Disrupting Wellbeing with Petra Velzeboer

Do you feel it?   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 

Mental health in the legal sector, does it even exist?   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

“Men don’t talk about their mental health.”   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

How long do you spend on your devices?   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 

Do you own your story, or does it own you?   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

Does the world around you impact your mental health?   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 

True high performance in the workplace is not common.   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/ 

Too often we make decisions without thinking if they will have a positive impact on our lives.   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 

Work life balance is a lie, it doesn’t exist.   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/ 

Do you have voices that influence your decisions?   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 

Is your gut health impacting your mental health?   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 

Are you overwhelmed by all the self-help advice out there?   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 

How long does it take to heal from trauma? 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 

How can I set boundaries and stick to them?   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 

When there is a suicide attempts trauma happens on all sides.   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/ 

Welcome to season 2! 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 

We’ve all seen the medical shows on TV, tears in the closet, all the drama. 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

Many organisations see wellbeing issues as a problem with the individual not the system.  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

The beauty of diversity is that we think differently, and those differences should be respected and celebrated while we work together.   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 

People’s houses are on fire because of burnout and corporate wellbeing is unable to address it. They focus on the wrong things, and until the root cause is dealt with the symptomatic manifestations of burnout will persist. 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

Storytelling is a powerful way for humans to share what they are going through. It can also be a way for the stigmas of mental health to be lifted. My guest in this episode, Clare Munn, has been putting story telling at the centre of her efforts to disrupt how the world talks about mental health. 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 

Imagine not being able to say a word as a child. Imagine every time you stammered you were beaten. Imagine that this treatment cured you. 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 [email protected]    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

Do you suffer from the Sunday night blues? 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 

Are your life goals aligned with your job? 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

Join me, Petra Velzeboer and founder of pirkx Stella Smith as we give you a snapshot of what's to come in this exciting new podcast!  We discuss many things, including:  Can ambition and wellbeing co-exist Approaching a new world of work  Guests and themes for upcoming episodes