Inner Work World - Rethinking Mental Wellbeing At Work

When we think of grief, we usually think of personal, private tragedies—the death of a loved one or a severe life crisis. But what happens when grief enters the workplace? According to leadership advisor Patricia Bravo, organizations are constantly asking people to "let go" of roles, team members, strategies, and workplace identities without giving them the space to process the resulting loss.

In this episode, Susanna sits down with Patricia Bravo, founder of Bravo4U and author of the upcoming book In the Room When Grief Comes to Work, to discuss the invisible cognitive load of workplace grief. Patricia shares why unexpressed micro-grief accumulates to hurt performance, how grief mirrors the ever-changing nature of the weather, and how leaders can offer powerful support through simple acknowledgment rather than trying to "solve" the problem.

• The Cost of Micro-Grief: Workplace changes—like restructuring, a beloved leader leaving, or shifting a company vision—trigger real loss. When these "micro-losses" go unacknowledged, they accumulate, often manifesting later as unexplained performance drops, cognitive fatigue, or irritability.
• The Weather Analogy of Loss: Traditional linear models (like the Kübler-Ross change curve) can fall short when treated as a rigid checklist. Grief is highly individual and non-linear—some days feel like a sudden tsunami, others like a gentle mist, and some days the sun unexpectedly breaks through.
• Acknowledgment Over Action: Leaders often feel pressured to act as amateur therapists or "fix" the situation. Real support simply looks like regular, attentive check-ins (e.g., "How are you doing this week?") and giving employees the agency to choose between space or connection.
• Collective and Accumulated Grief: From mass layoffs in the tech sector to restructuring in international organizations, modern workplaces are experiencing unprecedented layers of collective grief. Rebuilding human connection within organizations is essential to helping teams adapt and eventually find post-traumatic growth.

• Website: Bravo4U
• LinkedIn: Connect with Patricia Bravo on LinkedIn

Upcoming Book:In the Room When Grief Comes to Work (An illustrated guide for leaders and teams navigating workplace loss).

How do you find your way back to yourself when you’ve lost everything—your health, your career, your identity, and even your home? In this episode, Susanna Sjöberg speaks with Nathalie, an artist, filmmaker, and author of I Am Alive.

Nathalie shares her harrowing yet transformative journey from a stage three cervical cancer diagnosis in Paris to a life of service and spiritual devotion in South India. This is a conversation about the "brutal" path of healing, the difference between being cured and being whole, and why nature and art are our most powerful witnesses.

• The Witness of Art: How drawing became a physical proof of existence during the "horror" of internal radiation treatment.
• Somatic Recovery: Navigating PTSD and depression by pulling the "messy thread of trauma" out one small inch at a time.
• The Caterpillar’s Cocoon: Why transformation and rebirth are inherently painful and cannot be rushed.
• Cured vs. Healed: Understanding the gap between the medical removal of a tumor and the emotional integration of the experience.
• The Power of Mantra: How the soul’s "tool" (Man-Tra) provided an immovable pillar when the mind and body were failing.
• The Simple Life: Finding the essence of life in breath, movement, and the "chaotic joy" of serving others.

• Website: Nathalie Latham
• Book: I Am Alive (A collection of drawings and reflections on survival).

• Nature doesn't rush, and neither can your healing.
• The "life force" of the world continues even when we feel disconnected from it.
• Cultivating compassion (Karuna) for ourselves as a prerequisite for understanding the suffering of others.
• The importance of having a "witness" (whether a drawing or a person) during your darkest moments.

Psychologist Floriana Poggia joins Susanna Sjöberg to pull back the curtain on the world of mental health support. Drawing from her own transition from international marketing to psychology, Floriana explains the "why" and "how" of seeking help, and why the relationship with your therapist is often more important than the method itself.

• The Career Leap: Why Floriana left a multinational corporate role to pursue a "calling" in psychology and the reality of the long academic path.
• Psychologist vs. Psychotherapist vs. Psychiatrist: A clear breakdown of the titles, protected statuses (specifically in Switzerland), and who can prescribe medication.
• The "Big Three" of Therapy: How to assess a therapist using the criteria of unconditional positive regard, empathy, and authenticity.
• Why Therapy "Fails": Understanding the barriers to progress, including external vs. internal motivation and the "secondary benefits" of staying stuck.
• ACT and CBT Explained: A beginner’s guide to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and how to take distance from intrusive thoughts.
• The Power of Small Wins: Why the smallest possible step is the best antidote to catastrophic thinking and ongoing anxiety.

