エピソード

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

    How Māori Experience Mental Health: Identity, Tikanga, and Access to Support
    2026/04/07
    The representation and inclusion of indigenous models of hauora (health) in mainstream medicine is vital to ensuring culturally-safe health services. In this episode, we delve into Māori mental health specifically from the lens of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. We discuss the importance of whakapapa; knowing who you are, where you come from and your sense of belonging to hauora and ways that services can shift to a preventive care model for whānau, hapū and iwi.

    Our guest speaker, Tūrakawa Bartlett, addresses common narratives about Māori wellbeing and offers insights on how te ao Māori (Māori worldview) is beneficial for everyone, not just Māori. Together, we discuss what signs to look out for when someone you know may be struggling or how to know when you are struggling yourself.

    In this episode, we dive deep into answering the following thorny questions:
    00:00 – Introduction
    03:05 – Framing today’s session from a Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei iwi lens
    06:00 – Mental health from a Māori worldview
    12:40 – Barriers preventing Māori from connecting with their true identity
    19:00 – What help is available for Māori experiencing mental health challenges
    22:50 – How support services can make it easier for Māori to reach out
    25:00 – Signs to look for when checking in on someone who may be struggling
    27:50 – Internal signs that you might be struggling yourself
    30:50 – What non‑Māori can do to create culturally safe support spaces
    39:00 – Definitions of kawa and tikanga
    42:35 – Differences in how Māori and non‑Māori experience health services
    46:50 – Why a bicultural Māori and non‑Māori health model is essential
    49:30 – Signs someone may need professional help
    52:30 – Rose, Letica, and Turaukawa’s personal wellbeing practices

    Leticia, from Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and Kaipara, has completed her training as an Intern Clinical Psychologist and is currently working on research. Her approach to psychological well-being and oranga is shaped by clinical expertise and lived experience, with a strong focus on Māori mental well-being and previous experience in community alcohol and drug (AOD) services.

    Tūraukawa, from Ngāti Whātua ki Tāmaki, is the CEO and Director of MANAVATION, a kaupapa Māori hauora service supporting Tangata Whenua and Tangata Tiriti in achieving their wellbeing goals through cultural and language revitalisation. Tūraukawa has received numerous recognitions, including the Bob Henare Award for Individual Excellence in Māori Mental Health and DAPAANZ Best Newcomer to the Addictions Sector. He also facilitates reo Māori wellbeing retreats to enhance cultural foundations and promote holistic wellbeing.

    Rose, a graduate Enrolled Nurse from Ngāti-Whātua Ōrākei and Ngāti Kahu ki Whangāora, draws from her lived experience of losing two siblings to suicide, which drives her commitment to providing compassionate care.
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    54 分
  • 42 - Psychosocial Risk Management: How to Identify and Control Workplace Hazards with Dana Carver

    42 - Psychosocial Risk Management: How to Identify and Control Workplace Hazards with Dana Carver
    2026/03/30
    Psychosocial hazards are now recognised as one of the most significant and complex risks facing modern workplaces, but what do they actually look like in practice, and how can organisations address them in meaningful, effective ways? In this webinar, we unpack real-world case studies and discuss how factors such as workload, role clarity, leadership, culture, and organisational change can affect mental health, wellbeing, and performance at work. We will discuss what good practice really looks like, where organisations commonly get stuck, and how to move beyond a compliance mindset.

    Dana’s biography:
    Dana Carver is a Principal at the research and evaluation firm, Scarlatti. She has over 25 years’ experience in social research, organisational design and wellbeing. For the past 5 years, her focus has been on helping organisations identify, assess and mitigate psychosocial risks. Dana is also the co-creator and Chair of the Good Programmes Trust, home of the award-winning GoodYarn, https://www.goodyarn.org/, program, which has seen over 20,000 people educated in mental health literacy.

