Written by Dr. Sunil Prakash, Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist and Certified Trainer of Clinical Hypnotherapy Dr. Sunil Prakash is a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist and Trainer. He is the CEO of the California Hypnosis Institute Gurgaon, an online and offline learning platform. An author of The Mental Vault and a presenter at various international conventions and meetings. Body insecurity is a pervasive and intricate phenomenon that affects individuals across various demographics and cultures. This essay delves into the multifaceted nature of body insecurity, exploring the psychological, social, and cultural factors that contribute to its prevalence. By examining the roots of body insecurity, we can gain a deeper understanding of why individuals experience these feelings and work towards fostering a more positive and inclusive body image. Body insecurity Body insecurity is a prevalent issue that transcends cultural, societal, and demographic boundaries. It encompasses a wide range of emotions, from mild dissatisfaction to severe distress about one’s physical appearance. To comprehend the complexity of body insecurity, it is crucial to explore the interconnected web of psychological, social, and cultural factors that contribute to its development. This essay aims to unravel these factors and shed light on the intricate dynamics that shape our perceptions of our bodies. Psychological factors At the core of body insecurity lie various psychological factors that influence how individuals perceive their bodies. One key element is the internalisation of societal beauty standards. From a young age, individuals are exposed to images and messages that dictate what is considered attractive. The media, in particular, play a significant role in shaping these standards, often presenting an idealised and unrealistic portrayal of beauty. As individuals internalise these ideals, they may develop unrealistic expectations for their own bodies, leading to dissatisfaction and insecurity. Social comparison theory suggests that people tend to evaluate themselves in relation to others. In the context of physical appearance, this can contribute to a negative perception of oneself. Constantly comparing oneself with perceived societal norms can lead to a distorted view of one’s body, fostering feelings of inadequacy. Moreover, past experiences, such as bullying, teasing, or negative comments about physical appearance, can leave lasting scars on an individual’s sense of self-worth. Traumatic events or adverse experiences may contribute to the development of body insecurity as individuals internalise negative beliefs about their bodies based on past incidents. Body dysmorphic disorder, or BDD, is a mental health condition that can intensify body insecurity. Individuals with BDD experience persistent preoccupation with perceived flaws in their appearance, often accompanied by repetitive behaviours intended to address or conceal these perceived imperfections. BDD can significantly affect a person’s mental wellbeing and exacerbate feelings of insecurity and dissatisfaction with their body. Social factors The social environment plays a crucial role in shaping perceptions of body image. Peer influences, societal expectations, and interpersonal relationships all contribute to the development of body insecurity. During adolescence, individuals often face heightened scrutiny from peers, which can amplify concerns about their bodies. Family dynamics and parental attitudes also influence body image. If parents emphasise the importance of physical appearance or exhibit negative body image behaviours, their children may internalise these attitudes. Conversely, positive reinforcement and healthy discussions about body image within families can contribute to a more positive perception of oneself. Societal pressure to conform to beauty standards further exacerbates body insecurity. Discrimination based on physical appearance, body shaming, and the objectification of individuals contribute to a culture that fosters insecurity. The prevalence of social media amplifies these pressures, as individuals are exposed to curated and idealised representations of beauty, creating an unrealistic benchmark for comparison. Cultural factors Cultural norms and values significantly affect perceptions of body image. Different cultures may prioritise certain physical attributes over others, leading individuals to internalise culturally specific beauty ideals. For example, cultures that emphasise thinness may contribute to higher rates of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating patterns among their members. Cultural representations in the media play a pivotal role in shaping beauty standards. The lack of diversity in media portrayals can marginalise individuals whose bodies do not align with prevailing norms, fostering feelings of exclusion and inadequacy. Efforts to promote diversity and inclusivity in media representation can help challenge these norms and contribute to a more accepting cultural environment. Cultural rituals, traditions, and religious beliefs can also influence body image. Practices that prioritise specific body types or enforce restrictive beauty standards may contribute to the development of body insecurity within certain cultural contexts. In conclusion, body insecurity is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon shaped by a combination of psychological, social, and cultural factors. Understanding the interplay of these elements is essential for developing comprehensive strategies to address and mitigate body insecurity at individual and societal levels. Efforts to promote realistic portrayals of diverse body types in the media, challenge societal beauty norms, and foster positive discussions about body image within families and communities can contribute to a more inclusive and accepting environment. Additionally, mental health interventions and support systems are crucial for individuals grappling with body insecurity, helping them navigate the psychological challenges associated with negative body image. By recognising the intricate nature of body insecurity and addressing its roots, we can work towards fostering a society that values and celebrates the diversity of human bodies while promoting mental and emotional wellbeing for all. Feelings of shame and insecurity about one’s body are complex and can stem from a variety of factors, often involving a combination of psychological, social, and cultural influences. Understanding these factors can be a crucial step towards addressing and overcoming body shame. Here are some common reasons why individuals may feel ashamed or insecure about their bodies. Societal beauty standards: Society often imposes unrealistic and narrow beauty standards that prioritise specific body types, features, or sizes. When individuals do not meet these standards, they may internalise a sense of inadequacy or unworthiness. Media influence: The media, including advertising, television, and social media, frequently perpetuate idealised and often digitally manipulated images of beauty. Exposure to these images can contribute to distorted perceptions of oneself and heightened feelings of insecurity. Comparison with others: Social comparison is a natural human tendency, but constantly comparing one’s body with those of others, especially people portrayed in the media or within social circles, can lead to negative perceptions and increased insecurity. Negative experiences: Past experiences, such as bullying, body shaming, or critical comments about one’s appearance, can contribute to the development of body shame. Traumatic events related to body image may leave lasting emotional scars. Cultural expectations: Cultural norms and expectations surrounding beauty and body image can vary widely. Individuals may feel pressure to conform to specific cultural ideals, and deviations from these norms can result in feelings of shame or insecurity. Personal history: Personal experiences, such as childhood trauma, emotional neglect, or a history of abuse, can significantly affect body image and contribute to feelings of shame. Mental health factors: Conditions such as depression, anxiety, or body dysmorphic disorder can intensify negative perceptions of one’s body and contribute to a heightened sense of shame. Social influences: Peer pressure, societal expectations, and the need for social acceptance can influence how individuals perceive their bodies. Fear of judgment or rejection may lead to heightened feelings of insecurity. Perfectionism: Unrealistic expectations, often driven by perfectionism, can contribute to feelings of shame when those expectations are not met. This can be particularly true in areas related to physical appearance. Lack of compassion for oneself: Individuals who struggle to show themselves compassion and acceptance may be more prone to harsh personal judgment. Learning to treat oneself with kindness and understanding is crucial for building a positive body image. Addressing feelings of shame and insecurity about your body involves a combination of reflection, compassion for yourself, and, in some cases, professional support. Working to change negative thought patterns, challenge societal norms, and surround yourself with positive influences are essential steps towards building a healthier and more positive relationship with your body. Cultivating a more positive mindset involves intentional and consistent effort. Here are some steps you can take to foster positivity in your life. Practise gratitude: Regularly express gratitude for the positive aspects of your life. Consider keeping a gratitude journal to write down things you are thankful for each day. Focus on the present moment and appreciate the simple pleasures in life. Positive affirmations: Create and repeat positive affirmations to challenge negative thoughts. Affirmations can help reshape your mindset and build confidence. Replace thoughts that are critical of yourself with affirmations that promote self-acceptance. Surround yourself with positivity: Spend time with positive and supportive individuals. Surrounding yourself with uplifting people can significantly affect your mood. Minimise exposure to negative influences, whether they are people, media, or environments. Practise compassion for yourself: Treat yourself with kindness and understanding. Practise compassion for yourself by acknowledging that everyone makes mistakes and experiences setbacks. Avoid judging yourself harshly, and replace negative internal dialogue with more encouraging and compassionate language. Set realistic goals: Break down larger goals into smaller, achievable tasks. Celebrate your successes, no matter how small, and recognise your progress. Be realistic about what you can accomplish, and do not create unnecessary stress by expecting perfection. Mindfulness and meditation: Practise mindfulness to remain present and avoid becoming overwhelmed by negative thoughts about the past or worries about the future. Incorporate meditation into your routine to promote relaxation and mental clarity. Physical activity: Engage in regular physical activity, as exercise can boost your mood and reduce stress. Choose activities you enjoy to make the process more enjoyable and sustainable. Healthy lifestyle choices: Prioritise a balanced and nutritious diet. What you eat can affect your energy levels and overall wellbeing. Ensure that you get enough sleep, as a lack of sleep can contribute to negative emotions and reduced resilience. Learn and grow: View challenges as opportunities for growth rather than insurmountable obstacles. Embrace a growth mindset, understanding that your abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. Seek professional support: If persistent negative thoughts or feelings are affecting your daily life, consider seeking help from a mental health professional. Therapists, counsellors, or support groups can provide valuable insights and tools for managing negative emotions. Some case studies suggest that hypnotherapy may help identify possible underlying causes of body shame and insecurity, support emotional healing, and encourage greater body acceptance. Remember that developing a positive mindset is a journey, and it is okay to progress at your own pace. Consistently practising these habits can lead to positive changes over time. Therapists, counsellors, or support groups can provide valuable insights and tools for managing negative emotions. Hypnotherapy has successful case studies where the real root cause of body shaming and insecurity reasons have been identified, healing provided, and a slim, fit body achieved. Negative emotions were converted into positive emotions, and non-acceptance into acceptance. Follow Dr. Sunil on his Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or visit his website for more info! Read more from Dr. Sunil Prakash Dr. Sunil Prakash, Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist and Certified Trainer of Clinical Hypnotherapy In 2008, Dr Sunil Prakash had a life-changing encounter while attending a Psychotherapy conference in the USA. He met a Clinical Hypnotherapist who introduced him to the remarkable effectiveness of Hypnotherapy as a healing modality. Inspired by this newfound knowledge, he determined to pursue his passion for healing and teaching. Dr Sunil Prakash spent little time completing his Hypnotherapist course and Trainer's program from CHI USA. Within a year, he started his hypnotherapy academy. Since 2009, he has been successfully running the California Hypnosis Institute Gurgaon in India, where he practices and teaches Clinical Hypnotherapy.