• The difference between medical and psychological support
• Criteria for a successful therapeutic alliance
• Emotional avoidance and the "utility" of symptoms
• Grounding techniques for the present moment

Functional medicine practitioner, chiropractor, and best-selling author Dr. Navaz Habib (known as "The Vagus Nerve Doc") joins Susanna Sjöberg to explore the critical link between the vagus nerve and our ability to recover from the high-pressure demands of the modern workplace.

• The "Superhighway" Concept: Why the vagus nerve is the essential communication link between your brain and every major organ.
• The Brake Line Analogy: How a well-functioning vagus nerve acts as the "brakes" for chronic inflammation and stress.
• The Four Types of Stress: A breakdown of day-to-day, psychological, physical, and biochemical stressors—and how they fill your "stress bucket."
• The Breath is the Key: Why nasal breathing, diaphragmatic (belly) breathing, and longer exhales are the fastest ways to hack your nervous system.
• Ancient Wisdom vs. Modern Tech: How to use wearable data (like HRV) to validate age-old recovery practices without creating "data anxiety."
• Daily Bookends: How optimizing how you start and end your day can rebuild your circadian rhythm and accelerate repair.

• Website: Health Upgraded
• Books:
  • Activate Your Vagus Nerve
  • Upgrade Your Vagus Nerve

• The Vagus Nerve as a communication pathway
• The 4-Quadrant Stress Model
• The foundational power of the breath
• Using Vagus Nerve stimulation and HRV as tools for recovery

Leadership psychologist, award winning author, TedX speaker and resilience expert Dr. Marie-Hélène Pelletier joins Susanna Sjöberg to unpack the biggest misconceptions high performers carry about resilience — and what the research actually says.

What you'll learn:

• Why resilience is a state, not a personality trait — and what that means for how you manage it
• The early warning signs of burnout that most leaders dismiss (including one that shows up at home before it shows up at work)
• Why individual resilience is no longer enough — and how teams and organizations play a critical role
• The "financial statement" analogy that reframes self-awareness for leaders who resist it
• How to set boundaries when you've built your identity around being the person who always delivers
• A practical framework for having workload conversations with both your team and your own manager
• What to do right now if you're exhausted but still pushing through

Connect with MH: https://drmarie-helene.com/

Book The Resilience Plan (named a top 5 book by Inc. Magazine and Forbes).

https://drmarie-helene.com/the-resilience-plan/

TedX talk: Crossing the River: Resilience in the Age of AI.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEdr2cvHF5M

Small shifts inside create big changes outside. Subscribe and share with someone who needs it.

The conversation delves into the psychology of work and exhaustion, exploring the concept of joyful exhaustion and its contrast with burnout. It also discusses the importance of meaningful tasks, self-application of research findings, and the balance between work and recovery. Additionally, it addresses factors influencing burnout, the impact of global uncertainty on exhaustion, self-care, early signs of burnout, and the design of organizational support for joyful exhaustion.

For more information on Christina: https://christinaguthier.com/en/

https://www.ted.com/talks/christina_guthier_let_s_talk_about_the_bright_side_of_exhaustion

Takeaways

• Joyful exhaustion vs. burnout
• Resilience and adaptation
• Self-awareness and recovery

Chapters

• 00:00 Designing for Joyful Exhaustion

Jessica Hofmans shares her journey from a career in medicine to becoming a holistic health coach, emphasizing the importance of a holistic approach to well-being. She discusses the impact of motherhood on her life and the shift towards a more present and balanced lifestyle. The conversation explores the significance of self-care, inner dialogue, and seeking support for overall well-being in both personal and professional life.

Takeaways

• Holistic approach to well-being
• Importance of seeking support
• Self-care and inner dialogue
• Impact of motherhood on lifestyle

Chapters

• 00:00 The Importance of Self-Care and Seeking Support

In this episode of Inner Work World, host Susanna Sjöberg speaks with Dr. Sud, a physician who shares his journey through job loss and the emotional challenges that accompany it. Dr. Sud discusses the importance of resilience, spiritual practices, and the role of support systems in navigating difficult times. He emphasizes the need for open conversations about mental health and the significance of feeling and expressing emotions. The conversation highlights cultural perspectives on mental health and the fluid nature of emotional wellbeing, offering insights and encouragement for those facing similar challenges.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Dr. Sud's Journey

03:25 Navigating Job Loss and Emotional Turmoil

07:35 The Role of Spiritual Practices in Resilience

11:24 Mental Health First Aid and Its Importance

17:48 Cultural Perspectives on Mental Health

21:02 The Power of Connection and Support

21:54 Reflections on Resilience and Personal Growth