Mindful leadership is not a wellness trend, it is an attention skill, and in this episode I sit down with Susan Pearse to talk about what that really means in modern work and life. Susan and I have known each other for 30 years, and this conversation is both personal and practical, tracing how she stepped away from the corporate path early and went on to build some of Australia’s first mindfulness based leadership programs, long before smartphones and constant notifications became the norm.

Susan and I discuss what mindfulness in leadership looks like day to day, including attention management, presence, and the hidden cost of busyness as a badge of honour. Susan shares why training the mind is not about escaping pressure, but learning to meet it with more clarity, better decision-making, and stronger relationships. If you are searching for mindful leadership strategies, attention management for leaders or how to stay focused at work, this episode will give you a grounded framework.

We also explore how AI affects focus and creativity, and why convenience can quietly erode the deeper thinking leaders rely on. Susan reflects on her work Winning the Second Half and the bigger question behind it: what does “winning” look like in the second act of life, when you stop chasing other people’s definitions of success. This is a conversation about leadership, meaning and choosing what you pay attention to before your attention is chosen for you.

00:00 Neuroscience, AI and Attention Management

05:17 Mindfulness as Attention Training for Leaders

06:55 Mental Capacity vs Skill at Work

08:59 Busyness Culture and Burnout Risk

14:27 Psychosocial Safety and Duty of Care

17:16 AI, Neuroplasticity and Use It or Lose It

21:31 Authentic Thinking in an AI World

23:38 Winning the Second Half of Life

29:36 Final Advice and Key Takeaways

Guest link

Susan:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-pearse-022b0311/

https://www.susanpearse.com/

More From Damien:

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WORK WITH ME:

Book a Mediation or a 15-minute Discovery call with Damien: https://www.evolveresolve.com/booking

Website: https://www.evolveresolve.com/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/damien-van-brunschot

YouTube: @evolveresolve

Email: damien@evolveresolve.com

Vicarious trauma is one of the most overlooked psychosocial hazards at work, especially in high exposure roles like law, insurance, health, and frontline services. In this episode of The Resolution Room, I’m joined by Vanessa Daniel from MLCOA to share 20 practical takeaways for reducing the risk of psychological injury from vicarious trauma, and to make the conversation more useful than the usual “just be resilient” advice.

We talk about how workplace health and safety is shifting beyond physical risks and into psychosocial risk management, including what employers and leaders need to understand about their duty to identify, assess, and control these risks. We also unpack why culture matters, why high performers often do not self report, and how regular check ins, training, and supervisor capability can change outcomes before people hit a wall.

This is a practical episode for managers, HR, and professionals working with distressing material who want clear, workplace-ready strategies. We cover risk assessments, de-stigmatising help-seeking, structured debriefing, and why vicarious trauma needs to be treated as a leadership issue, not a personal weakness. If you are searching for vicarious trauma workplace strategies, psychosocial safety, or how to prevent psychological injury at work, this conversation will give you a strong starting point.

00:00 Introduction

02:05 Psychosocial Safety Shift

04:06 Legal Duties And Key Case

06:43 Acknowledge Exposure

08:05 Stop Blaming Resilience

08:57 Risk Assessments And Controls

11:13 Cumulative Exposure Matters

12:58 Train Staff And Supervisors

14:13 Beyond Self Reporting

15:38 Trauma Informed Supervision

16:45 Rotating Trauma Caseloads

17:30 Monitor Workload Pressure

18:31 Reduce Unnecessary Exposure

19:27 Protocols for Graphic Evidence

19:48 Job Rotation and Mixed Work

21:33 Structured Debriefing Culture

23:02 Peer Support and Access

27:51 Leadership Owns the Risk

More From Damien:

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WORK WITH ME:

Book a Mediation or a 15-minute Discovery call with Damien: https://www.evolveresolve.com/booking

Website: https://www.evolveresolve.com/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/damien-van-brunschot

YouTube: @evolveresolve

Email: damien@evolveresolve.com

Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is general information only and does not constitute legal or medical advice.