Written by Paula Miles, BACP-Registered Psychotherapist Paula Miles is a psychotherapist, BACP-registered, who helps people navigating anxiety, stress, and burnout. Drawing from her own experience in high-pressure corporate roles, and childhood trauma she offers a grounded, compassionate space for root-cause emotional change. This article explores the emotional explosions that happen over something small and what they are actually saying about everything that came before. It happens over something ordinary: a cup left on the side, a question asked at the wrong moment, or a small thing forgotten again. Suddenly, she is not responding to the cup, the question, or the forgotten thing. She is somewhere else entirely, and she can hear herself, but she cannot stop. Afterward, she does not fully know what happened. The silence that follows is its own kind of pain. Her partner looks shaken, shut down, or defensive. She feels a shame so fast and so total that it is almost physical. She apologises. She tries to explain but cannot find the words. She thinks again that something must be wrong with her, that a woman who has everything she worked for should not be falling apart over a cup. But she was not falling apart over a cup. She has been holding something for a very long time, and the cup was simply the moment when her body could not hold it any longer. This article explores what is actually happening when a high-achieving woman reaches that point, why it is one of the most misunderstood experiences in close relationships, and what it takes to begin addressing what is really underneath it. Why this is happening more, and why we are finally talking about it In 2025 and 2026, the phenomenon of female rage, particularly the kind that erupts over something small in the context of a close relationship, became one of the most widely discussed topics in women’s mental health. PureWow, drawing on a consultation with clinical psychologist Dr Bethany Cook, described 2025 as the year of maternal rage, noting its visibility across film, television, and popular culture. The Atlantic, Forbes, and the BBC all published significant features on women’s anger in partnerships and its relationship with chronic overload. The data underlying this cultural moment are not new, but they are now undeniable. A 2025 report from the University of Bath found that women manage seven in ten household tasks, even in dual-income partnerships. The Mind Share Partners 2025 Mental Health at Work report found that 75 percent of women reported burnout, compared with 58 percent of men. An article published by Postpartum Support International described a specific cycle: sustained emotional suppression, followed by an explosive release, intense shame, and increased suppression as the woman attempts to compensate. The cycle does not resolve itself. It simply repeats under increasing pressure until something or someone is significantly damaged by it. The explosion over something small is not the problem. It is the signal that a problem has been present and unaddressed for a considerable time. What is actually happening in her body and brain When a nervous system has been under chronic stress, it does not behave in the same way as a rested nervous system. It becomes increasingly sensitised, meaning that stimuli that would ordinarily register as minor, such as a tone of voice, a request made at a bad moment, or a repeated small failure, are processed through a system that is already at or near its threshold. Neuroscientists describe this as allostatic load: the cumulative biological cost of sustained stress on a body that was not designed for uninterrupted activation. The amygdala, which plays an important role in threat detection and emotional response, may become more reactive in a chronically stressed nervous system. The prefrontal cortex, which supports rational thought, perspective taking, and emotional regulation, may become less able to perform its moderating function. In practical terms, this means that a woman who has been managing everything at high capacity for weeks or months may not be operating with the same neurological resources as a woman who has had adequate rest, support, and space to process her own emotional experience. Her reaction is not simply a conscious choice. Her brain is working with the resources that remain available. A study published in 2025 examining the relationship between emotional suppression and cumulative stress found that the habitual suppression of negative emotions, the pattern of holding everything together regardless of one’s internal state, does not necessarily reduce emotional intensity. It may delay and amplify it. The emotion does not disappear simply because it has been contained. It accumulates, and when the containment finally fails, what emerges may not be proportionate to the immediate trigger. It may be proportionate to everything that has been held. Why she could not say it before it became an explosion For most high-achieving women, the inability to express difficulty before it reaches a breaking point is not simply a failure of communication skills. It is the logical outcome of a much older pattern. Many of the women I work with learned early that expressing need, frustration, or distress was risky because doing so created emotional consequences, such as disappointment, withdrawal, conflict, or the sense of having become too much. They learned to manage internally, absorb what was difficult, and continue functioning. They learned to make everything look fine because the alternative felt more costly than the effort of maintaining the appearance. That pattern was often adaptive in the environment where it formed. The child who learned to suppress her distress to protect the emotional climate of her home was doing something intelligent. The difficulty is that the adult woman is still running the same programme in a completely different context without ever having been given an alternative. She does not express the frustration while it is still manageable because, somewhere in her nervous system, expressing it still feels dangerous. This is not necessarily conscious or a deliberate choice, but a bodily certainty that costs her the energy of constant vigilance. Research on adverse childhood experiences and anger, published in 2024, found a relationship between difficult early emotional environments and later challenges with emotional regulation in adulthood. The woman who could not say that things were difficult when they were difficult does not suddenly find that capacity available to her in the middle of an ordinary Tuesday when her partner has once again left the cup on the side. What it does to the relationship over time The explosion itself is distressing for both partners. However, the pattern surrounding it, the suppression that precedes it and the shame that follows it, is where deeper relational damage tends to accumulate. Research in couples therapy has associated emotional unpredictability with relational insecurity. When a partner cannot reliably read what is happening inside the other person or know whether a calm exterior reflects genuine calm or the surface of something that is about to break, the relationship can lose a quality of safety that is difficult to rebuild without directly addressing what lies underneath. For the woman herself, the shame cycle is particularly corrosive. After the explosion, she typically contracts. She apologises, overexplains, compensates, and suppresses more rigorously than before. She resolves again to manage better. In practice, this means that she now carries both the original load and the additional weight of self-recrimination. The partner, depending on their own relational history and patterns, may withdraw, become hypervigilant, or respond with frustration, which compounds the distance. A 2025 CEREVITY review of research on high-achieving couples found that this specific cycle, sustained suppression followed by an explosion and then shame-driven overcompensation, was among the most commonly reported relational dynamics in partnerships where one partner was a high-functioning, high-achieving woman. Over time, both partners can begin to organise their behaviour around the cycle without ever naming it. The woman holds more to prevent the explosion. The partner quietly adjusts to avoid triggering it. The relationship becomes managed rather than honest, functional rather than truly close. Both people are present, but neither is fully reached. What the anger is actually trying to say Rage in women, particularly the kind that emerges in close relationships after a period of sustained carrying and suppression, is rarely what it appears to be on the surface. Clinical psychologist Dr Bethany Cook, writing in PureWow in 2026, described rage not as failure but as data: the most visible emotion in a landscape that, once examined, reveals grief, disappointment, fear, and a fundamental longing to be seen that has gone unmet for too long. From a psychoanalytic perspective, this is consistent with what we understand about how suppressed emotional experiences find expression. When a feeling cannot be metabolised through ordinary channels, when there is no space, witness, or relationship in which the difficult thing can be said and received without consequence, it does not dissolve. It finds another route. For many women, that route is the explosion, the moment when the body simply stops cooperating with the management strategy that worked until it no longer did. What the anger is saying, translated from the body into language, tends to be something like this: “I have been carrying this for a long time, and no one has noticed. I have been managing everyone else’s comfort while my own needs have gone unmet, and I have not known how to say so. I am not actually angry about the cup. I am exhausted in a way that has no name, and I needed you to know it. This was the only way I could make that happen.” What can actually help: Six honest starting points Because this work is rooted in depth and honesty rather than quick management, these are not simply techniques to prevent the next explosion. They are invitations to begin addressing what lies underneath it. Name what you are carrying before it becomes everything. Do this not during a conflict or as an explanation or apology, but in a quiet moment and to yourself first. What has been accumulating? What has gone unsaid? Naming it privately is the first step towards being able to say it at all. Distinguish between the trigger and the load. The cup is never the real subject. When you feel disproportionate anger building, ask yourself what it is actually attached to. Do this not so that you can talk yourself out of the anger, but so that you can locate what genuinely needs attention. Let the shame after an explosion be information rather than evidence. The shame is real and worth acknowledging, but it is not necessarily evidence that you are too much, unstable, or failing in your relationship. It may be evidence that you have been containing something too large for too long and that the containment finally failed. Those are different things. Consider what expressing difficulty costs you and where that belief came from. If saying that you are struggling feels more dangerous than continuing to struggle silently, that is worth exploring carefully. It may be an old belief rather than a reflection of your current reality, but the nervous system does not automatically know the difference. Resist the urge to manage better rather than feel more honestly. The impulse after an explosion is often to increase control, try harder, suppress more effectively, and be more patient. This can increase pressure rather than relieve it. The more useful direction may be towards greater honesty, expressed more frequently and in smaller doses, before it has to become an explosion to be heard. Take this seriously enough to seek the right kind of support. This may not be simply a communication problem that a couples workshop can resolve. It may be a pattern with deeper roots, and those roots may require more than strategy. Therapy that addresses the emotional history beneath the behaviour, rather than only the behaviour itself, can create meaningful and lasting change. When to seek support If this pattern is familiar, whether it is the cycle of holding, exploding, and being flooded with shame or simply the growing sense that your relationship has become a place where you manage rather than belong, it may be time to create a different kind of space. As a psychoanalytic psychotherapist, I work with high-achieving women who are tired of understanding their patterns intellectually without being able to change them emotionally. Therapy is not simply about learning to express yourself better or control your anger more skilfully. It is about understanding, with genuine depth and without self-punishment, why the anger needed to become an explosion before anyone, including you, took it seriously. That understanding can change things in ways that communication techniques alone may not reach. If this resonates, you are welcome to reach out. I offer a free 30-minute discovery call. It is a space to talk honestly about what you are carrying, ask any questions you may have about therapy, and get a sense of whether working together feels like a meaningful next step. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Paula Miles Paula Miles, BACP-Registered Psychotherapist Paula Miles is a BACP-registered psychotherapist working with anxiety, burnout, and high-functioning stress. With a background in demanding corporate environments and having grown up in a critical, emotionally unavailable, and neglectful family, she learned early to carry the pressure of being the “good,” capable, strong, and always-okay one in every relationship. She deeply understands the experience of performing while feeling depleted inside, broken, or like a failure. Paula transformed her own pain into a vocation, she supports clients in over eight countries, offering a deeply human space where people can understand their emotions, reconnect with themselves, and find a root-cause relief from the patterns that keep them overwhelmed. Sources and References: PureWow / Cook, B. (February 2026). 2025 Was the Year of Maternal Rage. 2026 Is the Year We Put It to Use. purewow.com University of Bath. (2025). Mental Load Research: Women Manage 7 in 10 Household Tasks. bath.ac.uk Mind Share Partners. (2025). Mental Health at Work Report. mindsharepartners.org Postpartum Support International / Hello Therapy. (2026). Emotional suppression and rage cycle in women. postpartum.net McEwen, B.S. (2007). Physiology and neurobiology of stress and adaptation: Central role of the brain. Physiological Reviews, 87(3), 873-904. [Allostatic load and cumulative stress.] PMC / National Institutes of Health. (2025). Emotional suppression in women and cumulative stress amplification. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov PMC / National Institutes of Health. (2024). Mothers' Adverse Childhood Experiences and anger expression in adulthood. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11353132 CEREVITY. (2025). High-Achiever Relationship Dynamics and the suppression-explosion cycle. cerevity.com Thomas, S.P. (2005). Women's anger, aggression and violence. Health Care for Women International, 26(6), 504-522. Lyra Health. (2025). State of Workforce Mental Health Report. lyrahealth.com

Written by Haifa Hamdi, Scientist, Nutritionist, and Author Dr. Haifa Hamdi is a research scientist, holistic nutritionist, and author whose work focuses on cancer, autoimmune diseases, and digestive health. She is passionate about helping families embrace healthier lifestyles and inspiring a world where health is joyful and empowering. Long before a diagnosis is made, parents may notice subtle changes in a child’s appetite, energy, digestion, or behaviour. Drawing on her experience as both an immunology scientist and a mother, the author explores how careful observation, scientific knowledge, and partnership with healthcare professionals can help families better understand the body’s quiet signals. “Science helps us understand biology. Parents often witness it long before medicine gives it a name.” Before the diagnosis Having lived and worked across different countries, I have learned that healthcare systems differ, universities teach differently, medical technologies continue to evolve, and cultures often approach health in unique ways. Yet there is one language that remains universal: biology. Every human body speaks it, and every child lives it. Parents are often the first to witness its quietest conversations, long before those observations reach the clinic. One of the greatest strengths of epidemiology is its ability to reveal patterns long before biology fully explains them. As an immunology scientist, I have always been fascinated by those patterns because they often become the first clues that something important is unfolding. Looking back, I sometimes wonder whether the body always knows the story before we do. The question is not whether the body communicates; it is whether we recognize its language. As an immunology scientist, I have spent much of my career studying how inflammatory diseases develop and how the immune system responds to the world around us. Yet one of the most important lessons I have learned about biology did not come from a laboratory, a scientific publication, or a research conference. It came from my son. When he was four years old, I had no reason to believe our family was beginning a journey toward pediatric inflammatory bowel disease. Nothing dramatic happened. There was no emergency, no sudden collapse, and no single event that made us believe something serious was unfolding. Life looked like it does for countless young families: busy school mornings, birthday parties, family dinners, and the beautiful unpredictability of childhood. Only years later did I realize that another story had been unfolding quietly in parallel. The body had already begun the conversation. I simply was not yet fluent in its language. Breakfast was often the first clue, although I did not know it at the time. Almost every morning became a gentle negotiation. My son wanted to postpone eating for as long as possible. It was more than ordinary childhood pickiness. Certain food textures seemed almost impossible for him to tolerate, and meals that should have been uneventful sometimes became surprisingly difficult. One family gathering has remained with me over the years. A family member, wanting only to encourage him, gently insisted that he try a small piece of omelet. Even before it reached his mouth, I could see from his facial expression that the smell alone seemed unbearable. He hesitated, took a small bite, and began chewing. Within seconds, his eyes filled with discomfort. He gagged and nearly vomited. Like any parent, I searched for familiar explanations. Perhaps he simply disliked eggs. Perhaps he was unusually sensitive to certain textures. Perhaps this was just another childhood phase that would disappear with time. Looking back, I want to be very careful not to suggest that this experience pointed directly to inflammatory bowel disease. It did not. Most children who avoid particular foods, dislike certain textures, or refuse breakfast will never develop IBD. These observations have many possible explanations, most of them entirely unrelated to chronic illness. What mattered was not this moment alone, but the pattern that gradually emerged over time. Around that same period, I noticed something else. Occasionally, after eating, a small bump would appear high on his abdomen, just beneath the lower edge of his rib cage. It would disappear as quickly as it appeared, making it easy to dismiss. I mentioned it during routine medical visits, but nothing concerning was identified. Life moved on. Still, something quietly unsettled me, although I could not explain why. He was too young to describe what he was feeling. He could not explain nausea or discomfort, nor could he tell me that eating sometimes felt different. Children often lack the vocabulary to describe what their bodies