In this episode of Where Work Meets Life, Dr. Laura talks with Paul McCarthy (author of The Fired Leader; leadership speaker and global thought leader/consultant reinventing the future of leadership) and Dr. Markus Zehentner (European legal professional and author of Breaking Free from Toxic Leadership) about why toxic bosses often remain protected inside organizations while principled, high-integrity leaders get pushed out. Together, they examine how toxic leadership becomes “baked into” workplace culture through politics, retaliation against honesty, and performative “wellbeing” initiatives that look good on paper but don’t change day-to-day leadership behavior. Both Paul McCarthy and Markus Zehentner share their personal experiences with toxic bosses and how those inspired their books. 

Dr. Laura discusses what toxic bosses do and what it costs: manipulation, micromanagement, emotional blackmail, scapegoating high performers as “low performers,” and creating fear-based environments. Dr. Zehentner shares how a toxic boss exploited a family health crisis and eroded his confidence, which contributed to severe stress and burnout. His story shows how quickly toxic leadership can break even competent, experienced professionals. Paul McCarthy describes being fired for the very leadership qualities he was hired for, because calling out dysfunction threatens ego-based leaders. Toxic leaders are hard to “coach away,” and the conversation highlights that organizations must stop tolerating them and build real accountability if they want to keep good leaders and prevent toxic bosses from doing long-term damage.

“So [toxic workplace] is real. This isn't a trend. This is what we have baked into the very DNA of our organizations and our approaches to leadership, a normalization of things that shouldn't be happening.” - Paul McCarthy

“... all these official or burnout prevention measures, they are usually designed as an employee obligation rather than a task for the management to create a work environment that does not lead to burnout in the first place.” - Dr. Markus Zehentner

About Dr. Paul McCarthy:

Paul is an author and global thought leader creating the conditions to reimagine, reinvent, and regenerate the future of leadership. Amongst a crowded space, Paul brings a unique, freshly disruptive, and bold, yet evidence-based, experiential, and experimental approach that is shifting the narrative within and beyond organizations about the future of leadership and work. Before this, Paul’s career in management and leadership consulting spans over 25 years in over 100 organizations within over 10 industry sectors. His focus in this field has been to develop leaders and their capacity, capability, and competency, and he has supported thousands of leaders globally. He also supports clients in business transformation, organizational design, and talent management, and still consults in a senior-level advisory and delivery role.

Paul's work has been featured on dozens of podcasts, he speaks globally with organizations on his work, and supports organizations to identify, recruit, onboard, and develop leaders with the future leadership qualities needed to navigate ongoing disruption. 

More information on Paul can be found here: www.paulmacleadership.com or via email, [email protected]

About Dr. Markus Zehentner:

Dr. Markus Zehentner is the author of Breaking Free from Toxic Leadership — a powerful and practical guide that helps professionals recognize manipulation, build resilience, and reclaim their careers.

He works as Senior Legal Counsel in risk management at a public sector financial institution and holds a doctorate in law. With a background in Human Resources and a role on his organization's work council, Markus regularly supports colleagues facing toxic workplace dynamics.

Beyond his legal and organizational expertise, he brings a deeply personal lens to this conversation — shaped by lived experience, a passion for mental health, and his current training in psychotherapy.

Resources:

Paul McCarthy’s website: PaulMacLeadership.com

“The Fired Leader” by Paul McCarthy

Embracing Tomorrow’s Leader, Today - a one-hour program on disruptive leadership qualities and F.I.R.E.D. Leadership by Paul McCarthy

Paul McCarthy’s guest episodes on the Geeks, Geezers, and Googlization podcast

Dr. Markus Zehentner's website: ToxicLeadership.info

LinkedIn: markus-zehentner-toxic-leadership

“Breaking Free from Toxic Leadership” by Dr. Markus Zehentner (co-authored with psychotherapist & organizational psychologist Claudia Schwinghammer)

“Thrive” by Arianna Huffington

“Good to Great” by Jim Collins

“I Wish I’d Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating and Escaping a Toxic Boss” by Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett

Dr. Laura on LinkedIn

Where Work Meets Life™ on YouTube

Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live

For more resources, look into Dr. Laura’s organizations: 

Canada Career Counselling

Synthesis Psychology

Pre-order Dr. Laura’s new book today: I Wish I’d Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating a Toxic Boss

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In this episode, Dr. Laura welcomes Dr. Shirley Davis, a leadership development expert, culture transformation thought leader, bestselling author, and President and CEO of Shirley Davis International, to the show for a conversation on workplace leadership and what it means to live, be in leadership, and leave a legacy. Drawing on more than 35 years of experience across HR, executive leadership, and global workforce consulting, Dr. Davis and Dr. Laura explore why so many organizations struggle with inclusive guidance and low employee engagement, and how a strong mindset and trust-based leadership can be built. 

