Podcast appearances and mentions of petra velzeboer

In this episode, I sit down with Petra Velzeboer, a psychotherapist, author, and mental health consultant. We explore her journey from growing up in a religious cult to becoming a leading voice in workplace well-being. Petra shares insights on digital detoxes, the importance of self-awareness, and aligning well-being strategies with business objectives. We discuss the challenges of modern work culture, including always-on expectations and the need for authentic leadership. Petra offers practical advice for individuals and organizations to foster mental health, emphasizing the power of connection and service to others. Her personal experiences and professional expertise provide a unique perspective on navigating the complexities of digital well-being and finding fulfillment in today's fast-paced world.

Take a leadership journey with Petra Velzeboer and I as she shares powerful leadership nuggets to enhance not only your Leadership & Work/Life Harmony... but also that of those you're leading!Petra Velzeboer is a renowned mental health expert, TedX speaker, author, and CEO of mental health consultancy PVL.Her passion for creating psychologically safe spaces can be traced back to her unique background, having been raised in a notorious cult and struggling to find her place in the world. A series of life altering events led her to pursue a career as a psychotherapist so that she could help others.Links:Website: https://www.petravelzeboer.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/

"I was born and raised in a cult. I talk about how cults are like corporates, a lot."Petra Velzeboer is this week's guest on the How to Thrive podcast and we think we can safely say she has one of the most interesting life journeys we've ever come across. Born and raised in the Children of God cult, she grew up in an unconventional setting, before falling pregnant and deciding to leave.But that wasn't the end of her story, she has battled addiction, loneliness, had to adjust to a whole new way of living, and is now a hugely successful CEO, keynote speaker, and author.So how do you thrive in a new world? Claire, Helen and Petra discuss bravery (it "feels like fear"), accepting that "no one is coming to save you", and why many corporates are just like cults.Find out more about Petra's work on her website. Her new book Digital Wellbeing is out now! Order hereWith thanks to our sponsors Flank, an AI colleague for your in-house legal team. Flank is designed to work like a high performing team member for your legal department. Flank agents are able to instantly handle commercial team requests, eliminate bottlenecks and ensure your legal team operates at the speed your business demands. Flank agents are always on, always accurate and always ready. If you'd like to discover more about how Flank can redefine your legal operations, then take a look at getflank.ai. If you get in touch with them, please do mention How to Thrive, so that they know that it came from one of our wonderful listeners.How to Thrive events:Our events are a chance to come together with other Community Members to network and share learnings in a safe space. All of our events are focussed on HOW to thrive and deliver practical skills that you can incorporate into your work and home lives.​Visit our website to find out more.Your How to Thrive hosts:Claire Sanders, former Corporate Lawyer, General Council and Co-Founder of Being Human Consulting.Helen Silver-MacMahon, Human Factors Specialist, Veterinary Nurse and Co-Founder of Being Human Consulting.Music Credit: Lo-Fi Hip Hop (Never Old Fashioned) by Alex KizenkovPodcast Production: Anthony Zahra Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John continues his conversation with Petra Velzeboer. The two share their valuable perspectives on education, the changing job market, mental health, and the impact of digital technology on our well-being.  Petra also shares her journey of writing her first book, Begin with You, and her upcoming book, Digital Wellbeing: Recharge Your Focus and Reboot Your Life, which explores the impact of technology on our mental health and relationships. Listen to this episode to learn more: [00:00] - Intro and Part 1 recap [01:27] - The assumption that every high school graduate will go to college [02:27] - The changing job market [05:51] - How she secured her TEDx talk through networking [07:33] - Petra's book Begin with You, its inspiration, and focus [11:03] - Petra's upcoming book Digital Wellbeing [12:30] - Digital tech has been perpetrated on us without our permission [14:24] - Us vs. Them politics [17:26] - Many people have lost the skill of conversing and sharing ideas [18:22] - Future plans for her consultancy [20:53] - Coaching is a 2-way street [23:47] - How Petra improves her significant relationships [25:29] - Petra's ideal client [26:12] - #1 daily habit of Petra [26:42] - Traits of a great leader [28:19] - Best advice Petra has given [30:29] - What Petra does to invest in her growth [32:18] - The best way to connect with Petra [34:01] - Book recommendations [36:49] - Closing remarks NOTABLE QUOTES: “Networking is just a superpower.” “Isn't it interesting that if you offer something to someone, they just want to help.” “Educating people that mental health is about all of us. It's about the health of our mind. It's not mental illness; that's just a part of it.” “When we say mental health, we think crisis. But actually, it's about, ‘How do we perform at our best? How do we sustain success? How do we live our best lives?'” “Empathy and authenticity open the space for others to be open with you.” “Coaching, like any other relationship, is a two-way street. There has to be, ‘I think you're a good fit,' and you have to think, ‘I'm a good fit.' It has to go both ways. And if it doesn't, it isn't going to work.” “Selling is serving. Because if you're truly serving people, they never feel sold to. Ever.” “You'll learn through the movement forward, not through the strategizing. The opposite of a perfectionist is someone who moves forward, and as you're moving, your creative juices will flow.” “Growth is in my bones. It's in my blood. It's the only thing I know, and sometimes to my detriment, because sometimes people are like, let's just take a breath and appreciate where we are.” BOOKS MENTIONED: The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan (https://a.co/d/fDXv3tF) Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski (https://a.co/d/6CbEe47) Belonging: Remembering Ourselves Home by Toko-Pa Turner (https://a.co/d/fE04Odh) The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact by Chip Heath and Dan Heath (https://a.co/d/isiP1Yg) PODCASTS MENTIONED: The Diary Of A CEO Podcast (https://tinyurl.com/DiaryOfACEOPodcast) The Rich Roll podcast (https://tinyurl.com/TheRichRollPodcast) USEFUL RESOURCES: https://www.petravelzeboer.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/ https://www.youtube.com/@petra.velzeboer “Begin with You: Invest in Your Mental Well-Being and Satisfaction at Work” (https://a.co/d/dbI2Nu8) “Digital Wellbeing: Recharge Your Focus and Reboot Your Life” (https://a.co/d/1EZarkm) CONNECT WITH JOHN Website - https://thejohnhulen.com  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnhulen  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/johnhulen  Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/johnhulen   LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhulen     YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLX_NchE8lisC4NL2GciIWA  EPISODE CREDITS Intro and Outro music provided by Jeff Scheetz - https://jeffscheetz.com/  

John talks with Petra Velzeboer – psychotherapist, TEDx speaker, founder of PVL (a mental health consulting business), author of Begin with You: Invest in Your Mental Well-Being and Satisfaction at Work and Digital Wellbeing: Recharge Your Focus and Reboot Your Life, and a proud mother of two.  Petra was born and raised in a religious cult, which led to many challenges in her life, including addiction and depression. She now uses her experiences to help, inspire, and support others. Listen to this episode to learn more: [00:00] - Intro [01:07] - Petra's bio [05:32] - Warning: Potentially sensitive content, not to be overheard by kids [05:57] - Petra's background of being born and raised in a religious cult [08:19] - Leaving the cult  [09:35] - Getting addicted to drugs, alcohol, and promiscuity after leaving the cult [10:35] - Her rock-bottom moments [12:35] - How growing up in a cult changed her perspective on God [15:32] - Moving to London while pregnant and adjusting to a new life [16:51] - Her desire to cover up her past and fit in [19:42] - Rock bottom moments that pushed Petra to change [22:07] - When she was driving under the influence with her young son [22:38] - How A.A. helped her develop honesty and accountability [23:33] - Petra's journey to sobriety [27:15] - Discovering her entrepreneurial spirit [30:00] - Her interest in the counseling profession as a teenager [31:11] - What led her to become an accidental entrepreneur [32:46] - Intentionally shrinking her business to a small, flexible team  [34:49] - How the U.S. educational system is not designed to create independent thinkers [36:56] - Outro NOTABLE QUOTES: “Sometimes life happens because we're not brave enough to make a stand.” “Addicts have a lot of rage and a lot of trauma and a lot of stuff. But if you can reposition it to be energy or forward motion and doing great things, we have more energy than a lot of people, actually.” “I think we get sucked into the cult of success and what it should look like.” “Groupthink does not ever lead to innovation.” USEFUL RESOURCES: https://www.petravelzeboer.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/ https://www.youtube.com/@petra.velzeboer “Begin with You: Invest in Your Mental Well-Being and Satisfaction at Work” (https://a.co/d/dbI2Nu8) “Digital Wellbeing: Recharge Your Focus and Reboot Your Life” (https://a.co/d/1EZarkm) CONNECT WITH JOHN Website - https://thejohnhulen.com  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnhulen  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/johnhulen  Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/johnhulen   LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhulen     YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLX_NchE8lisC4NL2GciIWA  EPISODE CREDITS Intro and Outro music provided by Jeff Scheetz - https://jeffscheetz.com/

Petra Velzeboer is a mental health expert and author of the book Begin With You. She is also the CEO of mental health consultancy PVL. On this episode we talk about Petra's journey and some of the lessons she learned along the way. We then talk about goal setting and how to have effective (and fewer) meetings. We also discuss her advice for her younger self and the power of curiosity. — Learn To Lead is brought to you by Abilitie, a leading provider of experiential learning. Abilitie's simulations and leadership programs have inspired over 100,000 professionals in more than 30 countries. To learn more about Abilitie and about our host Matthew Confer, visit the links below: Abilitie Leadership Development - https://www.abilitie.com The Learn To Lead Podcast - https://www.abilitie.com/learn-to-lead-podcast/ Host Matthew Confer: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewconfer/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MatthewConfer Matthew's TEDx Talk on Decision Making - https://www.ted.com/talks/matthew_confer_before_you_decide_3_steps_to_better_decision_making Make sure you subscribe to our show to ensure you get our next episode when it is released.

