Resilience Unravelled

Keywords

Resilience – SAD – Light Therapy – Brain Science – Circadian Rhythms – Vagus Nerve – Transcendental Meditation

In this episode of Resilience Unravelled Norman Rosenthal, a psychiatrist and writer discusses his background in psychiatry research and writing. Norman talks about how his career has emerged from various opportunities and interests in science, art, and literature. He explains his involvement in the discovery of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and the role of light therapy in treating it. He also touches on the challenges of conducting reliable research in brain science and the potential benefits of light therapy for other psychiatric conditions. Additionally, he discusses the importance of using proper lightboxes for therapy and mentions jet lag as another condition possibly influenced by circadian rhythms or light exposure.

Main topics

• The importance of light in regulating circadian rhythms and its effects on mood.
• How transcendental meditation can help with winter depression
• The role of the vagus nerve in relaxation
• The therapeutic power of poetry.
• The need for multiple approaches light therapy, exercise, cognitive interventions, socialisation, and meditation to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD)

Timestamps

1: Introduction and Background - Introduction to the guest - 00:02-02.37

2: The Convergence of Science, Art, and Literature - 02:57-04:47

3: Reproducibility in Research - 07:55- 09:03

4: Seasonal Rhythms and Bright Light Therapy -10:22-11:31

5: Transcendental Meditation (TM) - 15:08 - 18:43

6: Multiple Approaches to Well-being - 19:59-20:54

7: The Power of Poetry - 21:26-24:44

8: Research Challenges and Instincts - 25:21-26:31

9: Audience Interaction and Book Recommendations - 27:22-28:39

Action items

• You can find out more about Norman at  https://www.normanrosenthal.com/ 
• Normans latest book is Defeating SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

Keywords

Resilience - Mindfulness - Emotional Well-being – Integrative Mental Health - Mental Patterns - Spirituality - Social Media

In this episode of Resilience Unravelled Dr. Charryse Johnson, a consultant on integrative mental health, author, speaker, and mindfulness practitioner discusses the importance of looking at individuals as an entire system to improve emotional well-being. She emphasises that people are not defined by their conditions and encourages self-forgiveness and growth through physical embodiment practices like mindfulness and meditation.

Dr. Johnson also shares her personal experience growing up in the south as a young black woman where she was discouraged from speaking up but how she learned the importance of having a voice. The conversation then touches on challenges in education and parenting skills in today's society and Dr. Johnson discusses the learning and thinking in today's society, particularly with children who are often influenced by social media and impulsive decision-making. She also questions traditional notions of resilience, arguing that it can come at a cost and emphasises the importance of organisational change to prevent burnout. Finally, she highlights the need for authenticity in social media while being fun, open-minded, direct, educational all at once!

Main topics

• What is integrative mental health and how does it differ from traditional approaches?
• How does mindfulness and meditation play a role in mental health
• How can belief or spirituality be rejuvenating for some people?
• How can we teach children to analyse information and think critically?
• What are the negative effects of social media on children's ability to think and learn?
• How can we build resilience in children without forcing them to constantly navigate difficult situations?

Timestamps

1: Introduction and Overview - 00:00-01:02

2: Integrative Mental Health. Defining Integrative Mental Health. The importance of recognising and understanding all life domains. The capacity to change, shift, and grow- 01.02 – 04.01

3: Overcoming Mental Patterns. Mental patterns and cognitive rhythms. Moving forward and forgiving oneself. Redefining oneself and changing one's narrative. 04.02 – 06.59

4: Mindfulness and Meditation. Use of mindfulness and meditation in integrative mental health.  Individualised approach to mindfulness and meditation. 07.00 – 09.22

5. Early Childhood Experiences. Guest's background and early experiences. Impact of direct and clear dialogue on children – 09.23 – 11.19

6: Parenting Skills and Education. Challenges with parenting skills. Lack of understanding of how to learn and analyse information. Building resilience in children – 11.20 – 16.00

7: Coping and Accountability. Weathering the storm and coping.  Importance of accountability – 11.20 – 19.29

8: Flow and Resilience. Resilience and the cost of developing it. Guest's new book on rewriting one's narrative and choosing new language. Where to find more information about the guest and her work – 19.30 – 23.26

9: Conclusion - 23:27-23:55

Action items

• Check out her website at www.drcharryse.com
• Get social with her on Linkedin 
• Find out about her book Expired Mindsets

Keywords

Resilience - Mindfulnes - Performance - Leadership - Workplace Culture - Stress

In this episode of Resilience Unravelled Andrew McNeil, a leadership consultant who helps individuals and teams thrive under pressure, discusses how mindfulness can be used as a tool to improve both well-being and performance in high-pressure environments.  

