The Diverse Minds Podcast

Welcome to the 134th episode of the award-winning Diverse Minds podcast.

Today, we are going to be talking about recognising the needs of carers, and as you know, this month's theme is all about recognition and recognising different groups To join me in talking about this is Anita Powell.

Anita grew up in Bedford England. Currently, she is a Community Engagement Advocate based in Bedford, her career has included working on and off in the voluntary and community sector.  She has a natural internal interest in working with and around social issues and injustices. 

She has worked on causes and jobs working with women, men, young people including mental health, ex-offenders, long term unemployed, menopause and refugees,

Founder Menopause Alliance former in 2019 is currently an online peer  Facebook group and page, but before the 2020 Covid Pandemic it organised faced to face meetings. Co-founder Black Women in Menopause with Nina Kuyper’s we organise online zoom sessions.

Co-founder of Bedford Radio Local community radio Station Women officer for the Labour Party within Bedford. Speaker on Menopause, community, Ethnic Minorities, and women issues.

Awarded ‘I am Inspiring’ in 2016 by Evans, Garnier and Marie Claire Magazine for her community work and community radio show. https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/fashion/meet-iamme-award-winners-348942

Current Community radio show: Disabilities matters. Anita is a mother of an autistic child, she was a child carer of a parent with a disability, and she is also dyslexic. When she has time, she tries to draw, paint, sew, make mosaics, and read.

• About Anita Powell and her purpose in life. [02:36]
• How she has managed to juggle her work and her personal life. [04:38]
• How got involved in community radio. [08:47]
• What workplaces can do to genuinely support staff who have caring responsibilities. [21:58]
• Her top 3 tips for looking after her mental health. [28:51]

• One of the things that I've had to do is, I've had to learn to say the word no.
• I've had to develop a change of mindset in certain things, because I'm also also single parent.
• Community radio helped me build my confidence and my communication skills as it helps you develop the skill of being analytical and ability to articulate my thoughts or feelings.
• Human Resources departments of workplace should create a menopause policy, something in black and white, that clearly outlines how the organisation manages the topic of menopause.
• Sharing time with important people, is my emotional boost.

• Black Menopause and Beyond on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook
• Anita on Twitter
• Anita's [email protected]

Have a look at my online work-life balance course on Thinkific. You can access it here: http://bit.ly/DMMHPONC

Complete the form to discuss your training needs: https://forms.gle/hgnYtmTu33Zeem489

Check out my FAQs here: https://diverseminds.co.uk/solutions/coaching/

You can learn more about the coaching I do to support your wellbeing here. 

If you enjoyed this episode, then consider subscribing on Apple podcast, Spotify or wherever you access your podcasts from.

If you enjoyed it, why not leave a review? 

You can also connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.  

Remember to tune in next week, where I’ll bring you more insights on mental health and inclusion.

Welcome to the 121st episode of the award-winning Diverse Minds podcast.

This month, the podcast has focussed on access and accessibility. Thinking about how certain groups have access to certain careers and others don’t.

In today's episode, I am so excited and delighted to be speaking to an award-winning burgeoning fashion designer Parastro Qalandri. 

Susan has a first degree in political science. In addition, she's achieved diplomas and personnel management and the art of systems thinking.

She has a postgraduate diploma in human resources with a specialism in organisational consultancy and a master's in human resources, strategy and change. She is a member of both the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, the CIPC and a member of the Milton Keynes branch, the British Chamber of Commerce.

She's also a common purpose graduate, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a Windsor Castle Society of Leadership Fellow. Susan has experience of working on projects from the private-public and voluntary sectors, including era WorleyParsons, Department of help London Fire Service and the Royal Festival Hall.

She has a focus on HR strategy and change, talent management, performance management, succession planning, diversity and inclusion. And she's previously worked as a youth worker and a business ambassador for youth enterprise. She was in fact a founding board member and committee chair on a school board for 10 years.

She now also conducts work within education and runs programmes for young adults. Susan uses her skills and capabilities to leverage the value of people in the world of work society that we live in. And through the education and integration of the younger generation. Susan refers to this as human value optimization.

• About Susan Popola and what she does. [02:44]
• How she became a human value optimisation specialist. [04:53]
• What the term "Allyship" means to her. [08:57]
• Some ways men can really be true allies to women. [09:56]
• Her top 3 tips for looking after her mental health. [24:40]

 Quotes on

• Growing up, I was taught, everyone has value, something to offer.
• Allyship to me means men caring about women, recognising that they have a place and thinking about ways to support them.
• Men need to understand how typically, women think differently from them.
• I know who I am and what I do. I'm very purpose-driven. So that means I'm less likely to be distracted by people and what's going on around on me.
• We're all on a journey and It makes sense to have a better understanding of where people are and to journey together from the point that they're at. 

