Releasing trauma using the body and the breath - Sandro Mota

Kate Billing is the Founder & Creative Director of Blacksmith, a specialist leadership development practice committed to the forging of human-centred leaders and fully human organisations.

For the past 25 years Kate has worked in the people, culture and leadership space, building a reputation for sharp insights, compassionate challenge, warmth, and energy.

Kate believes it’s time for a new kind of leader: human-centred leaders who together will create the world we need for our shared future. Leaders who are examples of what’s possible when we commit to the highest levels of humanity and responsibility in the ways that we live, lead and work.

A lot of ground is covered during this episode in terms of discussions topics, (all related to vulnerability of course) including, toxic positivity, how the term midlife crisis should be rebranded as midlife awakening, the definition of productivity and the importance of space (all topics that I LOVE talking about hence why this is one of our longest episodes to date).  On top of this Kate also shares her personal story and experiences around the big V.

You can connect with Kate on LinkedIn or find out more about Kate's work through Blacksmith on https://blacksmith.co.nz

In this episode I chat to Lisa Anstead - the founder of 'SoulTravelFitness' a health, wellness, travel, and fashion company.

Jimi Hunt is a mental health change maker, speaker, author and adventure seeker. 

You may know him from when he floated down the Waikato on a Lilo  or for building the World’s Biggest Waterslide. Through these adventures he found out he could also help people, and so co-founded a charity called 'Live More Awesome'.

Jimi's passion is encouraging and inspiring everyone to take control & increase their mental health. It’s a growing problem, the WHO estimates that by the year 2025 over 80% of people on the planet will suffer from a mental health condition in their lives. Jimi's hope is to contribute to that not becoming reality.

You can find out more about Jimi, his books, his free 100 day program and what he's up to at www.jimihunt.com

Gillian Brookes is the founder and director of social enterprise, 'My Kids Village', designed to help working parents find local childcare to manage the juggle of work-life and kid-life. She also runs her own HR consultancy focused on building flexible workplaces and fair pay systems. 

During this episode Gillian shares both her personal experience and views on vulnerability along with how that shows us with the leaders and organisations she works with. Gillian talks about the importance of choice during vulnerability and how watching Brene Brown's infamous Ted Talk on vulnerability completely shifted her perspective on this inevitable part of being human.

To find out more about Gillian visit www.gillianbrookes.co.nz or www.mykidsvillage.co.nz. 

Shelley used to be the stereo-typical higher achieving, super-busy, corporate girl. She worked insane hours, skipped meals, lost sleep, over exercised and by her own admission did not take care of her health.

That all changed in 2010, when Shelley reached total burnout, her health crashed and Shelley lost all physiological function.  Doctors wanted to admit her to hospital, telling her she was on ‘death’s doorstep’ and there was little hope to heal her fully.

Shelley was eventually diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and spent many, many months bedridden, nursed day and night by her parents, unable to stay awake for more than 30 minutes a day.

Despite speaking to several specialists, nobody was able to help. So, Shelley embarked on journey to heal herself, studying as a functional nutritionist.  

Shelley discovered that her body had been giving her signals for many years up to when her health finally totally collapsed, but she'd been too driven and busy to listen.  Shelley was able to heal her own body and as a certified and trained functional nutritionist has now made it her career and passion to help others listen, treat and heal their bodies so they can live well.

Find out more about Shelley at https://shelleygawith.com/

Shannon Harvey is a devoted wife, mother and award winning health journalist and filmmaker, on a mission to inform, empower and inspire people to make long-lasting health changes in their life.

Shannon herself has battled her own health problems - being diagnosed with the auto-immune disease 'Lupus' several years ago. This led her to research and produce the documentary film 'The Connection'.

While Shannon found plenty of recommendations on diet, sleep and exercise, discovering equivalent offerings to help the mind was more illusive, which prompted Shannon to look closely at the potential benefits of mindfulness and her most recent project the film 'My year of living mindfully'. During the making of this documentary Shannon embarked on a 365 day experiment that has turned in to over a 1000 days of devoted practice. 

In this interview Shannon shares what motivated her to make the film, her experience with vulnerability and how she believes vulnerability teaches us how to suffer better (as does mindfulness), which is an unavoidable part of being human.

To find out more about Shannon go to 

www.shannonharvey.com

To find out how to download a copy of 'My Year of Living Mindfully' or arrange a private screening go to

www.myyearoflivingmindfully.com

Bronwyn Hudson is motivated by the desire to make a real difference in the health and happiness of people.  With a Masters degree in personalised nutrition and over 20 years’ experience across education and children’s development, parenting support and health coaching, along with four young children, Bronwyn understands the real-world challenges relating to heath and balance for many. 

Bronwyn is also the wife of previous guest Craig Hudson. During this interview she talks openly about her experience being the key support person to Craig during his journey and mental wellness challenges. We also discuss kicking the guilt habit, self care and the importance of nourishing your own health and wellbeing so you are fully able to nurture and support others.

Find out more about Bronwyn at www.bronwynhudson.com

Kerene Strochnetter is an author, public speaker and Managing Director of Mindful at Work, a business hell-bent on making the M-words cool in the workplace - mindfulness and meditation.

Kerene's new book ‘Crazy Busy’ targets people suffering from the relentless pace of modern life - people who struggle to switch off and are looking for effective strategies to help to reconnect with what really matters - their lives, their work and the people close to them. Kerene's message and the tagline for 'Crazy Busy' is - "if busy is the new stupid, then mindful is the new smart!"

Kerene wants to get the message out there that mindfulness isn’t just limited to meditating, but includes a set of robust well-researched practices, which when implemented, powerfully impact people’s lives and positively change workplace culture.

As well as discussing Kerene's latest book Kerene also provides tips and framing for how to deal with anxiety and overwhelm associated with the current COVID19 pandemic.

Find out more about Kerene at

https://mindfulatwork.co.nz

Kerene is also offering listeners a 20% discount on her new book 'Crazy Busy' if you use the discount code 'chillax' which can be ordered at the following link.

https://mindfulatwork.co.nz/crazy-busy-book/