are experiencing, but they communicate in other ways. Looking back today, I remember his eyes more than anything else. I remember the hesitation before meals, his facial expressions, and the unpredictability of his appetite. Some days, he seemed genuinely hungry and ate with enthusiasm. On other days, he wanted to postpone breakfast, showed little interest in food, or quietly pushed his plate away after only a few bites. At the time, none of these moments seemed extraordinary. Children go through phases, their appetites fluctuate, and parents naturally look for simple explanations. Yet looking back, I sometimes wonder whether those seemingly unrelated moments were small pieces of a larger biological story that neither of us could yet understand. He was only four years old. He could not tell me that something felt different inside his body. But today, I often find myself wondering whether, in the only way he knew how, his body was already trying to communicate, almost as if it were quietly saying, “Please... check me.” Years passed, and like many children, he continued to grow, play, laugh, and enjoy what appeared to be a healthy childhood. One of the remarkable characteristics of children is their extraordinary ability to adapt. Their bodies work tirelessly to maintain balance, often compensating for far longer than we realize. That resilience is one of childhood’s greatest gifts. Occasionally, however, it can also delay our recognition that something more persistent may be developing. Gradually, I began noticing other subtle changes. From time to time, I saw pieces of undigested food in his stool. Again, this observation alone meant very little. Digestive changes in children are common and usually have simple explanations. Still, something prompted me to call my mother in Tunisia. I described everything I had been observing. There was a brief silence before she answered. “Benti...” In Tunisia, benti literally means “my daughter,” but spoken that way, it carries much more than a simple translation. It conveys concern, affection, protection, and a quiet sense of urgency that every Tunisian child immediately understands. She paused before saying softly, “This needs a very strict diet.” From that day forward, she called me regularly, and every conversation began with the same question: “How is he today?” As our conversations continued, memories I had almost forgotten slowly resurfaced. Two earlier episodes of unexpected bathroom urgency, which had once seemed isolated and insignificant, suddenly took on a different meaning as his bowel habits gradually changed. Around the same time, I realized that he seemed to catch colds more frequently than many children his age. He also experienced episodes of shortness of breath that prompted consultations with several physicians, yet every evaluation was reassuring, and no clear explanation was found. Looking back, I cannot say whether these observations were related to what would later unfold. They may have been entirely unrelated. What they did contribute to, however, was a growing awareness that I was observing a succession of small changes rather than a single isolated event. Individually, none of these observations seemed remarkable; together, they formed a pattern. That realization changed me profoundly. I stopped asking only, “What disease is this?” Instead, I found myself asking a different question, “What was my son’s body trying to tell us long before medicine finally had a name for it?” That question has guided my scientific thinking ever since, not because every pattern leads to disease or every symptom has hidden significance, but because biology rarely changes without leaving traces. As scientists, we are trained to recognize patterns before drawing conclusions. Perhaps families can learn to do the same, not to diagnose disease, but to become thoughtful observers of the biological story unfolding in everyday life. For thousands of years, families learned through observation. They noticed changes in appetite, sleep, digestion, energy, mood, and recovery without understanding cytokines, microbiota, genetics, or immunology. Modern medicine has transformed our ability to diagnose disease, and those advances continue to save countless lives. Yet I sometimes wonder whether, in becoming increasingly sophisticated scientifically, we have also become less attentive to the quiet biological conversations taking place around us every day. My hope is not to return to the past. It is to move forward by reconnecting modern science with careful observation and recognizing that one strengthens the other. Perhaps the future of prevention begins not only with better technology, but also with learning to recognize the language of biology long before disease finally has a name. Learning to read the body As I reflected on my son’s journey, I gradually realized that the greatest lesson had very little to do with inflammatory bowel disease itself. It had everything to do with the way we understand biology. For years, I had studied the immune system through the lens of science. I understood inflammatory pathways, immune regulation, and the remarkable complexity of the human body. Yet becoming a mother taught me something equally important: biology is not confined to laboratories, hospitals, or scientific journals. It accompanies us every day, quietly responding to everything we experience. The body is constantly adapting to food, sleep, movement, infections, emotions, stress, and the environment around us. It is never passive. Every hour, countless biological processes work together to maintain balance, responding to challenges long before we become consciously aware of them. Perhaps this is why I now see one of the greatest paradoxes of modern life differently. Never before have we understood so much about the human body. We can sequence genomes, analyze the microbiome, measure inflammatory markers with extraordinary precision, and develop therapies that would have seemed unimaginable only a generation ago. Modern medicine continues to achieve remarkable things, and as a research scientist, I deeply admire the progress that has transformed countless lives. Yet despite this extraordinary knowledge, many families still feel disconnected from the biology unfolding within their own homes. Somewhere along the way, biology became something we associated with laboratories rather than everyday life. For most of human history, observation was one of humanity’s greatest survival skills. Parents noticed when a child suddenly lost interest in food, when sleep became restless, when energy quietly declined, or when recovery after illness seemed unusually slow. They did not understand cytokines, microbiota, or molecular immunology, but they recognized that the body was constantly responding to its environment. Today, science helps us understand why many of those changes occur. We know that nutrition influences metabolism, immune regulation, and the trillions of microorganisms that live within us. We understand that stress affects hormonal pathways, that sleep contributes to immune function, and that early life experiences can influence health far beyond childhood. We also know that chronic diseases rarely develop because of a single event. More often, they emerge through the cumulative interaction of genetics, environment, lifestyle, and time. Science has given us extraordinary answers. The challenge now is helping those answers become part of everyday family life. Research papers do not prepare breakfast. Scientific discoveries do not sit around the dinner table. Medical journals do not notice when a lunchbox comes home untouched three days in a row. But families do. That realization changed the way I think about prevention. For many years, prevention has been presented as a list of recommendations: eat better, exercise more, sleep longer, and reduce stress. While each of these matters, I have come to believe that prevention begins even earlier. It begins with paying attention, not through anxiety or constant vigilance, but through genuine curiosity. Curiosity invites us to observe before we interpret, to notice before we conclude, and to ask thoughtful questions rather than rushing toward answers. In many ways, it resembles the work of a scientist. A researcher does not begin an experiment already convinced of the outcome. Instead, observations are gathered patiently, patterns are explored, hypotheses are considered, and conclusions are reached only after enough evidence has accumulated. I believe families can adopt a similar mindset. The goal is not to search for disease in every symptom, but to recognize when a collection of seemingly ordinary observations deserves a thoughtful conversation with a healthcare professional. As both a scientist and a mother, I have learned that the most meaningful observations rarely occur during medical appointments. They emerge in the ordinary rhythm of family life: around the breakfast table, during bedtime routines, on family vacations, in conversations after school, or in the quiet moments when a child says very little yet somehow communicates a great deal. Individually, those moments may appear insignificant. Together, they sometimes become part of a larger biological story. Most patterns ultimately prove to have simple explanations. Occasionally, however, they point toward something that deserves closer attention. Learning to recognize the difference begins not with certainty, but with careful observation guided by curiosity, humility, and science. When viewed together over time, these observations may reveal patterns worth discussing with trusted healthcare professionals. Perhaps this is where the future of prevention truly begins, not by asking families to become physicians, but by helping them become more attentive observers of the extraordinary biology unfolding in everyday life. Technology has transformed medicine in remarkable ways, and it will continue to do so. My hope is that it will also inspire us to reconnect with something equally valuable: the ability to notice, to question thoughtfully, and to appreciate that the body is constantly communicating, even when its language is quiet. The goal is not to replace science, but to allow science and observation to strengthen one another. When they do, families become more confident, healthcare professionals gain richer context, and children benefit from a partnership built on both knowledge and understanding. Perhaps one of the greatest opportunities we have is not simply to advance medicine, but to become better listeners to the remarkable language of biology that has been with us all along. The pattern before the diagnosis When I look back today, what strikes me most is not any single observation, but the pattern they eventually formed. None of those moments seemed extraordinary on their own. A child delaying breakfast. A sensitivity to certain food textures. A small bump that appeared briefly after meals. Occasional digestive changes. Episodes of bathroom urgency separated by months. Had I looked at each of those experiences in isolation, I would probably have forgotten them. Together, however, they told a different story. That realization has profoundly influenced the way I now think about health. Biology rarely reveals itself through a single event. More often, it unfolds gradually, allowing seemingly unrelated observations to accumulate until a larger picture begins to emerge. As scientists, we rarely draw conclusions from a single experiment. We look for reproducibility, consistency, and patterns across multiple observations before reaching meaningful conclusions. I have often wondered whether families can approach everyday life in a similar way, not by trying to diagnose disease or becoming anxious each time something changes, but by recognizing that persistent patterns deserve thoughtful attention and, when appropriate, a conversation with trusted healthcare professionals. I often wonder how our conversations about prevention might change if we shifted our attention away from isolated symptoms and toward understanding patterns. Instead of asking, “What is wrong today?” we might also ask, “What has been changing over the past several months?” Those questions are fundamentally different. The first seeks an immediate answer. The second seeks understanding. One of the greatest lessons motherhood has taught me is that children are constantly communicating, even when they have not yet developed the vocabulary to explain what they are experiencing. A younger child may not be able to describe nausea, early satiety, fatigue, or abdominal discomfort. Instead, those experiences may quietly influence behaviors. A child may begin delaying breakfast, avoiding certain textures, eating less enthusiastically, becoming unusually tired, or wanting to stop playing earlier than usual. Each of those observations has many possible explanations. Most are entirely unrelated to chronic disease. That is precisely why context matters. The biological story is rarely found in a single moment. It emerges through the relationship between many observations made over time, each contributing a small piece to a much larger picture. It is often only in retrospect that those seemingly unrelated moments begin to make sense. Perhaps this is why I believe parents occupy such an important place in prevention. Not because they know more medicine than healthcare professionals, but because they know their child. They recognize what is typical, what feels different, and what has quietly changed. They experience everyday life in ways that no consultation lasting twenty or thirty minutes can fully capture. That perspective is not a substitute for medical expertise. It is an invaluable complement to it. When parents bring thoughtful observations to healthcare professionals, and clinicians combine those observations with scientific knowledge, diagnostic tools, and clinical experience, the biological story becomes clearer. In my view, this partnership represents one of the greatest strengths of modern medicine, not because either perspective is sufficient on its own, but because each completes the other. This is also why I have become increasingly convinced that prevention begins long before treatment becomes necessary. I have come to believe that prevention begins by paying attention, not obsessively or fearfully, but with the quiet respect that recognizes that the body rarely changes without a reason, even when that reason ultimately proves to be temporary or entirely unrelated to serious illness. Observation is not the destination. It is the beginning of a conversation that families and healthcare professionals are uniquely positioned to have together. Perhaps that conversation is one of the most powerful tools we possess for protecting children’s health long before disease reaches a crisis. A different conversation about children’s health People often ask me what changed after my son’s diagnosis. Many expect me to speak first about medications, nutrition, hospital visits, or research. Those became important parts of our family’s journey, and I remain deeply grateful for the remarkable advances in modern medicine that continue to improve the lives of children living with chronic diseases. Yet if I am honest, the greatest change happened somewhere else. It changed the way I think. Before my son was diagnosed, I viewed prevention primarily through the lens of science. After his diagnosis, I began to understand prevention through the lens of everyday life. I came to appreciate that health is not built only in hospitals or research laboratories. It is also shaped around breakfast tables, during family dinners, on school mornings, and in the countless ordinary moments that quietly define childhood. That realization transformed the questions I ask. Instead of asking only, “What disease does this child have?” I also began asking, “What has this child’s biology been trying to tell us?” To me, these questions have never competed with one another. A diagnosis helps us identify disease; understanding helps us appreciate the biological story that often begins long before medicine is able to give that disease a name. Children deserve both. Throughout my scientific career, I have had the privilege of working alongside outstanding researchers and contributing to projects dedicated to understanding the immune system and developing better therapies. Those experiences strengthened my confidence in science. Motherhood strengthened my confidence in observation. Together, they reshaped the way I understand prevention. I no longer see science and observation as separate worlds. Scientific discoveries help us understand biology, while families experience biology every single day. Healthcare professionals bring clinical expertise, scientific knowledge, and the diagnostic tools needed to interpret what those observations may mean. Parents contribute something equally valuable: the lived experience of knowing their child. When these perspectives come together, we move beyond simply treating disease and begin building a culture of prevention grounded in partnership, trust, and mutual understanding. This is the future I hope we continue to build: a future in which parents feel comfortable saying, “Something has changed. I cannot explain exactly what it is, but I know my child, and I think it deserves a conversation.” It is also a future in which those observations are welcomed, explored, and thoughtfully integrated into medical care, allowing science and everyday life to strengthen one another rather than exist in separate worlds. My mission extends beyond helping families navigate pediatric inflammatory bowel disease. It is to contribute to a future where children grow up in a world that values prevention as deeply as treatment, recognizes the importance of early biological changes, and equips families with the confidence to become informed partners in protecting their children’s health. Every child deserves access to excellent medicine. Equally important, every child deserves adults who understand that paying attention, asking thoughtful questions, and working in partnership with healthcare professionals are among the most powerful ways we can support lifelong health. There is no universal longevity diet, no single supplement, no perfect protocol, and certainly no magic solution that works for everyone because human biology has never been the same for everyone. Prevention, therefore, cannot be reduced to a checklist. It begins by understanding the individual child standing in front of us and recognizing that health is shaped by a unique interaction of genetics, environment, lifestyle, and lived experience. Perhaps one of the greatest gifts we can offer the next generation is not simply the promise of longer lives, but the opportunity to understand the remarkable biology they carry within them, to respect it, to care for it, and to recognize that health is built through thousands of biological conversations taking place every single day. As scientists, clinicians, educators, and parents, we each contribute a different perspective to that conversation. When we choose to listen together, children benefit. The body leaves clues, but it is through science, thoughtful observation, and genuine partnership that we begin to understand what those clues may be telling us. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Haifa Hamdi Haifa Hamdi, Scientist, Nutritionist, and Author Dr. Haifa Hamdi is a research scientist, holistic nutritionist, and author dedicated to advancing health and wellness. After earning her Ph.D. in Immunology, she built an international career across Europe and North America, contributing to the development of cell therapy protocols to treat cancer and autoimmune disease patients. Her research includes more than 15 peer-reviewed scientific publications, with expertise in lung cancer therapies, immune tolerance, and innovative approaches to inflammatory and infectious diseases. She is also collaborating on new strategies for managing and treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Her mission: to inspire a world where health is seen not as a burden, but as a joyful and empowering journey.