Andrew spent 20 years in senior leadership and throughout his career led large teams in high pressure environments. He is also an accredited mindfulness teacher and brought these two worlds together in his book Organisational Mindfulness - a How-to Guide in 2019. By integrating his leadership experience and insights from being a mindfulness teacher Andrew has developed a method to help leaders and their teams embed and implement techniques which improve performance, build psychological safety and support their own and their collective wellbeing. 

In this podcast Andrew shares his personal experience of discovering mindfulness while in a high-pressure leadership role and how it helped him cope with stress. He also explains that mindfulness is about non-judgmental present moment awareness and choosing where we place our attention intentionally.  

Main topics

• The implementation of mindfulness in organisations, particularly in meetings.
• The importance of noticing one's own biases and reactions, choosing to respond rather than react, and being present for effective decision-making.
• The need for cultural change towards mindful practices but acknowledging that it should be done thoughtfully as some people may not want to participate.

Timestamps

1: Introduction - Russell welcomes the guest, Andrew, and introduces the podcast. 00:00-00:23

2: Andrew's Work - Andrew explains that he is a leadership consultant who helps individuals and teams thrive under pressure. 00:56-02:03

3: Mindfulness - Andrew discusses how he discovered mindfulness and how it can be applied in a work context. He provides a practical example of how to practice mindfulness, and explains that it is a life-long practice. 02:05-08:28

4: Organsational Mindfulness - Andrew speaks about his book, "Organisational Mindfulness," which explains how mindfulness can be applied in a work setting. He discusses how mindfulness can help organisations support their people and deliver objectives. Andrew also explains how to implement cultural change and build skills to navigate high-stress environments.  08:51-15:24

5: Mindful Meetings - Andrew provides an example of how a program board meeting can be a practice in shared mindfulness. He explains how mindfulness can help people choose to respond rather than react in difficult meetings. 15:35-19:41

6: Conclusion - Russell and Andrew wrap up the podcast and provide information on where to find Andrew's book and services.  19:41-25:05

Action items

Find out more about Andrew's book Organisational Mindfulness.

Find out more about Andrew at https://lxleaders.com/

Keywords - Resilience - HIV - Grief - Loss- Caregiving - Affordable Healthcare - 30/30 Project

In this episode of Resilience Unravelled, Julie Lewis, a 38-­year AIDS survivor, and mother to Grammy Award winning musician, Ryan Lewis, talks about how she was infected with HIV in 1984 following a blood transfusion. She was not diagnosed thorough until the early 1990s when she was given three to five years to live. After years of silence about her disease, she found an unlikely community of friends to fight alongside and began using her story to make a difference. Her experiences as a woman living with AIDS offers insights about grief and loss, caregiving, spirituality, and the importance of community.

More than 38 years later and she is living life to its fullest and her priority is to make quality affordable healthcare available to those in underserved communities. Through the non-profits she founded the, 30/30 Project and has raised funds to build 30 health facilities in 9 different countries including Africa, India, South America and the US for those who need it most.

Main topics

• How one phone call can change the track of your life
• Navigating an AIDS diagnosis
• Preparing your family for your death
• The importance of having a foundation for the future
• Building the 30/30 Project

Timestamps

1.     Introductions – 00.00 – 01.54

2.    Getting an AIDS diagnosis – 01.53 – 02.30

3.    The 30/30 Project – 02.31 – 04.46

4.     Navigating an AIDS diagnosis – 05.17 – 10.53

5.     Building a foundation for the future – 10.54 – 14.52

6.     The motivation for the 30/30 Project – 14.53 – 20.56

7.     Information about Julie’s book and contact information – 20.57 – 25.04

Action items

• For further information go to: https://stillpositive.com
• Read Julie's book  STILL POSITIVE. All net proceeds from the book will go to support the 30/30 Project Legacy Fund.