In this episode, Lewis Maleh is joined by Mental Health expert Petra Velzeboer (CEO, Author, TEDx Speaker). Petra grew up in a religious cult, The Children of God, and shares her story of how her experiences have influenced her work in mental health and the workplace. They discuss the importance of addressing the root causes of workplace stress and burnout, rather than relying on superficial wellness initiatives. Petra also provides practical advice on creating a comprehensive wellbeing plan and measuring its impact. Additionally, they address the challenges of digital overwhelm and strategies for companies to support their employees in managing their digital lives. ----- Show Notes | Connect with: Petra Velzeboer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ ----- Follow us: Bentley Lewis Newsletter: ⁠http://bit.ly/2F0bq2i⁠ Bentley Lewis Website: ⁠http://www.bentleylewis.com⁠ Bentley Lewis Socials: ⁠https://linktr.ee/BentleyLewis⁠ Email: info@bentleylewis.com

We have the return of Petra Velzeboer on being an open leader, understanding what is important and how you measure success. https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ Get 15% off Timeless Gaming Convention tickets for the 14th August at Arcade club in Bury, with over 400 arcade machines, keynote talk from Ashens, and loads of panels, competitions, DJ Slopes and more! Use code Nuggets24 or click on the link below: https://timelessgaming.co.uk/discount/nuggets24 Theme music:Check out Katy on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7g1bTthu5ETWFuq5igUMRm?si=dK72fUrHRX2kVp6Bt7SfwQCheck out Katy on Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/katyhmusic Support us on Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/newtonsnuggetsWe also talk about our discord, which you can join here:https://discord.gg/Hz5Qjyefe7-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy the MentalTheft book from here in the UK:https://www.amazon.co.uk/MentalTheft-Your-mind-weakest-link/dp/1838254102 Anywhere else in the world, go to Amazon as usual and search MentalTheft (one word).Thanks as usual to Jesse for making the magic happen:https://www.jlawrence-photography.co.uk Check out Paul on: https://www.mentaltheft.co.uk#newtonsnuggets  Check out our Patreon on:https://www.patreon.com/newtonsnuggets

In this episode, we were delighted to be joined by Petra Velzeboer, after a recommendation from good friend of the podcast, Ed Kirwan. Petra is a renowned mental health expert, TedX speaker, author, and CEO of mental health consultancy PVL. Her passion for creating psychologically safe spaces can be traced back to her unique background, having been raised in a notorious cult and struggling to find her place in the world. A series of life altering events led her to pursue a career as a psychotherapist so that she could help others. After working in various companies with toxic work environments, she has made it her life's mission to reinvent the world of work and completely shift the current system, ushering in the future of work. Check out Petra's work Watch her viral TEDx talk that has been viewed over 142k times Buy her bestselling book, Begin with You Thanks so much for joining us again for another episode - we appreciate you. Ben & Steve x Championing those who are making the future of education a reality. Follow us on X Grab your tickets for the Uprising 2024 Want to sponsor future episodes or get involved with the Edufuturists work? Get in touch: info@edufuturists.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/edufuturistspodcast/message

Dive into the world of workplace dynamics with Dr. Grace Lordan in this eye-opening episode of Work FORCE. Grace and her guests dissect the subtle yet pervasive culture of mediocrity and conformity in the corporate landscape. With insights from behavioural scientist Teresa Almeida and distinguished guests Dr. Margaret Heffernan, Manfred Kets de Vries and Petra Velzeboer, we unravel the psychological underpinnings that push employees toward average performance and the profound impact this has on innovation and organisational success. Tune in to discover strategies for breaking the mould and fostering a culture of excellence.Listen, learn, and let's transform the workplace together. Subscribe, rate, and review Work FORCE on your favourite podcast platform and join Dr. Grace Lordan in dismantling the "bullstuff" that holds us back. Visit www.gracelordan.com for more insights and to share your thoughts on future topics. Produced by Decimal Creatives, this is Work FORCE – where we work smarter, not harder, for a workplace that works for all.Work FORCE is a podcast hosted by Dr Grace Lordan (www.gracelordan.com), author of Think Big, Take Small Steps and Build the Future You Want and professor at the London School of Economics. You can buy Think Big Here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Think-Big-Small-Steps-Future/dp/0241420164/kacey123-21 Work FORCE unravels the behavioural science behind things that happen in the workplace that impact your success and wellbeing, blending academic evidence with real life experiences. Follow Grace on X or Instagram @profgracelordan; on LinkedIn drgracelordan Joining the Work FORCE discussion are:Manfred Kets de VriesManfred is the co-founder of KDVI. Bringing to bear his knowledge and experience of economics, management, and psychoanalysis, he scrutinises the interface between international management, psychoanalysis, psychotherapy, and dynamic psychiatry. He is Professor of Leadership Development and Organisational Change at INSEAD and was the Founding Director of INSEAD's Global Leadership Centre. The Financial Times, Le Capital, Wirtschaftswoche, and The Economist have judged Manfred as one of the world's leading thinkers on leadership. Manfred is a global consultant in executive leadership development to leading US, European, African and Asian companies. As an educator and consultant, he has worked in more than forty countries. Manfred is the author, co-author or editor of more than 50 books and has published over 400 scientific papers. He is a regular writer for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Fortune, Business Week, The Economist, Financial Times and International Herald Tribune.For more information head to www.kdvi.comDr. Margaret HeffernanDr. Margaret Heffernan spent 13 years creating BBC programs before venturing to the US, where she led multimedia endeavours for Intuit, The Learning Company, and Standard&Poors. She held executive roles at InfoMation Corporation, ZineZone Corporation, and iCast Corporation, earning recognition as one of Streaming Media magazine's "Top 25" and The Hollywood Reporter's "Top 100 Media Executives." With six authored books, her work, including "Willful Blindness," hailed by the Financial Times as a pivotal business text, has garnered acclaim. Her TED talks, reaching over fifteen...

Petra Velzeboer is a renowned author, psychotherapist, TedX speaker, and CEO of mental health consultancy PVL.Born into a notorious cult ‘'The Children of God'', Petra was raised in a strict environment where individuality and self expression were discouraged. Travelling the globe, she learned firsthand about cultures and people but was sheltered from education, books or friendships outside of the community. Raised to believe the world was going to end, she took her birthright as god's endtime soldier seriously, turning a blind eye to cruel and unusual punishments, abuse and the fact that the world never did in fact, end.Leading a double life for many years, she knows firsthand the toll it takes to wear a mask of conformity on one side while leading a hedonistic escapist life on the other. Eventually the cracks started to show, falling pregnant at 22 and moving to London to start a new life with a boyfriend outside of the community. Life had enabled her to escape and offered up a new path. In this episode of the show we take a deep look into Petra's journey, from her time in the cult, to her life afterwards and the struggles she faced along the way, eventually leading her to a life of service and leadership.Enjoy the show, subscribe and let us know what you think!To get in touch with Petra or to find out more about a few of the things we discussed:- Petra's Website: https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ - Petra's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ - Petra's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/- An Apple Documentary on the Cult: https://tinyurl.com/3ux67sjw - An Amazon Documentary on the Cult: https://tinyurl.com/5n8b8ft4 - A Podcast on the Cult: https://tinyurl.com/2b7hcj6t - A Second Podcast: https://tinyurl.com/3p5886rw Podcast Chapters:0.00 - Trailer0.51 - Intro1.34 - Petra's Childhood and Upbringing3.44 - The Children of God Cult5.35 - The Cult's Beliefs7.45 - The Tyranny of the Majority13.11 - Looking into the Abyss16.40 - Petra's Problems After the Cult19.05 - Victim Mentality23.15 - Working with Fear28.17 - Think About Other People!31.25 - Petra's Relationship with Religion and Spirituality Now34.40 - Psychedelics and Mental Health37.36 - The Importance of Creativity!40.45 - Some Actionable Takeaways48.57 - Setting Boundaries51.02 - What Advice Would You Give to Yourself as a Teenager?53.12 - Outro(Michael Hanson is the host of the COSMIC Bridge podcast that inspires its listeners to find their higher purpose and connect their material and spiritual life through stories of breathwork teachers, shamans and stroke survivors. He is also the CEO of Growth Genie, an international B2B sales consultancy)

In today's episode, we're joined by Petra Velzeboer, a renowned mental health expert with a unique and profound background. Petra's journey from being raised in a notorious cult to becoming a leading voice in creating psychologically safe workspaces offers invaluable insights into understanding cult-like cultures in the corporate world. Episode Overview: Petra shares her extraordinary life story, detailing her upbringing in a cult and how it shaped her perspective on life and work. Discussion on the transition from a controlled environment to the freedom and challenges of the outside world. Exploring the characteristics of cult-like cultures in corporate settings. How charismatic leadership can both inspire and manipulate. The psychological tactics used in cult-like companies to bind employees. The impact on mental health and personal identity. Petra provides insights on recognizing red flags in a workplace. Strategies for individuals to break free from toxic work environments. Connect with Petra: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer Her website: https://www.petravelzeboer.com General Support with Mental Health and Well-being If you have been affected by any of the themes in this episode, or are currently struggling with your mental health, the following resources may be useful.  Mind website: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/ If you are feeling in distress or despair, including feelings of suicide, please do consider calling the Samaritans for free on 116 123 (UK) or email jo@samaritans.org (Rest of World) Connect with Al and Leanne Join the Conversation on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork/ Connect with Al on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/ Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Email: Hello@truthliesandwork.com Book a Call with Al & Leanne: https://oblonghq.com/book/

Take a leadership journey with Petra Velzeboer and I as she shares powerful leadership nuggets to enhance not only your Leadership & Work/Life Harmony... but also that of those you're leading! Petra Velzeboer is a renowned mental health expert, TedX speaker, author, and CEO of mental health consultancy PVL.Her passion for creating psychologically safe spaces can be traced back to her unique background, having been raised in a notorious cult and struggling to find her place in the world. A series of life altering events led her to pursue a career as a psychotherapist so that she could help others.Links: Website: https://www.petravelzeboer.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/