Brainz Magazine Exclusive Interview Inika Superfoods was founded in Stockholm in 2020 by Gabriella Åfeldt and Nicole de Geer with a vision rooted in holistic health, natural ingredients, and mindful living. What began in a kitchen during one of the most uncertain moments in recent history has since evolved into a growing wellness brand focused on creating clean, plant-based superfoods that fit naturally into everyday life. In this interview, Gabriella Åfeldt and Caroline Dinkelspiel open up about rebuilding the company together, navigating uncertainty, staying grounded through growth, and why they believe wellness should feel joyful, accessible, and emotionally connected rather than restrictive. They also share powerful reflections on mindset, healing, entrepreneurship, and the importance of creating moments of calm in a fast-moving world. Caroline Dinkelspiel & Gabriella Åfeldt For people discovering Inika for the first time, what is the story behind the brand and where did the original vision begin? Gabriella Åfeldt: The journey started during COVID in 2020, when the world felt very upside down. Through a series of synchronicities, I met Nicole, the other co-founder, and there was an opportunity to create something within holistic health. Nicole came from a holistic health background, while I had more of an engineering and business background, but with a deep interest in wellbeing and nutrition. We started experimenting in Nicole’s kitchen, testing recipes, talking about health, and asking ourselves what people actually needed during that time. What kept coming back was this idea of returning to something more natural and balanced. Life had become so overwhelming for so many people, and we wanted to create products that could make healthy choices feel easier, calmer, and more accessible. It was never about perfection. It was about creating small moments that made everyday life feel a little better. You’ve spoken a lot about wellness needing to feel joyful rather than extreme. Why was that so important for the brand? Gabriella Åfeldt: Because health is not just physical. It’s emotional, mental, spiritual, it’s everything. I think a lot of people today feel exhausted by wellness culture because it often becomes another thing to perform perfectly. Another set of rules. Another pressure. Both Nicole and I had experiences of going too far into different extremes before realising that balance was actually where wellbeing existed. We wanted Inika to feel warm and human. Something that supports your life rather than controls it. Caroline, your connection with Inika started from the outside looking in before you became part of the company. What made you feel there was something special there? Caroline Dinkelspiel: It felt authentic immediately. Nicole and I were close friends, so I heard about Inika very early on. I remember her talking about the ingredients and philosophy behind the products, and I was honestly surprised that something could feel that natural while still tasting genuinely good. But beyond the products themselves, there was something very real about the energy behind the brand. It didn’t feel like wellness marketing. It felt personal. "I think people can feel when something is created with integrity versus when something is simply trying to follow a trend." There was clearly a major turning point when the two of you joined forces. What changed during that period? Gabriella Åfeldt: The company went through a very difficult transition period. When Inika first launched, there was a lot of momentum and excitement, but the world changed very quickly and circumstances changed with it. Eventually the company needed a completely new structure and direction. There was a period where I genuinely didn’t know what would happen to the brand. After years of building it, there was a real possibility it could disappear. But deep down, I never fully lost hope. Caroline, what made you step into that uncertainty? Caroline Dinkelspiel: Honestly, because I believed in it. I remember sitting with Nicole over tea while she explained the situation, and my immediate reaction was: “No, this brand is too good to disappear.” Then I met Gabriella, and I could immediately see the passion, resilience, and vision behind everything she had built. What inspired me most was that there was no ego around it. There was just genuine belief, hard work, and a willingness to rebuild properly. Over the past year and a half, we’ve essentially rebuilt the company from the ground up together. We’ve grown organically, stayed very close to our customers, and focused heavily on relationships rather than trying to scale too fast. What has rebuilding taught you both about business and leadership? Caroline Dinkelspiel: That mindset matters more than people realise. Of course there have been stressful moments and operational challenges, but one thing I’m very proud of is that we’ve never approached problems by turning against each other. There’s been a lot of trust, positivity, and calm between us, even during difficult periods. I also think experience changes the way you handle pressure. We’ve both worked in large corporate environments before, and now we’re building something much more personal and value-driven. That creates a different kind of motivation. Gabriella, your own healing journey played a huge role in shaping your philosophy around wellness. Can you talk about that? Gabriella Åfeldt: For many years, I was constantly running. I was extremely goal-oriented, very focused on achievement, and trying to live up to expectations I had placed on myself. Over time, my health deteriorated badly because I ignored what my body was trying to tell me. Eventually everything crashed. At the end of 2018, I hit a point physically and emotionally where I knew something had to change. That became the beginning of my journey into holistic health. I started changing the way I ate, slept, and lived, but eventually I realised healing was about much more than food. I became deeply interested in the connection between the mind and the body - how stress, pressure, emotions, and identity impact our physical health. At one point, my body felt like a prison. I didn’t trust it anymore. But over time, through inner work, meditation, mindset shifts, nature, rest, and reconnecting with myself, something began to change. Eventually I stepped away from medication for a chronic illness that I had been told would never fully heal. That experience changed my entire perspective on health and life. One of the strongest things you said during our conversation was that “healing can become another form of performance.” What do you mean by that? Gabriella Åfeldt: I think many people enter wellness searching for peace, but then accidentally turn healing into another pressure. They start thinking: "I need the perfect routine, I need the perfect supplements, I need to meditate more, I need to optimise myself.” And suddenly wellness becomes another thing we’re trying to succeed at. For me, healing truly began when I stopped forcing and started listening. Sometimes what we need most is rest. Sometimes it’s a walk in nature. Sometimes it’s joy, music, connection, laughter, or simply allowing ourselves to slow down without guilt. "The body is incredibly intelligent. It’s constantly communicating with us. The question is whether we are listening." Inika talks a lot about “The Inika Moment.” What does that phrase represent to you? Gabriella Åfeldt: Presence. Life moves so quickly now, and many people spend their lives mentally somewhere else - worrying about the future, replaying the past, chasing the next thing. The Inika Moment is about reconnecting with the present again. Maybe it’s having a coffee quietly in the morning. Maybe it’s taking a breath between meetings. Maybe it’s dancing in your kitchen, going for a walk with your dog, or simply noticing how you actually feel that day. Those small moments matter much more than we think they do. Your relationship with your customers feels very emotionally connected. How important is authenticity to the way you grow the brand? Caroline Dinkelspiel: It’s everything. We never wanted to build the company around aggressive sales tactics or pressure. We want people to trust us because the products, the messaging, and the people behind the brand genuinely align. That trust matters to us deeply. And honestly, hearing customers come back and say they feel emotionally connected to the brand or that the products became part of their daily routines - those moments mean the most. Gabriella, one thing that stood out during our conversation earlier was your belief that modern society constantly teaches people to search externally for happiness. Do you think people today have become disconnected from themselves? Gabriella Åfeldt: Very much so. We live in a world that constantly tells us the answer is somewhere outside of us. More success. More achievement. More validation. More productivity. But I think many people are exhausted because they’ve lost connection with themselves internally. We are constantly bombarded with information, stress, comparison, and negativity. Eventually people stop listening to their own intuition. I truly believe we already carry so much wisdom within us, but we rarely create enough silence to hear it. And I don’t believe peace comes from fighting harder or pushing harder. I think peace begins within ourselves first. As the company grows, how do you protect the original heart behind Inika? Caroline Dinkelspiel: By constantly coming back to why we started. Of course we want the business to grow. We have big ambitions and exciting plans ahead. But growth only matters if the values stay intact. We always want Inika to feel real, grounded, and emotionally connected no matter how large it becomes. What can people expect from Inika over the next year? Caroline Dinkelspiel: We have a new bar launching, which we’re very excited about, along with a few new products in development. But beyond products, we’re also focused on building more of the community side around Inika. We want people to feel connected to the brand beyond simply buying something. Long-term, we would also love to create initiatives where the brand can give back in meaningful ways. Looking back across your journeys, what mindset has made the biggest difference in your success? Caroline Dinkelspiel: Curiosity. I’ve always followed curiosity throughout my career, and it has consistently led me toward the right people and opportunities. I also think asking for help is underrated. Too many people think they need to solve everything alone. Gabriella? Gabriella Åfeldt: Believing that things are possible before you fully see how they will happen. I think intuition is incredibly powerful. There were moments where giving up would have been easier, but something inside me kept saying: “Keep going.” Often the biggest breakthroughs happen after periods where everything feels uncertain. Finally, for anyone currently trying to build something meaningful, what advice would you give them? Caroline Dinkelspiel: Choose the people around you carefully. You usually know very quickly whether a partnership feels aligned or not, and the right people make difficult periods much easier to navigate. Also, work hard - but make sure it still feels alive. Building something meaningful should still contain joy. Gabriella Åfeldt: Trust yourself more. And don’t underestimate the power of small steps repeated consistently over time. Transformation rarely happens all at once. It happens quietly, moment by moment, choice by choice. For Gabriella Åfeldt and Caroline Dinkelspiel, Inika Superfoods is about far more than wellness products. It is about creating space for people to reconnect with themselves again in a world that constantly pulls their attention elsewhere. And perhaps that is why the brand resonates so deeply. Beneath the bars, ingredients, and growth plans is something much more human: the reminder that wellbeing does not come from perfection, performance, or pressure, but from presence, balance, and learning to listen to ourselves again. For more information, please visit Inika Superfoods' website. Youn can also follow them on Instagram to stay up to date with their latest products and community updates.