Dr. Davis shares insights from her upcoming book, Leading High Performance Teams for Dummies, which offers practical strategies for building excellent  teams in today’s changing workplace. Dr. Laura discusses the topics covered in the book: from managing remote and global teams to preparing leaders for the future of work leadership amid AI.  There is a difference between managing tasks and truly leading people, and Dr. Davis challenges us to move past fear and self-limiting beliefs to embrace leading with purpose and building a meaningful leadership legacy. Success is redefined in this episode, and both Dr. Laura and Dr. Davis stress that visibility does not equal value. Results, not physical presence, should define success in organizations.

“I always say, too, if you're a leader and nobody is following you, you're just taking a walk.” - Dr. Shirley Davis

About Dr. Shirley Davis:

Dr. Shirley Davis is an internationally recognized global workforce expert, culture transformation thought leader, Hall of Fame keynote speaker, and President & CEO of Shirley Davis International, providing transformative and innovative thought leadership through published keynote speeches, books, articles, LinkedIn courses, and workshops. With over 30 years of business experience in Fortune 50 companies, global nonprofits, and government agencies, she has worked in 40+ countries, served over 300 global organizations, and delivers over 100+ paid presentations a year . She’s been featured in nationally acclaimed publications including, but not limited to: Forbes, Fortune Magazine, CEO Magazine, Harvard Business Review, and Oprah Daily.

Dr. Shirley Davis is a best-selling author of Living Beyond “What If?” and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion For Dummies (2022). Her other popular titles include Reinvent Yourself and Inclusive Leadership For Dummies (2024). A LinkedIn Learning author with 9 leadership courses—one of which was named among the Top 20 Most Popular Courses of 2024—she also holds over 10 professional certifications and 4 earned degrees, including a Ph.D. in Business and Organizational Leadership. Dr. Davis serves on the national board of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and is a member of the NSA Million Dollar Speakers Group, Women Corporate Directors, and Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce. A few of her many accolades include induction into the PGCPS Hall of Fame (2025), the prestigious Toastmasters International’s Golden Gavel Award (2022), induction into Inclusion Magazine’s Hall of Fame (2021), and the national title of Ms. American United States (2000). Driven by a lifelong passion for philanthropy, she co-founded the Dr. Shirley Davis Foundation with her daughter, Gabrielle Victoria, to uplift individuals and businesses through coaching, resources, and strategic development.

Resources:

Dr. Shirley Davis website: DrShirleyDavis.com

“Leading High-Performance Teams for Dummies” by Dr. Shirley Davis
“Inclusive Leadership for Dummies” by Dr. Shirley Davis

Other books by Dr. Shirley Davis

LinkedIn

YouTube

Dr. Shirley Davis Foundation

Make A Wish Calgary

“I Wish I’d Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating and Escaping a Toxic Boss” by Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett

Dr. Laura on LinkedIn

Where Work Meets Life™ on YouTube

Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live

For more resources, look into Dr. Laura’s organizations: 

Canada Career Counselling

Synthesis Psychology

Pre-order Dr. Laura’s new book today: I Wish I’d Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating a Toxic Boss

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Dr. Laura talks to Catherine Mattice about navigating toxic workplaces, the topic of Dr. Laura’s new book. Catherine is a workplace culture expert, culture strategist, and author, having just released her own book called Navigating a Toxic Workplace for Dummies. She runs the organization Civility Partners that focuses on creating respectful workplace cultures across all sizes of companies. Dr. Laura and Catherine discuss organizational risk factors that lead to toxic workplaces, and examine the steps necessary to turn such toxicity around.

