In this episode of Inside Out: Mental Health at Work and in Life, I'm joined by Liz Stewart, therapist and somatic trauma informed coach.

With 18 years of experience in therapy, Liz brings a grounded, no-nonsense perspective on what mentally healthy workplaces actually look like, and where most organisations are still getting it wrong. We talk about why a mentally healthy workplace is simply one where you're allowed to be human, and why that starts with leaders modelling it from the top, not just knowing the theory.

We get into the reactive mindset that dominates both workplaces and healthcare, and Liz makes a brilliant comparison: we've universally accepted ergonomic chairs without a second thought, so why hasn't mental health reached the same status? She argues it needs to become second nature rather than a second thought, and that means moving from optional to non-negotiable.

We explore emotional intelligence as the starting point for leaders, not an add-on. Liz is direct about what she sees: people who claim to have great mental health but are actually running on coping mechanisms, and the difference between the two. She shares her own experience of brutal anxiety while working at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, and how being signed off without any real support during that time taught her that time off alone isn't the answer.

There's a really honest discussion about self-neglect, how we've learned to put ourselves last and never come back to check in, and Liz's practical suggestion that 10 minutes of checking in with yourself each morning could change everything. We also talk about the pressure of constant connectivity, dopamine-driven notification culture, the seven kinds of rest we actually need, and why vulnerability in leadership gets the private messages even when it doesn't get the public engagement.

This is a conversation about getting underneath the sound bites and doing the unglamorous work that actually shifts things.

🔑 Key Topics

• Being human at work: what a mentally healthy workplace actually looks like
• Why leadership must model emotional intelligence, not just endorse it
• The reactive mindset: why we wait for crisis instead of preventing it
• Coping mechanisms vs. good mental health, and knowing the difference
• Self-neglect: how we've learned to put ourselves last
• The 10-minute morning check-in that could change your day
• Nervous system regulation: why calm isn't always the answer
• Men in therapy: a shift from 7-10% to 50% in two years

💡 Did You Know?

Liz has seen male clients jump from around 7-10% of her caseload to 50% in just the past two years, a shift she credits in part to organisations like Andy's Man Club opening up the conversation for men. Meanwhile, research suggests only 30% of people have developed emotional intelligence, often because they simply haven't had it modelled to them.

📝 Actionable Takeaways

• Start your day with a 10-minute self check-in: Where am I today? What do I need?
• End your day with compassion: give yourself credit for getting through it, not criticism for what went wrong
• Leaders: work on your own emotional intelligence before trying to change anyone else's
• Recognise that coping mechanisms are not the same as good mental health
• Remember there are seven kinds of rest, not just physical. Social rest and data rest matter too
• Process your sadness before you try to move past it, positivity pressure can dysregulate people

🗣️ Join the Conversation

What would change in your workplace if leaders were expected to understand their own emotional health before managing anyone else's? Share your thoughts and connect with us on social media.

🔗 Connect with Liz on LinkedIn | Website

1. https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-stewart-078b8613/
2. https://lizstewart.thementalwellbeingcompany.com/

In this episode of Inside Out: Mental Health at Work and in Life, I'm joined by Camilla, a postdoctoral cancer researcher at University College Dublin, originally from Italy.

We explore what mental health looks like in the world of academic research, where short-term contracts, relentless pressure to publish, and blurred boundaries between work and life are the norm. Drawing on a decade of experience across four universities and three countries, Camilla shares what it was like to nearly burn out during her PhD, how therapy helped her recognise the warning signs, and why she now prioritises supporting the people around her.

We talk about what real culture change looks like in universities, from anonymous complaints processes and anti-bullying campaigns to restricting building access after hours and creating peer-led mental health seminars. Camilla reflects on the stark difference between institutions that take wellbeing seriously and those where it's invisible, and why the universities that invest in this are the ones attracting the best people.

We also get into the structural stuff: the cost of living crisis hitting researchers who are already on precarious contracts, PhD students working night jobs just to cover rent, and why "money absolutely does buy happiness" when the alternative is choosing between paying rent and visiting family. Camilla makes a compelling case that tenured staff, the people whose jobs are secure, have a responsibility to be the flag bearers for those who can't speak up without risking everything.

This is a conversation about what happens when passion for your work collides with a system that wasn't designed to look after you, and the small and big things that can shift that.

🔑 Key Topics

• Mental health in academic research: the culture of overwork and "live to work"
• Short-term contracts and the permanent uncertainty they create
• PhD students as the most depressed young people in Europe
• What real culture change looks like in universities (not tick-boxing)
• Why tenured staff must advocate for those in precarious positions
• The cost of living crisis and its impact on researcher wellbeing
• Moving countries for work: isolation, language barriers, and finding support

💡 Did You Know?

One university tackled overwork culture by restricting building access on weekends and after hours. Rather than telling researchers to "look after themselves," they changed the environment that was enabling the problem.

