Clear the air

43 - What Drives Motivation? Psychology, Leadership and Actively Caring for People with E. Scott Geller

Bringing out the best in ourselves and others is something many of us strive for - but how do we realistically work towards it, especially in the workplace? In this episode, behavioural psychologist Dr. Scott Geller explores how motivation, Actively Caring for People (AC4P), and evidence-based behaviour-change strategies can support personal wellbeing, leadership, and more connected, high-functioning teams. This episode highlights the role of community and coaching in empowering both ourselves and those around us. Scott’s biography: Professor Scott Geller is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Virginia Tech and the former Director of the Center for Applied Behavior Systems. He has authored 55 books and more than 300 research articles looking at behavior-based interventions to improve human welfare on a large scale. His talent is well-recognised and he has received multiple awards for his work. In this episode, we dive deep into answering the following thorny questions. 00:00 – Introduction 02:10 – Why Scott became a behavioural psychologis? 03:35 – What is the definition of motivation? 05:00 – The three factors that drive self‑motivation. 08:15 – Applying the 3C framework to motivate yourself to go to the gym. 10:30 – The importance of learning and social support when trying something new. 13:00 – How to stay motivated to help others when you’re struggling. 14:30 – Self‑transcendence and the top of Maslow’s hierarchy. 18:00 – What is the Actively Caring for People (AC4P) framework? 20:50 – How to give corrective feedback with empathy. 21:40 – The COACH framework for inspiring people to care at work. 24:50 – The role of leaders in creating a safety culture. 26:55 – How to build interdependent communities where everyone benefits. 7:45 – Three steps to empowering employees to try something new. 31:05 – How to get teams to actively care. 32:25 – The role of leaders in encouraging active caring. 34:35 – How to sustain choice, competence, and community in an organisation. 36:35 – Example: eliminating bullying in a school using caring principles. 38:00 – Summary and final reflections. Learn more about Scott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-geller-3045211/ Learn more about Clearhead https://www.myclearhead.com/

How Māori Experience Mental Health: Identity, Tikanga, and Access to Support

The representation and inclusion of indigenous models of hauora (health) in mainstream medicine is vital to ensuring culturally-safe health services. In this episode, we delve into Māori mental health specifically from the lens of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. We discuss the importance of whakapapa; knowing who you are, where you come from and your sense of belonging to hauora and ways that services can shift to a preventive care model for whānau, hapū and iwi. Our guest speaker, Tūrakawa Bartlett, addresses common narratives about Māori wellbeing and offers insights on how te ao Māori (Māori worldview) is beneficial for everyone, not just Māori. Together, we discuss what signs to look out for when someone you know may be struggling or how to know when you are struggling yourself. In this episode, we dive deep into answering the following thorny questions: 00:00 – Introduction 03:05 – Framing today’s session from a Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei iwi lens 06:00 – Mental health from a Māori worldview 12:40 – Barriers preventing Māori from connecting with their true identity 19:00 – What help is available for Māori experiencing mental health challenges 22:50 – How support services can make it easier for Māori to reach out 25:00 – Signs to look for when checking in on someone who may be struggling 27:50 – Internal signs that you might be struggling yourself 30:50 – What non‑Māori can do to create culturally safe support spaces 39:00 – Definitions of kawa and tikanga 42:35 – Differences in how Māori and non‑Māori experience health services 46:50 – Why a bicultural Māori and non‑Māori health model is essential 49:30 – Signs someone may need professional help 52:30 – Rose, Letica, and Turaukawa’s personal wellbeing practices Leticia, from Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and Kaipara, has completed her training as an Intern Clinical Psychologist and is currently working on research. Her approach to psychological well-being and oranga is shaped by clinical expertise and lived experience, with a strong focus on Māori mental well-being and previous experience in community alcohol and drug (AOD) services.   Tūraukawa, from Ngāti Whātua ki Tāmaki, is the CEO and Director of MANAVATION, a kaupapa Māori hauora service supporting Tangata Whenua and Tangata Tiriti in achieving their wellbeing goals through cultural and language revitalisation. Tūraukawa has received numerous recognitions, including the Bob Henare Award for Individual Excellence in Māori Mental Health and DAPAANZ Best Newcomer to the Addictions Sector. He also facilitates reo Māori wellbeing retreats to enhance cultural foundations and promote holistic wellbeing.   Rose, a graduate Enrolled Nurse from Ngāti-Whātua Ōrākei and Ngāti Kahu ki Whangāora, draws from her lived experience of losing two siblings to suicide, which drives her commitment to providing compassionate care.