Kelly Sotiere is a PGA Golf and mindset coach, Founder of an innovative technical-mental teaching methodology that helps individuals identify and understand their natural operating profile, analytical, emotional, or sensory, to optimize their full potential. By combining psychology, biomechanics, and golf swing mechanics, her approach guides individuals toward greater self-alignment, personal fulfillment, and sustainable excellence both in everyday life and in sporting performance. Kelly Sotiere, PGA Golf Coach and Mindset Coach What inspired you to combine golf coaching, biomechanics, and mindset training into one methodology? I have always been passionate about science, mathematics, and physics. At the same time, I have an insatiable curiosity to continuously educate myself across the different fields of human performance and well-being. My goal is to provide every player with the most personalized approach possible, helping them gain a deep understanding of how they function outside of golf, on the golf course, and especially under the pressure of competition. How do you identify whether a player is analytical, emotional, or sensory, and why does that matter for performance? Throughout our coaching sessions, I identify whether a player primarily operates from an analytical, emotional, or sensory mindset. I do this by observing their language, the way they process the information I provide, and how they apply it both in their daily life and in their sport. From there, my role is to help the player become aware of their natural way of functioning through greater self-knowledge. I then guide them in learning how to intentionally switch between their three "brains", the analytical, emotional, and sensory systems, at the right moment, whether in everyday life or during athletic performance. By developing this flexibility, players learn to make the best use of their abilities in every situation. Most importantly, they build and maintain strong self-esteem regardless of the outcome, whether they perform at their best or experience setbacks. What patterns have you noticed in athletes who improve quickly once they understand their natural operating profile? The athletes who improve the fastest are those who measure their development every day, not only as athletes, but also as individuals. They are driven by a genuine desire to grow and evolve for themselves, whether by developing aspects of their personality, improving specific areas of their performance, refining an attitude, or mastering a movement. They are structured, autonomous, and consistent in their daily routines, regularly seeking feedback and measuring their progress, regardless of whether they are performing at their peak or transitioning toward the next stage of their development. This is all my job about, helping them to keep taking feedbacks on themselves and so anticipating the next steps of their career they want to reach. The athletes who progress more quickly than other ones have a clear understanding of what they need (the What?), why certain approaches work, or do not work, for them (the Why?), and as a result, they focus on the quality of their work rather than simply the quantity (the How?). They know where to direct both their intention and their attention. Above all, throughout their careers, they remain coachable, open to learning, adapting, and continually improving. Why do you think mental performance is still treated separately from technical coaching in many golf programs? I believe that mental performance coaching is becoming an increasingly important part of athletes' daily training environments. More and more golf academies and universities are integrating mental performance coaches into their programs. However, I also believe that the technical and mental aspects of performance are still too often treated as separate disciplines. Athletes themselves (and some coaches), especially young players, tend to evaluate their level of play and their confidence almost exclusively through the technical quality of their performance. The common belief is, "I played well because my technique was good." While technical execution is essential, genuine self-confidence and, more importantly, healthy self-esteem are built on much more than technical performance alone. This is where my role as a coach becomes an educational one. From a very young age, I help players understand the importance of well-being, self-awareness, and personal development as fundamental pillars of long-term athletic performance. My objective is to teach them that performance is not simply the outcome of technical ability but the expression of a well-balanced and self-aware athlete. What are some of the biggest mistakes parents make when supporting young competitive golfers? One of the most common mistakes parents make with young golfers is comparing them to others, "That player hits the ball further than you," "He/She is getting better results," "He/She qualified for that tournament, and you didn't.", etc. Comparisons like these can unintentionally shift a young athlete's focus away from their own development. Childhood and adolescence are critical stages in the construction of identity, not only as athletes but also as young boys and girls. During these years, it is essential for parents to help their children stay focused on their own journey, encourage open conversations, and help them put words to their emotions, thoughts, and experiences. Parents can become invaluable partners in the coaching process. They can support the quality of daily practice, reinforce the tools and routines introduced by the coaching team, and provide the stability that young athletes need to thrive. This includes creating a consistent balance between school and sport, maintaining structured training habits, supporting healthy sleep and nutrition, encouraging emotional stability, and helping monitor the routines and performance systems that allow the athlete to continue developing with confidence. When a player is struggling with confidence, where do you usually start the coaching process? I begin by asking questions that allow me to assess the athlete's level of self-awareness, their beliefs, core values, intrinsic motivations, and long-term life vision. This first stage helps me understand not only who they are as an athlete, but also who they are as a person. I then evaluate the athlete's level of autonomy, how they gather and interpret information, how well they understand themselves within their sport, and how capable they are of managing their own development. I also find it valuable to explore the relationship between their attitude and confidence in sport and the way they approach challenges in their everyday life, as these two environments often mirror one another. The next step is to identify the athlete's strongest mental skills, the areas that need further development, and to design an individualized training cycle. Rather than focusing on weaknesses alone, I build the program around the athlete's existing strengths to accelerate progress in the areas that require improvement. From that point onward, the work becomes highly personalized. Depending on the athlete's needs, we integrate relaxation techniques, thought management strategies, and methods for handling both internal and external distractions. My primary objective is to strengthen self-esteem, because lasting self-confidence can only be built on a solid sense of self-worth. In other words, there is no sustainable self-confidence without strong self-esteem. What practical changes can golfers make to perform more consistently under pressure? Mental training must become part of the athlete's daily routine, not something reserved for competition. Golfers should practise the tools that work best for them both on and off the course. Through relaxation, meditation, breathing exercises, and visualization, they train their brain every day, not just when they play golf. Together, we build a personalized mental toolbox that the player can use in every aspect of performance. This includes their pre-shot routine, where they learn to regulate their focus and emotions before every shot, as well as their practice routines. They learn how to monitor meaningful performance statistics, recreate pressure situations during training, reset mentally between shots on the golf course, objectively evaluate the quality of a shot without judging themselves, and accept and adapt to how they are performing on any given day. Finally, stepping outside the comfort zone during practice is essential. Training should expose both the brain and the body to the same physical, emotional, and cognitive demands experienced during competition, under pressure. By consistently recreating tournament-like situations in practice, athletes become more adaptable under pressure and ultimately raise their level of performance. How did growing up in a male-dominated golf environment shape the coach and leader you are today? I believe that growing up playing golf shaped many of the qualities that define me today. It taught me to be resilient, to pursue my goals even when the journey is difficult, to constantly push beyond my limits, and to develop a strong sense of intrinsic motivation. As a businesswoman now working in the golf industry, I have always been driven to distinguish myself, not to compete with others, but to prove to myself, and to others, that competence has no gender. A woman can have her own vision of learning, coaching, and performance, provided she has a clear understanding of why she does what she does. For me, that purpose has always been to become highly professional, technically knowledgeable, and genuinely valuable to the athletes I work with. When I was younger, I adopted a rather masculine image because I believed it would make me appear more credible to clients. Over time, however, I learned to embrace my femininity within my profession. Today, I am proud to be fully aligned with who I am and with what I want, I am able, to bring to others. The TaylorMade Women Advisory Board, a group of European Ladies ambassadors for TaylorMade brand made up of professional golfers and coaches, of which I am a member, has further strengthened my vision of professionalism and femininity through the game of golf. We are all on our own life journey. Expressing my feminine qualities in my work creates positive connections with people from all backgrounds, bringing patience when it is needed, playing an educational role with young athletes, and connecting with female players (from juniors to professional athletes) through empathy and sensitivity. Ultimately, coaching is about understanding people, about creating a strong relationship before it is about improving performance. If every young athlete could learn one lesson about performance and self-belief early in their journey, what would you want it to be? My message is simple, be yourself and stay grounded. Focus on your own path, not someone else's. Pursue your dreams with purpose, and stay curious about understanding yourself, because self-awareness is the foundation of lasting success. When you are grounded, in both your mind and your body, you are able to stay fully in the present moment. You respond to challenges instead of reacting to them. When your mind is present and aligned with your body, your athletic movement becomes freer, stronger, and more efficient. That is where true performance begins. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram for more info! Read more from Kelly Sotiere

Big ideas often sound exciting at first. The harder part is making them work. Zachary Grayum has built his career around that second step. His background spans construction, business ownership, retail operations, and large workforce management. In each role, he has focused on turning plans into clear action. His story begins with discipline. It continues through sports, education, and years of hands-on leadership. Along the way, Grayum learned that strong results rarely come from one bold move. They come from steady effort, clear standards, and teams that understand the goal. How Zachary Grayum built a strong foundation Grayum grew up in a family that valued education and responsibility. His father was a high school teacher. His mother worked as a substitute teacher. That environment shaped how he viewed effort from an early age. “My parents taught me that you have to show up prepared,” Grayum says. “You also have to take responsibility for your work.” Those lessons carried into school and sports. At South Salem High School, he was part of the National Honor Society in 1996 and 1997. He also earned recognition as a Prep Stars All-American football player. In 1997, he was named All-State in football. He also became a Valley League Champion and State Finalist in both javelin and shot put. His success required more than natural ability. “Sports taught me that talent helps, but discipline matters more,” he says. “You have to keep working when nobody is watching.” What did Zachary Grayum learn at Oregon State? Grayum’s academic and athletic record opened the door to Oregon State University. In 1997, he received a full football scholarship. He was also granted early admission and accepted into the Honors College. That period helped him see how large goals are reached through daily routines. College athletics demands time management, physical preparation, teamwork, and focus. It also places people in situations where they must adjust quickly. Grayum later carried those same habits into business. “You learn to break a large goal into smaller jobs,” he says. “Then you focus on doing each job well.” That idea became a key part of his professional approach. Turning construction plans into finished work One of the most important chapters in Grayum’s career came at West Coast Agricultural Construction Co. He served as General Manager for 11 years. The role involved construction management, workforce leadership, and business operations. It also required him to oversee work that depended on several moving parts. Construction plans may begin on paper, but success depends on timing, people, materials, and clear communication. “In construction, one delay can affect the whole job,” Grayum says. “Everyone has to know what is expected and how their work connects to the next step.” Grayum gained experience managing large projects, teams, and multimillion-dollar operations. He also learned how to keep people focused when conditions changed. That skill is important in any complex business. Leaders need to protect the larger goal while dealing with daily problems. For Grayum, the answer was often simple: stay clear, stay consistent, and keep the team informed. How business ownership changed his perspective Grayum later became the owner of Pacific Goldendoodle LLC. Business ownership gave him a different kind of leadership experience. Instead of managing one part of an operation, he had to think about the whole business. That included customer service, planning, daily decisions, and long-term direction. “When you own a business, every detail matters,” he says. “The customer experience, the schedule, and the quality of the work all reflect your decisions.” The experience also strengthened his understanding of trust. Customers and employees both need to know that a leader will follow through. Grayum learned that even a good idea can fail without reliable systems behind it. Leading large teams in retail operations Grayum later brought his experience into large-scale retail management. Over seven years, he moved into a Store Manager role. The setting was different from construction, but many of the leadership demands were similar. Large retail operations require staffing, training, customer service, logistics, inventory control, and performance management. Each area must work with the others. Grayum’s background helped him see the business as one connected system. “A strong operation is not built by one person,” he says. “It works when people understand their role and feel responsible for the outcome.” He has focused on developing employees, improving team performance, and creating clear expectations. That approach reflects a practical view of leadership. Instead of relying on job titles, Grayum looks at what leaders do each day. What is Zachary Grayum’s leadership philosophy? Grayum believes leadership is built through service and consistency. He does not view big ideas as something reserved for founders or executives. In his experience, useful ideas often come from people closest to the work. “The best leaders listen,” he says. “The people doing the job often see the problem first.” His role is to help turn those observations into better systems, stronger teams, and clearer results. That may mean changing a process, training an employee, or giving someone more responsibility. These actions may not seem dramatic, but they can improve an entire operation over time. Building a career through steady progress Outside of work, Grayum enjoys skiing, golf, fishing, and travel. These interests give him time to reset and stay active. His career has moved across several industries, yet the main theme has stayed the same. He takes large goals and makes them manageable. He builds teams around clear expectations. He focuses on steady progress instead of quick attention. “Big ideas only matter when people can put them into action,” Grayum says. “That is where leadership makes the difference.” For Zachary Grayum, bringing ideas to life has never been about making noise. It has been about doing the work, building trust, and helping people move toward a shared result.

