The Mind Solution Podcast

Todays podcast is with the wonderful Laura Thomas, Claims Manager at Gosuperscript Insurance and The Inside Out awards winner 2021 for her positive contribution to breaking down the stigmas and silos around mental health.

In this interview Laura gives a very personal account of her own challenge with mental health and how she was treated when she was initially diagnosed.

Laura talks about how her current workplace have been wonderful in supporting her and employees. Laura herself is a great example of true leadership when it comes to walking the talk when it comes to mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.

Laura also discusses the difference being open about her mental health has had on her own team and the return on investment of being human with your people!

The Mind Solution International Links Links https://themindsolution.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/saramaude/ Contact us at [email protected]

Yes, you read that right. In this eye-opening conversation, Dr Giles Croft, a former NHS surgeon, shares a bold but grounded message: work-related stress doesn't exist.

That might sound provocative, especially coming from someone who spent years in high-pressure surgical environments. But in this episode, Dr Croft helps us see workplace stress through an entirely new lens, one that offers real empowerment, not just more coping tools.

We often assume stress is coming from our workload, the pressure of deadlines, a toxic culture, or an overbearing boss. But as Giles shares, none of those things have the power to create our internal experience.

That power comes from only one place: our thinking in the moment.

This is the same insight I explore in our "snow globe" episode—that the mind is like a shaken snow globe, clouded by thought. And when we let the snow settle, our natural clarity returns. The same is true with stress. We've been taught that stress is an external force—but the truth is, it's internally generated.

And when you really see that, everything changes.

Let's be clear: Giles is not saying pressure doesn't exist. He's worked in operating theatres where lives are literally on the line. But pressure and stress are not the same thing.

Pressure is circumstantial. Stress is personal.

You can be in a high-pressure situation without being psychologically stressed—if you understand where your experience is coming from. That's why some people thrive in crisis while others crumble: it's not about resilience techniques. It's about insight.

Of course, the environment can influence the nervous system. Loud, chaotic surroundings, poor lighting, high heat, or dehydration can all trigger a fight, flight, or freeze response. That's biology.

But most of what we call workplace stress isn't physiological—it's psychological. It's the story we're telling ourselves about the deadline, the email, the meeting. It's the thought patterns that get unconsciously triggered and go unquestioned.

That's where true transformation lies—not in changing the environment, but in changing the relationship we have with our thoughts.

Organisations spend thousands on online stress management training every year. Toolkits, webinars, checklists, breathing techniques—yet burnout levels continue to rise.

Here's why: when the pressure's on, tools and techniques fly out the window.

Unless something has become an ingrained habit, your brain isn't going to reach for box breathing or a mindfulness app when you're in a performance review that feels like a threat.

But when people understand what's really creating their experience, there's nothing to remember. Insight is embodied. There's nothing to practise, because the shift happens at the level of awareness.

That's the approach we take in our employee wellbeing programmes and workplace mental health training. We go deeper than tools—we create transformation.

Helping people see the role of thought in real time isn't soft. It's the opposite. It builds psychological safety, emotional resilience, and real empowerment.

When your team starts to recognise that frustration, anxiety, and pressure don't come from the meeting, the workload, or even the CEO—but from the meaning they're assigning in the moment—suddenly there's space. Space to respond, not react. Space to drop out of the noise and into clarity.

And from that clarity, better decisions are made. Conflict is reduced. Creativity increases. Retention improves.

If your workplace is still stuck in the loop of stress management training that doesn't stick, this episode is your signal to do things differently.

Because your people don't need another toolkit—they need transformation.

And it starts with a single insight.

If you're ready for true transformation—and to knock traditional stress management training on the head—then let's schedule a time to talk.

In this episode we are delighted to be by joined by Dr. Giles P Croft where we unpack how to access our own innate wellbeing and resilience.

Tune in to hear...

- How work related stress doesn't exist!

- Where our stress is really coming from

- How we experience the environment around us

- Why we have our best ideas when we have very little on our mind

- Why we don't need to do anything to experience our innate wellbeing and resilience

Website: https://gilespcroft.com/ Wellbeing Wednesdays: https://www.gilespcroft.com/wellbeing/ Report on Workshops with Social Services: https://gilespcroft.link/resilience-report YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/drgilespcroft/ Facebook page: https://facebook.com/drgilespcroft/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/gilespcroft/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drgilespcroft

The Mind Solution International Links

Links https://themindsolution.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/saramaude/

Contact us at [email protected]

We were delighted to be joined by Michelle Reid—People and Operations Director at the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) and one of the Top 25 Most Influential People in HR (2022)—for a grounded, practical conversation about psychological safety in the workplace.