Keywords

Resilience - Autonomic Nervous System - Nature - Martial Arts - Human Biology

In this episode of Resilience Unravelled Frank Forencich, an internationally recognised leader in health and performance education with black belt rankings in karate and aikido talks about the autonomic nervous system and its influence on our health and performance, as well as our relationship with the natural world.

Frank introduces two African concepts: ubuntu, which refers to social identity and group membership, and biophilia, which is an innate love for nature, and he discusses the concept of biophilia and its importance for humans to connect with nature in order to thrive. The conversation also touches upon the importance of debate and dialogue in resolving conflicts, using examples from martial arts such as Aikido where opponents harmonise with each other's movements rather than fight against them.

Frank shares the importance of meditation, relaxation, exercise, and sleep for overall health. He also talks about his book 'The Enemy is Never Wrong' which is aimed at educating young activists on strategies and tactics for making a difference in the world. He emphasises the need to approach activism as medicine, as it can have positive effects on mental health and well-being.

Main topics

• The study of human history and how people perceive the world.
• How to turn on the autonomic nervous system at the appropriate moment to avoid chronic stress.
• How martial arts develop the whole person and help people understand the environment to take appropriate action.
• The importance of education and not criticising the enemy
• The need for engagement to improve people’s health.
• The lost art of conversation and verbal dexterity and the importance of harmony in martial arts to avoid conflict.
• The value of sleep.

Timestamps

1: Introduction and Background. The host introduces the guest, Frank Forencich, and asks about his background in martial arts and human biology. - 00:00-01:10

2: Martial Arts and Philosophy. Frank talks about how martial arts is about understanding the world and taking appropriate action, and how this philosophy is present in Eastern culture and philosophy - 01:10-06:17

3: Ecology and Understanding Our Place in the World. Frank discusses the importance of understanding our place in the natural world and how modern ecological science is telling us this story - 06:17-09:34

4: Human Animal and Physiology. Frank explains why he uses the term "human animal" and how it relates to his background in human biology and physiology - 09:34-12:56

5: The Enemy is Never Wrong. Frank talks about his book, which is written for young activists, and emphasises the importance of being fluid and adaptable in conflict situations - 12:56-18:29

6: Engaging in the World. Frank discusses the importance of engagement and how it can improve our health and verbal dexterity - 18:29-23:04

7: Dialogue and Debate. Frank talks about the lost art of conversation and how dialogue is more effective than debate in conflict situations - 23:04-27:18.

8: Conclusion - 27:18-28:40

Action items

Check out Frank's website at https://www.exuberantanimal.com or get social with him on Facebook or Twitter.

His book is The Enemy is Never Wrong: Martial Art, Activism, and the Fight for a Functional Future.

Keywords - Resilience - Bold Voice - Communication - Self-talk - Verbal Regulation

In this episode of Resilience Unravelled Vasavi Kumar talks about the power of resilience and developing a bold voice. She emphasises the importance of being kind to oneself and how negative inner voices stem from external sources like parents or authority figures. Vasavi stresses that tone of voice is crucial in communication, especially when giving feedback, and offers training programs to help people play with their voices. Furthermore, she believes that discovering one's bold voice can empower marginalised communities who often lack representation.

Vasavi also discusses the importance of taking personal responsibility for one's own voice and beliefs, while also acknowledging the role of collective responsibility and helping people overcome negative self-talk and organise their thoughts through verbal regulation.

Main topics

●      The concept of developing a bold voice

●      Practical ways to get clear on what you want and don't want in your life.

●      How verbal regulation helps organise your mind and ideas

Timestamps

1: Introductions - 00:00-01:14

2: Understanding the Power of Resilience - 01:15-03:59

3: Inner and Bold Voices - 04:21-06:03

4: Tone of Voice - 07:33-09:47

5: Using Your Voice for a Force of Good - 10:11-11:34

6: Practical Ways to Organise Your Life - 13:18-14:46

7: Conclusion - 15:10-15:24

Action items

• Follow Vasavi on Instagram.
• Find out more about her Bold Voice Training Program
• Visit her website to find out more.
• Purchase her book Say It Out Loud

Keywords  - Resilience – Neurodiversity – Neuroplascity – Creativity – Brain - Emotions

In this episode of Resilience Unravelled Chris Marshall, a behavioural scientist who specialises in decision making and foresight. discusses the relationship between stress and pessimism.

