> Sign Up For Our Newsletter: http://www.firsthuman.com/being-human-newsletter/   This week, I speak with Lou Lebentz, trauma specialist, mental health campaigner, author, speaker, and therapist. With over 25 years of working in the mental health arena and a deeply personal understanding of the impact of trauma, Lou has developed The Voyage Academy, a theoretical model used for helping others navigate their healing journeys. Her approach is trauma-informed, emphasizing the importance of compassion, understanding, and resilience. Her work is a testament to the transformative power of recovery and the possibility of finding hope and healing. We discuss: From the rag trade to The Priory Recovering from psychosis  Integrating and befriending the body Alignment and community support The journey from trauma to resilience Links: Lou's Website The Voyage Academy Lou's Books

> Sign Up For Our Newsletter: http://www.firsthuman.com/being-human-newsletter/   This week, I speak with Michael OBrien, a speaker, author, business coach, and the creator of the Pause, Breathe, Reflect movement. Whilst enjoying his life leading marketing for a $700m brand, in July 2011, whilst out riding his bike, Michael was slammed through the windshield of a speeding Ford Explorer. The devastating impact broke bones and damaged nerves throughout his body. Experiencing depression as the enormity of his injuries bore down on him, Michael learned the power of gratitude and mindfulness. Having now left corporate life, Michael is on a mission to share the strategies that have worked for him with the world. We discuss: The simple gratitude practice that resulted in his Last Bad Day The breathing technique that started his mindfulness journey  How he used his Pause, Breath, Reflect approach to powerfully navigate corporate life  Links: Michael's Website The Pause Breathe Reflect app Shift: Creating Better Tomorrows - The Book

> Sign Up For Our Newsletter: http://www.firsthuman.com/being-human-newsletter/   This week, I speak with Pete Kusiak, a proponent of The Fun First Strategy, author of Drop The F-Bomb In Your Business, and advocate for ringing fun and youthful concepts into learning and workplaces Pete's approach proposes that the cornerstone of a genuinely successful office environment is what most current CEOs view as unimportant or distracting: fun. He argues that incorporating fun into day-to-day operations can have profound benefits not only for businesses’ productivity but also for the mental health of employees. We discuss: Prioritizing laughter and youthfulness Introducing fun for better engagement Incorporating playfulness in problem-solving Boosting productivity through a positive culture Links: Pete's Website Drop the F-Bomb in Your Business - The Book

> Sign Up For Our Newsletter: http://www.firsthuman.com/being-human-newsletter/   This week, I speak with advisor, bestselling author and TEDx speaker Tony Martignetti about his new book, Campfire Lessons for Leaders: How Uncovering Our Past Can Propel Us Forward. Originally an artist with dreams in the creative realm, external influences pushed Tony into finance. Achieving early success, he faced burnout and lost touch with his identity. A significant boardroom moment prompted him to leave his high-flying corporate career to seek to create a meaningful path. We discuss: Making an office campfire Disrupting yourself Work, home and your third space Fulfilment in being not doing Coach, therapist or something else? Links: Campfire Lessons for Leaders - The Book  Tony's Website Tony's LinkedIn Page

Dr. Arielle Schwartz, a renowned clinical psychologist, discusses trauma awareness in coaching, the use of psychedelics in therapy, trauma release through the energetic body, the therapeutic benefits of yoga, and the importance of integrating Eastern and Western healing practices for overall well-being.

> Sign Up For Our Newsletter: http://www.firsthuman.com/being-human-newsletter/   This week, I speak with author David Heinemeier Hansson, a man with a seemingly unending list of achievements. He's the creator of the famed Ruby on Rails programming development framework, multiple best-selling author, business owner, and Le Mans-winning racing driver. David shares his story of his early days building businesses in high-school before finding co-founder of Basecamp Jason Friend and together creating a highly successful tech firm with no outside funding and ignoring all of the received wisdom on succeeding with start-ups. We discuss: The real definition of work ethic Building Ruby on Rails Our AI future The power of working within constraints How not to bring your whole self to work Links: David's Website David's Books

> Sign Up For Our Newsletter: http://www.firsthuman.com/being-human-newsletter/   This week, I speak with author Florence Williams, author of 'The Nature Fix' and winner of the 2023 PEN/E.O. Wilson Award for Literary Science Writing for her book 'Heartbreak'. Florence shares insights on the hidden connections between human health and the environment, drawing from her experience as a science and environmental journalist. The conversation highlights the transformative potential of spending time in nature and the ways it can enhance focus, inspire, and promote a happier and healthier life. We discuss: Rediscovering our primal connection to the Earth How she's used nature to help with heartbreak Mindfully engaging with nature Forest bathing for inspiration Tips on getting your nature fix no matter your lifestyle Links: Florence's Website Florence's Books

> Sign Up For Our Newsletter: http://www.firsthuman.com/being-human-newsletter/   This week, I speak with Maureen K. McCarthy and Zelle Nelson, Co-Founders and Co-Directors of the Center for Collaborative Awareness. Maureen's life is a wild story. Doctors told her she would die young of a rare, genetic lung disease with no cure in sight. She couldn't change her body, so she decided to change her mind. Knowing that she might die at any time, with her partner Zelle, they had to figure out how to live each day, not knowing if there would be a tomorrow.  We discuss: Getting married every day Consciously designing relationships Finding joy with 10 per cent lung capacity Publishing your 'Blueprint of Me' Radically rethinking business contracts Links: The Center for Collaborative Awareness Listen here, or watch here.

> Sign Up For Our Newsletter: http://www.firsthuman.com/being-human-newsletter/   This week, I speak with Licia Sky, a highly regarded trauma educator and Co-Founder with Bessel van der Kolk of the Trauma Research Foundation. In the midst of experiencing severe domestic abuse, at age twelve, Licia attempted suicide, resulting in a near-death experience. From this out-of-body moment, she received a clear message that she had an important purpose in life.   It led her on an extraordinary path into bodywork, the arts and now her role as a pioneering researcher and educator. We discuss: The gift of nearly dying Breaking the mould of 'bodywork' Artistic expression as therapy Meditation for healing How MDMA isn't just for raving Links: Licia's Website The Trauma Research Foundation

> Sign Up For Our Newsletter: http://www.firsthuman.com/being-human-newsletter/   This week, I speak with Doug Fleener, a business advisor, coach, author, and keynote speaker, also known as The Daily Performance Expert. As hero's journey arcs go, Doug takes some beating, from a former addict bankrupting his family business to a successful businessman and coach. Doug has brilliantly developed the recovery mantras of 'Keep it in The Day' and 'Keep It Simple Stupid' into a philosophy for life and business.  I personally spent many years in 12-step recovery and benefitted enormously from the 'wisdom of the rooms', so this one is close to my heart. We talk: Waking up after blacking out on a flight to Hawaii Bankrupting the family business Getting sober and learning to keep it the day Applying the principles of recovery to business Practising relentless simplicity Links: Doug's Website The Day Makes the Year (Makes a Life) - The Book Listen here, or watch here.