Written by Alondra Forteza Cedeño, Biomedical & Biomedical Aesthetics Alondra Forteza Cedeño is a Biomedical and Medical Esthetician who incorporates the best scientific evidence and technology, offering the best treatments for her patients. She is the founder of Mímate Aesthetic & Spa, a medical spa to improve the health of your skin. The conversation around skincare is shifting beyond immediate results and surface-level correction toward a more science-driven focus on long-term skin health and longevity. In this perspective, a biomedical and clinical aesthetics professional explores how “well aging,” prevention, and advanced skin analysis are reshaping the future of how we care for the skin. The rise of longevity in skincare Longevity in the skin has become one of the most relevant themes today. Who doesn't want to prolong the health, vitality, and well-being of their skin over time? Beyond Immediate results The concept of longevity in beauty arises from the need to seek real and sustainable results, beyond temporary or immediate changes. Both in aesthetic treatments and skincare, we see more brands investing in scientific evidence, active ingredients, and advanced formulations capable of acting at a cellular and biological level, not only on the surface of the skin. From correction to prevention Currently, the industry is evolving towards a more preventive than corrective approach. We understand that we cannot stop the natural aging process, but we can influence how our skin reflects our history with health and balance. Today we talk about well aging, where the goal is not to transform natural features, but to preserve the quality, function, and vitality of the skin over time. Scientific evolution in aesthetics As a biomedical and clinical aesthetic professional, I believe that this evolution represents a significant change within the industry. We are no longer just talking about trends, but about a scientific reality focused on understanding what happens beyond the skin surface. The current approach seeks to act on the fundamental causes of aging through advanced treatments, professional technologies, and personalized protocols that allow visible and sustainable long-term results. The importance of professional skin analysis There has also been increased awareness of the importance of going to trained professionals to understand the true needs of the skin. In my clinic, for example, we use advanced skin analysis technologies that allow us to detect alterations and needs that are not always visible to the naked eye. In this way, we manage to understand the real state of the skin and structure much more precise and personalized treatments. Skin health as a reflection of overall wellness In addition, today we understand that the skin reflects much more than cosmetic care. Factors such as diet, stress, sleep quality, gut health, and daily habits directly influence its appearance and functioning. Therefore, the modern approach to skin care integrates health, well-being, and science as part of the same conversation. The future of well aging Longevity in the skin does not seek to stop time, but to optimize the way we age. True skin care goes beyond aesthetics. It combines prevention, science, and well-being to preserve the health and vitality of the skin in the long term. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Alondra Forteza Cedeño Alondra Forteza Cedeño, Biomedical & Biomedical Aesthetics Alondra Forteza Cedeño is a Biomedical and Medical Esthetician who incorporates the best scientific evidence and technology, offering the best treatments for her patients. She is the founder of Mímate Aesthetic & Spa, a medical spa with the mission to improve the health of your skin. She is certified in the most effective skin treatments and innovative technology. Alondra is constantly educated, and she uses her social media to educate and provide valuable information for the benefit of all.

Written by Julia Elstrodt, Psychotherapist Julia Elstrodt is an Ivy League-educated psychotherapist who helps people overcome trauma, reconnect with joy, and find wholeness. She works in private practice and in collaboration with charities supporting survivors of domestic violence, modern slavery, and other forms of gender-based violence. If you are someone who chooses to help for a living, yours is the work of hope. This article explores how activists, doctors, therapists, and frontline workers can stay close to pain without losing sight of joy, limits, and meaning. Being in the arena surrounds us with personal trauma, vicarious trauma, and re-traumatization. The list goes on. Yet, we continue to fight difficult battles and return for more. We are drawn to work that hurts and heals us at the same time. In the presence of pain I recently met healthcare professionals involved with Doctors Without Borders, an independent medical humanitarian organization. Their work in areas affected by conflict asks them to witness extremely challenging scenarios, face setbacks, and make difficult decisions. I was glad to hear that the doctors make use of the mental health professionals available to them. They described how much they learned while in the field, and many return several times, even with the emotional challenges involved. For many, what is gained from the experience seems to outweigh its difficulties. It is a chance to offer something meaningful in places where hope is in short supply. Activists face a different challenge. A big part of their work is to tell personal stories, which can lead to continuous re traumatization. In my work with activists, I see firsthand how much