Disrupting Wellbeing with Petra Velzeboer

Taking off your Mask will solve your Mental Health issues with Dr. Ardeshir Mehran

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 Wholeness08:54 - The Impact of Shame and Grief on Mental Health15:05 - Connections Between Mental Health and the Workplace23:04 - Psychological Safety25:15 - The Power of Brave Conversations in the Workplace26:39 - Listening to Emotions and Pain28:43 - Reclaiming Our True Selves and Setting Boundaries33:29 - Being Present and Confronting Unhealed Trauma37:21 - The Power of Connection: Belonging and Mental Health49:44 - 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 

Boundaries, Addiction & Shame

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 

Clarke & Carrie Carlisle on Football, Suicide & How to Help the person you Love

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/ 

Straight up Advice: How to Change Your Life!

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 

Junior Doctors talk burnout, tech addiction and the drive to achieve no matter the cost!

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

How to change the system from within! - with Avanade’s Global Wellbeing lead Emily Warren

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

From Disruptive child to Global Activist - A new take on DEI! With Dr Asif Sadiq MBE, Chief DEI Warner Bros Discovery

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 

What you know about Burnout is Wrong! - with Subira Jones the Corporate Hippy

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

Build your edge: Communication Quotient (CQ) with Oscar Nominated Clare Munn

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 

Is mental health an excuse with Jon Smith OBE

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 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