    In this episode, we dive deep into answering the following thorny questions:
    00:00 - Intro
    02:05 - How did Dana become interested in psychosocial risk management?
    03:00 - What are psychosocial hazards?
    03:45 - How many psychosocial hazards are there?
    04:40 - What are the most common psychosocial hazards?
    05:25 - What is the framework used to prioritse hazards based on frequency and intensity?
    07:00 - What is the definition of psychosocial risk?
    08:45 - Should you eliminate or mitigate risk?
    10:05 - What is an example of a control that eliminated the risk?
    11:15 - Is psychosocial risk management a part of the Health and Safety legislation?
    12:50 - What are the obligations of the employer?
    13:55 - What are the 4 stages of psychosocial risk management?
    14:30 - What are the warning signs you need to assess your psychosocial risks?
    16:00 - What is the framework for identifying and assessing risks?
    18:00 - Poor pay as a hazard vs personal life choices.
    20:10 - What are some misconceptions about psychosocial risk management?
    21:50 - How do you get management to buy in?
    23:30 - How do you assess buy in up front?
    25:00 - What is the definition and some examples of controls?
    27:05 - Should employees be able to see the risk assessment results?
    28:30 - How do you know the controls are effective?
    30:05 - How long does it take to see impact?
    32:05 - Are there differences depending on the size of the organisation?
    33:00 - Dana’s top tips for psychosocial risk management.
    34:00 - What are lead and lag indicators of success?
    34:35 - How do you know if you have the right outcome measures?
    35:25 - How often should you do a risk assessment?
    37:25 - How do you get organisational buy in?
    38:45 - Do you need to measure employee mental health to measure reduction in harm?
    39:55 - What is the definition of psychological safety?
    40:35 - The shift away from fruit bowls to systemic change.

    Learn more about Dana (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-carver-a35553b1/)
    Learn more about Clearhead https://www.myclearhead.com/

    psychosocial hazards explained • workplace mental health risks • how to assess psychosocial risk • psychosocial risk management framework • employer obligations psychosocial risk
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    43 分
  • 41 - Setting boundaries with Toxic Family with Dr. Sherrie Campbell

    41 - Setting boundaries with Toxic Family with Dr. Sherrie Campbell
    2026/03/04
    Family relationships can be some of the most supportive parts of our lives, but can be incredibly challenging when they are toxic. In this episode, we dive into what toxic family members really look like, and what to do about it. If you ever wanted to find a way forward when your relationships have become draining or unsafe, or learn how to set boundaries with family, including your parents, this is the episode for you. We cover the steps to protect our personal well-being and heal from trauma.

    Our guest today is Dr Sherrie Campbell, a licensed clinical psychologist and author known for her work on toxic family dynamics, where she specialises in helping healthy people cut ties with the toxic people in their lives. She is a nationally recognised expert on family estrangement, a best selling author, TEDx Speaker, top 1% Podcast host of the “Sherapy Sessions: Cutting Toxic Family Ties”, a well-known social media influencer and a regularly featured media expert. In this episode, we dive deep into answering the following thorny questions.

    00:00 - Intro
    2:05 - How Sherrie became an expert in toxic families.
    3:10 - Defining a healthy vs toxic family.
    4:30 - Why it is easier to recognise you are in a toxic family in your 40s.
    7:45 - What can you do to recognise this earlier?
    10:00 - Where can you go to learn more about a toxic family?
    12:25 - What are the 5 types of estrangement?
    16:40 - When to use no contact as a coping strategy?
    18:40 - How do you set and maintain your boundaries?
    20:45 - Clinical example of boundary testing.
    23:50 - Dealing with the guilt of setting boundaries.
    26:00 - What support is available outside of therapy?
    27:20 - Why do some people get stuck in a victim mindset?
    28:40 - Why the "gray rock" method is a safer form of boundary setting for children.
    30:20 - How does the level of contact evolve in the healing journey?
    33:15 - How taking responsibility for your wellbeing is the first step to healing.
    36:00 - What can you do to not perpetuate the cycle of trauma?
    37:40 - Why providing validation is key in the role of a support person?
    39:35 - How to maintain boundaries during the holiday season?
    40:30 - Why self-love is an important part of healing?
    41:40 - How to respond when the legal system gets involve?
    43:30 - What is Sherrie’s one wellbeing practice?

    Learn more about Sherrie https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-ewing-7865712a/
    Learn more about Clearhead https://www.myclearhead.com/
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    44 分
  • 40 - Healing from Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD) with Dr. Jan Ewing

    40 - Healing from Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD) with Dr. Jan Ewing
    2026/01/27
    Trauma can take many forms, from single shocking events affecting a whole community to deeply personal experiences that unfold over time during childhood. We’ll explore how different types of trauma, such as traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and more can negatively impact our behaviour, relationships, and resilience later in life. Understanding how it affects us can be one of the first steps toward recovery. In this episode, we will uncover what really happens to the brain and body after trauma and what evidence-based interventions that help people rebuild their lives looks like in practice.

