Being Human

#277 Expressive Arts Therapy - with Cathy Malchiodi

> Sign Up For Our Newsletter: http://www.firsthuman.com/being-human-newsletter/
 
Join me this week as I chat with world-renowned art therapist and author, Cathy Malchiodi, about the transformative power of art therapy. Art therapy can reduce stress and anxiety, improve mood and emotional regulation, boost self-confidence and self-esteem, enhance problem-solving and communication skills, and even alleviate symptoms of trauma and PTSD.We can also use the principles in day-to-day coaching and interaction with others.We talk:
Learning the ropes in a women's shelter
Getting out of the therapist's chair
Expression not creativty
Journaling and the immune system
How we can all use expression to self-regulate
Links:Cathy's WebsiteTrauma And Expressive Arts Therapy - The Book

#276 Power Barometer - with Josefine Campbell

> Sign Up For Our Newsletter: http://www.firsthuman.com/being-human-newsletter/
 
This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Josefine Campbell - executive coach, ju-jitsu champion, and author of 'Power Barometer.' Discover how Josefine's insights on managing personal energy levels can lead to business success using a unique tool called the power barometer.In our conversation, we delved into the importance of taking responsibility for your energy levels and their direct impact on team performance. Learn practical strategies and techniques to harness your personal energy for optimal success.
Highlights include:
Balancing Time, Cost, Quality, and Energy
The power of Body Awareness
"Grazing trauma" for inner release
Lessons from using ju-jitsu in the dark
Breaking the stress cycle
Links:Josefine's WebsitePower Barometer - The Book

#275 Open Space Rockstar - with Rijon Erickson

> Sign Up For Our Newsletter: http://www.firsthuman.com/being-human-newsletter/
 
Prepare for an inspiring conversation with Rijon Erickson, a world-renowned consultant, author and trailblazer in Open Space Technology (OST). If you aren't familiar, OST is a cutting-edge meeting facilitation process that flips traditional agendas on their head. With its unique approach, participants take the reins of their discussions by creating their own agenda and forming self-organised working groups. 
I've seen this transformative power firsthand since attending my first Open Space in 2015. It's now my number one facilitation tool. With its ability to enable any group to produce astonishing outcomes, it is the most effective way to enable any group of people to have the magic happen, bar perhaps doing actual magic.
We talk:
From jazz musician to IT helpdesk to high-level facilitator
Discovering Open Space for the first time
The core principles of Open Space
The issue with Hackathons
Tilling the soil for self-organisation
Links:Rijon's WebsiteThe Open Space Institute

#274 Understanding Human Reactions with Polyvagal Theory - with Deb Dana

> Sign Up For Our Newsletter: http://www.firsthuman.com/being-human-newsletter/
 
This week, I speak with Deb Dana, a renowned clinician, author and pioneer in elucidating and applying Polyvagal Theory.
Polyvagal Theory is a breakthrough in understanding how our nervous system works. It explains how our subconscious detection of danger cues trips us into one of three dominant states: calm, connected, curious - ventral vagas; fight or flight - sympathetic; and shutdown - dorsal vagal. Appreciating this aspect of how our nervous system works can help us to understand our reactions to everyday situations and how to help ourselves, and others return to a connected state.
We talk:
Beyond the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system
What a fidgetting colleague tells us
How to ladder up to achieve calm
Why employee 'disengagement' is not the problem
When to direct and when to give options
Links:Deb's WebsiteDeb's Books

#273 Being There for Men - with Russ Kane

> Sign Up For Our Newsletter: http://www.firsthuman.com/being-human-newsletter/
 
The leading cause of death for men between 18 and 49 is suicide. Not cancer, not heart disease, men taking their own lives.
It was this statistic that prompted my guest this week, veteran broadcaster Russ Kane, to create The Men's Radio Station. On the station, Russ has interviewed many men who have come back from the brink and survived.
His show provides knowledge, ideas and solutions across a range of physical and wellbeing areas. 
We talk:
Why men choose suicide
Why it’s now worse than ever
What we can all do about it 
How his work has changed him
Giving up all his possessions
Links:The Men's Radio StationThe Women's Radio StationRuss' Website