Lucinda welcomes mental health consultant Petra Velzeboer to discuss the importance of prioritising mental health in the workplace. They explore the signs of burnout and the 12-stage process that leads to it, emphasising the need for prevention and self-awareness. Petra shares practical tips for managing stress, including setting boundaries, reevaluating values, and addressing digital well-being. They also discuss the impact of meeting culture and inefficiencies in the workplace. KEY TAKEAWAYS Prevention is important, as burnout can take a long time to recover from. The 12 stages of burnout include proving oneself, working harder, neglecting needs, displacing conflict, revising values, denying the problem, withdrawal, behavior change, inner emptiness, depression, and burnout. It is important to prioritise one's own well-being and create boundaries in order to manage stress effectively. Taking control of digital well-being and reevaluating meeting culture can also contribute to reducing stress and increasing productivity. BEST MOMENTS "We're seeing a lot of real issues these days around topics such as burnout, working culture, things like that." "What we do know is that when you hit full-on burnout, it can take up to two years, sometimes more, to fully recover." "The best thing for your wellbeing might be to have the difficult conversation you've been putting off." "It's about community, laughter, connection." "We need to unlearn a few things in order to create space for innovation and creativity." VALUABLE RESOURCES The HR Uprising Podcast | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher   The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group How to Prioritise Self-Care (The HR Uprising) How To Be A Change Superhero - by Lucinda Carney HR Uprising Mastermind - https://hruprising.com/mastermind/   www.changesuperhero.com www.hruprising.com            Get your copy of How To Be A Change Superhero by emailing at info@actus.co.uk Petra Velzeboer - https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ ABOUT THE HOST Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up' together. “If you look up, you rise up” CONTACT METHOD Join the LinkedIn community - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/ Email: Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/ Twitter: @lucindacarney Instagram: @hruprising Facebook: @hruprising HR podcast, The HR Uprising, Diversity, Equality & Inclusion, Learning and Development, Culture & Change: https://hruprising.com/hr-podcasts/

"Psychological safety effectively is trust." In honor of World Mental Health Day, we invite you to listen to the latest episode of The Safety Guru featuring Petra Velzeboer, renowned mental health expert and TEDx speaker. You won't want to miss this episode as Petra shares her expertise and advice on creating mindful connections through effective leadership, the importance of vulnerability, and beneficial strategies to approach mental health with a preventive mindset in the workplace. Tune in! About the Guest: Petra Velzeboer is a renowned mental health expert, TEDx speaker, and CEO of mental health consultancy PVL. Her captivating story of being raised in a cult, paired with her down-to-earth nature and unique perspective on the world of work helps her to relate to audiences on a level that few therapists can. Petra's unique approach to the future of work sets human capital at the forefront of innovation for any company. For more information: https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever questioned if your office vibes feel a bit too 'cultish'? Or maybe you think burnout is just an individual failing? Petra Velzeboer, a psychotherapist, CEO, and author of "Begin With You," who was born into a notorious cult, brings clarity to the gray areas of workplace dynamics, exploring the fine line between a demanding job and a toxic work culture. This episode examines both organizational and individual sources of workplace toxicity. It includes discussions on hard-hitting topics such as the role of leadership in employee burnout, the importance of setting explicit boundaries in hybrid work environments, and the need for open dialogues about mental health to prevent larger issues down the line. This episode is not just a discussion but a call to action, offering practical steps for individual and organizational change.   Episode Highlights The uncanny similarities between cult dynamics and toxic workplace cultures. The role of leadership in either preventing or fueling employee burnout. Exploring the complexities of "burnout" beyond just workload, including its ties to personal history and societal norms. Unpacking the psychological toll of conforming to toxic workplace cultures, and how to break free. Why focusing solely on mental health symptoms is a missed opportunity, and what conversations we should be having instead. The nuanced approach to setting boundaries in a world increasingly blending work and home. What it really means to be "fully present" for your colleagues, and why it's more critical than ever. Tips for fostering mental well-being in hybrid and remote work environments, and why it's not just an HR issue. How a leader's openness about personal struggles can pave the way for a more supportive work environment. The hidden pitfalls of following society's blueprint for success, and what you could consider doing differently. For more episodes that give you fresh perspectives and actionable ideas for making working with other humans better for everyone, visit our website at https://en.peoplefocusconsulting.com/resources/podcast/   ©Michael Glazer

Minter Dialogue with Petra Velzeboer Petra Velzeboer is a renowned author, psychotherapist, TEDx speaker and CEO of Mental Health Consultancy PVL. Born into a notorious cult, Petra was raised in a strict environment where individuality and self expression were discouraged. Travelling the globe, she learned firsthand about cultures and people but was sheltered from education, books or friendships outside of the community. Leading a double life for many years, she knows firsthand the toll it takes to wear a mask of conformity on one side while leading a hedonistic escapist life on the other. In this conversation, we discuss her new book, Begin With You, from Kogan Page. We delve into the cult world, what distinguishes a cult from a tribe or community, an appropriate definition of mental health, the importance of adversity in building resilience, how to stop being a victim despite horrible circumstances and how to improve our mental health. If you've got comments or questions you'd like to see answered, send your email or audio file to nminterdial@gmail.com; or you can find the show notes and comment on minterdial.com. If you liked the podcast, please take a moment to go over to Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast channel, to rate/review the show. Otherwise, you can find me @mdial on Twitter.

This week we are rereleasing an episode from deep in the archive which given the intro is an interesting time capsule in itself… This week were talking bravery with CEO, Psychotherapist and TEDx Speaker Petra Velzeboer. Who shares the personal experience of escaping an environment she was born into and lessons we can all learn in finding manageable progress through hardship. Here we go! Mental is the brain-child of Bobby Temps, who lives and thrives while managing his own mental health. Each Thursday we delve into a factor or condition that affects the mind and how to better manage it. You can now join our Subscription on Apple Podcasts to get new ad free extended episodes and support the cause… We have a very blue website with loads of great resources HERE

48 hours. 29 experts. 2 hosts. 1 mission. To help you build amazing workplace cultures where people, and businesses, thrive. Phew! What a week! We absolutely loved our time as the Official Podcast of The Watercooler, the UK's premier conference and exhibition on workplace culture and wellbeing.  Join us behind the scenes and with exclusive access to some of the event's biggest and brightest leaders in the people and culture space. From corporate leaders at FTSE 100s to challenger banks and innovative start-ups, we brought thought leaders together to identify 10 key trends for workplace culture and well-being in 2023 and beyond. Find out more about: Board buy-in Outsourced CPOs Individualisation in well-being Employee insights Mental health and suicide prevention Line managers are EVERYTHING Authenticity in leaders Post-COVID trauma The outlook for people and culture Making people and culture more commercial Thank you to all the speakers, sponsors, exhibitors and visitors that made this possible, not to mention the fabulous teams at The Watercooler, Make a Difference Media and obo. Resources Connect with guests on LinkedIn & Twitter Amelia Wrighton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amelia-wrighton/ Andrew Berrie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewberrie/ Cass Briscoe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassbriscoe/ Clare Dare: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clare-dare-02962b11/ Kate Goodyer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-goodger-phd-c-psychol-7ba6b379/ Lara Morgan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laramorgan/ Louise Aston:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/louiseastwellbeing/ Nick Villani: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-villani/ Petra Velzeboer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/ Professor Dame Carol Black: https://twitter.com/damecarolblack?lang=en Thomas Bell https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebipolarbusinessman/ Find out more about: The Watercooler: https://www.watercoolerevent.com/ Make a Difference Awards: https://makeadifference.media/make-a-difference-awards/ Mind's Workplace Well-being Index Report https://www.mind.org.uk/workplace/workplace-wellbeing-index/ Business in the Community Prioritise People Report https://www.bitc.org.uk/report/prioritise-people-unlock-the-value-of-a-thriving-workforce/ RAND Europe Research: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA2083-1.html Petra' Book https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1398610313/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Listen back to Truth & Lies for more on: Men's Mental Health https://truthliesandwork.com/truth-lies-work-podcast/the-untold-heartbreak-of-male-leaders_1946/ Toxic Workplace Cultures https://truthliesandwork.com/truth-lies-work-podcast/toxic-workplace-culture_1887/ Britain's Healthiest Workplaces https://truthliesandwork.com/truth-lies-work-podcast/the-truth-behind-britains-healthiest-workplaces_1940/ Connect with Al and Leanne Join the conversation on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork/ Connect with Al on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/ Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthlieswork/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/truthlieswork Email: podcast@oblonghq.com

In the episode, Nick Day is joined on The HR L&D Podcast by Petra Velzeboer, qualified Psychotherapist, Global Keynote & TedX Speaker, and CEO of PVL!Petra is also a renowned mental health advocate.Petra's expertise and passion stem from her own personal experience battling mental illness and struggling with cultural and circumstantial challenges. After being raised in a religious cult without access to formal education, her story and climb from rock bottom have inspired thousands to better understand how to improve mental health for themselves and others.She earned her MSc in Psychodynamics of Human Development in 2012 and became an ORSC & CTI Certified Coach.Petra has battled mental illness, including addiction and depression, and even contemplated taking her own life.At this junction, Petra challenged herself to a year of intentional living, which began her journey of self-improvement and mental health accountability.Petra now works to help organisations to create supportive, pre-emptive, and sustainable cultures that improve mental health for everyone in a proactive rather than a reactive process.In this “A Strategic Approach to Mental Health at Work” episode with Petra Velzeboer on The HR L&D Podcast, we also explore:What do the words “human resources” mean to you?Tell us about your backstory and what led you to where you are today.Why is a mental health strategy more essential now than everWhat should a mental health strategy include?How can organisations tackle well-being and mental health in a positive light?What data can be useful from an HR, wellness or mental health strategy perspective?Many well-being initiatives fail, but why is this?Why do ‘tick box' programmes fail, and how can a more proactive approach succeed?What are the proven initiatives you have seen that have been particularly effective? What should HR leaders consider including in their own well-being roadmaps?What ROI should HR directors manage when implementing well-being strategies?Can HR professionals do more to create well-being champions and allies?How can we build momentum to keep mental health on the agenda?How can we get more buy-in from the C-Suite?Links highlighted in this “A Strategic Approach to Mental Health at Work” episode are included below:Website: petravelzeboer.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboerThe host of The HR L&D Podcast - LinkedIn Profile: Nick DayLeading HR Recruiters: JGA

