Money is still one of the biggest worries for many people, even when they are working hard and earning well. So what does financial wellness really mean, and how do we move from stress, avoidance and confusion towards clarity, confidence and choice? 

In this episode of ConnectForHealth, Scott Armstrong, founder of mentl, and Maissa Al Khafajy from Cigna Healthcare Middle East, are joined by Carol Glynn of Conscious Finance Coaching and Ben Pritchard, founder of FinQuest, for a practical conversation on money, mindset, families and financial freedom. 

Carol explains why financial wellness is less about what we earn and more about what we do with what we earn, how we feel about money, and whether our money choices are aligned with our values. Ben brings the schools and children’s perspective, exploring how young people learn about value, spending, earning, and the habits they absorb from the adults around them.  

Talking points explored

•  Why earning more does not automatically create financial wellness 
•  How to align money with your values, not someone else’s idea of success 
•  Why children need to understand value, not just price 
•  How digital payments make money feel less visible, but more present 
•  The danger of constantly “topping up” children without a conversation 
•  How to talk to children about financial pressure without creating fear 
•  Why it can make sense to save while paying off debt 
•  How to build a cash cushion before life forces you back into debt 
•  How to work out what “enough” really means for you 
•  Why investing, retirement and future medical costs need clarity, not panic 

Watch or listen if you want a clearer, calmer way to think about money, whether you are trying to reduce debt, save more, invest with confidence, talk to your partner, teach your children better habits, or simply stop feeling behind. Financial freedom does not start with a perfect plan. 

It starts with being willing to look, understand where you are, and take the next right step.

Chapter list

00:00 Welcome to ConnectForHealth, and why finance is still one of the biggest worries for many people. 

02:10 What financial wellness really means, and why it is not just about having more money. 

03:15 Aligning money with your values, and avoiding lifestyle creep. 

04:44 Children, money awareness and why value matters more than price. 

07:53 Digital money, school cards and the danger of endless top-ups. 

10:25 How to talk to children about money without creating fear or blame. 

18:17 Earning, pocket money, subscriptions and the UAE family context. 

25:24 Audience poll: saving, children, investing, retirement and money that “disappears”. 

28:19 Debt, saving and why a cash cushion can stop the cycle repeating. 

33:34 How much is enough, money mindset, investing, retirement and future costs. 

Autism is not one image, one stereotype, or one straight line from “mild” to “severe”. It is a different way of experiencing the world, and for many autistic people, the hardest part is not only the diagnosis, but years of being misunderstood, misread, or forced to appear “fine”. 

In this dedicated ConnectForHealth follow-up to our neurodiversity episode, Scott Armstrong, founder of mentl, and Alison Sharp of Cigna Healthcare, are joined by Dr Shereen Sharaan, Research Lead for Psychology at the University of Birmingham Dubai, and Sophie Smith, Founder and CEO of NABTA Health, to go deeper into autism at work, school and home.  

Dr Shereen brings research expertise, lived family experience through her brother Amro, and more than a decade of autism support work in the UAE. Sophie brings lived experience of AuDHD and speaks openly about late diagnosis, grief, sensory overload, masking, motherhood, hormones and what it means to build a life around a brain that works differently.  

This is a practical, human conversation about what gets missed when autistic people seem to be coping, why girls and women are often diagnosed late, how sensory overload can feel from the inside, and why inclusion should not depend on someone having to disclose a diagnosis before they are supported.   

Topics explored

•  What autism really means, and why it is better understood as a different way of being in the world. 
•  Why the dominant stereotype of autism misses many autistic people. 
•  Late diagnosis, grief and the feeling of being “misclassified” for years. 
•  Sensory overload, masking and the hidden cost of trying to look “normal”. 
•  Why autism is not a straight-line spectrum from mild to severe. 
•  Autism in women and girls, and how masking can hide real support needs. 
•  How hormones, perimenopause and burnout can affect neurodivergent women. 
•  Supporting autistic children, including children with high support needs. 
•  What workplaces can do differently without expensive programmes. 
•  Why support designed for autistic people can make life better for everyone. 

If you are autistic, think you may be, support an autistic child, work with autistic colleagues, or simply want to understand more, this episode is for you. Watch or listen now, and share it with someone who needs a clearer, kinder and more practical way to understand autism.