#272 Simply Put - with Ben Guttmann

> Sign Up For Our Newsletter: http://www.firsthuman.com/being-human-newsletter/
 
This week, I speak with Ben Guttmann, an author, marketing expert, former CEO of a successful marketing agency and educator at Baruch College. He has worked with the biggest brands in the world and came to the conclusion that the most successful ideas are simple.
In his book 'Simply Put', he provides a guide to designing simple messages that encourage action - an invaluable skill whether you're a professional marketer or just want to be a better influencer. 
We talk:
Why we complicate things
The definition of a simple message 
The 5 principles of writing simply
Fluency over concision
Could you really beat a wolf in a fight?
Links:Ben's WebsiteSimply Put - The Book

#271 Movement Feedback Holography - with Brett Michael Phillips

> Sign Up For Our Newsletter: http://www.firsthuman.com/being-human-newsletter/
 
This week, I speak with Brent Michael Phillips. MIT-trained Brent was a successful software engineer and entrepreneur who suffered a series of significant personal setbacks. After years of failed treatments, he experienced a miraculous healing and dedicated himself to studying spirituality and energy healing.
He started a business and got off disability, but still struggled with relationships and money. One day, he met a mentor who taught him a healing process called Movement Feedback Holography, which helped him achieve breakthroughs in both areas. Now, he is on a mission to share this powerful technique with the world.
We talk:
Generation 1, 2 and 3 Healing
How The Law of Attraction doesn’t work
How the body provides clues to subconscious blocks 
Surviving divorce, bankruptcy and cancer
Getting consciousness back in the body for health and financial breakthroughs
Links:Brett's WebsiteBrett's YouTube Channel

#270 Natural Intelligence - with Rosie Tomkins

> Sign Up For Our Newsletter: http://www.firsthuman.com/being-human-newsletter/
 
I've never been much of a horseman. I've been scarred off them since my dog was once aggressively chased and kicked by one when I was a boy. But that, as they say, is another story.
So I was intrigued to chat with this week's guest, Rosie Tomkins, a successful entrepreneur, author and now leadership coach. She keeps horses on her smallholding in the west of England and uses them in her work.
Rosie's approach differs from conventional methods as she harnesses the inherent potential of the natural world as inspiration for her work in empowering leaders.
We talk:
How a trip to a friend's stables helped Rosie turn around her business
Why nature is such a powerful source of inspiration
How 'we are nature' 
Using our bodies to change our state
Worm poo for good
Links:Rosie's websiteN-stinctive: The Power of Natural Intelligence – her current bookLet Nature Be Your Compass: Introducing the Power of Natural Intelligence – her upcoming book

#269 Achieving High Performance - with Damian Hughes

> Sign Up For Our Newsletter: http://www.firsthuman.com/being-human-newsletter/
 
I interview Damian Hughes, host of the hugely popular The High Performance Podcast, academic, international speaker and best-selling author. I first heard him speak at a client we both share. He enraptured the audience with his humour, fantastic stories and insight. He combines his deep understanding of human psychology with what he's learned interviewing some of the most accomplished people on the planet.We talk:
Growing up as the son of a world-class boxing coach
Creating High Performance cultures
Low efficacy vs. high efficacy personalities
Lessons from football legend van Persie
High Performance defined (not what you'd think)
Links:Damian's WebsiteHigh Performance: Lessons from the Best on Becoming Your Best - The BookHow to Change Your Life: Lessons on Transformation from the World of High Performance - The BookThe High Performance Podcast

#268 Curing the Dysfunctional Mind - with Gilbert Bates

> Sign Up For Our Newsletter: http://www.firsthuman.com/being-human-newsletter/
 
This week I speak with Gilbert Bates, multiple author and practitioner of Janovian Primal Therapy - a highly effective approach for resolving early trauma and leading a rich and love-filled life.Following a breakdown at age 46, Gilbert sought help by traditional psychiatric means. He was told he'd have to be on medication for the rest of his life. After experimenting with shamanistic practices, Gil realised that medication blocks the flow of traumatic memories from coming to conscious awareness, serving to keep his feelings down. In contrast, he discovered that Janovian Primal Therapy gets underneath the brain's inbuilt defences to allow us to experience painful memories for what they are and to heal from them. Today he's sharing the results of his incredible journey.We talk:
Curing his depression by 90%
Feeling love for the first time in his 70s
The fatal flaw in the human psyche and how to resolve it
Reconnecting with our animal nature
Resolving our primal pain and letting the love flow
Links:Gilbert's WebsiteThree Levels Of Mind YouTube ChannelLove and the Three Levels of Consciousness - The Book