Catherine shares her journey of observing workplace bullying and experiencing it firsthand. She wrote a paper on toxic behavior in graduate school, which led her to focus on researching toxicity and bullying in workplaces as a career. Dr. Laura and Catherine note that the pandemic has shifted workplace culture, as everyone is now discussing employee experience and engagement, and toxic behaviors are being considered and exposed. They examine what bullying behavior looks like, HR’s role in assisting employees, and how to rebuild unhealthy workplace cultures. This episode exposes the dark side of workplaces and how to improve the culture, something Catherine’s company focuses on doing one company at a time. 

“... I want everybody who's maybe considering leaving to understand that quitting is a power move. It does not mean you've lost the battle. It means you've chosen yourself over the employer and that you're taking control back. And so if you need to leave, then leave. Nobody faults you for it.” - Catherine Mattice

About Catherine Mattice:

Catherine founded Civility Partners in 2008. After working in a toxic environment herself she decided this was a problem she could solve, and today is a leading expert on the topic of turning around a toxic workplace culture and building a positive one in its place.

Under Catherine’s leadership, the Civility Partners team has worked with over 250 clients, including Chevron, NASA, Stanford University, Embraer, and the American Red Cross to help their leaders and teams cultivate a respectful and civil work environment.

Catherine is an award-winning author, speaker, blogger, and business owner; has been cited in such news outlets as Forbes, INC Magazine, Entrepreneur, and USA Today; and has appeared as a guest expert on such venues as NPR and CNN. She also has over 60+ courses on LinkedIn Learning and reaching global audiences.

As a keynote speaker, Catherine is widely regarded by audiences around the world as she shares her disruptive and humorous take – and totally actionable steps – on building a positive and civil company culture. Her insights and consulting programs have transformed CEO’s of multi-national companies, leaders of all levels in the US Marines and US Navy, and professionals in companies of all shapes and sizes.

Schedule a consultation call with one of our team members.

Resources:

Catherine Mattice Website

LinkedIn
Instagram 

Facebook

YouTube

“Navigating a Toxic Workplace for Dummies” by Catherine Mattice

“The Let Them Theory” by Mel Robbins and Sawyer Robbins

“I Wish I’d Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating and Escaping a Toxic Boss” by Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett

Dr. Laura on LinkedIn

Where Work Meets Life™ on YouTube

Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live

For more resources, look into Dr. Laura’s organizations: 

Canada Career Counselling

Synthesis Psychology

Pre-order Dr. Laura’s new book today: I Wish I’d Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating a Toxic Boss

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Dr. Laura officially releases her new book, “I Wish I’d Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating and Escaping a Toxic Boss”. She introduces us to what the book is about, why she wrote it, and her hopes for the book’s impact on people’s lives. Dr. Laura has run Canada Career Counseling for 16 years, and through the work of helping clients achieve career goals, she learned how many were suffering under a toxic boss. The numbers increased post-pandemic, with toxic workplace cultures becoming an uncomfortable rising trend. This is what inspired her to dig into research on toxic bosses and write her book.

One thing Dr. Laura notes is that she specifically calls the toxic management “toxic bosses” instead of “toxic leaders” because leaders are people who motivate, inspire, and help people grow. Toxic bosses do the opposite: they overtly or covertly harm people. Dr. Laura breaks down the accessible structure of “I Wish I’d Quit Sooner” and how she categorizes the eight personas of a toxic boss. Her goal is to spread the word about the emotional and physical pain toxic bosses cause, and to offer not only ways to identify them but ways to escape their clutches. By educating people on the damage being done by toxic bosses, she hopes to help organizations eradicate the issue by teaching them how to cultivate inspiring leaders instead.

“We see a lot of parallels between toxic bosses and toxic partners in a romantic relationship. Starts off good, goes bad, gets worse. Our self-esteem is challenged, our self-confidence goes down, and they suck our energy. And then it's hard to get out. You feel trapped, oftentimes financially, by a toxic boss.” - Dr. Laura

About Dr. Laura:

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett is a work and career psychologist and thought leader on the evolution of work. She has always been fascinated by how work intersects with life and loves to use her expertise to improve organizations and help people thrive. Her passion for taking creative ideas and launching them into successful business strategies led her to start three counselling psychology practices (Calgary Career Counselling, Canada Career Counselling, and Synthesis Psychology), as well as six different business brands offering organizational assessment and consulting services.