©2026 mlcoa | Law, Medicine & Everything in Between.

Vicarious trauma is not just a clinical concept; it is a real workplace risk for lawyers, claims teams, clinicians, and anyone who spends their days reading, hearing, or working inside other people’s worst moments. I’m joined today by Dr Naveed Sheikh, consultant psychiatrist and senior medical practitioner, and Vanessa Daniel, National Customer Legal Manager at mlcoa, to have a conversation about what vicarious trauma looks like in the real world and why psychosocial safety at work is now front and centre.

We talk about the difference between direct trauma and vicarious trauma, and why the impact can be cumulative even when you were not physically there. Dr Sheikh explains why not every exposure leads to PTSD, but why it still needs to be taken seriously, particularly in high exposure professions like law, medicine, policing, and insurance. Vanessa shares what this looks like through a medico-legal lens, including how sensitive material shows up in legal work and why systems and culture matter as much as individual resilience.

We also explore the legal and workplace obligations around psychosocial hazards, including the growing expectation that employers manage psychological risk alongside physical risk. Dr Sheikh shares practical warning signs to watch for, and what supportive workplaces can do early, including debriefing, mentorship, and normalising help-seeking. If you lead a team, work in personal injury or claims, or want a clearer understanding of vicarious trauma in the workplace, this conversation will give you a grounded place to start.

00:00 Welcome And Introductions

01:17 Dr Naveed Background

04:12 What Is Vicarious Trauma

05:23 Legal Landscape Overview

09:27 Diagnosis PTSD Vs Adjustment

12:46 Treating Vs Forensic Roles

18:17 Trauma Memory Loop

21:31 Workplace Management Strategies

25:07 Humour And Resilience

26:28 Team Debriefs And Support

More From Damien:

Website | LinkedIn | YouTube

WORK WITH ME:

Book a Mediation or a 15-minute Discovery call with Damien: https://www.evolveresolve.com/booking

Website: https://www.evolveresolve.com/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/damien-van-brunschot

YouTube: @evolveresolve

Email: damien@evolveresolve.com

Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is general information only and does not constitute legal or medical advice.

©2026 mlcoa | Law, Medicine & Everything in Between.

Mentioned in this episode:

mlcoa

Business development in law is changing fast, and this episode is a practical look at what that means for partners, BD teams, and anyone responsible for growth in a law firm. I’m joined by Kim Wiegand and Charles Handley for a wide-ranging conversation on the future of legal business development, legal marketing and the skills firms will need to stay competitive as client expectations shift.

We talk about the real role of AI in law firms and why adoption in marketing and BD is still slower than the hype suggests, even though the pressure for efficiency is rising. Kim shares what she is seeing on the ground, including where technology can genuinely support strategy, and where firms risk missing the point by treating AI as a quick fix rather than a capability to build.

Charles brings the recruitment lens, including how BD roles in big law are moving from execution to strategic advisory, and why commercial acumen and coaching ability are now non-negotiable. We also explore the human side of growth, influencing partners, breaking down silos, and building client relationships that last, plus what both guests would tell their younger selves about careers in legal BD and leadership.

00:00 Introduction

02:05 BD Landscape Shifts

03:12 AI Reality Check

05:53 New BD Roles Emerging

08:11 From Execution to Advisor

12:19 Coaching Partners Mindset

15:43 Learning Beyond Law Firms

18:03 Investment Gaps and Catalysts

18:50 Partnership Model Pressure

21:18 Private Equity and Spinouts

23:01 Private Equity Readiness

24:38 BD as Capital Advisor

26:24 Macro Trends and Supply Chains

28:53 From Reactive to Predictive BD

31:06 Client Relationships and Defence

35:34 Upskilling for AI-First Teams

38:58 Career Advice and Closing

More From Damien:

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WORK WITH ME:

Book a Mediation or a 15-minute Discovery call with Damien: https://www.evolveresolve.com/booking

Website: https://www.evolveresolve.com/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/damien-van-brunschot

YouTube: @evolveresolve

Email: damien@evolveresolve.com

PTSD can turn a legal claim into something far more personal than paperwork and timelines, and this episode is about what that looks like in the real world. It’s a follow-on from our previous conversation, and I’m joined by Vanessa from MLCOA, forensic psychiatrist Dr Derek Lovell, and barrister Charlotte Campbell to talk about how PTSD shows up in legal matters and what helps people move through the process with less harm.

We get into the importance of early intervention after trauma, including the simple but powerful idea of “psychiatric first aid” and why human connection matters before symptoms harden into something more entrenched. Charlotte shares how she builds rapport with clients in a way that protects their sense of control, while still preparing them for the realities of a legal process that can feel invasive and unpredictable.

We also explore what a trauma-informed legal approach actually is, and what it is not. That includes how evidence can be tested fairly without losing empathy, why causation and pre-existing vulnerabilities complicate claims, and how concepts like the eggshell skull rule play out when psychological injury is part of the picture. If you work in personal injury, this conversation will sharpen how you think about PTSD, clients, and the responsibilities of the system.

00:00 Welcome

02:21 PTSD Recap and Context

03:26 Trauma-Informed Client Meetings

10:37 Plaintiff Participation and Agency

12:42 Testing Evidence Without Harm

15:55 Causation and Eggshell Skull

21:33 Preparing for Court Cross Examination

23:31 Complex PTSD and Somatic Symptoms

27:13 Delayed Onset PTSD Stories

29:56 Early Intervention and Employer Support

Thanks to mlcoa and our guests on today’s episode

Website: https://www.mlcoa.com.au/

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WORK WITH ME:

Book a Mediation or a 15-minute Discovery call with Damien: https://www.evolveresolve.com/booking

Website: https://www.evolveresolve.com/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/damien-van-brunschot

YouTube: @evolveresolve

Email: damien@evolveresolve.com

Mentioned in this episode:

mlcoa

Two people can live through the same traumatic event and walk away with completely different psychological outcomes. In this episode, I’m back in the forensic psychiatry space, looking at PTSD in the context of personal injury claims, and why it is showing up more often in the work lawyers, insurers, and clinicians are doing. I’m joined by Dr Derek Lovell, forensic psychiatrist and co-author of the PIRS used in psychiatric impairment assessment, alongside Vanessa Daniel, National Legal Manager at MLCOA, who sits at the intersection of clinical insight and medico-legal process.

We talk about what PTSD is and how surprisingly recent it is as a formal diagnosis, including the history behind its recognition and the way trauma has been described long before the label existed. Dr Lovell steps through what clinicians are actually looking for when PTSD is on the table, including the kind of stressor involved and the symptom patterns that tend to matter most. We also touch on the grey areas that often create debate in claims, including where PTSD can be confused with other post-trauma presentations.

We then move into vulnerability and recovery, including why some people are more at risk, what tends to support resilience, and what effective early intervention can look like. Vanessa and I also explore how these psychiatric realities land in the legal world, particularly around expectations, assessment, and resolution in personal injury matters. If you work with psychological injury claims, this is a grounded conversation that will sharpen the way you think about PTSD, without turning it into a checklist.

More From Damien:

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WORK WITH ME:

Book a Mediation or a 15-minute Discovery call with Damien: https://www.evolveresolve.com/booking

Website: https://www.evolveresolve.com/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/damien-van-brunschot

YouTube: @evolveresolve

Email: damien@evolveresolve.com

Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is general information only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. ©2026 mlcoa | Law, Medicine & Everything in Between.

