the mentl space

What does workplace wellbeing really look like when pressure rises? In this episode of the mentl space, Scott Armstrong speaks with Paul Firth, Founder and Managing Director of Lyra Wellbeing MENA, about what 2026 has revealed so far about workplace culture, leadership, trust and mental health. Recorded as part of the mentl awards 'Moving the Needle' series, the conversation explores how...

Are smartphones, social media and AI helping us connect, or steadily reshaping our attention, relationships and ability to cope with discomfort? Recorded at the Integrated Mental Health Conference in Abu Dhabi earlier this year, mentl founder Scott Armstrong speaks with Justin Thomas of Sync, the global digital well-being programme from the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, Ithra. Justin ex...

The marketing and communications industry runs on creativity, relationships and judgement. But what happens when the people behind the work are exhausted, anxious, always on and afraid to speak up? In this special webinar and podcast episode, Scott Armstrong, founder of mentl, brings together leaders from across the regional marcomms industry to unpack the PRCA MENA Mental Health Report 2025 and a...

Why do so many men still struggle in silence? Recorded live on Afternoons with Helen Farmer on Dubai Eye 103.8, this special roundtable asks a simple but urgent question: are men okay? Helen Farmer is joined by Scott Armstrong, founder of mentl; Manny Djornor, founder of Mentality; and Mark Samways, Counselling Psychologist and Director of Wellbeing at Alkalma, for an honest conversation about men...

Neuroinclusion is having a moment. But the real test is not what’s written in policy, it’s what happens on a normal Tuesday, inside a real team. In this special Workplace Harmonics episode, supported by Viatris and AmCham Abu Dhabi, Scott Armstrong (mentl) is joined by Dr Khaled Kadry (psychiatrist, Sakina), Geoff McDonald (former Global VP of HR, Unilever) and Sara Boueri (CHRO, board advisor) to...

For many teams, stress is no longer a spike. It is something that sits in the background of everyday work. It shows up in different ways. Slower thinking, reduced focus, more tension in conversations, and a sense that work takes more effort than it should. In this episode of our Workplace Harmonics series, supported by Viatris , mentl founder Scott Armstrong is joined by Dr Valentina Faia , Specia...

In times of high pressure and uncertainty, stress can show up quickly in the workplace, as distraction, irritability, withdrawal, conflict, or reduced performance. In Episode One of our new Workplace Harmonics webinar series, supported by Viatris, mentl founder Scott Armstrong is joined by Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist and Managing Director of The Lighthouse Arabia, to explore practica...

What does good work actually feel like and what should it never feel like? In Episode 72 of the mentl space podcast, Scott Armstrong is joined by Mark Rix, Group Managing Director of Sonus Group and the driving force behind the global Wellbeing at Work World Summits, for a deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation about leadership, psychological safety, and why wellbeing must be embedded into...

How well are women really doing in the workplace today? In this powerful episode of the mentl space, host Scott Armstrong sits down with Maya Rafii, Managing Director and Purpose, Culture & Inclusion Leader at Deloitte Middle East, to explore the findings of the new Women @ Work 2025: A Global Outlook - Deloitte’s fifth annual deep dive into the lived experiences of 7,500 women across 15 count...

In this special episode of the mentl space, host Scott Armstrong, founder of mentl, sits down with Sinead O’Connor and LuAnne D’Souza from Current Global MENAT - joint winners of the mentl awards 2024 in the PR category and finalists again for 2025. Fresh from a powerful team workshop led by Scott from mentl, and organizational psychologist Sarah Christensen, the trio unpack the realities of agenc...

Launching your own business is exhilarating - but it can also be lonely, terrifying, and full of unexpected challenges.  In this episode of the mentl space, Scott Armstrong sits down with Dr. Naim Maadad, CEO & Founder of Gates Hospitality and a judge for 'the mentl awards 2025', alongside Shamia Abdul Aziz, a seasoned marketing leader turned first-time entrepreneur, to explore how m...

In this powerful episode of the mentl space, Scott Armstrong sits down with Leah Cotterill, CEO of Cigna Healthcare Middle East & Africa and a judge for 'the mentl awards 2025'. Filmed at the stunning Folly Brasserie – the official venue for this year’s awards – this conversation explores how mental health, leadership and culture intersect in a fast-paced, high-performing region like...