In this episode, Michelle shares exactly how she and her team at IOM are embedding psychological safety into their culture, including:

• What gets in the way of psychological safety (and how to spot it)

• How to measure psychological safety effectively

• The specific actions IOM has taken to create a safe, open culture

• What senior leaders must role model if they want their people to feel safe

• Why a coaching approach makes all the difference

From performance reviews to town hall meetings, Michelle outlines the micro-moments that matter when it comes to creating a work environment where people feel free to speak up, share ideas, and show up as their full selves.

Because psychological safety isn't a "nice to have" it's the foundation for innovation, wellbeing, and trust. And as Michelle explains, it all starts at the top. If leaders don't walk the talk, employees will pick up on the disconnect both intellectually and somatically.

Whether you're an HR leader, a senior exec, or a manager who wants to build stronger, more connected teams, this episode is full of actionable insight.

Tune in now to find out what psychological safety really looks like in practice—and how to build it in your organisation.

We were delighted to be joined this week by Michelle Reid who is in the top 25 HR Most Influential people of 2022 and People & Operations Director at Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM).

Tune into this episode where Michelle unpacks for you how to create psychological safety in your workplace and specially focuses on;

• What gets in the way of psychological safety
• How do you measure it
• What positive actions organisations can take to create psychological safety
• What senior leaders need to role model to create that culture
• The benefits of a coaching approach

Links https://themindsolution.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/saramaude/ Contact us at [email protected]

What if the key to breaking a habit had nothing to do with self-control? What if your employees could experience real, lasting freedom from anxiety, compulsive behaviours, or negative thinking, without going to battle with themselves?

In this powerful conversation with Dr Amy Johnson, social psychologist and founder of The Little School of Big Change, we explore a radically different way of understanding the mind and overcoming deeply ingrained habits.

Habits form when the brain links a behaviour to a feeling of relief. You feel anxious, so you have a drink. You feel stressed, you reach for a biscuit. You feel lonely, you scroll or shop online. The brain remembers the hit of dopamine and says, "That worked, let's do it again."

Over time, that pattern embeds. The body becomes the unconscious mind. And it starts running the show.

But here's the thing: your employees don't need to understand the root cause of the habit to find freedom. They don't need to dig through the past or rely on willpower. They need insight.

When people start to understand what's creating their experience in the moment, everything shifts. The feeling doesn't seem so overwhelming. The urge loses its power. And this is where we go deeper than traditional employee support, like counselling or EAP systems.

We help people see how the mind works—how thoughts are transient, how feelings are safe to feel, and how wellbeing isn't something you earn, it's something you return to.

That's why we bring this understanding into our employee wellbeing webinars and company wellbeing programmes. Because this isn't just about breaking habits. It's about realising how resilient, wise, and powerful your people already are.

When you help your people raise their level of self-awareness and understand the nature of thought, you're not just improving wellbeing—you're creating a more grounded, focused, and engaged workforce.

If you're ready to transform your company's approach to wellbeing, and you're tired of short-term fixes, let's talk about what's possible.

Ready to change your company's wellbeing strategy from the inside out? Let's talk about our company wellbeing programmes.

I was absolutely delighted to be joined in this episode by Dr Amy Johnson.

Dr. Amy is a Social Psychologist, Founder of The Little School of Big Change teacher, and author of Being Human, The Little Book of Big Change: Just a Thought and has been featured on Oprah.

Dr. Amy teaches people how to break habits and addictions such as binge eating, drinking, smoking and even compulsive thinking without having to do battle with your will power.

Join us today as we discuss;

- What creates a habit or addiction

- Why we don't need to find the root problem to break free from habit and addiction

- How the brain creates patterns of addiction

- How we can break free of compulsive negative thinking

- The stories we tell ourselves to keep feeding patterns of behaviour

- How you can find peace of mind and freedom from habits and addictions

Links https://themindsolution.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/saramaude/ Contact us at [email protected]

Psychological safety in the workplace isn't just the latest HR trend; it's the missing piece behind employee wellbeing, performance, and trust. When leaders understand how to foster psychological safety, they unlock higher engagement, stronger team cohesion, and a culture where people feel safe enough to be themselves.

In the past, we used to talk about the psychological contract, that unwritten agreement between employer and employee. The expectation that "you'll treat me with respect, value my contribution, and care about my wellbeing." While this still matters, it's no longer enough.

Today, the conversation has evolved into something deeper: psychological safety.

Psychological safety is the felt sense that it's safe to speak up, safe to make mistakes, and safe to be vulnerable, without fear of embarrassment or backlash. It's the invisible thread running through every meeting, every team dynamic, and every one-to-one conversation.

Ask yourself:

• Do people feel safe to challenge ideas in your organisation?

• Are employees able to admit mistakes without fear?

• Is there space for people to show up as themselves, really themselves?

If not, there's work to be done.

Culture Before Campaigns You can roll out all the employee wellbeing programs in the world. Think mental health campaigns, wellbeing webinars, catchy posters saying "It's OK not to be OK." But if the culture doesn't back it up, people won't feel safe. And they won't engage.