Dr. Laura is honoured to have been selected as a Woman of Distinction in Canada in 2014 and received a Canadian Woman of Inspiration Award as a Global Influencer in 2018. Her new book, I Wish I’d Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating and Escaping a Toxic Boss, is available for purchase on Amazon now.

Resources:

“I Wish I’d Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating and Escaping a Toxic Boss” by Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett

Dr. Laura on LinkedIn

Where Work Meets Life™ on YouTube

Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live

For more resources, look into Dr. Laura’s organizations: 

Canada Career Counselling

Synthesis Psychology

Pre-order Dr. Laura’s new book today: I Wish I’d Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating a Toxic Boss

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dr. Laura welcomes international keynote speaker, CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame inductee, and one of the world’s leading experts on executive presence and influence, Stacey Hanke, to the show to talk about how we can tend to and elevate our influence at work. Stacey defines the qualities of true influence and discusses her Monday to Monday philosophy of consistency in messaging. Not only is influence grown in what we say, but how we listen, how we show up daily, and how we continue to present ourselves. 

Stacey’s new book, Influence Elevated, describes how consistent quality communication is key to maintaining influence. Monday to Monday, to her, means that our influence does not take weekends off. We must present ourselves authentically and consistently in every interaction. Stacey and Dr. Laura explore the importance of body language, active and mindful listening, everybody’s individual influence type, and the necessity of being future-focused. Stacey’s insight reveals how leaders, executives, and professionals at every career stage can strengthen their executive presence and elevate the way they show up both in person and virtually. 

“There's tons of confusion about what influence is and how to achieve it. We define it, my team and I, as your body language and your messaging. They need to be consistent Monday to Monday. That way no one ever has to guess who's going to show up. And we all know that true consistency is doing what you say you're doing when no one's watching.” - Stacey Hanke

About Stacey Hanke:

Stacey Hanke is an international keynote speaker, CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame inductee, and one of the world’s leading experts on executive presence, influence, and leadership communication.

For more than two decades, she has worked with leaders at nearly 100 Fortune 500 companies — including Microsoft, Google, American Express, Coca-Cola, Boeing, and FedEx — equipping them with the skills to command a room, earn trust, and be consistently perceived as the respected, influential leaders they intend to be.

Stacey’s transformative, humor-filled presentations teach audiences to overcome modern communication hurdles with proven strategies that capture attention, authentically connect, and inspire people to take action. From high-stakes presentations to casual conversations, prepare to elevate your communication skills and executive presence, Monday to Monday®. 

Resources:

Website: StaceyHankeInc.com

LinkedIn

Instagram

YouTube

“Influence Elevated: Maximizing Your Connection” by Stacey Hanke

Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live

“I Wish I’d Quit Sooner:  Pre-orders: Practical Strategies for Navigating and Escaping a Toxic Boss” by Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett - Pre-orders and Amazon

For more resources, look into Dr. Laura’s organizations: 

Canada Career Counselling

Synthesis Psychology

Pre-order Dr. Laura’s new book today: I Wish I’d Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating a Toxic Boss

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dr. Laura welcomes Navin ‘nuvs’ Jain, Product Evangelist at Workhuman, to the show to talk about gratitude and recognition. Workhuman focuses on workplace cultures that foster recognition, and Nuvs is deeply committed to spreading the word on the power of thanks and elevating great work happening in organizations. He and Dr. Laura discuss why gratitude can disappear from workplaces and how it can be brought back. 

There is a tendency at work to think “well that’s just their job” when work is done well, but Nuvs outlines the power of saying thanks and how research supports that appreciation for work done elevates employee mental health and productivity. Dr. Laura and Nuvs address how the workplace culture is affected by what’s role modeled and that leaders are the ones who need to make the change. A lack of empathy and a rise of toxic bosses has waylaid appreciation, but the impact of offering thanks can’t be ignored. This episode explores human connection, gratitude, and how recognition increases workplace wellness. 

