Obsessive Compulsive Disorder isn’t just a cluster of symptoms to manage. Like other mental health challenges, it can come with hidden advantages like the ability to be more creative and empathetic. The key is understanding - whether you have OCD or you work with someone who does. Michael Alcee, author of the book The Upside of OCD: Flip the Script to Reclaim Your Life, explains the misconceptions we have about OCD, what spiraling thoughts really feel like, and how this relates to the ability to achieve.
Read Michael’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Upside-OCD-Flip-Script-Reclaim/dp/1538191105
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44:58
Hypervigilance: When Everything Feels Like a Threat
Hypervigilance is a state of being where you constantly are on the lookout for perceived threats. It’s often the result of trauma - but it shows itself in the work world as well. Ironically, many high achievers are rewarded for hypervigilant behavior, but it comes at a cost. Tanvi Gautam, executive coach and managing director of Leadershift Inc., explains how she’s seen hypervigilance show up in her clients, and how she helps them work through it and push forward in their careers.
Read more about hypervigilance: https://hbr.org/2024/11/3-ways-to-temper-your-hypervigilance-at-work
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37:12
The Practice of Mindfulness and Meditation, From Industry Leader Sharon Salzberg
Practice makes perfect - except perhaps when it comes to meditation and mindfulness. In this episode we revisit a conversation with mindfulness expert Sharon Salzberg on what led her to the path of meditation, what mindfulness does for anxiety, how she deals with the ups and downs of life, and how mental health is or isn’t present in our work lives today. Plus, she guides us through a short practice - even if it doesn’t turn out perfect.
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39:36
The Real Cost of Masking at Work: Neurodiversity Expert Ludmila Praslova
It’s absolutely crucial in today’s work for leaders and the organizations they run to understand the unique strengths and challenges of neurodivergent workers. In this episode, host Morra Aarons-Mele dives into the complexities around the word “superpower” and the ways workplaces can improve with Ludmila Praslova, a professor at Vanguard University of Southern California and author of the book The Canary Code: A Guide to Neurodiversity, Dignity, and Intersectional Belonging at Work. They speak about the kinds of accommodations companies can be taking, the latest data around neurodiversity and work, and personal stories about being neurodivergent leaders.
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48:07
The Unseen Links Between Mental Health, IBS and Your Gut
Among the most important links between our physical and mental health might just lie in our digestive tract. Dr. Will Bulsiewicz is a gastroenterologist, gut health expert, and the founder of 38TERA. In this episode, he explains his own journey to eating better, how that impacted him mentally, and the most cutting edge research about how anxiety and IBS are linked, why it is especially important for anxious achievers, and more.
Learn more about Dr. B: https://theplantfedgut.com/
Host Morra Aarons-Mele is on a mission to reframe how we think about anxiety and mental health in the workplace. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S. We desperately need better models for leadership and a more holistic view of mental health. Our culture tells those of us who suffer from anxiety and depression that we can’t succeed, but we tell a different story — without sugarcoating the tough stuff. We feature stories from people who’ve been there and experts who can help you thrive.
Listen in your favorite podcast app: https://pod.link/1480904163
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