Inside Out: Mental Health at Work and in Life

In this episode of Inside Out: Mental Health at Work and in Life, I'm joined by Steven Pink, who is the CEO of Verve Healthcare, a SELDOC Group company . Steven has worked in retail, banking, aviation, the NHS and private healthcare. You will hear in the podcast how experiences from each of these industries have shaped Steven's view on how to lead well. Steven's route to leadership has been intere...

In this episode of Inside Out: Mental Health at Work and in Life , I'm joined by Dr Emma Williamson, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and CEO of Aneemo . Emma spent over 20 years in the NHS, including developing what is now the largest homeless psychology service in Europe, and she now supports organisations across sectors through trauma-informed leadership, training and immersive learning. We sta...

In this episode of  Inside Out: Mental Health at Work and in Life , I'm joined by  Marjorie Thomson , a commercial leader with more than 30 years in the construction industry. Marjorie's career has taken her from graduate trainee in Croydon to regional director responsible for a £26 million business, through two start-ups, two sales, and the process of leading a company through administration. She...

In this episode of  Inside Out: Mental Health at Work and in Life , I'm joined by  Sue Naughton-Marsh , Organisational Development Strategist, Leadership Coach and Psychotherapist with over 30 years of experience helping organisations build confident, capable leaders. Sue brings a rare combination of perspectives. As a psychotherapist, she works one-to-one with people experiencing workplace stress...

In this episode of  Inside Out: Mental Health at Work and in Life , I'm joined by  Dr Raja Gangopadhyay , Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Obstetric Lead in Perinatal Mental Health at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, and NHS Clinical Entrepreneur. As a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist with a special interest in perinatal mental health, Dr Raj brings a clinical le...

In this episode of  Inside Out: Mental Health at Work and in Life , I'm joined by  Irene Warner-Mackintosh , co-founder and director of Mhor Collective. Irene brings a perspective shaped by a career spent entirely in the third sector, where the ethos of care is part of the DNA, but where capacity constraints and funding pressures create their own challenges. We talk about what a mentally healthy w...

In this episode of  Inside Out: Mental Health at Work and in Life , I'm joined by  Carolina Uggenti , Research Fellow at the MRC Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, working on innate immunity and rare genetic diseases. Carolina shares a perspective shaped by major life transitions, from moving countries to navigating cancer, and how those experiences have changed the way she...

A note on audio quality:  This episode was recorded with some technical challenges, so the audio isn't as crisp as usual. The conversation is well worth sticking with. In this episode of  Inside Out: Mental Health at Work and in Life , I'm joined by  Iain Kennedy , Health and Safety Manager at the University of Edinburgh, based at Western General Hospital and a trained Mental Health First Aider. I...

In this episode of  Inside Out: Mental Health at Work and in Life , I'm joined by  Liz Stewart , therapist and somatic trauma informed coach. With 18 years of experience in therapy, Liz brings a grounded, no-nonsense perspective on what mentally healthy workplaces actually look like, and where most organisations are still getting it wrong. We talk about why a mentally healthy workplace is simply o...

In this episode of  Inside Out: Mental Health at Work and in Life , I'm joined by  Camilla , a postdoctoral cancer researcher at University College Dublin, originally from Italy. We explore what mental health looks like in the world of academic research, where short-term contracts, relentless pressure to publish, and blurred boundaries between work and life are the norm. Drawing on a decade of exp...

In this episode of Inside Out: Mental Health at Work and in Life , I'm joined by Andy Coley , leadership development trainer & keynote speaker, and experienced NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) Trainer. We explore what makes a mentally healthy workplace when leadership, communication, and emotional intelligence are at the centre. Drawing on Andy's work supporting teams and leaders across mult...

In this episode of  Inside Out: Mental Health at Work and in Life , I'm joined by  Jane Gill , Manufacturing Technician in the Biopharma industry. We explore what mentally healthy workplaces look like across very different industries, from the high-pressure, fast-paced world of hospitality to the structured, process-driven environment of biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Drawing on Jane's career jo...