“I've talked about emotion before, and empathy. And that's really what I think is a key difference when someone says thank you. First of all, they're expressing gratitude. They're recognizing something you've done. And that actually makes you feel like, oh, I matter. I'm actually doing something here for the organization. And that drives that sense of belonging.” - Navin ‘nuvs’ Jain

About Navin ‘nuvs’ Jain:

Based in Boston, MA, Navin ‘nuvs’ Jain is a Product Evangelist at Workhuman, and previously spent five years developing the core recognition features of the Workhuman Cloud. A Workhuman solutions veteran, Nuvs previously led the effort to bring Service Milestones, Life Events, and Inclusion Advisor to market. He is passionate about creating a culture of recognition and enjoys discussing movies, tech, and politics. 

Resources:

Website: WorkHuman.com

LinkedIn
Instagram

Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live

“I Wish I’d Quit Sooner:  Pre-orders: Practical Strategies for Navigating and Escaping a Toxic Boss” by Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett - Pre-orders and Amazon

For more resources, look into Dr. Laura’s organizations: 

Canada Career Counselling

Synthesis Psychology

Pre-order Dr. Laura’s new book today: I Wish I’d Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating a Toxic Boss

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dr. Laura welcomes Dr. Shahana Alibhai, a TEDx speaker, bestselling author, family physician, and medical director of The Foundry Abbotsford, to the show to talk about her book, Feel Better, and the need for more focus on mental health, especially for youth. Dr. Shahana points out that medicine is very focused on illness, on diagnosing disease and offering treatment, whereas mental health requires holding space for belonging, acceptance, and mattering. She and Dr. Laura explore what it takes to navigate emotions and thrive in life.

The proceeds from Dr. Shahana’s book sales go to support youth mental health agencies, and she drew on her own experiences with postpartum OCD and the reluctance she felt, as a physician, to seek professional help. Dr. Shahana and Dr. Laura explore the coping mechanisms we turn to and whether they’re useful long-term, the benefits of being open about our emotional states, and the lessons in Feel Better. Dr. Shahana likens understanding others to envisioning an invisible chalkboard above them listing what’s really going on in their lives, the parts we don’t automatically see. This is a beautifully authentic conversation that sheds light on the reality of what emotional struggle is, how to cope with stress and anxiety, and how to prolong the joy we seek.

“Does it come as a friend and leave as a friend, or does it come as a friend and leave as an enemy? … Vaping, substances, alcohol, the list goes on and on. Comes as a friend. Of course it works. It works oftentimes. Leaves as an enemy. It takes more from you than you want.” - Dr. Shahana Alibhai

About Dr. Shanana Alibhai:

TEDx speaker, bestselling author, and powerhouse in the field of emotional health. As a dedicated family physician and Medical Director at Foundry Abbotsford—British Columbia’s largest youth health centre—Dr. Shahana has made it her mission to empower others with the tools to navigate their emotional well-being.

Her debut book, Feel Better, endorsed by the legendary Mel Robbins, soared to #1 in and Parenting on Amazon. A sought-after speaker, she has worked with top organizations like Yale University, UBC, Scotiabank, and Remax, bringing clarity to the crucial connection between emotional and mental health.

Dr. Shahana’s insights have captivated audiences on major media platforms, including CTV and Global, and her wisdom has even made it to Hollywood—the quote, “We do not suffer from a lack of joy, simply a lack of recognizing it”, was handpicked for an award-winning planner gifted to celebrities at the Oscars. She has also been featured in Medium - Authority Magazine, where she shared her expertise on emotional resilience and well-being. In recognition of her impact, she has been nominated for the prestigious 2025 YWCA Women of Distinction Award.

Passionate about education and outreach, she created the groundbreaking "Think Like a Doc" program, where students step into the shoes of a physician, learning about both their physical and mental health. She has also contributed to global mental health initiatives, volunteering her time to support communities in developing nations like Nepal.

Beyond her work in medicine and advocacy, Dr. Shahana is a proud mom to three energetic young boys who keep her on her toes and continuously teach her the true meaning of patience, resilience, and joy. Balancing a thriving career with the beautiful chaos of motherhood, she brings a refreshingly real and relatable perspective to her audiences.

When she’s not on stage, in the clinic, or chasing after her little ones, Dr. Shahana serves as a National Accreditor for the College of Canadian Family Physicians and has been a mentor in the UBC Faculty of Medicine Residency Training Program. Her TEDx talk, "Emotional Literacy for Better Mental Health", has resonated with thousands, cementing her as a leading voice in the space of well-being and resilience.