42 - Psychosocial Risk Management: How to Identify and Control Workplace Hazards with Dana Carver

Psychosocial hazards are now recognised as one of the most significant and complex risks facing modern workplaces, but what do they actually look like in practice, and how can organisations address them in meaningful, effective ways? In this webinar, we unpack real-world case studies and discuss how factors such as workload, role clarity, leadership, culture, and organisational change can affect mental health, wellbeing, and performance at work. We will discuss what good practice really looks like, where organisations commonly get stuck, and how to move beyond a compliance mindset. Dana’s biography: Dana Carver is a Principal at the research and evaluation firm, Scarlatti. She has over 25 years’ experience in social research, organisational design and wellbeing. For the past 5 years, her focus has been on helping organisations identify, assess and mitigate psychosocial risks. Dana is also the co-creator and Chair of the Good Programmes Trust, home of the award-winning GoodYarn, https://www.goodyarn.org/, program, which has seen over 20,000 people educated in mental health literacy. In this episode, we dive deep into answering the following thorny questions: 00:00 - Intro 02:05 - How did Dana become interested in psychosocial risk management? 03:00 - What are psychosocial hazards? 03:45 - How many psychosocial hazards are there? 04:40 - What are the most common psychosocial hazards? 05:25 - What is the framework used to prioritse hazards based on frequency and intensity? 07:00 - What is the definition of psychosocial risk? 08:45 - Should you eliminate or mitigate risk? 10:05 - What is an example of a control that eliminated the risk? 11:15 - Is psychosocial risk management a part of the Health and Safety legislation? 12:50 - What are the obligations of the employer? 13:55 - What are the 4 stages of psychosocial risk management? 14:30 - What are the warning signs you need to assess your psychosocial risks? 16:00 - What is the framework for identifying and assessing risks? 18:00 - Poor pay as a hazard vs personal life choices. 20:10 - What are some misconceptions about psychosocial risk management? 21:50 - How do you get management to buy in? 23:30 - How do you assess buy in up front? 25:00 - What is the definition and some examples of controls? 27:05 - Should employees be able to see the risk assessment results? 28:30 - How do you know the controls are effective? 30:05 - How long does it take to see impact? 32:05 - Are there differences depending on the size of the organisation? 33:00 - Dana’s top tips for psychosocial risk management. 34:00 - What are lead and lag indicators of success? 34:35 - How do you know if you have the right outcome measures? 35:25 - How often should you do a risk assessment? 37:25 - How do you get organisational buy in? 38:45 - Do you need to measure employee mental health to measure reduction in harm? 39:55 - What is the definition of psychological safety? 40:35 - The shift away from fruit bowls to systemic change. Learn more about Dana (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-carver-a35553b1/) Learn more about Clearhead https://www.myclearhead.com/ psychosocial hazards explained • workplace mental health risks • how to assess psychosocial risk • psychosocial risk management framework • employer obligations psychosocial risk