Chapter List

00:00 Welcome to ConnectForHealth and why this dedicated autism follow-up matters.
01:48 Meet Dr Shereen Sharaan and Sophie Smith.
04:24 What autism really means, and the stereotypes we need to challenge.
07:07 Autism, regression and Dr Shereen’s family story.
10:33 Sophie Smith on late diagnosis, grief and being misclassified.
13:54 Sensory overload: what “too many inputs” feels like.
16:57 Rethinking the spectrum: why autism is not a straight line.
27:17 Masking, eye contact and the cost of trying to look “normal”.
34:00 Autism in women and girls, hormones, PMDD and perimenopause.
48:27 Autistic burnout, workplace support and why inclusion helps everyone.

What does it really mean to be neurodivergent, and how can we better support people with ADHD and autism at work, at school, at home and in everyday life?

In this episode of ConnectForHealth, the live well-being webinar and podcast from Cigna Healthcare Middle East and Africa, produced with mentl, Scott Armstrong, founder of mentl, and Maissa Al Khafajy, Head of Government Affairs and Strategic Communications at Cigna Healthcare Middle East and Africa, explore neurodiversity through clinical expertise, workplace insight and lived experience.

Scott shares his own experience of being diagnosed with ADHD later in life, and the emotional process of reinterpreting school, work, relationships and self-belief through a new lens.

He is joined by Sarah Christensen, Organisational Psychologist and Chief Executive Officer of Christensen Consultancy, who also brings lived experience of ADHD, and Dr Valentina Faia, Specialist Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist at BioPsychoSocial Clinic, with more than 20 years’ experience and specialist expertise in neurodivergence, including ADHD, autism and giftedness.

Together, they unpack what ADHD really is, why diagnosis can be missed for years, how neurodivergence can show up differently in adults, children, men and women, and why support should focus less on “fixing” people and more on understanding how they function best.

This conversation explores the myths, stigma and practical realities of neurodiversity, from children struggling in school to adults masking at work, from parents seeking answers to organisations trying to build more inclusive cultures.

Topics include:

• What neurodiversity, ADHD and autism really mean
• Why ADHD is not simply distraction or hyperactivity
• The emotions that can come with late diagnosis
• How girls and women may be missed or diagnosed later
• Why high performance can hide hidden struggle
• What parents should look for in children
• How assessment and diagnosis can help
• Medication, exercise, therapy and other support routes
• What workplaces can do to reduce unnecessary friction
• How to support neurodivergent colleagues, children, partners and friends

This episode is for anyone who recognises themselves, their child, their partner, their colleague or their team in this conversation.

Neurodiversity is not about lowering expectations. It is about understanding difference, reducing shame and creating the conditions where people can thrive.

Chapter list

02:17 Meet Sarah Christensen and Dr Valentina Faia
02:46 What neurodiversity really means
08:07 ADHD beyond distraction and hyperactivity
13:27 Sarah Christensen on recognising her own ADHD
15:04 Why ADHD affects relationships, teams and daily life
19:36 Late diagnosis, stigma and being open at work
22:27 Poll: the biggest myths around ADHD and autism
26:37 How assessment and diagnosis work
32:24 The emotional impact of late diagnosis
35:17 Workplace support and reasonable adjustments
36:25 ADHD in children: what parents should look for
43:40 Poll: what practical support would help most
45:37 Masking, burnout and invisible effort
47:35 Audience questions: work, speech, fairness and emotional regulation
51:36 Supporting neurodivergent children at school
55:11 How to keep performing when the wheels start to come off
57:05 ADHD, relationships and rejection sensitivity
59:07 Where to find support and final reflections

For Men’s Mental Health Month, our latest edition of ConnectForHealth opens up the conversation men too often avoid.

Men’s health is not just physical fitness, routine check-ups, or pushing through pressure. It is also sleep, stress, loneliness, financial worry, job security, fatherhood, relationships, community and the ability to say, honestly, when things are not okay.

In this episode, Scott Armstrong and Maissa Al Khafajy are joined by Chris Bradwell, founder of British Dads Dubai, and Chris Miller, founder of In-Cre-Mental, to explore what men are really carrying beneath the surface.