My guest this week is Petra Velzeboer a renowned mental health expert, TedX speaker & CEO of mental health consultancy PVL. Born & raised in the Children of God cult, she escaped but found herself in a downward spiral until she found a way to turn her life around. Now she empowers others round the world to sustain a resilient & positive state of mental health.Breaking the cycles of traumaBravery everyday- one small brave actDare to Dream & experiment with ways to make it become reality.Petra shows us that if we do something brave every day, if we dare to dream, and if we are prepared to experiment and try on new ways, then we can carve out a life that we truly want. Join Lou on LinkedinFollow her @brave_newgirl on Instagram and get her books Brave New Girl- How to be Fearless, FEAR LESS and her Internationally Bestselling book DARE TO SHARE on Amazon or Waterstones or Barnes & Noble. UK & US versions available.Lou is the founder of Brave New Girl Media putting your story in the spotlight, showcasing your vision and supercharging your impact by guesting you on global podcasts  https://bravenewgirlmedia.comMusic by Melody LoopSupport the showGuest on global podcasts to increase your business growth, influence, and visibility Brave New Girl Media Dare to Share- bestselling guide to podcast guesting TAKE THE QUICK QUIZ to gain access to our FREE MASTERCLASS to become a podcast guesting pro

Petra was born and raised in the infamous Children of God cult, conditioned to believe that she was being groomed to save the world. Being punished, shamed and ostracised for not ‘following the rules', was the norm. As was being ‘home-schooled' and moving countries to join a new ‘commune' every year or so. It led to depression, alcohol addiction and suicidal ideation. Fast-forwarding some years, Petra is now a psychotherapist, renowned mental health expert, TEDx speaker and the CEO of mental health consultancy PVL. In this episode we discuss Petra's ‘starting over story' from her childhood in the cult, to ‘escaping' to London, and discovering truth, freedom and education. We also discuss mental health in the workplace, including some common (unhelpful) misconceptions like if someone is aware of, or struggles with, their mental health they are not good at their job, or that if mental health issues are actually spoken about at work, they will get worse. Petra shares what YOU can do to change the culture, starting now. Connect with us through these links below: Shannon: InstagramTikTokWebsiteYouTubePetra: Instagram LinkedInWebsiteMusic by: Flood (Instrumental) by RYYZN https://soundcloud.com/ryyznCreative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0

What do a stay at home mom; a professor and author; a former Playboy Playmate of the Month; and a renowned mental health advocate and TEDx speaker have in common?They have all experienced and gotten to the other side of loneliness.Hear their stories and insight - not on how we "beat" loneliness - but how we get through it, utilize it to make us better, stronger, and more compassionate people.You can find out more about or purchase Petra Velzeboer's book, "It Begins With You: Invest in Your Mental Well Being and Satisfaction At Work" here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Begin-You-Invest-Wellbeing-Satisfaction/dp/1398610313/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1QGF8HBX52FVI&keywords=petra+velzeboer&qid=1671446693&sprefix=petra+velzeboer%2Caps%2C101&sr=8-1You can find out more about or purchase Ken Leong's book, "The Zen Teaching of Jesus" here: https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Teachings-Jesus-Kenneth-Leong/dp/0824518837/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?crid=2R1UH1Q8SWJMV&keywords=ken+leong+zen+jesus&qid=1671436020&sprefix=ken+leong+zen+jesus%2Caps%2C243&sr=8-1-fkmr1You can find out more about or purchase Deborah Driggs's book, "Son of a Basque" here: https://www.amazon.com/Basque-Mark-Arrieta-Deborah-Driggs/dp/1955862044/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=son+of+basque+deborah+driggs&qid=1671435822&sprefix=%2Caps%2C268&sr=8-1If you enjoy the Zen Sammich podcast, consider making a one time donation of any amount through Red Circle (click the link) or becoming a supporter of the show for as little as $3 at patreon.com/zensammich (direct link not available, please copy and paste the URL).Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zen-sammich/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It's the last BA Brew of 2022 and this one's incredibly inspiring. Coach, speaker, psychotherapist and mental health consultant Petra Velzeboer shares her extraordinary story and talks to the Brew Crew about looking after our mental wellbeing and how we can ‘check in' with friends, family and colleagues. Topics covered include: Growing up in a religious cult; the recent rise in depression and anxiety; connection and a sense of belonging; taking small steps out of your comfort zone; setting boundaries; habit stacking; reflection vs. rumination; normalising talking about mental health; the work-life balance and much more. Petra's new book Begin with You: Invest in Your Mental Health and Satisfaction at Work is available for pre-order on Amazon. Mike Williams mentions VMOST. You can find a Business Alchemist's blog which mentions this technique here. You can find the NHS list of emergency mental health helplines here. AssistKD provides training, apprenticeships and consultancy services throughout the UK and internationally. Click here to view AssistKD's extensive choice of classroom (virtual and face-to-face) and e-learning courses.

This week, Andrew and Theo sit down with Petra Velzeboer, founder and CEO of mental health consultancy PVL. In a candid and ultimately uplifting conversation, Petra discusses her experiences of being born into and growing up in a religious cult, her battle with alcoholism and eventual sobriety, plus her unique approach to improving people's mental health. Also, should the under-30s be allowed to get married and should we celebrate birthdays? Theo thinks not, but what's Petra and Andrew's opinion?You can now get in touch with the show...team@podcastworld.orgwww.Vialucci.com@vialuccimediaThis show is Part of the PodcastWorld.org networkAudio & Visual Production by David Kurzer & Kerem Isik Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introduction: Petra Velzeboer is a renowned mental health expert, TEDx speaker and CEO of Mental Health Consultancy, PVL. Petra was born and raised in the infamous Children of God cult, conditioned to believe she was born to save the world. Having escaped that world, she now talks to audiences about her ultimate rock bottom and her subsequent transformation leading her to found a flourishing mental health business. Petra is a psychotherapist with an MSc in Psychodynamics of human development and is a qualified ORSC & CTI Certified Coach. Petra lives by her values of lightness, bravery and responsibility    Podcast Episode Summary This episode explores the value of Mental Health at Work. Petra shares what it takes to build an environment where Mental Health is valued and discussed. She shares her vision of a world where every organisation can be the rising tide that lifts and sustains mental health for every employee. Bizarrely the Pandemic has helped shift the awareness & importance of this topic and also helped bust the misconception that by talking about Mental Health the floodgates will be opened and work will suffer. The opposite is true.    Points made over the episode Petra shares her journey starting with her birth in a cult, her escape and demise into addiction and battle with depression and her subsequent transformation leading her to found a flourishing mental health business.  Many people, including this host, held the view that Mental Health was really a misnomer for Mental illness. Petra shares the Mental Health Continuum where Mental Health, thriving and excelling is at one end of the Spectrum and crisis and struggle is at the other with surviving in the middle.  Thriving and excelling is informed by positive psychology.  Sean Achor talks about organisations falling into the trap of providing Mental Health weeks where only illness is discussed. We can however develop a whole other narrative where Mental Wellness, meaning thriving and excelling is discussed.  The environment where mental health can thrive is one which is open, where emotions are acknowledged and welcomed, creating a space where we can talk about our mental health openly.  Leaders need additional training and skills to deal with the whole person, not just the tasks necessary to succeed.  Evidence suggests that paying attention to this topic will support talent retention  Leaders could employ classic skills like empathy and active listening.  They could do well by modelling.  Leaders could be so much more compelling if they talked about how they safeguard their own mental health rather than simply telling others to manage their boundaries.  Can we get comfortable asking leaders how they protect their mental health and how they share this information with others.  This provides a bridge for people where they can feel they have permission to invest in their mental health.  A powerful approach is storytelling. Intent evolves over time. Education, experience and the space for people to be fully themselves helps cultivate an environment of Mental Wellness.  Petra sees a lot of fear on teams. The fight or flight reaction on teams is prevalent especially after the Pandemic. It is hard to be empathetic if we are in survival mode.  Petra also sees conflict and polarisation on teams. There is a nervousness to be open and to share feelings, believing erroneously that a pandoras box will be opened.  It is important to name fears.  The conflict in Ukraine is activating a myriad of emotions and often leaving us feeling bereft and hopeless. Important to check your news intake. Have a conscious relationship with the news.  Remember Victor Frankl and his book Man's Search for Meaning, that despite the horrendous conditions he endured in the Holocaust and the things that were denied to him he lamented that his captors could not take away his ability to respond and the attitude he adopted with respect to his situation.  This wisdom sounds incredibly simple but it takes practice.  The Pandemic has opened minds about mental health even if some teams are still cynical and believe this discourse is a tick box exercise to complete.  Asia and parts of Europe are now where the UK was 10 years ago in appreciating the value of Mental Health at work.  Petra shares a client story about implementing an integrated approach to Mental Health across an entire global concern.  “Mental Health is everything” and research says so. Thriving at Work report by the UK, Business in the Community and the WHO workplace recommendations all point to the crucial links between mental health and business success.  There is lots of passion at the top for this work. 1/4 people have experiences of this topic -much more work to be done.  Psychological Safety on Teams, research by Google (Project Aristotle in 2014) is one of the top principles supporting success on teams  Petra shares several ways she incorporates Psychological Safety in her teams  Lightness and fun are key elements supporting Mental health We need to normalise Mental Health and our vulnerabilities.  We could consider a few practices to shift our relationship with Mental Health including practices to complete the stress cycle such as a 20 second hug, connecting with our somatic selves instead of only relying on our thinking brains.  Consider for example having a walking meeting.  Remember language creates meaning so be careful the language we use. Instead of pathologizing people recommend brave acts. We can use language that is too intellectual making it elitist and alien to many.  A lot of trauma research shares that trauma sits in our body 3 Tips to conclude  Knowledge is important around mental health and work can be a protective sanctuary. How can we create work environments where people want to show up and thrive. Have conversations on teams about how we work and not just about the work  Create space to connect, use check ins, downtime in chunks of time and walking meetings  Positive Accountability ask “how will you complete your stress cycle”    Resources shared  www.petravelzeboer.com  Viktor Frankl: Man's search for Meaning  Thriving at Work: a review of mental health and employers -GOV.UK What Google Learned From Its Quest to Build the Perfect Team(published 2016)www.nytimes.com  www.who.int 

