Ian Browne

There’s a really difficult conversation going on right now on trauma, being led by one of my favourite thinkers and writers Darren McGarvey In a recent speech, Darren - alongside trauma consultant Miriam Taylor - question the many assumptions we all have about lived experience and being ‘trauma informed’. The speech is a tough watch - powerful, emotive and thought provoking - but if you’re feeling strong and you care about vulnerability, trauma and the path to healing - then I believe it’s a must watch. It stopped me in my tracks for sure - both personally and professionally- and it’s something I’d like every sector - Government, charities, social enterprises, business, education, the media and more - to consider. For what it’s worth here’s my thoughts - I very quickly realised that perhaps the best each of us can hope for is to be ‘trauma aware’ - because no-one can really ever be truly informed about someone else’s trauma. Each wound is deeply personal and unique to every single individual. A trauma spectrum if you like. The path to healing - or maybe at best management - is also deeply personal. We’ve got to be cautious all the way through here. What I think this powerful speech tells us is that the way forward is always kindness, compassion, support, empathy, care and love. Life’s events affect us all, and most - if not all of us - carry with us the battle scars of life. Being trauma aware - if not trauma informed - is a good starting point for me, but we should all tread gently and unravel this topic sensitively and with caution.

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A question for the #ADHD Coaches out there: do you recommend coaching for parents/partners and other family members, as well as those with the condition? How can we help those around us be more proactive at recognising our patterns of behaviour and help us to navigate the more challenging periods together? #adhdcoaching #adhdawareness

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It’s #mentalhealthweek, and it can be something that impacts every one of us. Moving our bodies is important for our mental health. Yet research by the Mental Health Foundation shows that more than a third of UK adults find it challenging to find the time for movement. Recently, with some clients, we’ve started going outdoors for a coaching conversation, even just a wander in Hyde Park. They’ve told me that just moving and breathing helps thinking, opens the mind and gets the creative juices flowing. If you’d like to join me, drop me a message. #outdoorcoaching #leadership #coachingculture

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SME employers (predominant in Welsh economy where I'm based) undoubtedly face greater challenges in supporting employee well-being without dedicated resources. Investing in Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) is one route many opt for... however, incorporating low-cost activities like lunchtime walks, yoga, or tai chi using existing employee skills can boost morale effectively. BUT, don't overlook acknowledging and praising employee volunteers. Prioritising well-being benefits both employees and the organization - and creates the team spirit that drives even greater employee engagement - and productivity. What creative approaches have worked wonders in your organisation? It's good to share - and experiment? #EmployeeWellness #InvestInYourTeam

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For mental health awareness week Anne-Marie Beggs(Dip.AppFin / DDAF) and Lucy Cronly wanted to share some insights into the world of teenagers. todays podcast with Lucy Cronly we discuss Exam Stress this is one of the biggest causes among teens. Myself and Lucy share tips on how you can support our teenagers to allow them to grow and flourish during exams and beyond. #mentalhealthawarnessweek #mentalhealth #examstress

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I still have a number of spots available for coaching starting from July - with discounted rates. If you're not sure whether coaching is right for you, why not join a free 30 minute consultation where we can discuss your goals in more detail. Follow this link to book: https://lnkd.in/epPKesXf #coach #lifecoach #corporatecoach #change #goalsetting #selfdevelopment #personalgrowth #wellbeing #highperformance

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Book 3 in the ‘Coaching Psychology Series’ ‘Increasing Inner Confidence Workbook’ is out today on kindle! https://lnkd.in/egmn48xC If you would like to join my small team of ‘advance readers’ please let me know! I will shortly have 5 paperback books on increasing inner confidence available for the first 5 people who get in touch. You will receive a free paperback copy of my book in exchange for (an honest!) review on Amazon and LinkedIn. If you’re interested please message me: allegra@allegrastonemediation.co.uk #confidence #empowerment #coaching

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Whilst money is important, your life will change significantly and planning for the non-financial aspects of life is essential. Read more 👉 https://lttr.ai/ASrSg #RetirementCoaching

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How does coaching outdoors disrupt our normative view of what emotional and structural containment look like? This is my central question of the talk I will be giving this Friday at the University of Chichester Coaching Psychology Conference. I've been coaching clients in natural settings since 2008, and I've not had a single client feel unsafe, quite the opposite: more contained, grounded, calm, embodied, alive. How we create psychological safety in natural settings is crucial and paramount to a successful coaching process. And at the same time, it's about trusting emergence, relaxation, balanced effort, letting go of control. It's about allowing nature to do the work. #psychologicalsafety #psychology #nature #getoutside #coaching #coachingoutdoors #natureconnection #change #perspective