• Susan on Twitter
• Susan's website

Welcome to the 131st episode of the award-winning Diverse Minds podcast.

This month’s theme is all about recognition. In particular, recognising things we may take for granted and things outside our sphere of reference. 

So, in today’s episode, I’m going to be talking about how true crime podcasts can help us to see bias.

• Why I decided to connect bias and true crime podcasts. [01:15]
• What unconscious bias is [02:35]
• Some of the podcasts that I listened to that brought this to the forefront for me. [05:03]
• Different types of biases. [06:45]
• The role that bias had to play in some of the scams. [12:47]

• Unconscious bias refers to a bias, is something that we're unaware of, and it happens outside of our control.
• Past experiences influence our thinking.
• We see the world as we are not as it is.
• We may also ignore the faults of people we like, and notice the faults of more of people from groups we unconsciously don't like.
• When people are more tired, and under time pressure, the more vulnerable they are.

• Thinking Fast and Slow
• Leaders Guide to Unconscious Bias
• ACAS: Dealing with Unconscious Bias

Join my mailing list where you will receive a copy of my e-Book The Mentally Healthy Leading Manager: https://bit.ly/MHLMEBK21

Have a look at my online work-life balance course on Thinkific. You can access it here: http://bit.ly/DMMHPONC

Complete the form to discuss your training needs: https://forms.gle/hgnYtmTu33Zeem489

Check out my FAQs here: https://diverseminds.co.uk/solutions/coaching/

You can learn more about the coaching I do to support your wellbeing here. 

If you enjoyed this episode, then consider subscribing on Apple podcast, Spotify or wherever you access your podcasts from.

If you enjoyed it, why not leave a review? 

You can also connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.  

Remember to tune in next week, where I’ll bring you more insights on mental health and inclusion.

Welcome to the 130th episode of the award-winning Diverse Minds podcast.

This month’s focus is all about giving and sharing, and today we are going to be talking about trauma recovery through somatic movement for ourselves and others.

And to join me to do this is the wonderful, Ava Riby-Williams.

Ava is a queer artist, community facilitator, activist, yoga teacher and student, of Ghanaian and Indian descent, living in London. Her work focuses on using creativity to connect, and guiding groups into deeper contemplation about issues concerning their liberation and wellbeing - on personal and collective levels.

As a guide, Ava is clear that the point of her work is to encourage students to become their own inner teachers: she does this with young people and adults. 

Ava is driven by the importance of making healing practises accessible to isolated and marginalised communities as a tool to unwind trauma; she has been facilitating and creating training in this field since 2017.

She is passionate about creating safe, accessible spaces for self-exploration, expression and acceptance, and is deeply curious about how we can do this across lines of oppression.

With over 10 years of Yoga, creative practice, facilitation and performance experience, her teaching is often woven with song, poetry and play as a way to deepen our capacity to Love and experience life.  

• About Ava Riby-Williams and what she does. [02:35]
• What it's like for her being a yoga teacher of color. [05:53]
• Why she decided to become a yoga teacher. [09:29]
• What the term somatic movement means to her. [12:50]
• Her top 3 tips for looking after her mental health. [35:53]

• The word somatic basically means just of the body.
• Everyone deserves to be nourished and resourced. Everyone is worthy of that, no matter how hard or long a person is working.
• It is helpful to give people a space to connect in a way that isn't necessarily just about the themes of work, but does facilitate their connection and openness with one another.
• I used movement as a way to discharge, express, celebrate what it is that I'm feeling.
• I do a lot of work around helping people to get out of their heads, and helping people to get out of the framework of "doing it right".

• Ava on Instagram
• Ava's website

Have a look at my online work-life balance course on Thinkific. You can access it here: http://bit.ly/DMMHPONC

Complete the form to discuss your training needs: https://forms.gle/hgnYtmTu33Zeem489

Check out my FAQs here: https://diverseminds.co.uk/solutions/coaching/

You can learn more about the coaching I do to support your wellbeing here. 

If you enjoyed this episode, then consider subscribing on Apple podcast, Spotify or wherever you access your podcasts from.

If you enjoyed it, why not leave a review? 

You can also connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.  

Remember to tune in next week, where I’ll bring you more insights on mental health and inclusion.

Welcome to the 121st episode of the award-winning Diverse Minds podcast.

This month’s focus is all about sharing your story, and to join me in talking about this and empowering beliefs is Shazney Spence.

Shazney Spence is a personal coach and the Managing Director of EQuanimity Lifestyle & Success Coaching Ltd, she is a Public speaker, Reiki Master and Soul Coach. She personally develops and empowers people to live their best lives, coaching them on a 1-2-1 and group basis. In addition, Shazney provides non-clinical mental health consultative support services to corporate organisations. She is also a Diverse Minds Associate. 