Chris Bradwell shares what he is seeing inside one of the UAE’s largest dad communities, from men asking privately for support to the importance of building spaces where fathers can talk, connect and feel less alone.

Chris Miller brings the lens of an executive coach, mental health first aid instructor and former senior leader, exploring why high-performing men often keep functioning while quietly moving into survival mode.

This is a practical, honest conversation about breaking silence before pressure becomes crisis.

Topics include:

• Why men often say “I’m fine” when they are not
• Job security, financial worries, family pressure and the mental load men carry
• Why loneliness is not just emotional, but a real health issue
• How distress can show up as anger, withdrawal, overthinking or irritability
• Why men often wait too long before asking for help
• The role of community, dads’ groups and side-by-side conversations
• How physical health, stress, sleep and mental health are connected
• Why sustainable progress matters more than dramatic change
• How partners, friends and colleagues can spot when someone is struggling
• Why taking the first step deserves to be celebrated

If you are a man who feels like you are carrying too much, a partner trying to understand what is going on beneath the silence, or a leader who wants to support men better at work, this episode is for you.

Watch or listen now, and please share it with someone who might need the reminder: silence is not strength, and you do not have to struggle alone.

Chapter list

00:00 Welcome to ConnectForHealth and Men’s Mental Health Month
02:17 Meet Chris Bradwell and Chris Miller
02:42 What dads are really asking for inside British Dads Dubai
04:37 Loneliness, uncertainty, safety and the search for control
09:11 Maissa on boys, young men and learning to open up
15:24 “I’m fine”: what men often mean when they say it
19:23 How stress and depression can show up differently in men
27:06 Why British Dads Dubai was built, and why community matters
29:35 Poll: the biggest pressure points for men right now
51:21 Physical health, stress, movement and realistic routines
59:51 Celebrate the courage to take the first step

This special edition of ConnectForHealth unpacks Cigna Healthcare’s new Wellbeing and Health Pulse in the UAE, recorded during a period of heightened pressure, rising costs, and shifting expectations around work and family life.

Host Scott Armstrong is joined by Leah Cotterill (CEO, Cigna Healthcare Middle East and Africa), Hana Agil (Cigna HR) and Suzanne Gandy, HR Director, Bayut and Dubizzle, to explore the positive story in the data, then go deeper into what pressure points sit beneath the optimism, and what leaders can do now to make resilience sustainable. 

The conversation explores:

•  What does “resilience” actually mean when people still report stress, sleep issues, and financial strain? 
•  Survey findings such as 89% feeling physically safe, 83% feeling emotionally safe, and 86% feeling at home in the UAE? 
•  Why is financial wellbeing emerging as a key pressure point, and what can employers do without overstepping? 
•  What should managers look for when people are “performing” but carrying pressure beneath the surface? 
•  How do leaders build trust and clarity during uncertainty 

Who this is for

If you lead people, work in HR, or are shaping culture and wellbeing strategy in the UAE, this episode will give you a clear, evidence-led view of what employees are carrying right now and the practical leadership actions that matter. 

10-point chapter list

00:00:10 Welcome and why this Pulse matters 
00:01:24 Headline findings: safety, resilience, optimism 
00:03:37 The big stats: physical safety, emotional safety, feeling at home 
00:04:35 Family wellbeing as the strongest pillar 
00:07:18 What employers are seeing internally: belonging and return-to-office 
00:10:05 Work-life integration: treating employees as whole people 
00:18:15 Pressure points: financial wellbeing and job security 
00:23:16 Financial literacy at work: budgets, credit cards, estate planning 
00:31:12 Support exists, but do people use it? The utilisation gap 
00:53:44 Stop, start, continue: practical takeaways for leaders 

In a world of quick fixes, it’s easy to lose sight of the basics. Your health is not a single number, a trending supplement, or one “perfect” routine. It is a system, and the most powerful thing you can do is build a clear roadmap for the year ahead, understand your early markers, and know what to ask for before risk becomes diagnosis.

In this ConnectForHealth Special Edition, Scott Armstrong and Maissa Al Khafajy are joined by Dr Mahmoud Al Darabie (Valeo Health) for a practical conversation on prevention, early action, and day-to-day management. They break down the key blood markers and ratios people misunderstand, how family history and lifestyle interact, and why “listen to your body” is not a slogan but a skill. 