“Talent will flock to companies that protect their mental health.” In this inspiring episode of the mentl space, we sit down with Mazin Gadir PHD,  scientist, strategist, and one of the inspiring judges for the mentl awards 2025. 🌐 Learn more about the mentl awards 2025: https://mentl.space/posts/the-mentl-awards-2025-enter-and-join-our-community-of-hope From his early career in quantum physics t...

What if leadership wasn’t just about skill but about your brain?  In this deeply insightful episode of the mentl space, Scott Armstrong sits down with Jason Leavy, founder of Prime Performance Labs and judge for 'the mentl awards 2025' and cognitive neuroscientist Samira Cutts, to explore how brain science, neuroplasticity, and emotional intelligence are transforming leadership in the mo...

"Once you come to acceptance, you realise it’s not that bad. If you’re not pushed, you’ll never discover what you’re truly capable of.” These powerful words from Dr. Ahmed Shatila, Neurology Consultant at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, encapsulate his extraordinary journey of resilience after being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) at just 21 years old. Last year this inspirational medic...

Is DEI dead - or just misunderstood? In this powerful episode of 'the mentl space' podcast, organisational psychologist and DEI expert Sarah Christensen joins host Scott Armstrong to unpack why Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is facing backlash, how it's evolving, and why it's more essential than ever. From navigating shifting gender dynamics in the workplace to creating...

< Please note - this was recorded at a live event > "There is no health without mental health. It deserves to be part of every conversation, every system, and every community." That was the message from Her Excellency Dr. Omniyat Al Hajeri, Executive Director of the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre as leading voices from healthcare, business, and policy came together at Abu Dhabi Glo...

In this powerful episode of the mentl space podcast, we sit down with David Stockton, CEO of Dulsco Group, for an eye-opening discussion on mental health, leadership, and creating a culture of care in the workplace. 🏆 As the 2024 'the mentl awards' Leader of the Year, David shares his personal journey with mental health, the challenges leaders face, and why prioritizing well-being is no...

🎙️ Mental Health as a National Priority | HE Maqsoud Kruse on The Mentl Space In this powerful episode of the mentl space: live , we sit down with HE Maqsoud Kruse , Chairperson of the National Human Rights Institution UAE, to discuss mental health as a fundamental human right and a national priority in the UAE. From the groundbreaking UAE Mental Health Law to the 2025 Year of Community , this con...

Imagine being diagnosed with stage four cancer. How would you react? How would you feel? And how would you go forward from there? Steve Ashby, is a man who received a devastating stage 4 prostate cancer diagnosis, and, instead of retreating into silence, chose to rise.  Quite literally. In the latest episode of the mentl space, we sit down with Steve, the founder of Rise, a movement dedicated to s...

“It’s not weakness to ask for help — it’s courage." That was the message from one of the fittest men on the planet, as mentl’s Tear Away The Silence campaign took to the stage at a major sporting event in Dubai.  As part of the ongoing campaign, supported by global healthcare leader Viatris, an inspiring conversation unfolded with a powerhouse panel featuring World Ironman Champion Sam Laidlo...

If you look at any study on longevity, you'll see that one thing is key, community. Its presence can extend life, both the length and the quality of it, its absence can shorten it.  Loneliness, in particular, is becoming a key factor in the world today, with the World Health Organization calling it a critical health issue, and the US Surgeon General equating it to smoking at least 15 cigarett...

"We have to, as companies, allow our staff to feel all their feelings and have a safe place to go.” "Connection is a choice. If you are not choosing connection, you’re choosing disconnection." "You can check your thoughts and you can change them. If you change your thoughts, you change your feelings." Three powerful insights from a conversation packed full of wisdom in the...

World Mental Health Day serves as a crucial reminder of the importance of mental well-being, particularly as this year’s theme is ‘Prioritise mental health in the workplace’  So today on ‘the mentl space’ podcast, Naim Maadad, CEO of Gates Hospitality, sat down with us to press the necessity for companies to not only acknowledge mental health but to actively enhance people’s mental well-being as i...

The link between physical health and mental well-being is increasingly recognized as a fundamental aspect of overall health.  Episode 55 of ‘the mentl space’ podcast sat down with Harjit Bahia, Chief Medical Officer of ZOI ME, to delve into how physical activity, nutrition, and overall lifestyle choices influence mental health.  We explore how, as we all increasingly face the pressures of modern l...