strength and resilience it takes to do that, deliberately reopening wounds in the hope of giving a voice to many and impacting future generations. They, too, continue to return to the work. Therapists also live in proximity to pain, but in a quieter setting. Daily, we choose to engage with people’s suffering, listen to their sorrows, and attempt to bring light into their stories. Our areas of expertise usually have a deeply personal foundation, which means we often attract clients whose struggles mirror our own. The work requires support and a lot of self reflection. Over time, I have learned to respect the breaks between sessions, the somatic release techniques I use at the end of the day, and my long sleep needs. I also couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else. Witnessing the effects of this work is my biggest source of joy and fulfillment. Joy as an act of courage At a recent FGM Summit at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in London, my dear friend and colleague Sema Gornall, CEO of the Vavengers, said something that stayed with me, “Our courage should be with fun things.” In other words, we can be brave not only in facing pain, but in allowing ourselves joy. Her jokes sprinkled throughout the event turned a sensitive afternoon into one filled with laughter, and certainly made my job of providing mental health support much easier. We can put so much emphasis on the problems we are trying to solve that we forget to have fun, as if joy were somehow less serious than suffering. Joy is an act of courage, and it may be one of our most underrated tools for sustaining healing and hope. Every time we come together as helpers to laugh, share experiences, and deepen our bonds, we are doing something quietly defiant. We make space for something more than survival. Community is what makes this possible. When we have people around us, we can learn to ask for help. I notice how, whenever I try to do something alone, I struggle. Especially in this line of work, the weight of it can be difficult to carry by ourselves. We need others to collaborate with, and the humility to recognize both our strengths and limitations. Honoring our limits The work of hope is not sustainable without limits. I had to take a short break from my frontline work to grieve the death of a loved one. In my fragile state, I did not have the capacity to handle that extent of vicarious trauma. Stepping back from that role was not easy, but it was necessary. Sometimes, the most compassionate thing we can do is withdraw for a while. We need to recognize and respect our limitations. I have spent much of my life running on self imposed expectations, rather than meeting myself where I am. Being kind to ourselves is much easier said than done, but often essential. In moments when we beat ourselves up, it can help to ask, “Would I treat someone I love the way I am treating myself right now?” If the answer is no, this is an opportunity to correct our thinking. The same is true of changing our minds. Sometimes we overcommit. We might say yes to joining a panel, only to realize later that we do not have the capacity. Many of us in helping professions can also be people pleasers and have a hard time saying no. Saying, “I changed my mind, I can’t,” can feel even harder. Yet there can be real kindness in checking in with ourselves and responding honestly, even if it disappoints others in the short term. Honoring our limits is not a failure of devotion. It is what allows our devotion to last. Why we return What brings us back to difficult work is not only resilience but meaning. There is something deeply human about being in the arena of life instead of watching from a distance. I have observed people with remarkable skills suffer more when they are disconnected from the very things they are here to offer. What we give asks something of us, but it also gives something back. In a recent training with grief expert David Kessler, he told us, “You are in the perfect position to help the person you once were.” To me, these words accentuate the mutually beneficial nature of our work. We all suffer from occasional impostor syndrome or the belief that we are not ready for something. But ready can sometimes be a decision. Yes, we are all (hopefully) constantly growing. Still, we can often help a great deal from where we are right now. What is ultimately required of us is to show up, be present, and witness. Personally, I love witnessing the impact of this work. It is a privilege to be part of people’s lives and their development. It brings me immense joy to see the blossoming of self love and self confidence. For each person I get to help, what I receive in return is far greater. The more I walk this path, the more I realize that a meaningful life is rarely built from something missing. More often, it asks us to make use of what is already here. Our history, our life experience, our pain, our joy, our passions, and our capacity to care. This, to me, is the work of hope, returning, again and again, to what we have to offer and allowing it to change us as much as it changes others. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Julia Elstrodt Julia Elstrodt, Psychotherapist Julia Elstrodt is a psychotherapist specializing in trauma and embodied awareness. Knowing her vocation from the age of eleven, she has dedicated her life to the art of healing. Her work is rooted in the psychology of C. G. Jung, bridging the worlds of psychotherapy and spirituality. Shaped by the lived experience of profound trauma, Julia is deeply committed to supporting healing in both individuals and communities.