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Today, I had an insightful discussion with James Jackson (He/Him/His) and Paul Deemer, hosted by Cath Taylor, focusing a lot on an inclusive approach to creating a culture of wellbeing tailored to individuals in the workforce. In 2023, NHS sickness absence hit a record high, with poor mental health accounting for over a quarter of all absence. Similarly, in councils, poor mental health and wellbeing contributed to 30% of sickness absence among social care staff. Anxiety, stress, depression, and other psychiatric illnesses were commonly reported reasons for sickness. Given the strong correlation between staff wellbeing and patient safety, leaders in health and social care must do better and prioritize fostering a supportive and compassionate environment to retain staff and deliver effective services. The Westminster Insight’s Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Health and Social Care Workforce Conference aimed to provide best practice guidance and effective solutions to support staff mental health and wellbeing. The conference addressed pressing mental health challenges, including burnout, stress, anxiety, and trauma, featuring successful strategies and initiatives from various NHS Trusts, local authorities, and social care providers nationwide. Attendees had the opportunity to participate in insightful discussions, network, and share knowledge. Mental health and physical health are both important, we must ensure we thrive for a healthy and inclusive culture of wellness - BE INTENTIONAL! #wellbeing #inclusivewellbeing

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The latest podcast from School for CEOs - well worth a listen

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Been preparing some CPD for a client on managing compassion fatigue - I think every business and organisation needs to raise awareness of compassion fatigue and self care strategies #leadership #selfcare #compassionfatigue #training

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A wonderful opportunity a new month and gratitude Action for Happiness for another amazing monthly calendar with a focus on Meaning a key aspect of positive psychology - today what really matters and so much more happy Mayday ❤️ let it guide us together through a wonderful new month 🌈 #positivepsychology #positivity #permaculture #positiveleadership #happinessnow #meaningfulmay #mayday #wellbeingwarrior #wellbeingculture #wednesdaymotivation 🌈

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🧠 Emotion regulation is especially important to me as a neurodivergent individual. This week, I've been particularly proud of myself for managing situations that would have sent me into a meltdown in the past. ✌🏼 I used (or loosely used) the STOPP technique, which you can see in the sketchnote below ⬇️⬇️⬇️ ✅ This technique allows us to create some distance from our immediate thoughts and take rational actions. ➡️ If you’re looking for ways to improve your own emotional regulation, I highly recommend giving the STOPP technique a try. #coaching #neurodiversity #emotionregulation

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It is mental health awareness week and while I spend much of my time working with people on their minds; it is important to understand the importance of movement for our mental health; and vice-versa. For this week I have written an article for Quest Cognitive Hypnotherapy Practitioners Association #mentalhealth #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek #mhaw #MovingForMentalHealth

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My recent blog looks at redefining success away from the ‘stuff’. But that doesn’t mean you have to get rid of them. Instead, I’ve worked with clients to know they are enough regardless of these things. Find out more in my blog: https://lnkd.in/esr5MB9V

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Autism isn’t a mental health problem. But poor mental health is often an autistic problem. This #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek is an interesting one for me, being the first one where I’ve known I am #autistic. My mental health has suffered a lot over the years and a big part of that came from not knowing I was autistic, not understanding how my brain works and trying to force myself to be something I wasn’t, and never could be. Pre-diagnosis I struggled with long bouts of depression and anxiety. The standard treatments and approaches didn’t help and left me feeling even worse. On top of feeling like I was failing at life, I then felt I was failing at therapy. Like everything, I felt I just wasn’t trying hard enough. Post-diagnosis I’ve been really lucky to find excellent neurodiversity affirming counselling services, but I had to really search to find those. Being able to speak to someone who gets it, and feel genuinely understood has been a game changer. Knowing that ‘typical’ approaches like CBT often don’t work, at least not without adaptations, for autistic people, I now feel less guilty for not ‘succeeding’ at those before. Finally understanding my brain and the nuanced ways that autism and mental health intersect have helped me better support myself. I know I’m not alone in this. The statistics around #AutisticMentalHealth are dire. Depression, anxiety, eating disorders, suicidal ideation and suicide are all much more prevalent in autistics than the neurotypical population. We struggle more, yet there are fewer resources and supports specifically designed for us. What can we do better? 📣 Employers: 🌟ensure that support you offer includes #NeurodiversityAffirming services as one size really doesn’t fit all when it comes to mental health support. 🌟ensure that any employee assistance programmes or health cover you offer include supports specifically designed or adapted for neurodivergent employees. 🌟 if this genuinely isn’t possible, at the very least clearly signpost resources and services that people can access external to your organisation, to remove some of the effort in even finding these in the first place. 🌟 ensure there is a frictionless process for neurodivergent employees to request and access accommodations and provide reasonable adjustments to support them. Having a more supportive and accessible environment can considerably help our wider mental health. 📣 Professionals: 🌟 ensure your services are genuinely neurodiversity affirming. 🌟 if you’re not #ActuallyAutistic yourself, listen to those who are to understand our needs and preferences. Fellow autistics- please don’t accept that poor mental health is ‘just part of being autistic’. Please don’t feel like you’re failing if the support you’re accessing doesn’t suit your brain and your needs. You deserve support that genuinely is designed for you. Autistic mental health matters. Mental health support must be neuroinclusive. Let’s do better 💜

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Today's newsletter is about anxiety management. I hope it is useful to anyone who needs a bit more information about anxiety and some ideas for supporting yourself with it. https://lnkd.in/e_8ddiCt #ADHD #Autism #AuDHD #Anxiety #MentalHealth

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