Chris has a wealth of life experience and a unique perspective. As a High Functioning Autistic (HFA), Chris has always seen the world a little differently. But this different perspective has fuelled his curiosity and led him on a series of adventures – from ski racing to behavioural science to global macro strategy – to becoming a Master Distiller and owning an international award-winning distillery. 

Chris is now director of the Fast Paced Complex Environments (FPCE) Institute, which brings together a wide range of fields to address some of the most complex challenges facing society today and he uses his unique perspective to offer fresh insights and new ways of thinking about the world around us.

In this podcast Chris discusses neurodiversity, the diversity in both brain wiring and thoughts and talks about how it has been seen as a disorder or disease in the past, but now it's being seen as a real source of creativity and different thinking. He also talks about his work in foresight, where he looks at trends and megatrends driving change globally. He believes that if we can harness humanity's natural abilities to be innovative, adaptable, and creative, we can overcome all obstacles ahead of us.

Main topics

• How stress can elevate pessimistic viewpoints due to neuroplascity effects on our brain circuits
• Why becoming aware of our emotional state is important for controlling it.
• How emotions are just signals representing ease of thinking about a specific concept and not necessarily positive or negative.

Timestamps

1: Introductions (00:02 - 00:45)

2: Discussion on Chris’s research on behavioural science, risk-taking, and foresight (00:45 - 07:52)

3: The relationship between creativity, innovation, adaptability, and resilience (07:52 - 11:37)

4: The role of self-inflicted stress and pressure in creativity (11:37 - 14:34)

5: The importance of understanding the wider context and the uncertain and unsettling landscape of change (14:34 - 23:08)

6: Human history's ability to be innovative, adaptable, and creative (23:08 - 24:27)

7: Chris Marshall’s book, Decoding Change, and how to find more information about it (24:27 - 29:16)

8: Conclusion and final remarks (29:16 - 29:42)

Action items

• Find out more about Chris at Fast Paced Complex Environments (FPCE) Institute or https://www.theuncertaintyscientist.com/ or https://www.chrismarshall.uk/
• Chris’s book is "Decoding Change"

Keywords

Resilience - Passion - Purpose - Female Entrepreneurs - Leadership - Values - Renewal

In this episode of Resilience Unravelled Julie Perkins. After a 20-year career with Specsavers which included opening up the business in the Netherlands and Northern Europe, Julie decided to use the experience and learning she’d gained to support female entrepreneurs as grow their businesses in a more seamless way.

Julie has witnessed the ins and outs of a business founded in a spare room and launched onto the world stage, to surviving cancer, to writing books (The Wyse Way) and hosting her own podcast, She is now sought after for her advice and guidance for decluttering the minds of female entrepreneurs, and translating experience and researched theories into a language that helps her clients to see the path to growth, whilst ensuring it remains an exciting adventure.

Main topics

• Why we need to step back and stop ‘doing more and more’
• Why we need to ask ourselves the right questions
• Creating space between yourself and the purpose of the organisation
• The importance of constantly renewing yourself
• Fostering purpose led growth

Timestamps

1.     Introductions. 00.00 – 04.51

2.     The greatest learning. 04.51 – 08.31

3.     Growth and success. 08.34 – 11.21

4.     Questions that give perspective. 11.21 – 17.33

5.     Learning through failure. 17.33 –20.49

6.     Passion into purpose. 20.49 –26.55

7.     Contact details and action points. 28.02 – 30.33

Action items

Find out more about Julie at http://www.wyseminds.com

Keywords - Resilience - Success - Failure - Vision - Goals

In this episode of Resilience Unravelled, Dr Russell Thackeray talks to Jim Harshaw, a personal performance coach and host of the Success Through Failure podcast. Despite humble beginnings as the son of a construction worker and secretary, Jim became an NCAA Division I All-American wrestler and later the youngest Division I head coach in the country.

Jim initially struggled to achieve his goal of becoming an All-American wrestler but on the eve of his last season as a senior wrestler, he gave up on obsessing over the outcome and instead focused solely on putting in his best effort without worrying about whether it would lead to achieving his goal or not. This mindset shift allowed him to perform at his best and enjoy competing more than ever before.

