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What if the thing that hurt you most is also the thing that pulled you into the work you do now?

In this episode of Why Not and What If?, Siobhán and Andy dive into why we choose the careers we do – especially in the helping professions – and what happens when we’re doing that work with our own unhealed wounds in the background.

Siobhán shares how she “accidentally-but-not-really” ended up in HR, after being blocked from studying psychology and pushed into politics instead. From airport childhoods, travel bugs and British Airways family stories, to becoming the kind of HR professional who doesn’t police people but helps them feel heard – she unpacks the sliding doors moments that shaped her path.

Andy talks about growing up as a middle child, never quite feeling seen, and how that’s threaded all the way through his work in policing, communications and marketing. From victim impact statements in the police to running a consultancy literally called Be Seen Media, he explores the deep need to give other people a voice – and what that costs when you’re already carrying your own stuff.

Together they get into:

• Why some people go into HR, policing or caring roles to serve, and others to control
• Rules vs guardrails – when “just following policy” actively harms people and outcomes
• The emotional toll on HR, nurses, police, porters and counsellors – and who looks after the helpers
• How much support organisations should offer vs where personal responsibility kicks in
• The role of self-awareness, supervision and good management in staying sane when your work hits your wounds

If you’ve ever wondered “Why do I keep ending up in these roles?” or felt wrung out by work you genuinely care about, this episode is a messy, honest look at motivation, trauma, purpose and boundaries – with plenty of stories, swearing and sideways tangents along the way.

Got a story or a view? Email [email protected]
— we might do a follow-up episode with your takes.