Mentioned in this episode:

mlcoa

Will McCartney deferred his Arts/Law degree to build Habeas, a specialised legal tech startup aiming to bridge the AI trust gap in professional practice. In this conversation, he joins me to unpack why generic AI platforms fall short in high-stakes legal settings and how traditional Boolean search leaves practitioners frustrated. Will shares his personal trajectory; from starting his studies at Cambridge to shifting gears during the pandemic, and explains how he set out to create an intuitive, natural-language research tool explicitly tailored to the Australian legal system.

The core of the discussion centers on the mechanics of mitigating hallucination risks through a "search-first, inference-second" architecture that prioritises verifiable data retrieval over predictive guessing. Will details how Habeas evolved from a pure research tool into a broader legal intelligence platform capable of advanced drafting and secure analysis across active matter files. They also look closely at adoption patterns, mapping out why agile sole practitioners, barristers, and boutique litigation firms are integrating these specialised workflows much faster than traditional, slow-moving corporate structures.

Looking toward the future, the conversation addresses how artificial intelligence will inevitably disrupt the billable hour and fuel the rise of AI-native law firms. Will analyses the market implications of the recent "Anthropic moment," exploring how shifting technology moats challenge old legal tech duopolies and democratises access for smaller practices. Ultimately, this episode highlights a profound irony: as technical legal execution becomes automated, the ultimate premium in the profession will shift back to strategic judgment, niche expertise, and deep client relationships.

00:00 Introduction

03:31 The Genesis of Habeas and Solving the Search Problem

05:28 Shifting to Legal Intelligence and Advanced Drafting

07:36 Finding Product-Market Fit in the Australian Market

10:05 Demystifying AI Hallucinations and the Trust Gap

11:38 Search-First, Inference-Second System Architecture

16:14 Adoption Trends and Competitive Pressures

18:00 Building Firm Culture and New Mental Models

21:56 Disrupting the Billable Hour and Law Firm Pricing

24:46 The Premium on Soft Skills, Judgment, and Relationships

26:51 Access to Justice and the Democratization of Law

29:40 Re-architecting Court Systems and AI-Native Firms

33:03 The Anthropic Moment and Shifting Legal Tech Moats

37:38 Where to Find Will McCartney and Habeas

Guest Links:

Will McCartney:

Website: https://www.habeas.ai/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-mccartney-a1494722a/

More From Damien:

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WORK WITH ME:

Book a Mediation or a 15-minute Discovery call with Damien: https://www.evolveresolve.com/booking

Website: https://www.evolveresolve.com/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/damien-van-brunschot

YouTube: @evolveresolve

Email: damien@evolveresolve.com

If you’ve ever walked into a negotiation thinking the law and the facts would do the heavy lifting, and then watched the whole thing stall anyway, this episode will feel familiar. I’m joined by Nicole Davidson, accredited mediator and negotiation trainer, to talk about why disputes don’t settle on logic alone, and what actually moves people when positions are entrenched.

Nicole brings a rare mix of commercial and human skills, with a background spanning insolvency, investment banking, learning and development, and now commercial mediation. We talk about how she found her way into mediation through Harvard grounded negotiation training, and why she believes the quality of a mediator’s questions can be the difference between a good outcome and a great one.

We also get into the common mistakes lawyers make when negotiating, including over relying on legal merit and trying to “take the emotion out of it” when emotion is often the whole point. Nicole shares the core skills she sees as non negotiable, curiosity, asking better questions, and real listening, plus why negotiation training can give lawyers a framework they can use in disputes, deals, and everyday professional conversations.

Guest Links:

Nicole Davidson:

Website: https://www.nicoledavidsonnegotiation.com.au/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-davidson-negotiation/

More From Damien:

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WORK WITH ME:

Book a Mediation or a 15-minute Discovery call with Damien: https://www.evolveresolve.com/booking

Website: https://www.evolveresolve.com/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/damien-van-brunschot

YouTube: @evolveresolve

Email: damien@evolveresolve.com