📝 Actionable Takeaways

• If you hold a secure position, ask those around you: "What would you like me to speak up about?"
• Create visible, accessible support: free phone numbers, anonymous complaints, mental health days
• Restrict after-hours building access to discourage overwork culture
• Use peer-led initiatives to normalise conversations about struggles and successes
• Recognise that financial security is a wellbeing issue, not separate from it

🗣️ Join the Conversation

If you're in a tenured or senior position, when was the last time you asked the people around you what they need you to fight for? Share your thoughts, connect with us on social media, and help us keep questioning what support really looks like in academic research environments.

🔗 Connect with Camilla on LinkedIn

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/camilla-maria-fontana-b758b216b/

In this episode of Inside Out: Mental Health at Work and in Life, I'm joined by Andy Coley, leadership development trainer & keynote speaker, and experienced NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) Trainer.

We explore what makes a mentally healthy workplace when leadership, communication, and emotional intelligence are at the centre. Drawing on Andy's work supporting teams and leaders across multiple industries, this conversation unpacks why emotional intelligence matters more than frameworks, how difficult conversations become easier when approached proactively, and why culture is defined by the lowest tolerated behaviour, not the values on your website.

We talk about the four pillars of emotional intelligence, why learning equals knowledge plus experience, and how feedback culture determines whether teams grow or stagnate. Andy shares practical tools from NLP and why deep breathing and state management are some of the most underused resources people already have.

🔑 Key Topics

• Emotional intelligence and its four pillars
• Why culture is the lowest tolerated behaviour
• Having difficult conversations sooner, not later
• State management: breathing, movement, and perspective
• Why leadership is a skill, not a superpower

💡 Did You Know?

You can access your body's parasympathetic nervous system through deep breathing: breathe in for four, out for eight. Just three to five repetitions can shift you from fight-or-flight to calm.

📝 Actionable Takeaways

• Give feedback in real-time, not just at annual reviews
• Approach conversations future-focused, not blame-focused
• Change your physical state (walk, breathe, music) before tackling frustrating tasks
• Ask "Why am I talking?" (WAIT) before jumping in with solutions

🗣️ Join the Conversation

What would change in your workplace if leaders approached every interaction as a chance to learn, not just to direct? Share your thoughts and connect with us on social media.

Connect with Andy: LinkedIn | Website | Buy the Book (Signed Copies)

1. https://www.linkedin.com/in/andycoley/
2. https://www.leadershipisaskill.com/
3. https://www.leadershipisaskill.com/book

In this episode of Inside Out: Mental Health at Work and in Life, I'm joined by Jane Gill, Manufacturing Technician in the Biopharma industry.

We explore what mentally healthy workplaces look like across very different industries, from the high-pressure, fast-paced world of hospitality to the structured, process-driven environment of biopharmaceutical manufacturing.

Drawing on Jane's career journey through both sectors, including her experience during COVID-19, this conversation examines why wellbeing language resonates more than mental health terminology, and how stigma still shapes whether people engage with workplace support.

We talk about the basics that get overlooked, from breaks and advance notice of shift changes, to the physical demands of clean room work and the isolation of office-based roles. Jane reflects on the gap between leaders listening and leaders acting, and why normalising struggles early during onboarding could shift culture faster than one-off initiatives.

From framing wellness without medical language, to discovering Mental Health First Aid training as a potential career pivot, this episode challenges tick-box approaches and asks what it really takes to move from performative support to cultures where well-being is woven into daily work life.

🔑 Key Topics

• Reframing mental health as wellbeing to reduce stigma
• Hospitality vs. manufacturing: different pressures, similar patterns
• Why leaders listen but don't always act
• Basics that matter: breaks, shift notice, fair pay, natural light
• Mental Health First Aid as a gateway to deeper learning

💡 Did You Know?

Reframing workplace initiatives around "wellbeing" rather than "mental health" can significantly increase engagement, particularly in industries where stigma remains strong.

📝 Actionable Takeaways

• Frame well-being initiatives around general health, not just mental health language
• Get the basics right first: fair pay, breaks, advance notice, and access to natural light
• Use onboarding to normalise well-being conversations from day one
• Follow up listening with visible action, not just acknowledgment

🗣️ Join the Conversation

What would it look like if your workplace normalised wellbeing conversations from the first day someone joined? Share your thoughts, connect with us on social media, and help us keep questioning what real support looks like beyond the policies.

Connect with Jane: LinkedIn

In this episode of Inside Out: Mental Health at Work and in Life, I’m joined by Dr Luis Soares, Science Communicator and Research Impact Lead, based in the School of Health in Social Science at the University of Edinburgh.

We explore what a mentally healthy workplace really looks like when you strip away slogans, policies and performative wellbeing initiatives. Drawing on Luis’s experience in academia and public health research, this conversation looks at why mental health so often remains invisible at work, and how pace, pressure and output-driven cultures quietly undermine wellbeing.