Shazney supports her clients to attain a state of mental, emotional stability and balance through focused coaching, energy work and meditation. Through many years of coaching experience, Shazney is highly skilled at managing individual relationships with the purpose of enhancing their professional learning, effectiveness, and fulfilment. Shazney seeks to understand individuals’ goals and desires, helping the individual to meet them in an honest, unbiased, and purposeful manner. 

As the founder of The Super Soul Sanctuary, it is her mission to guide her clients to a space of clarity and calm replacing overwhelm with awareness and aligned intentional action. 

Shazney has worked with a worldwide range of clients from varied business cultures.  Previously, during her 10-year career at Accenture, she was key in leading initiatives around Human Capital and driving change in the way mental health is viewed culturally within the organisation. As Mental Health Lead for Accenture’s UK division, Shazney was pivotal in engaging employees and leaders, leading conversations around mental health & wellbeing, facilitating monthly calls for those affected by mental health conditions.

• About Shazney Spence and what she does. [02:35]
• How she got into her line of work and empowers people to do it. [03:57]
• What the term "empowering belief" means to her. [07:12]
• How workplaces can get more of their staff to think more about empowering beliefs. [21:28]
• Her top 3 tips for looking after her mental health. [25:58]

• I truly believe that we have disempowered we have disempowering beliefs, as well as empowering beliefs.
• I have a coach and I have had a coach for many years,
• I really invest in my own personal development, as well as my own spiritual and mental and emotional development.
• I practice breath-work and meditation.
• I think what the past few years has reinforced in people is that there is this need to take care of their emotions, the mind-body connection, to really think about what's important.

• Shazney's website
• Shazney on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook

Welcome to the 128th episode of the award-winning Diverse Minds podcast.

This month’s theme is all about giving and sharing. So, in today’s episode, I’m going to be talking about reciprocity in mentoring relationships, particularly reciprocal mentoring relationships.

• About mentoring and how it's gained popularity over the years. [00:47]
• The difference between mentoring, coaching and sponsorships. [01:14]
• What mentoring, coaching and sponsorships have in common. [03:44]
• The specific benefits of reciprocal mentoring. [05:49]
• Some mentoring techniques to consider for your programme [15:56]

• Mentoring could take place in a formal or informal way, inside of the workplace outside of the workplace.
• A mentor could be anyone in a position with experience desired by a mentee who can offer advice and support.
• Coaching is about asking those powerful questions to enable coachees to discover the answers themselves.
• A sponsor is a senior staff member invested in their protegees career success.
• Mentoring doesn't just have to be a conversation.

 Resources

• Podcast Episode #97: The art of listening to support someone
•  

Join my mailing list where you will receive a copy of my e-Book The Mentally Healthy Leading Manager: https://bit.ly/MHLMEBK21

Have a look at my online work-life balance course on Thinkific. You can access it here: http://bit.ly/DMMHPONC

Welcome to the 127th episode of the award-winning Diverse Minds podcast.

This month’s focus is all about giving and sharing. Giving is one of the five ways to well-being developed by the New Economics Foundation in 2009.

To join me in talking about this in more detail is Shari Foos.

Shari is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who holds a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University Los Angeles, and a Master of Science in Narrative Medicine from Columbia University. As a sought-after expert on the subjects of relationships and meaningful connection,

Shari’s writing and commentary have appeared in a range of online and print publications, including Real Simple, Huffington Post, Thrive, Shondaland, Women’s Health, and Bustle.

Shari has developed The Narrative Method is an award-winning approach to building meaningful human connections by helping individuals reframe how they see themselves and others through the process of sharing stories.

TNM programs and products are designed to peel away participants'  negative or false beliefs imposed by cultural and social influences to help them rebuild their understanding of themselves and the world. 

• About Shari Foos and how she developed the narrative method. [03:50]
• What sharing her story means to her. [06:22]
• All about her DIY human cards and how you can use them. [10:29]
• What workplaces can do to introduce a narrative method style approach into their organisations. [25:11]
• Her top 3 tips for looking after her mental health. [30:49]

• Every group struggles with the projections of others positive or negative,
• I just get so much energy from having real conversations with people.
• When you connect with the beat of your heart, you are connecting from your dominant part to all the other parts inside of yourself.
• Everyone you come into contact with is a relationship,
• Brilliant ideas can come from everywhere, when they're invited.

• Shari's website
• Shari on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Linkedin

Welcome to the 126th episode of the award-winning DM podcast. 

This month’s theme is mind-body connection and how our physical health supports our mental health and how our mental health supports our physical health. 

So, on today’s episode, I’m going to be talking about the book The Body Keeps The Score by Dr Bessel Van Der Kolk.