In this episode of Inside Out: Mental Health at Work and in Life , I’m joined by Dr Luis Soares , Science Communicator and Research Impact Lead , based in the School of Health in Social Science at the University of Edinburgh . We explore what a mentally healthy workplace really looks like when you strip away slogans, policies and performative wellbeing initiatives. Drawing on Luis’s experience in...

Younger workers are being criticised for refusing unpaid overtime, but this backlash tells us far more about broken work systems than it does about Gen Z. In this episode, we explore why younger workers are setting firmer boundaries, why that is causing discomfort in organisations, and what it reveals about job design, wellbeing and culture. This is not a work ethic problem. It is a work design pr...

Are workplace wellbeing campaigns making a real difference, or just ticking boxes? In this thought-provoking episode, we uncover the gap between what organisations say and what employees actually experience. As stress, cynicism, and disengagement rise, it’s time to ask, how do we move from surface-level gestures to genuine cultures of care? Join us as we dig into the realities of performative well...

This week, two of our team, Angela Rook and Sonia Last, sit down with our partner Claire Mackenzie from Venturing Out for a relaxed, 23-minute chat about the future of employee wellbeing. Wellbeing is no longer a ‘nice to have’ but a business-critical imperative. Organisations are shifting from managing the negative impacts of mental health to proactively creating cultures that support wellbeing a...

A tribunal ruling on a manager’s repeated sighs might sound trivial, until you look closer. In this episode, we unpack what a “sigh” really communicates in power-imbalanced settings, and why it matters for neurodivergent people at work. We explore how micro-behaviours like tone, silence, and sighs can become part of a broader pattern of exclusion. 🎧 Key Topics: The legal and cultural implications...

What if underperformance isn't a failure of the person, but a signal that something in the system isn't working? In this episode, we step back from the blame game and explore a more compassionate, human-centred approach to performance, support and leadership. From outdated job descriptions to the idea of “try before you commit” roles, and even a Universal Basic Income, we imagine a future where wo...

Mental Health Awareness Week shines a spotlight on community, but what about the other 51 weeks of the year? In this episode, we unpack why real mental health support requires more than awareness campaigns and ask what community really means in the modern workplace. With insights from CIPD research and years of frontline experience, we explore why so many people feel disconnected, how workplaces c...

What does it really mean to thrive, not just survive, in today’s working world? In this follow-up to our deep dive into Gallup’s 2025 State of the Global Workplace report, we explore why so many people are feeling emotionally flat and disconnected - and what it will take to build environments where people can truly flourish. This episode moves beyond statistics to the real emotional cost of diseng...

In this episode, we dive into the findings of Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace report . As global engagement drops and emotional burdens rise, especially in the UK, we explore why so many workers are struggling, what traditional management gets wrong, and how we can begin to create workplaces where people thrive, not just survive. 🎧 Key Topics: Global trends in workplace engagement and emot...

In a time defined by uncertainty and overwhelm, how do we create work cultures where people feel safe, valued, and heard? This episode explores the essential role of psychological safety, the courage it takes to lead differently, and why rethinking the systems we work within could be the key to lasting change. 🎧 Key Topics: The roots of psychological safety and why it matters The impact of fear a...

What if stress isn’t the enemy, but a signal that something deeper needs our attention? This Stress Awareness Month, we go beyond breathing exercises and productivity hacks to explore the systemic roots of stress and why leading with love is more than just a nice idea - it’s a radical act of resistance. In this episode, we unpack the truth about chronic stress, why burnout isn’t a personal failing...

April hits hard — rising bills, rising pressure, and not enough pay rises to match. It’s no coincidence that this month also marks Financial Wellbeing Month , a timely reminder to pause, reflect, and reset how we relate to money. In this refreshingly grounded episode, we explore what financial wellbeing really means and how small, consistent actions can give us back a sense of control and dignity....

In a time of low morale and growing disconnection, many leaders are unsure how to support their teams without adding more to their already full plates. In this episode, we explore how leadership isn’t about doing more, but about being more present, more intentional and more human. It's time to rethink what it means to truly show up — not as a manager, but as a leader who understands that mental he...