We talk about slowing down work, shifting from outputs to outcomes, and why relational awareness matters more than another framework. From universal design and everyday adjustments, to the overlooked power of small human behaviours, including attention, presence and even a smile, this episode challenges the idea that mental health is an individual issue to be managed privately.

Instead, it asks what responsibility organisations and leaders carry for designing environments where people can function, connect and stay well, without having to push beyond their limits.

🎧 Key Topics

• What makes mental health invisible in workplaces
• Pace, time pressure and productivity culture
• Outputs versus outcomes in leadership and academia
• Relational work, universal design and anticipation
• Why small everyday behaviours shape workplace wellbeing

🚨 Did You Know?

Mental health challenges at work often go unaddressed not because they are rare, but because they are built into fast-paced systems that prioritise delivery over human connection.

🔑 Actionable Takeaways

• Treat pace and workload as wellbeing issues, not personal failings
• Design work in anticipation of difference, not crisis
• Focus on outcomes that improve people’s experience, not just output metrics
• Pay attention to small, everyday behaviours that shape culture

💡 Join the Conversation

What would change in your workplace if slowing down and paying attention were taken seriously? Share your thoughts, connect with us on social media and help us keep questioning how work is designed and who it is really serving.

Younger workers are being criticised for refusing unpaid overtime, but this backlash tells us far more about broken work systems than it does about Gen Z. In this episode, we explore why younger workers are setting firmer boundaries, why that is causing discomfort in organisations, and what it reveals about job design, wellbeing and culture.

This is not a work ethic problem. It is a work design problem. And the shift we’re seeing might be exactly what workplaces need.

🎧 Key Topics

• The real cause of the overtime backlash
• Why boundaries expose structural and cultural failures
• Intergenerational dynamics and shifting expectations
• What healthy, sustainable work should look like

🚨 Did You Know?

UK workers deliver over a billion hours of unpaid overtime each year, often masking poor job design and unrealistic expectations.

🔑 Actionable Takeaways

• Treat overtime as a sign of structural strain
• Redesign roles that depend on unpaid labour
• Support managers to lead without pressure tactics
• Listen to younger workers as cultural early-warning signals

💡 Join the Conversation

Share your thoughts, connect with us on social media and help us keep pushing for workplaces built around fairness, dignity and genuine wellbeing.

Are workplace wellbeing campaigns making a real difference, or just ticking boxes? In this thought-provoking episode, we uncover the gap between what organisations say and what employees actually experience. As stress, cynicism, and disengagement rise, it’s time to ask, how do we move from surface-level gestures to genuine cultures of care? Join us as we dig into the realities of performative wellbeing, the pressures facing workplaces right now, and the bold steps required to create environments where people can actually thrive.

🎧 Key Topics:

• The hidden cost of performative wellbeing initiatives
• Psychological safety, trust, and honest leadership
• The real impact of economic pressures on workplace culture
• Turning wellbeing from a campaign into a lived, everyday reality

🚨 Did You Know?

Only 10% of UK employees feel engaged at work, and the majority report that wellbeing campaigns rarely address the root causes of stress and disengagement.

🔑 Actionable Takeaways:

• Ask honest questions about what’s performative and what’s real in your workplace
• Encourage leaders to own the culture, not just delegate wellbeing
• Redefine success by how people feel, not just what they produce
• Start small: listen, reflect, and act on the everyday realities of staff

💡 Join the Conversation:

We want to hear from you. Have you experienced wellbeing that was more about branding than real change? What made a difference in your own work life? Share your stories, connect on social media, and let’s challenge the status quo—together.

This week, two of our team, Angela Rook and Sonia Last, sit down with our partner Claire Mackenzie from Venturing Out for a relaxed, 23-minute chat about the future of employee wellbeing.

Wellbeing is no longer a ‘nice to have’ but a business-critical imperative. Organisations are shifting from managing the negative impacts of mental health to proactively creating cultures that support wellbeing and adaptability.

🎧 Key Topics:

• What does a truly holistic approach to wellness look like in 2025?
• How are organisations moving beyond traditional perks to create meaningful employee experiences?
• How can AI and technology support, not replace, human-centred wellbeing?
• Why financial wellness matters more than ever
• How younger generations are reshaping expectations

🚨 Did You Know?

Done well, mental health initiatives can return £5.30 per £1 spent, and up to £7.30 for organisation-wide initiatives (Deloitte, The Future of Wellbeing).

🔑 Actionable Takeaways:

• Take a preventive and cross-functional approach
• Embrace the power of wellness technology
• Invest in strategies that combine all 5 core dimensions of wellness
• Support and train Wellbeing Champions
• Equip leaders with the skills to build a wellbeing culture

If you’d like to know more, contact:

Angela Rook, angela@mentalhealthscot.land

Claire Mackenzie, claire@venturingout.org.uk

Check out our Thrive and Connect Wellbeing Programme:

Tune in now and start rethinking employee wellbeing.