This conversation explores a deeply personal approach to spiritual transformation, where love, embodiment, and sacred sexuality are presented as pathways to healing rather than abstract ideals. In this interview, the creator of the Kundalini Temple Method shares the experiences, beliefs, and practices that shaped her work, offering insight into initiation, consciousness, and reconnecting with one's deepest essence. Carmen Heystek, Mentor & High Priestess of Love & Sexual Alchemy How did your own journey lead you to create the Kundalini Temple Method? I was born with multidimensional gifts. It was a clear purpose to be a Priestess of the Rose. There came a moment when life hit me deep. I was completely broken inside. I knew it was time for my own method to come through. God gave me access to all sacred layers of the Kundalini Temple. Here I built my embodied method. I was used to downloading their consciousness already. Sophia and God gave me the full feminine and masculine Temple activation. I was working with energy from a young age. I have had many awakenings along the way. It was time for something else. God guided me through the pearlescent cave of Sophia. He did let me remember my higher purpose. Mary Magdalene touched my heart while the Temple Merkabah activated within me. I had already experienced Kundalini awakening through energy work and sacred sexual merging. It felt like reaching a deeper essence of it. To give these sacred initiations to others makes me really happy. In my mentorship, I initiate, layer by layer, this Golden Pearl energy of Lemuria in the Kundalini of others. It is a deep, devoted journey of transformation. What makes initiation different from teaching in the way you guide people through transformation? That is a beautiful question. Initiation is a power to awaken. It is guiding someone in a transformation. With energy, I remember. I reveal. I open what is hidden. There can be nothing hidden when you work with initiation. It is about sacred exposure. The thing I love is that what happens is very authentic. It is definitely a gift of a priestess to initiate deeply. To open the layers underneath the surface. Underneath pain, there is light. There is power. There is essence. There is truth. Once that is touched, the light comes through. Trauma can heal. Identities and masks can fall away. Ego dissolves in the heart. Back in love. Shadow integrated with light to wholeness. The Kundalini will merge in the body. It will ground you and lift you up. It will make you wiser and more mature. Feeling more blessed about the essence of life. Feeling more free. More creative. More seksual. More beautiful. More truthful. Teaching is to explain what we are going to do. That is just reaching one layer. You can imagine something about teaching. You will be surprised by the initiation. It reaches many more layers than many people can comprehend. Why do you believe love and sacred sexuality belong at the center of healing rather than at the end of it? For me, it is all about love. There is no healing without love. If we place love last, then we reach just surface levels. My gift is my depth. I am able to see the depth of pain and desire. I see the soul and beyond that, I see God. For me, God is about love. Life is about love. There is nothing more fulfilling than love and sexuality. It does expose all the shit in us. It is healing itself. It does show our shadows and light. Our wounds and ego parts. Our wild and unspoken desires. Love exposes what many people suppress inside. We are here for a higher purpose. Love and sexuality do break the surface layers open. Hearts can heal when we allow love in. Our sexual organs become bliss portals. Orgasmic energy is a true gift. Not just for pleasure but also for healing. I have experienced true love and true sexuality. It opened layers of my soul's history. It did shake trauma out of my body. It did make my Kundalini gold. I have had many visions while making love through heart and yoni, merged as one. Such a gift! What do you think the modern spiritual industry often misunderstands about Kundalini and embodied transformation? I love fashion trends. Unfortunately, the sacredness of Kundalini became a trend. In my opinion, it did lose its essence. I don't want to judge it. I just think it is important that something stays sacred. Kundalini takes you to higher realms and deep void spaces. You need the embodiment of a Kundalini transmission. You need to put your Kundalini into Earth and Heaven. I think any transformation that we go through in life invites us into embodiment. Embodiment for me is a process. It is not just something that is there. Sometimes it takes years to integrate a transformation that we have gone through. From there on, embodiment can be reached. Embodiment is the new element that you take home with you after an experience has reached you deeply. Time is needed in the process of embodiment. Awakening should never be the goal. More important is to become aware of what we feel. About what we learn there. To experience and breathe through all that is there is one of the best pieces of embodied advice I would recommend. To stay with all you feel. To move through it all will give you something gold. Something of essence. Wisdom. A new purpose. How can people explore spirituality deeply while staying grounded, discerning, and emotionally safe? For me, life itself is spiritual. Every person is a spiritual person. The most spiritual people are mostly not known. I have had many walks with people along the road where I was touched by their presence and consciousness of life. Life itself is the spiritual pathway. That is why embodiment is so important. I see many people losing themselves through spirituality. Escaping from reality. Mostly, they will truly awaken when life hits them rock bottom. Modern spirituality is not the same as embodied spirituality. In history, we honored spirituality much more deeply than now. I think it is beautiful that more people nowadays feel a curiosity about spirituality. I hope it can be woven more into our daily lives without losing the essence of life. I pray for a world where love is the answer. Where nomads can build a home-based life, too. I think many spiritual people are afraid of love. They are fighting attachment. I pray for all of them to be home. To attach to life and love again. This is, in my opinion, the ultimate freedom they are searching for. What is one practice that helps someone reconnect with themselves when they feel disconnected from love or their own life force? There are some simple tools that people can use. One is telling yourself to stay here. Stay in your body. In your center. Breathe softly and ground into your heart again. The second one is to touch your body by tapping. It makes your nervous system feel calmer. It makes you aware of staying here. Sometimes I do that more strongly, to be sure to stay grounded. I also tap my brain and face. It does help me a lot. Another simple idea is to have some strong breathing to move through sacred anger. To allow what you feel to come out as sound. Using more fire breath can work very well. Another thing that I love is to work with authentic movement. To process what I feel through movement. Through dance. Through allowing the emotions to flow through me. It always does reconnect me with my essence. It does support healing immediately. You describe your work as turning wounds into wonders, so what shifts first when someone begins that journey? First, the wound is touched. Under any wound there is a Wonder. It mostly takes time before it comes up. You first need to go through the layers of pain and emotion. After that, the light comes on. The power you once lost will return. It sometimes will not be the same anymore. It can feel like grief when the power is less than before. Sometimes it feels empty. Sometimes it feels numb. Sometimes it feels silent. Sometimes it feels super full and empowering. I did learn to accept that power and light sometimes change within us. Sometimes it becomes softer. Sometimes it becomes more raw. Sometimes, more boundaries will be given to a person who caused this wound within you. Your power will mostly not be the same anymore. Grief can bring something good, too. When we focus on a power that we think is good for us or that we truly desire. Sometimes another truth is better for us. Another power will serve us more. What do you hope every person carries with them after experiencing your work? If love is an element, then I wish for them to take this home. For me, it is the essence of everything. Life is such a confrontation on many levels. I hope that they will understand the depth of life. More wholeness of everything. More gratefulness. More boundaries. A more heart-connected life. A more honoring life. More devotion to love and life. I hope people don't take each other for granted, as this is so painful. Many people think the ego is fulfilling. The grass is not greener on the other side. I wish more consciousness of life and each other for everyone. Bless life. People, animals, trees, our food, our fashion, our capacity to travel, and so on. Be aware of God in wholeness with the feminine. Honor her too. A huge healing lies here for many people on Earth. When God is One of Two. Life is precious. We are precious. We are whole. Honor this wisdom. We are sacred. We are having an experience of love in life. I hope people are able to receive love in their hearts as I do. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Carmen Heystek

Written by Noelle Rivet, Clinical Hypnotherapist and RMT Noelle is a Clinical Hypnotherapist, RTT® Practitioner, and Registered Massage Therapist pioneering subconscious literacy and embodied integration as the foundation for individual and systemic change. She supports clients and organizations through her private practice, keynote speaking, and experiential work that sparks radical transformation. This article breaks down the differences among psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists, and hypnotherapists, explains what hypnotherapy actually is, explores where subconscious work fits within modern mental healthcare, and addresses some of the biggest misconceptions surrounding hypnosis itself. One afternoon, while treating a massage client, our conversation drifted from chronic tension to the emotional weight of his recent divorce. As he talked about recurring patterns and why he felt stuck in resentment despite understanding it intellectually, I mentioned that, in addition to being a massage therapist, I'm also a clinical hypnotherapist and asked whether he had ever considered it. Without hesitation, he replied, "Well, you're not a real therapist." I laughed, not because it offended me, but because I understood exactly why he said it. Like many people, he assumed "therapist" meant psychologist. Our minds prefer certainty over complexity. When something feels unfamiliar, we naturally compare it to what we already know. Therapy is no different. Many people flatten every profession into one vague category and assume they all do the same thing. They don’t. That conversation highlighted one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding hypnotherapy, not whether it works, but whether hypnotherapists are "real" therapists at all. The term "therapist" is not a single profession. It is a broad category that includes therapists with different levels of education, scopes of practice, and methods for helping people create change. Understanding scope A massage therapist focuses primarily on soft tissue and muscular tension. A physiotherapist may focus more heavily on rehabilitation, biomechanics, mobility, and strengthening. A chiropractor may approach the body through spinal alignment and joint mechanics. A general physician assesses overall health, while specialists and surgeons focus on increasingly specific systems and interventions. Most people do not question the legitimacy of these professions simply because their approaches differ. The goal is not to prove that one profession is superior to another. The goal is to understand what each profession is designed to help with. Psychiatrists prescribe medication and manage acute or severe mental health conditions. Psychologists and psychotherapists use cognitive, behavioural, and other psychological interventions to support conscious processing, emotional insight, and behavioural change. What is a hypnotherapist? Hypnotherapy works with subconscious patterns operating beneath conscious awareness. A hypnotherapist helps identify and change the beliefs and conditioning that drive automatic thoughts, emotions, and behaviours, using focused attention, guided relaxation, imagery, repetition, and suggestion to reinforce new thoughts, behaviours, and habits. Because hypnotherapy doesn't resemble traditional talk therapy, many assume it's somehow less legitimate. But different doesn't mean illegitimate. Ironically, most people are already experiencing subconscious conditioning every day without realizing it. Why do people question hypnotherapy Hollywood exaggerates hypnosis in much the same way medical dramas exaggerate surgery. Both are designed to entertain, not educate. Outdated cultural portrayals and stage hypnotists have perpetuated the myth that people lose control or consciousness during the process, creating understandable skepticism. Stage hypnotists use interruption or confusion techniques, such as unexpectedly breaking a handshake or rapidly redirecting attention, to overload conscious expectations. To an audience, it can look as though someone has suddenly "collapsed," like one of those fainting goats you've probably seen online. Clinical hypnotherapy works in exactly the opposite way. It aims to restore agency and increase a person's control over their mind. Hypnosis is simply the scientific term for a deeply focused, relaxed state of attention, associated with slower brainwave states such as theta, linked to learning, memory, creativity, and subconscious access. Most people move through these states every day, meditating, falling asleep, driving on autopilot, becoming absorbed in a film, or deeply concentrating on a task. I often tell my clients that it's not about being asleep. If anything, it's the nervous system that is finally permitted to rest. "Do I have to believe in hypnosis for it to work?" Saying you don't believe in hypnosis is a bit like saying you don't believe in gravity. Whether you believe it exists or not doesn't change the fact that it does. Although hypnotherapy works with your belief system, hypnosis itself isn't a belief. It's a naturally occurring state of consciousness. The irony is that most people don't question whether hypnosis exists. They question whether they've ever experienced it. The reality is that they most certainly already have. Trance, whether light or deep, is an altered state of consciousness, but not a markedly different state from normal. Every day we're influenced by repetition, suggestion, expectation, and focused attention. Advertisers use these principles. Political campaigns use them. Social media algorithms amplify them. The messages we encounter most often begin to shape what feels familiar, believable, and true. Hypnotherapy doesn't create this process. It uses these same principles intentionally to help people replace unconscious patterns with healthier, more intentional ones. Skepticism vs. Resistance Healthy skepticism isn't a barrier to change. It's often a sign that someone is thinking critically, asking good questions, and making an informed decision. Discernment is a strength, not a weakness. Though it is different from resistance, a skeptical client might say, "I'm not sure this works, but I'm genuinely curious." A resistant client might say, "My spouse made me come here," or "I don't believe any of this." Those are two very different mindsets, and they lead to very different outcomes. Hypnotherapy is a collaborative process. Like any therapeutic approach, it requires openness, engagement, and a willingness to participate. Someone who attends reluctantly, resists the process, or expects the therapist to "fix" them is unlikely to experience meaningful change. One of the first things I tell every client is, "I can't make you do anything you don't already want to do." Hypnotherapy isn't something done to someone against their will. I once led a group hypnosis session during a workshop. Before the hypnosis, I shared an old proverb, "You cannot get rid of negative thoughts. You can only replace them with positive ones." I explained that negative thinking is normal because the subconscious mind is constantly scanning for danger to keep us alive. Afterward, one attendee approached me and said he was relieved to learn that. He then added, "During the hypnosis, you almost got me." I smiled and replied, "Do you mean you almost surrendered to yourself?" He was a prime example of a resistant client. Although he found value in the information, he believed he couldn’t be hypnotized and was unwilling to surrender to himself. Ethical hypnotherapists screen carefully for readiness, willingness, mindset, and appropriate expectations before beginning deeper subconscious work. The history of hypnotherapy Modern hypnotherapy is not separate from the history of psychology. It is part of its evolution. Although the term hypnosis wasn’t coined until the nineteenth century, cultures around the world have been using focused attention, ritual, suggestion, chanting, and altered states of consciousness to promote healing long before psychology became a formalized field. During the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, physicians and researchers such as Franz Mesmer, James Braid, Jean Martin Charcot, and Pierre Janet began studying attention, suggestion, and the subconscious mind. This early work helped lay the foundations of Western psychotherapy. Even Sigmund Freud initially studied and used hypnosis before later developing psychoanalytic theory. Is hypnotherapy evidence-based? Research surrounding hypnosis and hypnotherapy continues to grow, particularly in areas related to anxiety, stress reduction, pain perception, habit change, sleep, and performance enhancement. Spiegel, D., Stanford Medicine (2023). Reviews decades of research on the clinical use of hypnosis for pain, stress, anxiety, and other mind-body conditions, along with the neuroscience underlying hypnotic states. Rosendahl, Alldredge & Haddenhorst, Frontiers in Psychology (2024). A systematic review of meta-analyses spanning 20 years of randomized controlled trials. Over a quarter of measured outcomes showed large effect sizes, with the strongest evidence found for pain management, medical procedures, and children and adolescents. Hypnotherapy is widely integrated across healthcare and performance professions. As with any profession, training and competency vary, so understanding a therapist's education and scope of practice is essential. Why subconscious work helps You can consciously understand a behaviour and continue repeating it. You can know a relationship is unhealthy and still feel emotionally attached. You can understand stress intellectually and still feel your nervous system reacting automatically. Understanding is important. But understanding and reconditioning are not always the same process. This is often where subconscious work helps. Some people benefit tremendously from conscious insight and talk-based therapy. Others feel frustrated because they logically understand their patterns but remain emotionally stuck in them, which can feel deeply discouraging for highly self-aware individuals. "Awareness without the capacity to change can feel like informed suffering." – Noelle Rivet They’re not lacking effort or understanding. They’re working against emotional hardwiring that overrides logic. Until the underlying subconscious belief changes, the pattern repeats. Who is hypnotherapy helpful for? Hypnotherapy may be supportive for individuals working on anxiety, overwhelm, confidence, self-worth, public speaking and performance, trauma, habit change, eating disorders, sleep difficulties, stress management, nervous system regulation, behavioural conditioning, and goal-oriented behavioural change. However, hypnotherapy is not appropriate for every individual or every situation. Some individuals may require medication, multidisciplinary support, psychiatric care, trauma stabilization, or medical intervention beyond the scope of hypnotherapy alone, which is why ethical screening and appropriate referrals matter. The bottom line No single profession owns all aspects of emotional healing, behavioural change, or human transformation. Different practitioners serve different purposes, and different problems require different tools. Hypnotherapy doesn't replace psychology, psychiatry, or psychotherapy. It approaches change through a different mechanism. Human beings are complex, but the rules of the mind are simple. The question isn't which profession is "best," but which approach is most appropriate. If you've made it to the end of this article and you're tired of trying to understand the problem without experiencing change, and you want to stop relying on willpower alone, hypnotherapy can help you identify the subconscious patterns that keep you stuck, interrupt beliefs that no longer serve you, and install new patterns that make taking aligned action feel automatic. Book your complimentary consultation here. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Noelle Rivet Noelle Rivet, Clinical Hypnotherapist and RMT Noelle Rivet is a Clinical Hypnotherapist, RTT® Practitioner, and mind-body expert specializing in subconscious literacy and integrative healing. With a unique approach that blends belief, emotion, and physiology, she helps clients create lasting change by learning the Rules of the Mind. Her signature process — Activate, Participate, Transform — empowers people to Think and Be Well. References: Stanford Medicine, How hypnosis can alter the brain's perception of pain. Meta-analytic Evidence on the Efficacy of Hypnosis for Mental and Somatic Health Issues, A 20 Year Perspective.