Among the key points explored: 

•  You’ve done “tests” but do not know what the numbers mean or what to do next 
•  You have family history (cholesterol, diabetes, cardiac events) and do not know how often to check in, or what to prioritise 
•  You feel tired, foggy, or low energy and you’re not sure whether it’s stress, sleep, blood sugar, or something else 
•  You’re confused by conflicting advice online (cholesterol “good/bad”, supplements, quick fixes) and want a clearer framework 
• GLP-1s are everywhere, but you’re unsure what “good” looks like long term: when they help, what risks to watch for, and how to avoid swapping one short-term fix for another
•  You’re tempted by “fast” solutions but want to know what sustainable change actually looks like, and what is realistic 
•  You have health benefits but you’re not sure what preventive care you can use, or how to use it well 

Dial in if you want a clear, practical roadmap for the next 12 months, so you know what to check, what it means, and what to do next.

Chapter List:

00:01:12 Welcome back and what today’s “health check roadmap” covers 
00:02:24 Where are people in the UAE right now: prevention vs diagnosis 
00:03:49 The 12-month roadmap: history, lifestyle, sleep, stress, movement 
00:05:45 Blood sugar markers: HbA1c, fasting glucose, insulin and what they indicate 
00:06:57 Cholesterol confusion: why ratios and context matter more than one number 
00:08:32 “Look at the whole picture”: stress, cortisol and metabolic knock-on effects 
00:10:06 How often to check: why six months can be a useful rhythm 
00:13:08 Symptoms you shouldn’t ignore: fatigue, brain fog, energy dips 
00:28:28 Poll 1 and first actions for “borderline” readings 
00:33:38 The quick-fix trap: why compliance drops after GLP-1s rose 

Eight weeks into prolonged uncertainty in the Gulf region, a many people are still living in extended caretaker mode. 

The practical pressures continue, but so does the hidden load: carrying worry, managing family dynamics, and trying to perform at work while feeling stretched.

In this ConnectForHealth episode, mentl's Scott Armstrong and Maissa Al Khafajy of Cigna Healthcare Middle East and Africa are joined by Dr Rita Figueiredo, Clinical Psychologist and Managing Director at Peninsula Psychology, to unpack what burnout looks like in real life right now, and what helps when patience is thin, sleep is disrupted, and small things at home start to feel bigger than they should. 

This conversation tackles: 

•  How to tell the difference between “a bad week” and something more serious when you are still functioning 
•  Why rest does not always feel restorative in a limbo phase, and what that can signal 
•  How to set boundaries at home and at work without triggering guilt or resentment 
•  How to communicate needs clearly so a boundary is understood, not misread as withdrawal 
•  What to do when you feel flat, reactive, or disconnected, and you are not sure what help looks like 

Chapter List

00:09 Welcome and why “caretaker mode” can tip into burnout 
02:34 What stress patterns are showing up in week seven 
05:36 The limbo phase: “almost out of it, but not quite” 
07:32 Stress vs burnout: the key difference when rest stops working 
11:38 Role overload: worker, co-parent, teacher, emotional anchor 
15:23 Poll 1: what is showing up most right now 
19:01 When to seek help: signs your usual coping is not working 
28:35 Boundaries without guilt: capacity, roles, and clear communication 
34:09 “Add a caption”: the small communication shift that changes everything 
50:11 Practical reset: reduce the load, reduce decisions, and aim for “good enough”

Across the Gulf right now, many residents are living with a mix of gratitude and strain. 

Alert texts, unfamiliar noises in the night, and prolonged uncertainty can keep the nervous system in threat-detection mode, leaving people exhausted but wired.

In this ConnectForHealth episode, Scott Armstrong (mentl) and Maissa Al Khafajy (Cigna Healthcare Middle East and Africa) are joined by Dr Samira Cutts, neuroscientist and occupational therapist at King’s College Hospital London - UAE, to explain what’s happening in the brain during sustained stress, and what you can do to protect sleep without trying to force “perfect” rest. 