With a unique ability to blend science, storytelling, and real-world strategies, Dr. Shahana leaves every audience inspired, informed, and ready to feel better. 

Resources:

Website: DrShahana.com

LinkedIn

YouTube

Instagram

Book: “Feel Better” by Dr. Shahana Alibhai, MD 

Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live

“I Wish I’d Quit Sooner:  Pre-orders: Practical Strategies for Navigating and Escaping a Toxic Boss” by Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett - Pre-orders and Amazon

For more resources, look into Dr. Laura’s organizations: 

Canada Career Counselling

Synthesis Psychology

Pre-order Dr. Laura’s new book today: I Wish I’d Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating a Toxic Boss

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Dr. Laura explores one of the eight personas a toxic boss can inhabit: the gaslighter. A gaslighting boss tends to be very covert in manipulative behavior. She defines gaslighting as manipulating another person into doubting their own perceptions, experiences, and understanding of events. Navigating a gaslighting boss erodes self-confidence and depletes energy as all time is spent trying to deliver to expectations that keep shifting. Dr. Laura explains how to identify one of these types of toxic bosses and how to survive their subtle tactics.

Gaslighting leaves us feeling exhausted and stressed. We doubt our own understanding and memory. We become increasingly dependent on validation from the gaslighter to verify what they tell us they said, instead of what we heard. And all this strain can spill over into our personal lives as well. Some steps can be taken to protect our recollection of facts, however, and Dr. Laura offers practical advice on documenting what we observe and are instructed to do. With every talk and video she shares about toxic bosses, she’s reaching out to those of us doubting ourselves and suffering to say that our mental health matters and that there is a way out.

“When you are gaslit, it can really erode your confidence, and it can make you feel like you're almost losing your mind. So again, it’s very important to seek a trusted therapist that you can talk through this with and work on recovery strategies. And in my upcoming book, I Wish I'd Quit Sooner, I do have a whole chapter all about the recovery process, because it is a form of trauma. When we work for a gaslighter and many other types of toxic bosses, it is trauma that we go through, and we need to recover our physical, emotional, and mental health after this experience.” - Dr. Laura

About Dr. Laura:

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett is a work and career psychologist and thought leader on the evolution of work. She has always been fascinated by how work intersects with life and loves to use her expertise to improve organizations and help people thrive. Her passion for taking creative ideas and launching them into successful business strategies led her to start three counselling psychology practices (Calgary Career Counselling, Canada Career Counselling, and Synthesis Psychology), as well as six different business brands offering organizational assessment and consulting services.

Dr. Laura is honoured to have been selected as a Woman of Distinction in Canada in 2014 and received a Canadian Woman of Inspiration Award as a Global Influencer in 2018. Her new book, I Wish I’d Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating and Escaping a Toxic Boss, releases in January 2026 and is available for pre-order on Amazon.

Resources:

“I Wish I’d Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating and Escaping a Toxic Boss” by Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett - pre-order available now

Dr. Laura on LinkedIn

Where Work Meets Life™ on YouTube

Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live

For more resources, look into Dr. Laura’s organizations: 

Canada Career Counselling

Synthesis Psychology

Pre-order Dr. Laura’s new book today: I Wish I’d Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating a Toxic Boss

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dr. Laura welcomes Laura Munson, the #1 New York Times, USA Today, and international best-selling author of novel “Willa’s Grove”, memoir “This Is Not the Story You Think It Is”, and recent self-help book “The Wild Why”, to the show.  Laura Munson tells Dr. Laura about the impetus behind the writing of her new book, “The Wild Why”, and her passion for bringing wonder back into the world. As Laura explains, wonder can release our creativity and free us from the hustle culture that leads to burnout. 

When Laura Munson talks about writing from a place of service, she’s referring to her epiphany that she wanted to write “to shine a light on a dim or otherwise pitch black corner, to provide relief for myself and others”. That has shaped much of her career since. She and Dr. Laura discuss how imposter syndrome and a fear of failure can be reframed, the inner critters or saboteurs we all have within us, the dangerous reality of burnout, and how to value the questions in life that lead to wonder. This interview opens us up to a new way of looking at our fears and engaging with the world around us for positive benefit.  