Vrinda Singh is an AI Product Strategist, entrepreneur, published author, and founder whose career spans enterprise technology, publishing, consumer brands, and healthcare innovation. Whether she's leading digital transformation, building platforms that empower creators, designing purpose-driven brands, or developing AI-powered healthcare solutions, her work is driven by one belief, technology should expand human potential, never replace it. In this interview, Vrinda shares her perspective on building products with empathy, leading through curiosity, and why the next generation of innovation will belong to those who understand people as deeply as they understand technology. Vrinda Singh, Author & Product Leader You've built products, publishing platforms, and brands across very different industries. What connects everything you choose to create? People often ask why I've moved between technology, publishing, healthcare, and consumer brands, but I've never seen them as separate industries. I see them as different expressions of the same purpose. Every venture I've built has started with a human problem rather than a business opportunity. Paperwiff was created because I believed talented writers deserved a platform where their voices mattered more than algorithms. Zariya was born from the idea that jewelry isn't merely an accessory but a quiet expression of confidence and identity. My work in AI and healthcare comes from a belief that better technology should help people live healthier, longer, and more informed lives. The industry changes. The mission doesn't. As a product leader, I've learned that products succeed when they create trust before they create transactions. Technology may build the product, but empathy builds the relationship. "Innovation isn't about building more products. It's about creating more possibilities for people." How has leading AI product strategy influenced the way you approach entrepreneurship and innovation? AI has fundamentally changed how I think about building businesses, but perhaps not in the way people expect. The biggest lesson AI has taught me is humility. Every week, technology becomes faster, smarter, and more capable. That means competitive advantage can no longer come from technology alone because technology eventually becomes accessible to everyone. The real differentiator is understanding people. When I'm designing products today, I don't start by asking, "Where can AI fit?" I start by asking, "Where are people struggling, and what deserves a human decision versus an automated one?" Entrepreneurship has become less about building software and more about designing intelligent experiences. The founders who will succeed over the next decade won't necessarily have the most advanced AI models. They'll be the ones who earn the greatest trust because they know when technology should lead and when humanity should. Paperwiff is built around empowering writers and readers. What did you see missing in the publishing space that inspired you to create it? Stories have always shaped civilizations, yet many talented voices never find an audience. When I looked at the publishing industry, I saw incredible writers waiting for permission. Traditional publishing created high barriers to entry, while social media rewarded speed over substance. Somewhere in the middle, thoughtful storytelling was losing its space. Paperwiff was my attempt to change that. I wanted writers to feel that their work mattered, whether they had a publishing contract or had simply written something meaningful after work one evening. The platform was never just about articles or poetry. It was about building confidence. Giving someone the courage to publish their first story often creates a ripple effect that extends far beyond writing. Confidence has a remarkable way of influencing careers, businesses, and lives. Sometimes the greatest product you can build isn't software. Sometimes it's a belief. As AI becomes part of more products, what do you think product leaders need to protect that technology alone cannot replace? If there is one responsibility product leaders must never delegate to AI, it's judgment. Artificial intelligence can identify patterns, summarize millions of documents, predict outcomes, and automate decisions at extraordinary speed. What it cannot do is care. It cannot understand dignity, compassion, fairness, or the emotional complexity behind every decision. Product leaders must become custodians of those values. I worry less about AI becoming too intelligent and more about organizations becoming less thoughtful because machines make decisions faster. The future doesn't need fewer humans in decision-making. It needs humans to make better decisions because AI has removed unnecessary complexity. Technology should increase our capacity for wisdom, not reduce our responsibility for it. Where do you think companies still misunderstand the relationship between artificial intelligence and human creativity? Many organizations still frame the conversation as AI versus creativity. I think that's the wrong question. Creativity has never been about producing content. Creativity is about seeing what others overlook. AI is incredibly good at accelerating execution. It can draft, organize, summarize, analyze, and generate ideas within seconds. But it doesn't dream. It doesn't fall in love. It doesn't experience failure, migration, loss, joy, curiosity, or hope. Those experiences are the raw material from which original ideas emerge. The companies that will lead the next decade won't replace creative people with AI. They'll remove repetitive work so their people have more time to imagine, experiment, and solve meaningful problems. The future belongs to organizations that understand creativity isn't being automated. It's being amplified. For professionals who want to stay relevant in an AI-driven world, which skills are becoming more valuable rather than less? Technical knowledge will always matter, but I believe uniquely human capabilities are becoming exponentially more valuable. Curiosity has become one of the most underrated professional skills. Technology changes too quickly for anyone to rely solely on existing expertise. The people who thrive will be lifelong learners who remain comfortable being beginners. Equally important are communication, systems thinking, ethical judgment, adaptability, and emotional intelligence. I would also add storytelling. Every profession now generates more information than ever before. The people who stand out will be those who can transform complexity into clarity. AI will increasingly answer questions. Humans will increasingly be valued for asking better ones. You've built a career that blends technology with storytelling. How do you keep both your analytical and creative thinking equally sharp? I've never believed that logic and creativity compete with one another. To me, they're partners. Engineering taught me how systems work. Writing taught me how people work. Product management gave me a place where both could coexist. One day, I'm discussing AI architecture or product strategy. Next, I'm writing poetry, developing a publishing platform, designing the vision for Zariya, or exploring how healthcare can become more preventive through technology. That constant movement between disciplines keeps my thinking flexible. I also intentionally read outside my profession. Psychology, philosophy, design, behavioral science, history, literature, and emerging technology all influence how I build products. Innovation rarely comes from becoming the deepest expert in one subject. More often, it comes from connecting ideas that other people never thought belonged together. You often say technology should amplify human potential. What does that look like in practice when you're making leadership or product decisions? For me, every product decision comes back to one question, "Will this leave people more capable than they were before?" If technology simply makes an organization more efficient while making people feel smaller, we've optimized the wrong outcome. When I evaluate AI features or product roadmaps, I look beyond automation. Does this reduce anxiety? Does it increase confidence? Does it help someone make better decisions? Does it give them back time they can spend on things that matter? Those are the metrics that truly matter. Technology shouldn't become the hero of the story. The user should. The best products are almost invisible because they quietly help people become better versions of themselves. If you could leave readers with one mindset for building meaningful work in the age of AI, what would it be? Don't build your career around tools. Build it around principles. Every major technological shift eventually becomes normal. The software changes. The platforms change. Even AI will continue evolving beyond what we can imagine today. Character doesn't. Integrity doesn't. Curiosity doesn't. Purpose doesn't. Those qualities have survived every industrial revolution because they're deeply human. I believe the future won't belong to the people who know the most prompts or the newest software. It will belong to the people who understand humanity well enough to build technology that genuinely improves lives. That's the kind of future I want to help create. "Artificial intelligence may shape the future of technology. Human intelligence will always shape the future of civilization." Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for more info! Read more from Vrinda Singh

Written by Andy Husler, Acupuncturist, Visionary, and Alchemist Andy is recognized for his unique approach to acupuncture and integrative healing modalities, supporting people in overcoming acute and chronic physical and emotional pain. His treatments combine results-driven methods with spiritual awareness and energetic alignment, with noticeable improvement experienced in over 80% of first sessions. A female patient once came to my clinic with shoulder pain that had persisted for several years. Over time, the limitation had become part of her everyday life. Raising her arm above shoulder level was difficult and often painful. Exercises with TRX suspension straps, which she had once enjoyed, were no longer possible. Even simple tasks around the house, such as cleaning high shelves or reaching for objects above her head, had become challenging. Like many people living with chronic pain, she had adapted. Certain movements were avoided. Activities were modified. The shoulder quietly dictated what she could and could not do. During one treatment session, I inserted a single acupuncture needle. Within minutes, her shoulder moved differently. She lifted her arm overhead without hesitation. Movements that had been restricted for years suddenly felt natural again. The pain that had accompanied those movements was gone. More importantly, the change was not temporary. The improvement remained. Cases like this have stayed with me over the years, not because they are dramatic, but because they challenge a common assumption about chronic symptoms. If pain has been present for a long time, there must be a structural cause. Something must be damaged, inflamed, worn down, compressed, or mechanically compromised. Yet, in moments like these, the structure has not changed. So what? That question has shaped how I think about symptoms, healing, and the relationship between Traditional Chinese Medicine and the nervous system. The longer I work in clinical practice, the less interested I become in symptoms as isolated events and the more interested I become in the state of the system underlying them. Why can two people with the same diagnosis have completely different outcomes? One of the most interesting aspects of clinical work is that a diagnosis rarely tells the whole story. Two people can present with similar symptoms, similar imaging findings, and even the same diagnosis, yet their experiences can be entirely different. One person recovers quickly, while another struggles for years. One patient may have clear structural findings and surprisingly little pain, while another has relatively little to see on imaging, yet their quality of life is deeply affected. This is not only true for musculoskeletal pain. It also applies to digestive complaints, chronic tension, sleep disturbances, headaches, fatigue, and other stress-related symptoms. The obvious question is why? Why do some systems regain balance quickly, while others remain stuck in the same pattern for months or even years? My answer has changed over time. Earlier in my career, I focused mostly on the symptom itself. Today, I am far more interested in the conditions in which that symptom occurs. What is the overall tone of the nervous system? How much protection is the body holding? How easily can the person regulate, recover, and return to baseline after stress? In other words, what state is the system living in? What traditional Chinese medicine understood centuries ago One of the reasons I continue to appreciate Traditional Chinese Medicine is that it has always focused on function, not only on structure. Rather than asking exclusively what is damaged, it asks a different set of questions. What is moving freely? What is not? Where are there excess, deficiency, heat, cold, stagnation, weakness, or agitation? How is the whole system behaving? This may sound abstract until you spend enough time with patients and realize how often symptoms are influenced by factors that have little to do with anatomy alone. Stress alters digestion. Fear alters breathing. Overwhelm alters muscle tone. Chronic vigilance alters sleep, pain sensitivity, recovery, and energy. Traditional Chinese Medicine has its own language for these patterns. It speaks of Qi, Blood, Shen, stagnation, deficiency, and internal imbalance. Modern neuroscience uses different terms, but the underlying observation is often surprisingly similar. Health is not static. It is dynamic. It reflects how well the organism can adapt, regulate, and return to balance. The nervous system sees health as a state The nervous system is constantly assessing the world around us. It does not simply respond to obvious danger. It also responds to workload, uncertainty, relational stress, lack of recovery, prior experiences, sleep deprivation, inflammation, and countless subtle signals that shape how safe or unsafe the system feels. Based on that ongoing assessment, the body adjusts. Breathing, muscle tone, pain sensitivity, digestion, and heart rate all change. Even the quality of attention changes. Most of this happens automatically, without any conscious decision-making. This matters because symptoms are often shaped by those adjustments. A shoulder can become protective long before serious structural damage occurs. A jaw can remain tight because the nervous system never truly lets go. The gut can become reactive in a body that has spent months or years in a state of tension. In many cases, what we call a symptom may not only reflect tissue but also regulation. The surprising similarities between qi and regulation I do not believe Traditional Chinese Medicine and neuroscience are saying the exact same thing in different words. That would be too simplistic. But I do think they often point to the same territory. Traditional Chinese Medicine is deeply concerned with movement and regulation. It assesses whether something is flowing, rising too strongly, sinking, becoming depleted, overheating, or getting stuck. It also attends to rhythm, adaptability, and the relationships among different systems in the body. From a modern perspective, the nervous system is equally concerned with regulation. It determines how flexibly we respond to challenges, how quickly we recover, how easily we shift out of protective states, and how available our system is for rest, digestion, connection, and healing. When I look at patients through both lenses, I often see meaningful overlap. What TCM might describe as stagnation can, in some cases, resemble a nervous system that has become rigid, guarded, and unable to downregulate. What TCM describes as free flow often resembles a body that is breathing, moving, digesting, and sleeping well, and no longer using the same level of protection. I am not suggesting a perfect one-to-one translation. But I do think both systems address the same essential question. How well can the organism regulate itself? What I started noticing in clinical practice The longer I worked with patients, the more difficult it became to ignore certain patterns. One of them was how often meaningful change began before the symptom had fully shifted. Many patients tell me they can suddenly breathe more deeply after treatment. Not because I treated the lungs, but because something in the body seems to let go. The chest softens. The breath descends. The system becomes less defensive. Others struggle to describe what they feel, but say something like, "It feels as if something has been pulled out." I have heard that phrase, or its variations, many times. It is an unusual description, but it captures something important. Patients often do not describe a local mechanical change. They are describing a change in the felt sense of the whole system. I remember one patient who came in with severe back pain. During his first treatment, tears began to stream down his face. They came suddenly, surprising even him, and he could not control them. We were not discussing emotional issues. In fact, very little had been said. The tears simply appeared. What struck me most was not the emotional response itself, but what followed. The pain that had brought him to the clinic never returned. Another patient responded in a completely different way. She came in with both pain and a clear sense of inner tension, as if her system were bracing on multiple levels at once. Shortly after the needles were inserted, her body began to tremble in gentle waves. It was not alarming. It simply looked as though something deep within the system had begun to move. Afterward, she sat quietly and said, "I feel free." Not pain-free, nor relaxed. Free. These moments are difficult to fit into a purely mechanical model of symptoms. They suggest that treatment sometimes affects something broader than the painful area itself. Symptoms are often the last thing to change One of the most important lessons clinical practice has taught me is that symptoms are often not the first to change. What often changes first is a person's state. They breathe differently. Their face softens. Their posture changes. Their movements become less guarded. Their eyes look clearer. Sometimes they speak more slowly. Sometimes their voice sounds steadier. Sometimes there is a visible sense of relief before the original complaint has been fully resolved. Only afterward do symptoms begin to move. This matters because it changes how we understand progress. If we focus only on pain scores or symptom intensity, we may miss early signs that the system is becoming more available for healing. We may overlook that regulation often improves before the complaint itself is fully resolved. From that perspective, symptoms are often the end of the story, not the beginning. The conditions for healing This has changed how I think about treatment. I no longer see my job primarily as forcing the body to change. I see it more as creating the conditions in which change is possible. The body rarely changes when it is forced to. It changes when the conditions for change arise. When the nervous system no longer needs to maintain the same level of protection. When breathing becomes easier. When muscle tone no longer has to perform the work of emotional or physiological defense. When the system begins to trust movement again. When regulation becomes possible. This is one reason I find acupuncture so fascinating. I sense that acupuncture points are not merely local treatment sites. I increasingly see them as bridges between the inner and outer worlds. They are places where touch, sensation, attention, and physiology meet. Places where the body can be interrupted in its habitual patterns and invited into a different state. Sometimes that change is subtle. Sometimes it is immediate. But in both cases, what matters most is not the point alone. It is the shift in the system that follows. Final thoughts The longer I work with patients, the less convinced I am that chronic symptoms can be understood by structure alone. Structure matters, of course. Tissue matters. Injury matters. Pathology matters. But they do not explain everything. They do not explain why one patient improves so quickly while another remains stuck. They do not explain why a single needle can free a shoulder restricted for years. They do not explain why a patient suddenly breathes more deeply, begins to cry, trembles, or describes the sensation that something has been pulled out. Those experiences have led me to a different conclusion. Symptoms often make more sense when we stop looking at them in isolation and instead consider the state of the organism as a whole. Traditional Chinese Medicine understood this in its own language long before neuroscience could describe the underlying physiology. Today, modern research is beginning to offer a different vocabulary for many of the same observations. One speaks of Qi and stagnation. The other speaks of regulation, protection, and neurophysiology. The maps are not identical, but they often point to the same landscape. For me, this is where acupuncture is most interesting. Not as a tool that fights symptoms directly, but as a means of influencing the conditions under which symptoms persist. Sometimes, when those conditions change, the symptom changes as well. Ready to explore what your body may still be holding? If you are struggling with persistent symptoms, chronic tension, emotional overwhelm, or recurring patterns that seem resistant to change, it may be worth looking beyond the symptoms themselves. Sometimes the most important question is not, "What is wrong?" Sometimes it is, "What remains unfinished?" To learn more about my work, visit here. Follow me on Instagram and LinkedIn for more info! Read more from Andy Husler Andy Husler, Acupuncturist, Visionary, and Alchemist Andy is a certified naturopath specialized in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), recognized for his distinctive approach to acupuncture and integrative healing modalities. His treatments are designed to address acute and chronic physical as well as emotional pain by combining physical, emotional, and energetic alignment simultaneously. With a strong focus on tangible results, more than 80% of clients experience noticeable improvement during their first session.