    Our guest today is Dr Jan Ewing is a highly respected Clinical Neuropsychologist and Clinical Psychologist with over 40 years of experience specialising in trauma, brain injury, and complex psychological disorders. As a Fellow for the Australian Psychological Society, the Australian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment and the International Society for the Study of Trauma & Dissociation (ISSTD), Jan is recognised internationally for her expertise in understanding how trauma impacts the brain and behaviour. She has trained thousands of mental health professionals across Australia and served for more than 15 years as an educator at the University of Queensland. Jan also sits on the advisory panel for the Blue Knot Foundation, supporting adult survivors of childhood abuse.

    In this episode, we dive deep into answering the following thorny questions.

    00:00 - Intro
    2:30 - How Jan became an expert in trauma recovery?
    3:35 - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Trauma definitions.
    6:30 - What happens to the brain during a traumatic event?
    12:00 - How training helps with choosing whether to fight, flight, freeze or faint to survive during a traumatic event?
    15:15 - When is it safe for the brain to re-regulate? 17:30 - What are PTSD symptoms? 21:40 - How long does it take to re-regulate the brain?
    25:15 - What can we do to support someone after a traumatic event?
    29:30 - What is the “window of tolerance” and how does it determine how easily you are triggered by trauma?
    32:20 - What is a body memory, and how is it present even when you have amnesia of the trauma? 36:00 - The 3 phases of trauma processing that are part of recovery.
    40:45 - How to identify someone has a history of trauma and how to best support them?
    46:50 - How to help someone increase their window of tolerance? 48:45 - The different types of trauma.
    51:00 - The difference between stress and trauma.
    52:10 - Is full recovery possible after a traumatic event?
    55:50 - Why is EMDR considered best practice for treating trauma?
    59:00 - The role of shame in trauma.
    1:01.15 - How can we tackle shame in order to speed up recovery?
    1:03.40 - Why avoidance is the biggest barrier to trauma recovery?
    1:04.30 - What is Jan’s one wellbeing practice?

    Learn more about Jan https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-ewing-7865712a/

    Learn more about Clearhead https://www.myclearhead.com/
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    1 時間 6 分
  • 39 - The Social Paradox: Connection vs Autonomy with Professor Bill Von Hippel

    39 - The Social Paradox: Connection vs Autonomy with Professor Bill Von Hippel
    2025/12/16
    Despite living in a world filled with freedom, convenience, and choice, many of us still feel unhappy, lonely, and unfulfilled. Why is that, and what can evolutionary psychology teach us about who we are, where we come from, and what makes us happy? This episode explores how our most basic psychological needs, for connection and for autonomy, shape the way we think, feel, and relate to others. In today’s world, these two needs can sometimes conflict with each other, and this social paradox can have a real impact on our wellbeing.We’ll also discuss how the “social leap” our distant ancestors made from the rainforest to the savannah created a new kind of social intelligence, and how they coped with stressful situations. By understanding how our history plays out in the modern environment, we can shape our lives in ways that help us feel more content, more connected, and better able to manage negative emotions.

    Bill's biography:
    Our guest today is Bill Von Hippel. After a three-decade career as a psychology professor in the United States and Australia, Bill now writes books and conducts research, publishing over 150 academic articles across a range of psychological topics. His work has been cited over fifteen thousand times in academic literature and widely reported in the media, including The New York Times ‘100 Ideas of the Year’, The Economist, The Australian and more. Bill has been a guest on numerous podcasts, including The Joe Rogan Experience, Diary of a CEO, and Modern Wisdom with Chris Williamson. Bill’s first book, The Social Leap, has been translated into a dozen different languages and received the annual Book Prize from the world’s foremost social psychology society.