Petra Velzeboer grew up in a religious cult. So she has gotten over a lot to get to where she is, but its fair to say that she understands what bad leadership is.With her alternative view on life, Petra's approach to business is inspiring. We talk about her journey, we talk about leaders needing to remain vulnerable. We talk about lock down and how someone who spent her life preparing for the end of the world reacted. And we talk about Petra's passion - mental health, and the need to work on it at all times, not just trying to fix things when they are "broken".  I'm doing this to keep me being awesome. Be open about working for yourself. Mental health doesn't have to be crisis management. If you want to talk to an expert about mental health in your work place, check out Petra on:https://www.petravelzeboer.com/ Follow Petra on Instagram https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/-------------------------------------------------------------------------- SponsorsNewton's Nuggets membership with otherwise unreleased footage, special gifts and more.https://www.patreon.com/newtonsnuggets Become a sponsor of the show: https://www.newtonsnuggets.com/sponsorship -------------------------------------------------------------------------- To be a guest on nuggets, sign up here: https://www.newtonsnuggets.com/guest Buy the MentalTheft book from here in the UK:https://www.amazon.co.uk/MentalTheft-Your-mind-weakest-link/dp/1838254102 Anywhere else in the world, go to Amazon as usual and search MentalTheft (one word).Thanks as usual to Jesse for making the magic happen:https://www.jlawrence-photography.co.uk Check out Paul on: https://www.mentaltheft.co.uk#newtonsnuggets

The StclairSpeaksShow Podcast with Guest Petra VelzeboerIn this episode of The StclairSpeaksShow Podcast, Yahavy is with Petra Velzeboer. They talk about investing in yourself and creating a culture of support. Mental health strategies, living the life that you want, the importance of social media detox and so much more.[1:32] Who is Petra Velzeboer and what brought her to where she is today?[3:35] Making the uncomfortable comfortable.[5:23] Investing in yourself. and creating a culture of support.[10:41] Her mission statement.[14:22] Mental health and work environment.[16:42] Mental health strategy.[20:04] Three ways to live the life you want.[27:21] Building trust with your team.[29:39] Leadership and mental health.[33:45] Recovering from burnout.[42:58] Blocking the noise from the outside world.[47:26] The importance of social media detox.https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/Link to video interview https://youtu.be/Ckv1vHHtIZ8 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week, Lucinda talks to mental health consultant and psychotherapist, Petra Velzeboer, about the practical and relevant topic of how we can create healthy workspaces through bringing our mental health strategy to life via behaviours, leadership and other methods. KEY TAKEAWAYS Toxicity can manifest itself in many ways, such as rules and leadership styles, and can affect how comfortable people are in bringing their full selves to work. Far too often, we only approach mental health issues when a crisis has already surfaced. However, mental health issues affect everybody at all times, and the strategies should be something we are constantly maintaining. The first step in creating a truly inclusive atmosphere in the workplace, is to make sure that all departments are communicating effectively. The strategy must be a holistic one. We should not be on the look out for signs and symptoms all the time. We must not confuse a "Wellness Week" with a "Sickness Week". Look for ways to reinforce positive psychology. BEST MOMENTS 'There are weird similarities between a cult environment and a toxic workplace' 'Mental health is about everybody' 'How do we align all of this and bring it all together?' 'What about talking about thriving, connection, belonging?' VALUABLE RESOURCES The HR Uprising Podcast | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher   The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group How to Prioritise Self-Care (The HR Uprising) How To Be A Change Superhero - by Lucinda Carney HR Uprising Mastermind - https://hruprising.com/mastermind/   www.changesuperhero.com www.hruprising.com          Petra Velzeboer - https://www.petravelzeboer.com About The Guest Petra is a renowned mental health expert, TedX speaker and CEO of mental health consultancy, PVL. She captures, surprises, and inspires audiences with her incredible story of transforming adversity into advantage, and challenges them to take responsibility for their mental health.  Petra is a psychotherapist with an MSc in Psychodynamics of Human Development and is a qualified ORSC & CTI Certified Coach. She speaks around the globe and virtually on a variety of topics relating to mental health including Resilience, stress management and burnout prevention Leadership & psychological safety for healthy teams Wellbeing through change and uncertainty  Parenting and young people's mental health Instagram- @petra.velzeboer  Linkedln- @petravelzeboer ABOUT THE HOST Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up' together. “If you look up, you rise up” CONTACT METHOD Join the LinkedIn community - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/ Email: Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/ Twitter: @lucindacarney Instagram: @hruprising Facebook: @hruprising See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week were talking bravery with CEO, Psychotherapist and TEDx Speaker Petra Velzeboer. Who shares the personal experience of escaping an environment she was born into and lessons we can all learn in finding manageable progress through hardship. Give Wild deodorant a try at 20% off with code ‘MENTAL20' at https://wearewild.com/ Here we go! Mental is the brain-child of Bobby Temps, who lives and thrives while managing his own mental health. Each Thursday we delve into a factor or condition that affects the mind and how to better manage it. You can now join our Subsription on Apple Podcasts to support the show and get new episodes ad free… Petition to 'Get Mental Health Education on the School Curriculum' - Join us at bit.ly/MentalPetition Join the movement on: Facebook, Twitter & Instagram We also have a very blue website with loads of great resources HERE

Born and raised in the infamous “Children of God” cult, Petra Velzeboer these days is a successful CEO, a TEDx speaker, and a mental health consultant for businesses. It was not a straight line path, of course, to go from one to the other.Along the way, she battled the psychological trauma of going beyond her upbringing, alcoholism, and suicidal thoughts. Her story is a fascinating journey of bravery, daring to dream, experimentation, and ultimately triumph.Find out more Petra's business and follow her at:https://www.petravelzeboer.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/If you like this episode or any other, consider supporting the show with a one time donation (even for just a buck!) or by becoming a supporter with a $3 contribution at patreon.com/zensammich. If you become a patron at any level, you will receive a handmade (on traditional Japanese paper), personalized postcard from the show and get a shoutout on a future episode.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zen-sammich/donations

Meet Petra Velzeboer.  From rock bottom to mental health leader.  Hear her tell in her own words how she went from what could have been the end of her life, to leading not only a prosperous life herself but blazing the trail for mental health in the workplace.  Leaving the Children of God, pregnant and penniless,  Petra tells us her gripping story of survival and success.  After being denied a basic education as a child, she entered a Masters program and earned a degree.  Something she thought she could never do.  Her own life difficulties inspired her to want to help others, and she created a company to help with mental health support in the workplace.  Learn more at www.petravelzeboer.comSupport the show (https://paypal.me/butterfliesandbraver?locale.x=en_US)

I chat to Mental Health Consultant, TEDx speaker and CEO of PVL, Petra Velzeboer, about companies, cults, communities, and why loneliness is like being punched in the face (scientifically speaking). Go watch Petra's TEDx talk, and follow her on LinkedIn. You can also check out the PVL website here. Come and link up with me on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn, and take a look at the Fit Body • Fit Mind website too. Register for my FREE webinar - 'Level Up Your People' Plus, my book, 'Fit Body Fit Mind', is available on Amazon... go grab a copy NOW!

In this episode I had a wonderful chat with the amazing human Petra about her journey with mental health. Petra and I discussed her growing up in a Religious Cult, struggling with Alcohol and almost giving up on life. We also discussed the amazing transformation in Petra's life that has brought her to the place she is now as the CEO of Petra Velzeboer Ltd, helping organisations lift and sustain mental health for every employee, their families, and their communities. https://petravelzeboer.com/

Super excited to have this conversation with David Allard, Part of the Petra Velzeboer team , David is now retired but has a wealth of experience as a CEO of a financial services organisation. David shares with me his approach to mental health in the workplace and how CEOs can champion the cause , leading by example, creating the correct environment and promoting the correct culture amongst their workforce. We discuss topics such as The importance of recruiting correctly Values An entitled generation? The need for patience Promoting open communication Recognising the signs as a leader Introducing fun & lightness to the workplace Developing a mental health strategy The bottom line Adapting to retirement Self-Care The future of the workplace The pressure of being positive as a leader / Choosing how to show up Connect with on Linkedin and join the conversation at Petra Velzeboer Ltd.

On this episode of Love It or Leave it Samantha Clarke interviews Petra Velzeboer. Petra is a mental health consultant, working with businesses in a learning and development capacity. Supporting them to think about mental health, emotional health and the wellbeing of their people.   “When you practice bravery on a daily basis, or yearly basis. Courage, whatever that looks like, it’s a muscle that can be developed over time. I truly believe that.” Petra   Timestamps:   3.47 - Discover what excites Petra about mental health 5.52 - Petra discusses the barriers she finds when talking about mental health in companies 8.20 - How do companies start to work with a mental health expert like Petra? 11.43 - Find out what Petra has learnt that she is using within her own team culture 14.06 - Hear Petra’s advice for checking in on people’s mental health in this time of remote working 16.57 - Petra reveals the journey from working with clients to corporates 25.36 - How does somebody find that motivation to be brave? 30.23 - Find out what Petra thinks we should Love or Leave behind   Resources: (books, products, websites, other podcasts) >>>Read Samantha Clarke's book - Love It Or Leave It: How to Be Happy at Work >>>Listen to Petra’s podcast – Adversity to Advantage   Connect with Petra Velzeboer >>>Watch Petra’s content on YouTube >>>Follow Petra on Twitter >>>Visit Petra’s website >>>Connect with Petra on LinkedIn 
 Connect with Samantha Clarke:   >>>Connect with Samantha on Instagram >>>Connect with Samantha on Twitter >>>Come and visit Samantha’s website

Two women meet for the first time to share their journeys from brokenness and despair to where both say they can find the good as well as the bad in their past. Both were born into the Children of God cult which began as an idealistic movement to change the world, but became known for its sexual exploitation including child abuse and paedophilia. Petra Velzeboer is of Dutch extraction but lived in cult missions around the world before leaving the community with alcohol addiction, no formal education and no clear direction of where to go. She lives in London with her two children, while Dawn Watson, who grew up in cults across Brazil, still lives in South America. Both are now successful businesswomen. Without glossing over the horrors of the past, they examine with each other what drives them and agree that speaking out has helped them to heal. They also challenge the #MeToo campaign for continuing to see victims as victims rather than empowering them. The conversation gets away from binaries of good and bad, looks forward and not back - examining the strength of self-preservation and how vulnerability can become the birthplace of love, trust, intimacy and courage - the very things that bring meaning and joy to life. An Overtone production for BBC Radio 4

Note: This is an audio recording of a special edition wellbeing webinar in our series of webinars covering the business challenges presented by the COVID-19 outbreak. To watch the webinar on demand and access the resource materials, please visit our dedicated COVID-19: Webinar Series (Global) page.This episode looks at how we adapt to the impact of Coronavirus – longer periods of remote working, reduced physical and social contact with others and increasing uncertainty bring new opportunities, and unintended consequences for us as individuals and as teams in relation to culture, productivity and engagement. We are joined by Petra Velzeboer, psychotherapist and leading mental health consultant. Proactively looking after our wellbeing, and that of those around us is increasingly important.Among other things, we consider key questions, including in relation to:  Leadership and management strategies in response to stress;The importance of developing a positive mindset;Recommendations for improving our wellbeing and those of our teams; andSharing experiences and case examples of successful approaches.This episode is chaired by Chris Parsons, partner and Chairman of Herbert Smith Freehills' India practice, and a staunch advocate for mental health and wellbeing.

