive & Receptive Intelligence, and H2H, Human 2 Human. Both are being developed into APPS and video and animation vignettes.

She talks about the importance of clear communication to get the support needed, her personal experiences during the pandemic and how we need to value play and diversity. She also discusses gender inequality and how the communication quotient (CQ) is the new IQ.

“Until there is equal pay for equal skills, we are going to continue to have massive problems in all fields” – Clare Munn

You'll hear about:

05:17 - Communication intelligence and self-awareness

11:03 - Mental health, assessments, and personal growth

16:55 - Valuing play and diversity

21:52 - Managing stress and anxiety during a pandemic

29:35 - The importance of having support

37:13 - Gender inequality and entrepreneurship

46:34 - The importance of clear communication

48:20 – Pro and cons of AI mimicking human work

54:13 - CQ is the new IQ

58:20 - Mental health stigma and the importance of storytelling

Clare Munn’s resources:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/claremunn/ 

IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6143693/ 

Twitter - https://twitter.com/ClareMunn 

Boxplay website - https://www.boxplay.io/ 

Petra’s resources:

Petra’s website - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@petravelzeboer397 

Buy Petra’s book: Begin With You: Invest in Your Mental Well-being and Satisfaction at Work - https://shorturl.at/nyDOX 

This was the experience of my guest, Jon Smith. It was life changing and allowed him to pursue a career at the elite level of sport as a super-agent culminating in an OBE. 

Jon discusses his own experience with mental health and the attitude towards mental health in sports. He also discusses the lack of support he got when he needed it in his own life when dealing with depression and why mental health and mental wellbeing are not the same thing.

Jon Smith gives motivational talks on how he conquered communication and the severe lack of confidence due to complete dysfluency as a child. He has also worked with some of the biggest sports stars in the world such as Diego Maradona and managed the off-pitch activities of the England Football Team for 10 years. 

“I couldn’t talk for 15 years” – Jon Smith

You'll hear about:

01:34 - What is Jon working on at the moment?

06:22 - Does the NHS need to be ripped up and started again?

10:49 - From stammering kid to impacting the world

20:14 - How is mental health used as an excuse?

26:42 - Jon's experience with depression

28:59 - Jon's experience with mental health support

38:40 - Jon's thoughts on men’s mental health

46:16 - Pathologizing normal human emotion

Jon Smith’s resources:

Jon’s website - https://www.jonsmith.co/

X - https://twitter.com/jon1startist

Send your questions to jon@jsconsulting.london 

Petra’s resources:

Petra’s website - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@petravelzeboer397 

Buy Petra’s book: Begin With You: Invest in Your Mental Well-being and Satisfaction at Work - https://shorturl.at/nyDOX

Everyone has experienced that feeling of dread before you start work on a Monday. But what if that could be an indicator to so much more, not just to you as an individual but the organisation you work for. Then you would have the power to know where your energy and time should be spent rather than fearing the start of the week.

In this episode I am joined by Kirstin Furber, who is People Director at Channel 4. She has been researching the Sunday night blues and how it can be used to develop a toolkit for employees. She discusses the research and its findings so far and how it can be used to help businesses. She also covers why wellbeing has become so important in the workplace, her own journey with difficult conversations and the wellbeing changes we need to see in the world of work.

“The purpose and soul of an organisation comes from humanity” – Kirstin Furber

You'll hear about:

03:43 - The Sunday Night Blues project

05:58 - Does Kirsten get the Sunday night blues?

07:43 - How the project will help businesses

10:40 - Why has wellbeing become so important

13:25 - An opportunity to connect the dots

15:19 - The last brave conversation Kirstin had

19:10 - What leading by example looks like

25:13 - What was the role given to Kirsten as a child?

33:38 - What do people choose not to see?

39:37 - Can profit & growth foster healthy work?

41:30 - What is the most radical change needed?

Kirstin Furber’s resources:

Kirstin’s website - https://kirstinfurber.com/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstinfurber/

The Sunday night blues research - https://business-school-expertise.exeter.ac.uk/banishing-the-sunday-night-blues/

Petra’s resources:

Petra’s website - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@petravelzeboer397 

Buy Petra’s book: Begin With You: Invest in Your Mental Well-being and Satisfaction at Work - https://shorturl.at/nyDOX 

We are all different and all require different things to maintain our wellbeing. You need to be able to align with your flow, your skills, your joy and not be influenced by something that can harm that.

In this episode I talk to Stella Smith, Founder and CEO of pirkx, my collaborator on this podcast. Pirkx is a pioneering force within the benefits market working hard to make them inclusive for all. 

Stella discusses her own wellbeing journey including the role her childhood had in making her who she is today. We also talk about how ambition and wellness fit together, the reasons for wanting to start this podcast and where we see the future of wellbeing and work.

“Everybody is different and needs different things” – Petra Velzeboer

You'll hear about:

01:13 - What drives Stella to create change?

04:43 - What role did Stella play as a child?

06:16 - One thing from Petra's childhood that made her who she is 

10:56 - Can ambition and wellness co-exist?

16:27 - How our influences and conditioning affect wellbeing

12:19 - Definitions of mental health and wellbeing

28:49 - Why this podcast is being created

33:13 - Stella's mental health experience as a founder

37:39 - Will wellbeing change the future of work?

Pirkx’s resources:

Stella on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stella-smith/ 

Pirkx’s website - https://pirkx.com/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wearepirkx 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pirkx/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/pirkx/ 

Petra’s resources:

Petra’s website - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@petravelzeboer397 

Buy Petra’s book: Begin With You: Invest in Your Mental Well-being and Satisfaction at Work - https://shorturl.at/nyDOX

We discuss many things, including: 

• Can ambition and wellbeing co-exist
• Approaching a new world of work 
• Guests and themes for upcoming episodes