Now as president of The Harshaw Group, his performance coaching firm, he has helped CEOs, entrepreneurs, Fortune 500 leaders, and athletes from the NFL, UFC, NCAA, and Olympics maximize their potential, build high-performing teams, and increase resilience by leveraging failure for successim. Jim emphasises that while having a vision and goals are important for success, it's equally crucial to let go of any fear or fixation on outcomes so that you can focus fully on performing your best in each moment without being held back by anxiety or pressure.

Main topics

• The elements of the four-part framework for success
• The importance of mental focus, hard work, and inspired action.
• The importance of focusing on the process rather than the outcome.
• How creating a vision in all areas of life (relationships, self, health, and wealth) is critical for setting goals that align with one's purpose
• The importance of failure in personal growth
• The need for infrastructure to support resilience in real-world situations
• The difference between hard work and inspired action and the significance of having both in alignment with one's vision.
• The importance of having a clear vision and values to create an environment of excellence.
• Why having goals, micro-goals, coaches, and people around you is essential for achieving success consistently

Timestamps

1: Introduction to Resilience Unravelled - 00:00-00:33

2: Four-part framework for success - 05:35-11:11

3. Applying the framework - 11:11-17:57

4: Mindset and Performance Psychology - 18:22-22:43

5: Learning and Growth - 25:17-26:32

6: Conclusion and Call to Action - 27:39- 34

Action items

Visit Jim’s website, jimharshawjr.com/resilience to schedule a

30-minute conversation about how the framework applies to your life, or to

listen to some episodes and access the action plans from those episodes.

Keywords - Resilience – Subconscious Mind – Emotions – Mind Body Healing -

Balance

In this episode of Resilience Unravelled Dr Friedemann Schaub, MD, PhD a physician, researcher, personal development coach and author talks about mind-body healing and the importance of balancing emotions and thoughts for overall wellness.

Dr Friedemann shares his background as a physician specialising in cardiology and how he eventually transitioned to focus on the mind-body connection and subconscious mind. Realising the enormous potential of conscious-subconscious collaboration, he extensively studied mind-activating modalities and became a certified master practitioner in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Time Line Therapy TM and a certified trainer in clinical hypnotherapy.

Based on this wealth of knowledge and experience, Dr Friedemann created a Personal Breakthrough and Empowerment Program specifically designed to eliminate deep-seated emotional baggage, self-sabotaging patterns and limiting beliefs that prevent us from leading productive, fulfilling, and balanced lives

Main topics

• Mind-body healing and starting the process of assessing people's balance.
• The pattern resolution process and using the language of the subconscious to find resolution for past events.
• Working with the subconscious mind to overcome self-sabotaging patterns and beliefs that lead to disempowerment.
• The need for people to take responsibility for their emotions and learn how to navigate through life in a more balanced or empowered way instead of relying solely on medication.
• How past events can affect us emotionally and physically in the present and how to neutralise those patterns using subconscious language.
• Living a fulfilled life by being true to oneself and avoiding patterns of people-pleasing or avoidance.
• How individuals have the power to tap into their innate healing abilities by being more empowered in their own health journey.
• The need for medicine to catch up with these ideas, as well as exploring deeper reasons behind emotions like anxiety and stress rather than simply medicating them away.

Timestamps

1. Russell introduces the conversation and sets the tone for an authentic and free-flowing discussion. 00:01-00:20

2. Russell introduces Dr Friedmann and asks him about his background and location. 00:20-02:08

3. Dr Friedemann talks about his journey from being a physician specialising in cardiology to focusing on the subconscious mind and self-healing. 02:08-07:31

4. Russell asks Dr Friedemann about his book, The Empowerment Solution, and they discuss how it helps people reprogram their subconscious to switch from surviving to thriving. 20:11-23:30

5. Russell asks Dr Friedemann about the language of the subconscious and how it understands visualisations. 23:30-24:37

6. Russell asks Dr Friedemann about the pattern resolution process and how it helps people learn from their past and find resolution for events. 24:58-26:29

7. Russell and Dr Friedemann discuss how to find your purpose and where to find Dr Friedemann's book. 28:47-30:35

8. Russell and Dr Friedemann wrap up the conversation and discuss future plans. 31:35-36:26

Action items

• Purchase Dr Friedemann’s award-winning book The Fear + Anxiety Solution: A Breakthrough Process for Healing and Empowerment with Your Subconscious Mind.
• Find out about his  Personal Breakthrough and...