Highlights

•  Why disrupted sleep is a normal biological response during prolonged uncertainty 
•  What to do when alert texts spike your heart rate and make it hard to return to sleep 
•  How late-night news checking re-triggers the stress response and what to do instead 
•  Practical sleep hygiene that starts hours before bed: light, caffeine timing, and temperature 
•  Kids’ sleep and co-regulation: how children take cues from adult nervous systems 
•  Wearables and sleep tracking: why too much data can backfire 
•  Quick-fire advice on supplements and habits, including melatonin, magnesium, and creatine 

Why tune in

If you’re waking more, sleeping lighter, checking updates at night, or feeling tired even after “enough hours”, this episode will help you understand the pattern and leave you with practical steps you can start tonight. 

Chapter List

00:00 Welcome and why sleep is taking a hit across the Gulf 
02:00 The science of stress, threat vigilance, and sleep expectations 
03:27 What’s “normal” right now: survival mode and stress hormones 
06:55 The goalposts have moved: giving yourself slack 
08:10 How this translates for children: co-regulation and safety cues 
12:43 What to do when alerts trigger a spike: reassurance and a practical checklist 
18:39 Why checking news at night is the worst thing (and how to set windows) 
21:22 Poll 1: biggest sleep issues and what’s showing up most 
31:52 Trauma triggers, cognitive reframing, and creating safety in the body 
38:07 Sleep hygiene that works: light, caffeine timing, room temperature 

When school moves online and uncertainty drags on, our children and teenagers often look “fine” while their nervous system is doing overtime.

In this Special Edition of ConnectForHealth, we speak directly to children and teens about what many are feeling during prolonged uncertainty: being tired, distracted, on edge, and finding it hard to switch off. 

Scott Armstrong (mentl) is joined by Sema Corbaci, Chief Counsel, Cigna Healthcare Middle East and Africa, and her 12-year-old daughter Flossie, alongside expert guest Mark Samways, Director of Wellbeing (Schools and Organisations) and Counselling Psychologist at The Free Spirit Collective in Dubai. 

Together, they explore:

•  Why our brains and bodies react when things feel uncertain for a long time 
•  Why online learning can feel harder, and how to reset expectations 
•  Sleep and switching off at night, plus overthinking and worry spirals 
•  Friendship, belonging, and staying connected without overload 
•  How to help a friend without taking on their stress 
•  How parents can talk about what’s happening without creating fear 

Listen if you want calm, realistic tools for sleep, focus, and worry that actually fit real life.

ConnectForHealth is an initiative by Cigna Healthcare Middle East & Africa, supported by mentl.

As the region moves deeper into prolonged uncertainty, many people are noticing a shift: less adrenaline, more sustained stress, jumpiness, distraction, and emotional drain.

In this ConnectForHealth Special Edition, Scott Armstrong (mentl) and Alison Sharp (Cigna Healthcare MEA) are joined by Dr Jane Halsall, Chartered Counselling Psychologist at Cornerstone Clinic, to explain why this “emotional fatigue” phase can hit hard, and what individuals, families and workplaces can do to protect mental wellbeing.

We cover:

•  Why week three (and beyond) can feel psychologically different 
•  Hyper-vigilance, emotional whiplash, and why you feel more jumpy 
•  Practical nervous system regulation tools (sleep, movement, grounding) 
•  The psychological impact of the 24/7 news cycle and media literacy 
•  Why focus drops at work and how to manage expectations 
•  How children absorb adult anxiety and how to steady the home environment 

Listen now for valuable advice on how to continue navigating the regional tension.

Chapters (10)

00:00 Welcome and why “emotional fatigue” is showing up now 
 01:56 Why week three and beyond feels different psychologically 
 04:30 Logic vs emotion: when you’re coping on the surface but drained underneath 
 06:40 Hyper-vigilance and threat detection mode (why you feel jumpy) 
 08:38 Practical regulation tools: movement, grounding, and settling the body 
 12:22 Media literacy and the 24/7 news cycle (reducing overload) 
 15:00 Poll 1: what’s affecting people most right now 
 19:09 Why people are struggling to focus at work (and what helps) 
 38:35 Poll 2: what support would help most over the next 7 days 
 55:10 Children absorbing adult anxiety and how to steady the environment