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