International Keynote Speaker, Mental Health Consultant, Psychotherapist, Executive Coach, Podcast Host, Training Provider. Raised in a cult, Petra’s story is one of courage in the face of adversity. She believes if we utilise empathy and generate human connection at work we can create mentally healthy workplaces and enhance productivity.Petra Velzeboerwas born into the infamous Children of God cult where she was raised with the pressure of saving the world, with no formal education to speak of or resources on how to make it in the outside world. At 22 she moved to the UK pregnant, isolated from her family and support groups she tried as best she could to just be normal and fit into life on the outside. At 25, with 2 children and a boyfriend who went out to work, she experienced chronic isolation, depression and sank into alcohol dependence leading to suicidal ideation and destructive behaviours. There was a moment in time when she realised she had a choice. She could either end everything now or she could give herself a deadline to figure out if there was a way to be happy and fulfilled in life. She gave herself a secret deadline of one year to figure it out. She utilised this time to observe people, read and begin her education as a psychotherapist. She experimented on her own life in every form imaginable from exercise, learning, meditation, joining support groups, asking people questions, attending events and practicing everything she learned on herself. After the year past she realised everything wasn’t perfect but she no longer wanted to end it all and in 2012 she completed her MSc in Psychodynamics of Human Development. The girl who had no education had achieved something she never thought she could. Her career has spanned working with young offenders, with mental health charity’s such as Young Minds, working as Clinical Director of an EAP and running her own practice since 2009. She now runs a thriving Mental Health consultancy which includes training leaders in mental health awareness, advising organisations on their mental health strategy, executive coaching for leaders wanting to create healthy workplaces and giving keynotes on mental health, authenticity and creating the best place to work.Petra knows that the world of work is changing and organisations who are ahead of the curve in mental health innovation, retain staff, avoid long term absences, create safer places to work and are ultimately more productive environments. Petra hosts two podcasts covering the topics of resilience, mindset and mental health: Adversity to Advantage https://apple.co/2JbXEu7Spotify’s Killing It: Adventures in Startups and Mental Health https://spoti.fi/2PlnXngWebsite:https://petravelzeboer.com/Support us on Patreon: www.Patreon.com/12minconvosListen to another #12minconvo

Note: This is an audio recording of the eighth webinar in our series of webinars covering the business challenges presented by the COVID-19 outbreak. To watch the webinar on demand and access the resource materials, please visit our dedicated COVID-19: Webinar Series (Global) page https://www.herbertsmithfreehills.com/latest-thinking/covid-19-webinar-series-global This episode looks at how we adapt to the impact of Coronavirus – longer periods of remote working, reduced physical and social contact with others and increasing uncertainty bring new opportunities, and unintended consequences for us as individuals and as teams in relation to culture, productivity and engagement. We are joined by Petra Velzeboer, psychotherapist and leading mental health consultant. Proactively looking after our wellbeing, and that of those around us is increasingly important. Among other things, we consider key questions, including in relation to: - Leadership and management strategies in response to stress; - The importance of developing a positive mindset; - Recommendations for improving our wellbeing and those of our teams; and - Sharing experiences and case examples of successful approaches. This episode is chaired by Chris Parsons, partner and Chairman of Herbert Smith Freehills' India practice, and a staunch advocate for mental health and wellbeing.

Petra Velzeboer considered taking her life. But then, she engaged in a one-year personal experiment that led to a life she is proud to live. Petra Velzeboer was raised in the Children of God cult. By the time she left, she was an adult with no formal education. As she entered life outside the cult, her life was complicated. She was a mom, stuck at home with two children, unable to work. She learned to avoid, distract, and numb herself with alcohol. Then she hit rock bottom. She awoke one morning. Petra wanted to end her life. “I thought if I just disappeared then all the pain would disappear too,” she says. But then, she made a choice. “I put off ending my life for one year. I decided to spend that year observing, researching, and imitating what seemed to be working for others.” She didn’t know where to start. “I had 2 young children, barely any education and a childhood that did not prepare me for life in the real world.” Her first step was admitting to herself and the people around her that she needed help. She gave up alcohol. That was a good step toward regaining control of her life. Unfortunately, it also left her feeling raw. She struggled to deal with her pain. Over the next year, one day at a time, one decision at a time, she built her resilience. “I experienced moments of happiness and true connection,” she says, “which helped me want to live.” At the end of her one-year experiment, she no longer wanted to end her life. “Since then I have worked with people from all over the globe. I help them to empower themselves and others to improve their mental health.” Her podcast, Adversity to Advantage, explores stories from people who have succeeded in the face of adversity. She just published her 130th episode. Today, she is a Mental Health consultant, psychotherapist, and coach. She works with individuals and businesses looking to improve their mental health to sustain success. In this episode of Thrive. Connect. Contribute, we discuss: The role of hope in building resilience. The importance of empathy and human connect. Growth Mindset. The importance of acceptance. Finding meaning in every situation. And the importance of right-sizing problems. Learn More About Petra Velzeboer: Petra Velzeboer website: https://petravelzeboer.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/Twitter: https://twitter.com/PetraVelzeboer

Petra Velzeboer is a therapist, facilitator and executive coach. Through depression, anxiety, alcohol dependence and suicidal thoughts she reached her rock bottom at 25 and decided she had a choice: to learn how to truly live or to end her life now. Over a decade of experimenting on strategies for success and learning everything about mindset and psychology, her life is 100% different than what it might have been! Her goal is to teach others who are near their rock bottom, to help them learn the fast track for improving their lives! Petra and Adversity to Advantage Connect on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/) Adversity to Advatange Podcast (https://open.spotify.com/show/3aeOVpgH3FPcEGnbB9QVLl?si=vyUccu6pRhuwzcPjJykQAg) Listen Notes (https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/adversity-to-advantage-by-petra-velzeboer-eaO362gizp_/) Website (http://petravelzeboer.com/podcast) Twitter (https://twitter.com/PetraVelzeboer) ABOUT THE HOST My name is Sam Harris. I am a British entrepreneur, investor and explorer. From hitchhiking across Kazakstan to programming AI doctors I am always pushing myself in the spirit of curiosity and Growth. My background is in Biology and Psychology with a passion for improving the world and human behaviour. I have built and sold companies from an early age and love coming up with unique ways to make life more enjoyable and meaningful. Sam: Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/samjamsnaps/) Quora (https://www.quora.com/profile/Sam-Harris-58) Twitter (https://twitter.com/samharristweets) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharris48/) Sam's blog - SamWebsterHarris.com (https://samwebsterharris.com/) Support the Show - Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/growthmindset) Episode Summary We go deep on the topic of a growth mindset: what it means, how building a growth mindset can essentially solve all your problems and the tricky situations. Sam found himself in which allowed him to practice these ideas. Sam shares how he’s learned to make good out of any situation by embracing fear! We discuss: Developing a Growth Mindset The journey to becoming an entrepreneur How to get excited by your FEAR Showing up and coping with negative experiences The effect of relentless action on our mental health Habits & Practices to continue Growth Mindset Setting your mindset up for growth Everyone has the ability to learn any skill through hard work and perseverance, it really boils down to your mindset. Fear stops us from challenging ourselves. Crisis & trauma can sometimes be the catalyst for something better! Top Tips Don't be so Afraid of Failure Survive, Don't Fall Apart and Life Goes On Resilience. It’s the secret ingredient to success. If you can figure out how to stay the course and get back in the game after failure, you’ll go places and you’ll make the difference you were intended to make. If you are going places, failure is just part of the deal, but that’s ok. You can fix failure. You can’t fix the things you never tried. You can’t undo those things you never attempted in the first place. If you stop trying, you’ll always wonder about what could have been. That kind of regret is a heavy burden that a lot of people will bear because they played it safe, or maybe even failed a time or two and gave up. Skill Breaks We are living in a time when we do most of our work using our minds. We sit in front of computers to develop ideas and create stuff with our minds. The more new things you try, the more active your brain will be. Even if you suck at something, the experience of learning and trying it out will still develop your mind. Plan to learn a new skill every year. Pick up playing an instrument every year. Spend time learning this instrument like this will be something that you’re going to play for the rest of your life. The next year learn to play a new sport. Something that you’ve never tried before. This will both improve your muscles and your mind. Embrace the Things that Scares You "An individual develops courage by doing courageous acts" — Aristotle Fear is a bully. It tells you what to do, and when you obey it, it gains power. However, when you acknowledge what fear tells you but do the opposite, you build courage. The most effective, scientific approach to eliminating fear is to systematically expose yourself to the thing that scares you, starting small and building tolerance as you work your way up. The more you face fear down, the more control you have. Once we understand that, we can systematically expose ourselves to the things that scare us, and in that way, propel ourselves forward. Subscribe! If you enjoyed the podcast please subscribe and rate it. And of course, share with your friends! Special Guests: Petra Velzeboer and Sam Harris.