“I'm not saying put down your sword of ambition or your dream to impact the world and yourself in it. I'm just saying that when we grasp the small moments that are full of wonder all around us, that's when I feel that we can truly be connecting with ourselves so that we can authentically connect with the world around us, whether it's career or interpersonal relationships.” - Laura Munson

About Laura Munson:

Laura Munson is the New York Times, USA Today, and international best-selling author of the novel Willa’s Grove, the memoir This Is Not The Story You Think It Is, and the self-help book The Wild Why. She has been published in nine countries and has been featured in Vanity Fair, Elle, Redbook, Time, Newsweek, Washington Post, Publishers’ Weekly, and published in the New York Times ‘Modern Love’ Column, the New York Times Magazine ‘Lives’ Column, O. Magazine, Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper, and many others.   

Laura is the founder of the acclaimed Haven Writing Retreats, speaks at women’s conferences and literary events, and has appeared on Good Morning America, The Early Show, NPR, and media outlets across the globe. She lives in Montana. Lauramunson.com 

Resources:

Website: LauraMunson.com

Instagram: @LauraMunsonAuthor

Haven Writing Retreats

“The Wild Why: Stories and Teachings to Uncover Your Wonder” by Laura Munson

She Writes Press

Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live

For more resources, look into Dr. Laura’s organizations: 

Canada Career Counselling

Synthesis Psychology

Pre-order Dr. Laura’s new book today: I Wish I’d Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating a Toxic Boss

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dr. Laura welcomes #1 New York Times Best-Selling Author and Inspirational Speaker Michael Hingson to Where Work Meets Life™for a conversation about his escape from the World Trade Center with his guide dog Roselle and the lessons we can all learn from their teamwork. Michael shares his story of being born blind, never allowing that fact to hold him back, and how the trust between him and his guide dog helped him overcome fear on a very dark day. His advocacy for disability access and employment is now changing the world alongside his story.

On 9/11, Michael Hingson was at work in the World Trade Center when the first plane hit the tower. In the panic that followed, Michael’s guide dog Roselle stayed calm, which allowed him to also remain calm and use his emergency preparedness knowledge to work with Roselle to walk down 78 flights of stairs to safety. Thirty other people followed them down and also escaped. Michael explains how teamwork with a guide dog works, how overcoming fear is part of everyone’s life, and the ways in which his parents set the tone for his life by raising him with the belief that he could do anything. Dr. Laura learns about important accessibility tools, why disabilities are not limitations, and the power of hope in these trying times from Michael.

“I learned all I could about everything concerning the World Trade Center, where things were, where all the emergency exits were, what the process was, even what the firefighters would be doing when they come up the stairs. I learned all of that so that I would know in reality. And as we all know, knowledge is power. And so by knowing all that, what I never thought about was until much after September 11th, when the emergency happened and the plane hit the building, and it tipped, and then it came back vertical, a mindset kicked in that said, you know what to do and how to get out of here. And so I didn't allow fear to overwhelm me. I just focused and used every skill in my body to focus, to deal with the events. And among other things, observed Roselle, and how she was behaving. And she never exhibited fear.” - Michael Hingson

About Michael Hingson:

Michael Hingson is a #1 New York Times Best-selling Author & Inspirational Speaker.

On September 11, 2001, a blind man escaped the World Trade Center by walking down 78 flights of stairs with his guide dog. Days later, America fell in love with Mike and Roselle and the special bond that helped them both survive one of the country’s darkest days.

Immediately after the 9-11 tragedy, Michael was featured on the Larry King show five times. To quote Larry King…

“Michael Hingson is an international hero honored and awarded by top organizations worldwide.” This media exposure changed the course of Michael’s life and launched him into a speaking career that has spanned over nineteen years. He now travels the world as a keynote and inspirational speaker who can motivate audiences to action.

Resources:

Website: MichaelHingson.com

LinkedIn: MichaelHingson

“Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust” by Michael Hingson and Susy Flory

“Live like a Guide Dog: True Stories from a Blind Man and his Dogs about Being Brave, Overcoming Adversity, and Moving Forward in Faith” by Michael Hingson and Keri Wyatt Kent

“Running with Roselle: How a Blind Boy and a Puppy Grew Up, Became Best Friends, and Together Survived One of America’s Darkest Days” by Michael Hingson and Jeanette Hanscome

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