41 - Setting boundaries with Toxic Family with Dr. Sherrie Campbell

Family relationships can be some of the most supportive parts of our lives, but can be incredibly challenging when they are toxic. In this episode, we dive into what toxic family members really look like, and what to do about it. If you ever wanted to find a way forward when your relationships have become draining or unsafe, or learn how to set boundaries with family, including your parents, this is the episode for you. We cover the steps to protect our personal well-being and heal from trauma. Our guest today is Dr Sherrie Campbell, a licensed clinical psychologist and author known for her work on toxic family dynamics, where she specialises in helping healthy people cut ties with the toxic people in their lives. She is a nationally recognised expert on family estrangement, a best selling author, TEDx Speaker, top 1% Podcast host of the “Sherapy Sessions: Cutting Toxic Family Ties”, a well-known social media influencer and a regularly featured media expert. In this episode, we dive deep into answering the following thorny questions. 00:00 - Intro 2:05 - How Sherrie became an expert in toxic families. 3:10 - Defining a healthy vs toxic family. 4:30 - Why it is easier to recognise you are in a toxic family in your 40s. 7:45 - What can you do to recognise this earlier? 10:00 - Where can you go to learn more about a toxic family? 12:25 - What are the 5 types of estrangement? 16:40 - When to use no contact as a coping strategy? 18:40 - How do you set and maintain your boundaries? 20:45 - Clinical example of boundary testing. 23:50 - Dealing with the guilt of setting boundaries. 26:00 - What support is available outside of therapy? 27:20 - Why do some people get stuck in a victim mindset? 28:40 - Why the "gray rock" method is a safer form of boundary setting for children. 30:20 - How does the level of contact evolve in the healing journey? 33:15 - How taking responsibility for your wellbeing is the first step to healing. 36:00 - What can you do to not perpetuate the cycle of trauma? 37:40 - Why providing validation is key in the role of a support person? 39:35 - How to maintain boundaries during the holiday season? 40:30 - Why self-love is an important part of healing? 41:40 - How to respond when the legal system gets involve? 43:30 - What is Sherrie’s one wellbeing practice? Learn more about Sherrie https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-ewing-7865712a/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-ewing-7865712a/] Learn more about Clearhead https://www.myclearhead.com/ [https://www.myclearhead.com/]

40 - Healing from Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD) with Dr. Jan Ewing

Trauma can take many forms, from single shocking events affecting a whole community to deeply personal experiences that unfold over time during childhood. We’ll explore how different types of trauma, such as traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and more can negatively impact our behaviour, relationships, and resilience later in life. Understanding how it affects us can be one of the first steps toward recovery. In this episode, we will uncover what really happens to the brain and body after trauma and what evidence-based interventions that help people rebuild their lives looks like in practice. Our guest today is Dr Jan Ewing is a highly respected Clinical Neuropsychologist and Clinical Psychologist with over 40 years of experience specialising in trauma, brain injury, and complex psychological disorders. As a Fellow for the Australian Psychological Society, the Australian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment and the International Society for the Study of Trauma & Dissociation (ISSTD), Jan is recognised internationally for her expertise in understanding how trauma impacts the brain and behaviour. She has trained thousands of mental health professionals across Australia and served for more than 15 years as an educator at the University of Queensland. Jan also sits on the advisory panel for the Blue Knot Foundation, supporting adult survivors of childhood abuse. In this episode, we dive deep into answering the following thorny questions. 00:00 - Intro 2:30 - How Jan became an expert in trauma recovery? 3:35 - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Trauma definitions. 6:30 - What happens to the brain during a traumatic event? 12:00 - How training helps with choosing whether to fight, flight, freeze or faint to survive during a traumatic event? 15:15 - When is it safe for the brain to re-regulate? 17:30 - What are PTSD symptoms? 21:40 - How long does it take to re-regulate the brain? 25:15 - What can we do to support someone after a traumatic event? 29:30 - What is the “window of tolerance” and how does it determine how easily you are triggered by trauma? 32:20 - What is a body memory, and how is it present even when you have amnesia of the trauma? 36:00 - The 3 phases of trauma processing that are part of recovery. 40:45 - How to identify someone has a history of trauma and how to best support them? 46:50 - How to help someone increase their window of tolerance? 48:45 - The different types of trauma. 51:00 - The difference between stress and trauma. 52:10 - Is full recovery possible after a traumatic event? 55:50 - Why is EMDR considered best practice for treating trauma? 59:00 - The role of shame in trauma. 1:01.15 - How can we tackle shame in order to speed up recovery? 1:03.40 - Why avoidance is the biggest barrier to trauma recovery? 1:04.30 - What is Jan’s one wellbeing practice? Learn more about Jan https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-ewing-7865712a/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-ewing-7865712a/] Learn more about Clearhead https://www.myclearhead.com/ [https://www.myclearhead.com/]