Petra was raised in a religious cult and was brought up in a way to always put others first, live by a group mentality, have no access to formal education and ultimately be told that herself and others her age, were being groomed to save the world - because these things are never black and white, it gave her both the worst start in life and the best. She had access to countries, people and a beautiful blended sibling group. This also brainwashed her and often lead to an intense punishment if she didn't adhere to the rules. She had learned to numb her pain and fear but life became difficult so instead of facing it, she avoided, numbed and distracted herself. The simple act of speaking her truth out loud helped her overcome the shame that keeps most people nowadays suffering much longer than they really need to. In this episode, Petra shares her story of how she left this cult lifestyle and mentality to this now more confident and brave soul but quickly found herself living this double life in London. She shares many tips on how to take Action without over-thinking things and gain the courage to shift your life from adversity to advantage. 

Ainsley Harriott found fame as a chef on Ready Steady Cook, which he went on to present for ten years. He has since presented cookery programmes both here and in America and has sold over two million recipe books worldwide. In his latest book, Ainsley’s Caribbean Kitchen, he explores the way that the different historical and cultural influences on the Caribbean islands have created a diverse and varied cuisine. He joins Richard and Aasmah. They are also joined by Petra Velzeboer who was born into The Children of God group. Petra cut ties with The Children of God when she became pregnant by a non-member at 23. Once Petra was outside, she initially struggled with alcoholism and serious mental health problems but she now has received a Master's degree, runs a successful business as a therapist and hosts a podcast in which she speaks with people who have overcome mental health issues. And Ella Dove was 25 when she went for a jog with her sister on a quiet Sunday morning. She fell badly and assumed that she had broken her leg but was shocked to discover she had fractured her knee so badly that she would need to have her leg amputated. After months recovering from the operation in a wheelchair at her parents’ house, Ella finally was able to move back to her flat in London and resume her job as a journalist at women’s magazines. She is now publishing her first novel, Five Steps to Happy, about a young woman struggling to come to terms with a serious injury. Producer: Laura Northedge Editor: Richard Hooper

Petra Velzeboer, mental health consultant, psychotherapist, coach, business owner. Raised in a cult and turned things around. Sharing her experiences of anxiety, panic and intrusive thoughts, both personally and professionally 0.50 Shares her experiences of growing up in a cult 2.25 Guilt & shame attached to anxiety and obsessive or intrusive thoughts 3.40 How open conversations & sharing your thoughts earlier can help you to recognise negative thought patterns 5.55 Coping strategies and managing panic attacks, anxiety and OCD toolkit 8.53 Preventative and crisis moment interventions 10.20 Breathing technique practices in a crisis 12.50 Situational anxiety and triggers, building mental muscles 16.15 Self awareness indulgence and connection 18.02 Mental Health First Aiders and improving access to treatment- help or hinderance? 24.03 Recommendations to overcome anxiety, panic and OCD for individuals and organisations

Petra Velzeboer is a mental health consultant, executive coach and podcaster. She has a radical 'no BS' approach to mental health and isn't afraid to come out with some hard hitting facts of life. She has a challenging personal story from being raised in a cult which she broke out of to then fall into alcohol abuse and motherhood. Her tale of turning herself around to get her qualifications and become a shining beacon of inspiration and advice to others is amazing. She is a true advocate of the Growth Mindset and an absolute legend. On the show we go through her dark history and the amazing challenges she overcame. But it is not a perfect wonder story and we both reflect on our own current challenges instead of pretending we have arrived at this Nirvana of knowing everything and being happy which too many people pretend. This is a hard hitting episode with lots of insights and tips for really being true to yourself, taking accountability and becoming the person you should be. Petra Connect on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/) Adversity to Advantage Podcast (http://petravelzeboer.com/podcast) Website (http://petravelzeboer.com/) Twitter (https://twitter.com/PetraVelzeboer) ABOUT THE HOST My name is Sam Harris. I am a British entrepreneur, investor and explorer. From hitchhiking across Kazakstan to programming AI doctors I am always pushing myself in the spirit of curiosity and Growth. My background is in Biology and Psychology with a passion for improving the world and human behaviour. I have built and sold companies from an early age and love coming up with unique ways to make life more enjoyable and meaningful. Sam: Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/samjamsnaps/) Quora (https://www.quora.com/profile/Sam-Harris-58) Twitter (https://twitter.com/samharristweets) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharris48/) Sam's blog - SamWebsterHarris.com (https://samwebsterharris.com/) Support the Show - Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/growthmindset) TOP TIPS THE BEST REVENGE IS LIVING A GOOD LIFE Revenge isn’t about punishing others or comparing yourself. It is simply about finding happiness and success for yourself regardless. The worst thing you can do is punish yourself as an act of defiance and to hopefully make someone else’s life worse. Look at the bigger picture and don’t caught up in the moment and just seek to improve yourself. YOU CAN TURN ANYTHING AROUND With everything in life going against her Petra was able to completely turn her life around by following her interests. She got through one of the worst periods in her life by making one commitment and sticking with it and then adding more things and it turned into the blossoming career she has today. Even your darkest moments can be the inspiration to create a life you love USE SPEAKING AGENTS Want to grow your personal brand and do more public speaking. Don’t just do things in halves. List with as many as possible and get yourself out there! They all have different contacts and the more you are with the more bookings you’ll get. Bonus Go and meet every agent you might sign with first. Put a face to the name and help them get to know your brand. NOTES 1:30 - MENTAL HEALTH CONSULTANT WHAT IS THAT? coaching CEO’s and VPs so it can be coaching but also relationships. Mainly go into companies to help their strategy on a mental health perspective 2:40 - Are there any common themes between business Work with many different business, always humans so fundamentally it is all quite similar 3:35 - what are the common mental health problems in startups? Systems and structure that is needed as you scale up often fails. Managers need more empowerment to talk openly and honestly about mental health 5:30 - Bigger companies have more issues Old school companies have more issues due to things being in place for a long time. But as new companies are innovating on best practices older companies are starting to catch up. 7:10 - How did you get into this position Well my success came from 12 years of working super hard in the area. But I started from a weird place of being raised in a religious cult and then suffering from alcohol addiction and abuse. After nearly dying I developed a bit more of a nothing matter attitude so I’m very quick to jump right to the heart of the problem and don’t BS around the topic. I’m happy to confront a CEO with their biggest problem and tell them they’re doing things wrong. I am just facinated in the area and it kind of happened with me following my curiousity and one thing leading to another. 9:00 - Have you always been fascinated in mental health problems or did it spark from solving your own problems first? Ironically I was in some of the darkest moments of my own life whilst studying to be a psychotherapist. There was definitely a deep drive to fix my own problems and survive and became addicted to learning. 10:00 - So how did you learn the profession exactly? Initially I did a one day a week class whilst I was still an alcoholic and I managed to just about keep it up despite feeling awful the entire day. I then took on a masters degree at night whilst I was working full time and raising my kids. So anyone who puts something off because they don’t have time is lying to themselves. I was really lucky to even get on the course, when I started I didn’t have a plan for how to pay for it but I just took the leap and worked it out as I went along 11:20 - How did you deal with addiction and getting out of it? I went to Alcoholics anonymous which definitely saved me and it was essential for the first two years. But it is also really cult-like and I am hyper sensitive to cults after being raised in one so I was happy to leave once I was strong enough. I don’t want to give up my power and control in the long term. In the short term it was great to have people around to talk to and release my problems. It was great to admit I just really needed a drink right now, but once it was out there it suddenly felt easier to deal with. After I was stronger I found AA limiting being around others who were complaining about their problems and needing to drink etc… and was actually unhealthy for me. So I tried to build a network of people that lift me up. 13:45 - Sounds like a very mindful process to realise the moments when you need a drink and intervene Yes I really needed that ability to call someone when I had an urge. I also really relied on a 3 minute meditation after every urge to stop and think mindfully about why I shouldn’t do it. I must have listened a million times. Any time I had a slight level of cortisol increase I would need it. 15:05 - So what does being raised in a cult mean? it sounds black and white but it was all shades of grey. Lots of hippie communes and travelling to events and classes. It has a lot of similarities to organisations as they grow, it takes one toxic person to suddenly change the entire atmosphere. There is a weird brainwashing feedback loop where If you agree with the group you get rewarded and promoted and more privileges. If you try to change the trend at all you are ostracised and told your a bad person. Because you have no money and rely on the group and have nowhere to go you. This reinforces the idea that they are right and if you leave god will punish you. For all my generation in the cult we had major trauma around being unable to build a life outside the cult or knowing what to do 18:00 - Did you keep in touch with other members then? It took a few years to be completely isolated from that way of thinking to build my opinions. I really needed a growth mindset to become a different person first to then talk with them all about the experience and how bad it was without feeling like I still needed it. Take responsibility for myself first 19:00 - Taking responsibility is always a good step to get out of the victim mindset I’ve really started to focus on this and so many people that go through worse stuff and find. There is never a good reason to feel like a victim when you can take ownership. This is the point of my podcast 20:10 - Breaking through adversity is a really good topic. How did you first select the theme and start the podcast? I guess I was listening to a lot of podcasts and always wanted to be a radio host when I was young. I thought about what I really needed to hear when I was in my problems but also can I satisfy my curiosity and learn at the same time. So even if no-one listens I will still enjoy it. Then the first few episodes really helped me. Since then I’ve good periods and bad periods and learn what works. 23:30 - So what were your biggest lessons I guess it sometimes felt like just work and occasionally even I would be bored. So now I have a priming conversation to get connected and work out their direction and theme we can focus on for the podcast. 24:00 - What’s your favourite question to ask people? I like knowing what challenges they are facing now and their general practices. people saying it used to be bad and now it’s perfect is just wrong. 25:45 - So what are your big challenges currently? I’m taking on a lot of public speaking which is quite scary and difficult but it’s really helping me grow and it’s a challenge I like to have. I also have two teenagers which I share with my ex-husband half the week. coming to terms with his new wife is not easy. I’m defining my no BS approach to mental health and building a course for it which is also a challenge I’m taking on. 27:30 - How about writing a book I spoke to a publisher and really want to do this also. So I will definitely try and do this. 27:50 - How did you start a public speaking career I hustled a lot. I worked helping kids where I wasn’t needed but I kept on showing up. I took every opportunity to speak at meet ups and and consistently showing up. I made tonnes of mistakes and had things go wrong but I just keep going and it gets better. The world doesn’t end when i mess up on stage and I just carry on. Then I’m really good at finding mentors. If you find people who have done it and ask for help then you can really open up a lot of opportunities. Do what they tell you to do and then they’ll help you more. 30:30 - So did you stick with just one agency Definitely register on as many as possible. They all have different connections and have different things that work better or worse for your type of content. And go to the agency and show up and show them why your type of content is important and how it can be funny. When they know your personality they know how to sell you. 31:00 - Most important tip One rejection does not mean you are not on the right path, it just means you might not be right for that person or it happens to be the wrong time of the day etc.. Keep on trying and showing up! So many people give up, if you believe just do it anyway 31:30 - What do you see in the future of mental health? There will be a framework that companies need to align with to prove they are doing all the right things to ensure good mental health. Companies will be competitive to provide the best mental health. Young people want to work for companies of purpose and have great satisfaction and wellbeing in what they do 33:30 - what do you do now for you mental health I’m trying the 5am club. the victory hour when you start 20 mins exercise 20 mins goal setting 20 mins learning it basically means you are brainwashing yourself to be awesome and gives you and hour away from tech. then again in the evening writing your reflections: 3 things I’m grateful for 3 things to do that will make today a success 3 things i want to be today 35:40 - Whats the best advice you’ve been given “The best revenge is living a good life.” Instead of focussing on messing up your life or other peoples this flips it into a positive action to just go and be awesome. Then it also links to my other favourite quote. “It’s all your fault” Everything that happens is down to you. You have control to fix it or not. accept responsibility and then you can change it. Anything that happens now that goes wrong I can take on. People who always blame everything around them are going nowhere. 36:45 - What is the kindest thing someone did for you? Ex husband really helped me get through my worst problems at the time. He also presented many other problems but his consistent help was the most incredible thing when I needed it. 37:40 - Most vivid memory from childhood One of my family members getting consistently punished in front of everyone and not having a voice to be able to do anything about it. This really forced me to never not have a voice instead, I have always felt like a coward since for not doing something or saying ‘punish me instead’. This has propelled me into having a voice and empowering others to have a voice. 38:40 - let’s flip questioning. What scares Sam the most? Getting too comfortable with something that is quite successful and 90% there and seeking a new challenge when you haven’t really made the most of mastering the thing you are doing. You can get panicked by getting by being about to have a clear success which you need to commit to and jump to something else. Existential life worry around women. Any day it isn’t really a problem that affects me and I”m pretty happy doing my thing. But if I just plod through life and get to 90 without every having a wife to share my life with that seems like one of the most important sources of joy I am completely missing out on. 41:00 - Time to apply the overnight success philosophy to dating. take the rejections and put in the time. you get better at it. now I’m really good at the first three months but after that I hit issues. But you get better at communicating your problems early and having honest conversations true. but yes as a guy it does take a lot of work to just get two dates on tinder. I guess more in person things and get used to loads of rejections and try and get 5 girls numbers a day and be used to talking to new woman all the time and make statistics work in your favour. 41:45 - So what’s the writing Sam is doing and your big goals Too many things. Psychology and mindsets, business advice, life advice, meta lessons you can learn from stupid things like 50 shades of grey. And then meditation, there’s a whole book to be written on the crazy journey that happens in your brain during a 10 day Vipassana retreat that’s never really been told. It’s weird but Vipassana was actually really funny and the whole thing felt like a comedy show of your life and how hilariously stupid you are, it could be told in a really nice way. I love improving at things and working on my craft. I really hope to be able to reach people and improve their lives as well with my learnings. 44:45 - yea ten days of silent retreat sounds horrible I hate the idea of it. perhaps one day I’ll be brave enough. It will be worth it! Subscribe! If you enjoyed the podcast please subscribe and rate it. And of course, share with your friends! Special Guest: Petra Velzeboer.