    00:00 - Intro
    02:40 - How Bill became an expert in evolutionary psychology.
    03:50 - Evolutionary psychology definition.
    05:35 - How deterministic are our genes in shaping our life outcomes?
    08:00 - Has our mind evolved to be fit for the modern world or is there an evolutionary mismatch?
    10:10 - Types of evolutionary mismatch - Miswanting and Misfeeling.
    13:20 - Our main source of unhappiness is the conflict between our needs for connection and autonomy in our relationships.
    16:00 - Should we retrain our brains to need less connection, or focus on meeting our connection needs to be happier?
    19:10 - Why do successful people still feel lonely and dissatisfied in life?
    20:30 - The definition of autonomy in the context of evolutionary psychology.
    23:40 - The definition of success.
    25:55 - Why do we often feel regret in a world full of choice?
    29:25 - How do we limit regret and what is the best way to meet our need for autonomy?
    32:10 - Why satificers are happier than maximisers?
    34:30 - Why self-control is more about avoiding temptation than resisting temptation?
    38:15 - Why, when we get what we want (autonomy), do we lose what we need (connection)?
    42:05 - Why we should always optimise for connection over autonomy?
    43:45 - Why remote work makes people less happy and less effective at work?
    46:45 - Why it is also important to have a phone free policy at work and at schools?
    47:45 - Should we legislate phone free policy or return to work policy?
    48:45 - Are there people who will need autonomy more than connection?
    51:30 - What can you do to make it easy to meet your connection needs in your daily life?
    54:00 - How to reframe a threat as a challenge to reduce stress in your life?
    57:10 - What is the goal of life?
    57:50 - What is Bill’s one wellbeing practice?

    Learn more about Bill
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-von-hippel/

    Learn more about Clearhead
    https://www.myclearhead.com/
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    1 時間
  • 38 - Chronic Pain Management: Beyond Pills with Dr Claire Ashton James

    38 - Chronic Pain Management: Beyond Pills with Dr Claire Ashton James
    2025/11/27
    For most of us, pain subsides fairly quickly as we recover from injury. For some, however, pain persists, making it challenging to return to our normal, full-functioning capacity. In some cases, chronic pain may develop due to stress, or even for unexplained reasons. However, due to the stigma and unconscious bias, individuals can feel too ashamed to ask for support or when they do, made to feel invalidated in their experience of chronic pain. The research shows that recovery and resilience are deeply social processes, and meaningful support can change someone’s ability to cope with pain.

    Claire's biography:
    Our guest today is Dr. Claire Ashton-James a social psychologist and Associate Professor of Pain Management at The University of Sydney Medical School. Her work uncovers how social relationships influence the experience of pain and vice versa. Her research advocates for the integration of social “treatments” into the management of chronic pain, so that people have the best chance of returning to full capacity and avoid relying solely on pain medications or therapy.

    00:00 - Intro
    02:10 - How Claire became a social psychologist focused on pain management
    04:20 - Definitions of chronic pain and acute pain
    09:00 - Common misconceptions about people with chronic pain
    12:30 - What Claire did differently after learning about these misconceptions
    14:25 - How to support people in your life with chronic pain
    16:45 - What workplaces can do to support employees with chronic pain
    21:10 - Why social support is a key part of chronic pain management
    22:25 - What someone with chronic pain can do if they don’t have a supportive social circle
    29:15 - Are peer support groups helpful or harmful for pain management?
    33:20 - When social connection can have a negative impact
    34:25 - The unconscious biases health professionals may have against chronic pain patients
    39:25 - What chronic pain patients can do when they experience invalidation from health professionals
    41:55 - How to approach supporting someone struggling with chronic pain
    44:05 - Acknowledging that chronic pain can cause social withdrawal
    45:05 - What to do if pain prevents you from maintaining social connections
    46:10 - Claire’s one wellbeing practice

    Learn more about Claire
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-ashton-james-b271368a/

    Learn more about Clearhead
    https://www.myclearhead.com/
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    47 分
  • 37: Relational Leadership: How to Lead Beyond Yourself with Moira Mallon

    37: Relational Leadership: How to Lead Beyond Yourself with Moira Mallon
    2025/10/28
    What if leadership wasn’t just about authority, decisions, or overseeing tasks done, but about developing powerful interpersonal relationships to inspire and influence?
    In this episode, we will explore how Relational Leadership focuses on cultivating trust and connection. We’ll share practical tips on how to build meaningful relationships and navigate complexity, thus transforming our effectiveness as leaders. Learn how to cultivate leadership that is both empathetic while maintaining a standard of high performance and accountability in your team.

    Moira's biography:
    Moira Mallon is an expert in seeing beneath the surface and getting to the heart of the problem, which often in organisations is all about people and the dynamics they have with each other. Moira is a certified coach with the International Coaching Federation and for over 20 years has coached hundreds of leaders, including those leading the Christchurch’s post-earthquake rebuild. Her coaching is informed by systemic thinking, emotional development, and transformative tools like The Leadership Circle and a practice in Gestalt Psychotherapy. Whether she’s coaching CEOs, senior executives or rising leaders, Moira brings a fierce belief in the power of human potential.

