#5 - Discovering Wellbeing - Patrick O'Sullivan, Katie Maycock and David Taylor

In this powerful episode of The Facilities Management Exchange, we sit down with three remarkable professionals whose personal stories, expertise, and lived experience shine a light on one of the most pressing challenges facing modern workplaces: wellbeing.Our guests come from different backgrounds, yet they share a common mission—helping people navigate stress, overwhelm, addiction, trauma, technology overload, changing expectations, and the relentless pace of work. Their openness offers insight, inspiration, and practical tools for anyone striving to build healthier working lives.Katie Maycock joins us as the founder of GYST Wellbeing, an organisation focused on helping leaders, teams, and businesses stress less and perform better. Katie specialises in stress, anxiety, and burnout—particularly within fast-paced, high-pressure environments. Her methodology, built around six stages of identifying and addressing warning signs, gives structure to a problem many struggle to name. Her candid, memorable storytelling—including where the now-iconic business name came from—sets the tone for one of our most honest wellbeing conversations yet.David Taylor, Head of Strategy and Major Accounts at SmartSec Solutions, brings vulnerability and strength as he shares his personal journey with mental health, alongside recent successes in his professional life—including exciting news for SmartSec Solutions. Dave offers grounded reflections on technology as distraction, accountability, taking ownership, and the power of simply remembering to “look up.”Rounding out the panel is Patrick O’Sullivan: senior security leader, strategist, and author of Daddy Is Dead, a true story documenting his recovery from childhood trauma and addiction. Patrick shares deeply personal experiences—therapy, substance abuse, family history, and the decision to break painful generational patterns—while also delivering clear insights on leadership, spirituality, and the meaning we seek in an increasingly technological world.In this episode, expect a raw and compelling mix of lived experience, humour, breakout moments, and emotional depth. Together, we explore:The pressures of modern leadership and the silent build toward burnoutThe six-stage methodology for recognising stress and warning signs earlyHow technology accelerates anxiety and disconnects us from our livesWhy accountability matters—and how to take ownership of your wellbeingThe emotional weight of feeling guilty for strugglingThe critical role therapy and trusted support networks playHow society has changed faster than humans can adaptThe impact of addiction, trauma, and generational patternsDogs, spirituality, and searching for meaning in a hyper-connected worldWhy being able to take time off is a measure of business healthAnd the reminder many of us need: don’t forget to look upAt its core, this conversation asks a simple but profound question:What does wellbeing actually look like in the modern workplace—and how do we reclaim it?