Petra Velzeboer is an international keynote speaker, psychotherapist, mental health consultant, executive coach, and podcast host who is dedicated to helping others through developing empathy in the workplace to create stronger connections with our teammates and improve the productivity of our organizations. Petra’s own remarkable story is one of triumph in spite of the odds being stacked against her. Having been raised in a cult, Petra experienced a level of abuse and control that led her to develop addiction problems and ultimately consider suicide as her only way out. However, Petra was able to overcome these incredible challenges, conquer her addiction issues, and attain an education that was denied to her as a child growing up within a religious cult. Petra shares her powerful and inspiring story in an effort to help lift others up and promote kindness and compassion. She believes greatly that empathy, authenticity and connection are the keys to making the world a better place and to allow us, both individually and as a society, to achieve our full potential. — Inspiration, motivation and empathy can come from many sources. These sources can be uplifting stories of human love and compassion, or they can come from a darker place of overcoming the most difficult of life’s challenges. But, no matter the source, we can draw on these stories to lift ourselves up, inspire ourselves, and better understand ourselves and the world around us. I want to introduce you to Petra Velzeboer. Petra is a psychotherapist and mental health consultant, and she also works as an internationally respected keynote speaker and executive coach, as well as hosting her own podcast, Adversity to Advantage. Petra’s story is a remarkable tale of falling all the way to rock bottom and then climbing back up again through perseverance, willpower and hope. In this episode of the Absolute Advantage podcast, Petra shares her emotional story of growing up in a religious cult, being subjected to brainwashing and intense punishment, turning to substance abuse to deal with the internal hurt and turmoil, and eventually overcoming all of these obstacles to find true success and happiness. Petra’s story is deeply personal, powerful, and inspiring. Petra also discusses her role as a mental health professional and the vital importance of mental health and self-care as a leader. Ways to contact Petra Velzeboer: Website: www.petravelzeboer.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/

What comes up for you when you hear the word "trauma"? What kind of images do you see? What's it got to do with Social Cohesion? If you're curious, perhaps a good pre-cursor episode would be Mental Health and Social Cohesion with Petra Velzeboer. Turns out, trauma is very real, and very present. Everywhere.Female Empowerment guru, Angelena Lewis, talks through trauma, how it looks, how it feels and easily it spreads across the globe. She talks about the challenges, solutions and behaviours that are not so clear signs that demonstrate, in strong confidence, we are all traumatised.Angelena LewisInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/livinwarriors/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfgujQ5iq68N1PYIRWTwUIQWebsite: https://linktr.ee/livinfocusWesbite: www.1stnature.co.ukE-mail: 1stnaturecsm@gmail.comInstagram: @theonlyotherdanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-holley-social-cohesion/

What do you REALLY know about mental health? How do you know you're practicing mental health in the most effective way? What does a healthy mind look like? Social Cohesion would be a challenge to attain without looking at how we treat ourselves mentally.Mental Health expert, Petra Velzeboer, gives us the details on what it means to have a healthy mind, why it is so important, and what challenges we are all facing in the 21st century.Petra VelzeboerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/Website: http://petravelzeboer.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/PetraVelzeboerYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGjmPYT6_YYyeWpAqiT8kfgWesbite: www.1stnature.co.ukE-mail: 1stnaturecsm@gmail.comInstagram: @theonlyotherdanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-holley-social-cohesion/

Mental Health overall has been getting more visibility in main stream media and socially, now more than ever. The awareness continues to increase, and more and more people are understanding the importance of not only their physical health, but also their mental health.We don't always realize however, that our mental health at work is just as important as when we are outside of the office or job site. With the responsibilities of every day becoming more and more strenuous, we find ourselves with fewer and fewer opportunities to address our mental well being. There's a million and one things that pull us in a million and two directions every single day, which means that self care can go by the way side in favor of simply trying to make it through the day. Opening up and talking to someone; reaching out for help when the pressures of life become overwhelming, feels more like a luxury than a necessity. Or worse yet, feeling like asking for help is a sign of weakness, rather than self-awareness and strength.My colleague, friend, and fellow podcaster, Petra Velzeboer joins me on this episode of the podcast to talk about her work as a mental health business consultant, as and how using her own life experiences helps break down the walls in the workplace, and encourage employees to speak out about their own struggles and not be ashamed in asking for help.I also had the honor of being Petra's podcast, Adversity to Advantage, where I share some of my story of surviving and thriving after trauma. Give it a listen on her podcast website or your favorite podcasting app.Petra Velzeboer is a psychotherapist, living in London, as well as an executive coach, mental health consultant, speaker, and podcaster. Her expertise of mental health in the work place, allows her to travel abroad speaking to companies or all types, about the importance of addressing mental health within the company. By sharing some of her own story to help break the ice, she encourages employees from all walks of life to normalize the conversation of mental health in their lives.During our chat on the podcast, you'll learn how Petra was raised in a religious cult, where she experienced multiple types of abuse and public punishment. By the time she was able to leave and strike out on her own, she had no idea who she was, and how to survive in a world that was so foreign to her. The pressure was so great that she found herself nearly unable to function outside of that atmosphere, and this quickly lead to thoughts of ending her life.In a final effort to survive, she made a pact with herself to give it 1 year to figure things out and learn to live successfully like she saw others doing. This was the opportunity she needed, and during that time she learned and practiced mindfulness, living authentically, taking care of herself, and realizing her own potential to not only survive, but thrive.As she shares, you'll learn more about her struggles with being sexually assaulted, living as a young mother of two, struggles with relationships and boundaries, eventually through all her trials; realize her calling as a therapist and coach. Even in the midst of extreme trials and circumstances, she was being transformed into someone who now inspires and encourages others not only in the work place, but in their personal lives as well.Petra talks about the important lesson she learned in the darkest parts of her life and throughout her ongoing healing; to show continue showing up in life. Be authentic, and keep tearing down the walls that only keep others out, but keep you from receiving the help you need as well.We discuss the importance of allowing yourself a designated time to "fall apart", and feSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Our very first male guest, Robert Webb, explains why he thinks men need to get better at understanding their own feelings as he talks love, loss and life with presenter Viv Groskop. Viv is also joined by Grainne Maguire and Petra Velzeboer to talk taking charge of your phone, managing your flight or fight response, and the creative power of stepping away.