    In this episode, we dive deep into answering the following thorny questions:


    00:00 - Intro
    02:25 - How Moira became a leadership coach focused on leadership development
    04:00 - What the emotional experience of leadership means
    05:35 - Defining relational leadership
    07:55 - How leaders can prioritise connection over control to create psychological safety
    10:15 - The physiology behind helpful and unhelpful coping strategies during times of change
    13:50 - How leaders can develop presence within an organisation
    16:35 - The two key questions to ask when building connections with your team
    18:25 - The importance of emotional control and consistency
    20:35 - Managing the tension between employee performance and connection
    23:10 - What separates leaders who build trust from those who don’t
    26:10 - Modelling authentic leadership and resilience in high-pressure environments
    29:10 - Influencing up - creating positive change when a leader lacks self-awareness
    32:50 - How to intentionally build connection and trust in hybrid or remote teams
    36:15 - How leaders can explore the emotional needs behind employee performance issues
    39:00 - What defines a great workplace culture
    42:00 - Is it bad culture if you’re clear about high workloads and long hours?
    45:30 - How often leaders should communicate during periods of change
    48:45 - The influence of indigenous practices on relational leadership
    51:00 - How to respect boundaries when building deeper connections
    52:45 - Why empathetic conversation is the first step toward relational leadership
    55:10 - Moira’s one wellbeing practice
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    57 分
  • 36: Unpacking Common Mental Health Challenges HR & Leaders Encounter

    36: Unpacking Common Mental Health Challenges HR & Leaders Encounter
    2025/10/01
    Historically, the unspoken organisational culture meant that your personal issues and any mental health challenges you are experiencing were expected to stay at home. Today, it is increasingly accepted for employees to be more open about their mental health and wellbeing needs in the workplace. However, with the increasing prevalence and severity of mental illness in the community, this presents new challenges for HR and managers to know how to navigate these conversations empathetically while maintaining a focus on the organisation’s performance.

    Barry biography:
    In today’s episode, we want to focus on our HR audience, and so we have invited special guest host HR professional Lisa Young, who will be interviewing Clearhead’s clinical lead and clinical psychologist Barry Kirker, together they will unpack all the complexity surrounding employee mental health. Barry has 30 years’ experience working with individual clients and organisations across New Zealand and Australia. He undertakes complex mental health assessments, including fitness for work, forensic, and compensation/mental injury assessments, with a thorough understanding of both the clinical and legal aspects involved.

    In this episode, we dive deep into answering the following thorny questions.

    00:00 – Introduction
    01:50 – Lisa introduction
    03:50 – Barry introduction
    05:30 – What is being covered
    08:40 – Definition of mental health
    10:00 – What to do when an employee self discloses their mental health challenges to you
    13:55 – What to do if you don’t feel equipped to have the conversation?
    14:30 – Are there things you shouldn’t say
    17:45 – How to assess the safety risk of someone who discloses they have suicidal thoughts
    22:00 – What if you can feel your own emotions taking over
    23:00 – When to seek professional help
    24:00 – How to tell if someone needs more support
    25:20 – What to do when you notice someone struggling with their mental health
    28:05 – Should you bring up performance issues in a mental health conversation
    29:50 – What if the person lacks insight and is dismissive of your concerns
    33:50 – Why it’s important to be proactive in having the mental health conversation
    34:25 – When an employee blames their mental health at a performance or disciplinary meeting
    39:20 – How do you know if a mental health disclosure is genuine
    42:00 – What to do when an employee says a performance improvement process negatively impacted their mental health
    45:00 – When should you breach the confidentiality of what an employee shared with you
    47:00 – How do you deal with the subsequent loss of employee trust
    49:40 – How do HR practice self-care and set boundaries on the mental load of supporting others
    54:10 – Barry and Lisa’s final takeaway

    Learn more about our guest host Lisa Young:
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-young-exceedhr/

    Helpful resources:
    Resource 1: Meeting Crisis with Care. How HR Can Navigate Mental Health Challenges https://www.myclearhead.com/blog/meeting-crisis-with-care-how-hr-can-navigate-mental-health-challenges/
    Resource 2: Mental Heatlh Conversations: Guidance for Leaders: https://www.myclearhead.com/blog/mental-health-conversations-guidance-for-leaders/
    Resource 3: Frameworks to Support Difficult Conversations at work: https://www.myclearhead.com/blog/frameworks-to-support-difficult-conversations-at-work/

    Learn more about Clearhead
    https://www.myclearhead.com/
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    59 分