Some books are written to entertain. Others are written to educate. But every so often, a book is created to transform lives, not only for the people who read it, but for the people courageous enough to write it. That is exactly what happened with the release of Transforming Through College: Stories of Growth and Grit, a powerful new anthology edited and written by Dr. Michael Copeland in partnership with De'Antae Ware, featuring the inspiring voices of first-time student authors who chose to share their personal journeys of perseverance, resilience, healing, and hope. What makes this project especially remarkable is that it began not in a publishing house, but inside a classroom. Since February 2026, Dr. Copeland has worked alongside these emerging authors week after week, helping them discover their voices, strengthen their writing, and transform personal experiences into stories that now have the power to impact readers around the world. For many of these students, this marks their first time becoming published authors—a milestone that represents far more than seeing their names in print. It represents courage, vulnerability, and the willingness to tell stories that others may have never had the confidence to share. Throughout the journey, students participated in collaborative writing workshops, editing sessions, networking opportunities, author coaching, and educational webinars designed to prepare them not only to publish a book but to become confident storytellers. “This project became so much more than writing,” said Dr. Michael Copeland. “It became a community. It became healing. It became a transformation. Watching these students grow in confidence and embrace the power of their voices has been one of the greatest honors of my career.” The anthology features an extraordinary collection of student authors whose stories reflect the many realities of the college experience and the resilience required to overcome adversity. Featured authors Dr. Michael Copeland De'Antae Ware, MBA Ashley Rodriguez Gordon Rowa Ewe Ofrenda David Abreu Cemyra Stanley Damaris Abreu Israa Alhashal Mishauna Whiting Earl Roberts III Each chapter offers a unique perspective on perseverance, identity, faith, healing, education, leadership, and personal growth. Together, these stories create a moving portrait of students who refused to let obstacles define their futures. Special recognition belongs to De'Antae Ware, whose vision and unwavering commitment to student success helped bring this anthology to life. As a dedicated leader and advocate for higher education, Ware believed that students deserved the opportunity not only to earn degrees but also to leave behind a lasting legacy through their stories. His investment in these students extended far beyond academics, creating an environment where they could develop confidence, embrace vulnerability, and recognize the value of their lived experiences. Dr. Copeland praised Ware's leadership, saying: “This project would not have been possible without De'Antae's vision, encouragement, and belief in what these students could accomplish. His passion for student success is evident in everything he does, and it has been an absolute privilege to partner with him.” For Dr. Copeland, this publication also represents another significant milestone in his literary career. Transforming Through College: Stories of Growth and Grit is his second published anthology, further advancing his mission of helping individuals transform their experiences into stories that educate, encourage, and inspire. Through his work as an author, speaker, educator, and founder of Copeland Consults LLC, Dr. Copeland has coached numerous aspiring authors through the writing and publishing process while championing literacy, education, and personal development. At its heart, this anthology reminds readers that success is rarely a straight path. It is often built through setbacks, second chances, difficult conversations, faith, perseverance, and the courage to continue moving forward. Join the official book launch celebration Readers, supporters, family members, educators, and community leaders are invited to celebrate this incredible achievement during the official book launch. Book launch event: Wednesday, July 22 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM Cuyahoga Community College – Metropolitan Campus Cleveland, Ohio The event will feature opportunities to meet the new student authors, celebrate their accomplishments, hear about their writing journeys, and purchase signed copies of the anthology. Congratulations to every student author who courageously shared their story with the world. This accomplishment is only the beginning of what promises to be an exciting literary journey. Available now on Amazon Purchase your copy today and support these remarkable new authors. Transforming Through College: Stories of Growth and Grit is more than a collection of stories; it is a testament to resilience, growth, hope, and the extraordinary things that happen when people believe in themselves and invest in the potential of others.

Written by Simon Adair, Founder of Crisis Pathway Consultancy Simon Adair has spent his career in environments where getting it wrong wasn't an option, from covert intelligence operations to leading crisis response for one of the world's best-known broadcasters. As the founder of Crisis Pathway Consultancy, he helps leaders bridge the gap between perceived and actual preparedness. You've probably considered coaching at some point. Perhaps someone suggested it, or perhaps you've been through a difficult period and felt that something needs to shift. Or perhaps you're performing well and want to perform even better. But before you commit the time, energy, and vulnerability that genuine coaching requires, there is a question worth asking honestly. Are you actually ready for it? I've guided individuals at all levels through a range of challenging scenarios and periods of high professional stress. A clear pattern has emerged. Coaching produces transformative outcomes for some, while for others, it yields only marginal results. Interestingly, the key difference is seldom due to the quality of the coaching itself. It comes down to you. Coaching differs from training, mentoring, or consulting. It relies entirely on your willingness to engage in honest self-reflection, take genuine ownership, commit to the process, and be receptive to change. Without this, sessions risk becoming costly discussions that produce no results. I developed the Crisis Pathway READY Framework to answer a simple question. How likely is coaching to create meaningful value for this person right now? I use it in discovery sessions before every engagement. Here are the five questions I ask, along with the five you should ask yourself. R: Responsibility "Are you willing to own your situation?" This is the foundation. Under pressure, the instinct to attribute difficulty to external factors is powerful and entirely understandable. A difficult board, an impossible brief, an organisation that doesn't listen. Sometimes those things are true, but coaching cannot gain traction if every challenge you face is seen as lying outside your sphere of influence. If the problem is always external, the solution will always feel out of reach. Responsibility doesn't mean accepting blame for everything. It means being willing to ask, "What role am I playing in this?" "What can I actually control?" "What choices do I have from here?" The leaders I've seen develop fastest through coaching are those who arrive already asking those questions, even when the answers are uncomfortable. Responsibility doesn't provide the solution, but it creates the conditions in which a solution becomes possible. E: Engagement "Are you choosing this or complying with it?" I've sat across from leaders who were physically present in every session, yet psychologically absent from all of them. They had been sent to coaching and had not chosen it. Genuine engagement is characterised by curiosity, energy, and a genuine desire to explore new perspectives, including those that challenge your existing view of yourself. It means leaning into the process, not merely tolerating it. This distinction matters more than most people acknowledge. The capacity to learn under pressure must be built before the pressure arrives. Leaders who resist genuine engagement before a difficult moment rarely find it available when that moment arises. If you're considering coaching because someone else thinks you should, it's worth sitting with that before you begin. A: Awareness "Do you have an honest picture of what's actually holding you back?" High performers are often the least aware of their blind spots, not through arrogance but through pace. When you've spent years operating at speed, there's rarely time to examine the patterns beneath the performance. I've worked with leaders who were responsible, engaged, and eager to develop, yet still made limited progress. Not because they lacked commitment, but because they were working on the wrong thing. They had a story about themselves that felt true but wasn't. Your blind spots are, by definition, invisible to you. That's precisely where the most important coaching work tends to take place, and why you can't always get there alone. D: Development Mindset "Do you believe you can change?" This sounds obvious. It isn't. I've worked with highly intelligent, deeply experienced leaders who had quietly concluded, consciously or not, that their behaviours, responses, and patterns were essentially fixed. They weren't overtly resistant to coaching. At the level that matters, they didn't believe that anything could be meaningfully different. Coaching rests entirely on the assumption that change is possible. If you don't share that assumption, the engagement will stall, no matter how skilled the coach or how well structured the sessions are. Leaders with a genuine development mindset welcome challenges, experiment with new behaviours, and treat setbacks as data rather than verdicts. If that description feels foreign rather than familiar, that's useful information, not a reason to avoid coaching, but a reason to understand what's underneath it first. Y: Yield to reflection "Can you slow down enough to examine yourself honestly?" This is the dimension I find most revealing, and the one most often underestimated by high-performing leaders. In fast-moving, high-pressure environments, the instinct is to act. Reflection can feel like a luxury, or worse, a weakness. Yet coaching adds value not through answers but through insight, and insight requires a willingness to slow down, examine your assumptions, notice your patterns, and sit with uncomfortable questions long enough to learn from them. I've worked with leaders who were exceptional in operations, yet deeply resistant to this kind of internal examination. They wanted solutions, not exploration. For those individuals, coaching rarely delivered what it could have, not because they weren't capable, but because they couldn't yet yield to the process. The leaders who gain most from coaching are those who understand that slowing down internally is often how you speed up effectively. So, are you ready? Honestly assess each aspect. Focus on your current state, not your desired position. If most of these resonate, coaching is likely to create real value for you, and the sooner you begin, the greater the compounding effect. If some feel uncomfortable or distant, that's not a reason to walk away. It's information. It shows what needs to shift before coaching can do what it's capable of. Sometimes a different intervention, such as mentoring, clearer expectations, or time and space to recover, is needed first. The most effective development decisions are those that choose the right intervention at the right moment. What I know from working with leaders at the sharp end is this. The best performers under pressure are those who did the developmental work in advance. They understood their defaults, examined their patterns, and built the self-awareness that holds when everything around them is uncertain. That work begins with readiness. If you'd like to explore whether coaching is right for you right now, I'd welcome the conversation. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Simon Adair Simon Adair, Founder of Crisis Pathway Consultancy Simon Adair is a crisis leadership specialist, executive coach, and founder of Crisis Pathway Consultancy. His career spans the Royal Marines, British Intelligence, BT, the NBA, and the BBC, where he led the corporate crisis response. He holds an Executive MBA and is a Chartered Manager Fellow. Through Crisis Pathway, he partners with organisations to strengthen crisis preparedness, leadership resilience, and organisational readiness.