In some workplaces, particularly more corporate or hierarchical ones, people are walking on eggshells. Masking. Playing politics. Covering their backs. When leaders say one thing but do another, it creates cognitive dissonance, and the nervous system picks up on it fast.

Why Psychological Safety Starts with Leadership Your senior leadership team sets the tone for your entire culture. If leaders are emotionally avoidant, reactive, or inconsistent, your people will notice. And they won't feel safe. Emotional intelligence training for leaders is not a "nice to have"—it's essential.

Here's why:

Your nervous system is wired to scan for danger. Not just physical danger, but social and emotional threats too. And it doesn't just base its response on the present moment. It draws from past experiences, which means people may already be on high alert before they even walk into a one-to-one.

This is why it's crucial to create predictable, grounded, and authentic leadership behaviours that promote safety.

Every One-to-One Is a Chance to Build (or Break) Trust Think about how many conversations take place behind closed doors—performance reviews, appraisals, catch-ups, feedback sessions. Each one has a chance to either reinforce psychological safety or erode it.

When managers are trained to lead these conversations with awareness, empathy, and emotional regulation, the ripple effect across your culture is transformative.

1. Practice deep listening. Don't jump to fix or defend. Let people finish, then reflect back what you heard.

2. Be congruent. If you're advocating openness and vulnerability, model it first.

3. Stay emotionally regulated. When things feel uncomfortable, take a breath. The way you manage your nervous system shapes the space for others.

Ready to Create a Culture Where People Feel Safe Enough to Thrive? Psychological safety doesn't happen by accident. It's built—intentionally—through leadership behaviour, emotional intelligence, and cultural alignment.

If you're serious about employee wellbeing, it's time to get strategic. Let's talk about how we can help your leaders build the emotional intelligence and confidence they need to create genuine psychological safety.

👉 Book a clarity call today and discover how to build a culture where people feel safe, seen, and supported.

The term psychological safety is relatively new and has organisations looking at what they can do to create psychological safety within their organisation.

In this episode we deep dive into;

- What is psychological safety?

- What does psychological safety at work mean?

- What the psychological barriers to psychological safety are

- How to achieve psychological safety within your leadership team

- Organisational culture and psychological safety

You can also book your free consultation to explore further how we can help you achieve psychological safety in your workforce and within your organisation; https://calendly.com/the-mind-solution/free-consultation

Links https://themindsolution.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/saramaude/ Contact us at [email protected]

Empathy isn't just a buzzword. It's fast becoming one of the most essential leadership traits in today's workplace. Emotional intelligence training for leaders isn't optional anymore. It's foundational for creating psychological safety and fostering true connection in teams.

We've moved beyond the days of command-and-control leadership. People, especially younger generations, expect more from their managers. They want to feel seen, heard, and understood. And that calls for empathy.

Most of us were raised with the idea that when someone is hurting, we should try to make them feel better. Let's say a colleague tells you they're going through a divorce. A common reaction is to reassure them.

"You'll get through this." "Time heals everything." "You're stronger than you think."

While well intentioned, these responses are often rooted in discomfort. We don't quite know what to say, so we rush to say something that might soften the blow. That's sympathy. And while there's nothing wrong with it, it doesn't offer the same depth of connection as empathy.

Empathy is different. It's not about fixing. It's about feeling with.

When someone shares something vulnerable, empathy sounds more like:

"I can only imagine how hard that must be." "How are you coping with everything?" "I'm here if you ever need to talk."

Empathy creates space. It allows the other person to stay with their emotions without feeling rushed to move on or minimise their pain. It offers presence, not solutions.

And in the workplace, this matters more than ever.

Grief, divorce, financial struggles, burnout — these are just a few of the life experiences employees are quietly navigating while showing up to work every day. When leaders can meet their people with empathy, it sends a powerful message. You matter. Your experience matters. You're not alone.

Here's the thing. Most leaders haven't been trained to do this. In fact, many leaders are uncomfortable with emotion altogether. That's why emotional intelligence training for leaders is critical. Because empathy doesn't just come from having a good heart. It requires self-awareness. It demands emotional regulation.

If you're not aware of your own reactions and triggers, you're more likely to say something dismissive without even realising it. If you're not able to manage your own emotions, you'll struggle to hold space for someone else's.

Empathy is a muscle. And like any muscle, it can be strengthened with the right tools and training.

The best part? You don't have to know the perfect thing to say. One of the most powerful empathetic responses is simply: "I don't know what to say, but I'm here with you."

That level of humanity builds trust. It creates psychological safety. And it's the difference between a team that just survives and a team that thrives.

Empathy also makes good business sense. People want to work for leaders who understand them. They stay loyal to organisations where they feel safe. They do their best work when they're not hiding parts of themselves to fit in.

This isn't about being a soft touch. It's about being human.

And right now, that's what the workplace needs most.

Ready to build an empathetic leadership culture that retains your best people? Discover how our emotional intelligence training for leaders can transform how your managers lead.