Written by Taylor Ashley, Speaker, Educator, Therapist, and Emerging Writer Taylor is a speaker, educator, therapist, and emerging writer focused on women’s health, eating disorders, and neurodivergence. Blending lived experience with evidence-informed insight, she explores the intersection of ADHD, body image, and recovery—challenging stigma and advocating for more inclusive, compassionate care. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that interfere with daily functioning. It affects both children and adults, typically appearing early in life, and can impact academic, professional, and personal life. When we think about eating disorders, we often focus on food, body image, or appearance. When we think about ADHD, we usually think about attention, focus, or hyperactivity. But for many people, these experiences are deeply connected. Understanding that connection can change how people view themselves, their struggles, and their recovery. Why ADHD and eating disorders often overlap ADHD affects executive functioning and the brain’s ability to plan, regulate emotions, organize, pause between thoughts and actions, and consistently meet basic needs. Many traditional eating disorder recovery approaches rely heavily on these exact skills. Recovery often asks people to notice hunger and fullness cues, meal plan consistently, pause before impulsive behaviours, practice emotional regulation, build routines and structure, stay connected to body sensations. For someone with ADHD, these tasks may not come naturally. Not because they “don’t care” or “aren’t trying hard enough,” but because their brain processes information and self regulation differently. This is why so many people with ADHD describe feeling like they are “failing” at recovery, even when they are working incredibly hard. One of the biggest overlaps between ADHD and eating disorders is body disconnection. Many people with ADHD struggle to notice their body’s needs until those needs become urgent. They may not recognize hunger, thirst, exhaustion, or overwhelm until they feel shaky, irritable, anxious, or emotionally dysregulated. This is not intentional neglect. It is often a combination of nervous system overwhelm, hyperfocus, time blindness, chronic masking, difficulty interpreting internal cues. For some people, eating can also become sensory regulation or emotional soothing. Safe foods, repetitive meals, and food fixations are incredibly common in ADHD, and there is nothing morally wrong with that. Sometimes eating the same meal repeatedly is not “failure”. It is accessibility. The why behind food and body struggles One of the most important parts of supporting people with ADHD and eating disorders is helping them understand why certain struggles happen instead of framing them as laziness, lack of willpower, or “bad habits.” For many people with ADHD, body image and eating experiences are influenced by sensory processing, impulsivity, executive functioning, and even short term memory processing. Some individuals may struggle to hold an accurate or consistent perception of their body, which can intensify body image distress and feelings of disconnection. Additionally, sensory experiences also play a major role. Clothing textures, tightness, temperature, or how fabric feels on the body can significantly impact comfort and body awareness. Sensory friendly clothing may not always look like what people traditionally consider “comfortable,” and that is okay. Food preferences are often ignored in traditional treatments or are mistakenly labelled as food refusals. Traditional recovery messaging often promotes intuitive eating and mindful eating as the “correct” way to heal, but that approach does not work for everyone, especially people with ADHD. Individual struggles may include: Limited or unreliable hunger cues System overstimulation Decision fatigue or “brain hunger” Difficulty initiating meals due to too many steps Sensory aversions to certain textures, temperatures, or foods Impulsive or sensory-based eating patterns In my personal experience, 6 years into recovery, I still rely on alarms and scheduling to eat my meals consistently because I do not have reliable body cues. Sometimes eating is not just about hunger. It is also about regulation, stimulation, comfort, predictability, or sensory needs. ADHD friendly approaches may include: Mechanical eating instead of relying on hunger cues Setting reminders to eat Keeping snacks readily available Using frozen, premade, or low prep meals to reduce overwhelm Eating repetitive or “safe” foods Eating with distractions instead of forcing mindfulness Body doubling while eating or choosing to eat alone Focusing on function over food perfection Eating a frozen meal, a granola bar, or the same safe food multiple times a week is not a failure. Sometimes accessibility and consistency matter more than variety or aesthetics. Impulsivity and emotional regulation challenges are also closely connected to binge eating and purging behaviours in ADHD. Rather than viewing these experiences through judgement, it is more helpful to approach them with education, emotional awareness, and distress tolerance skills. There is no one “right” way to recover, eat, regulate, or support a neurodivergent nervous system. The goal is not perfection. It is creating sustainable ways to care for yourself that actually work for your brain and body. Final thoughts ADHD and eating disorders are not simply about attention or food. They are often about survival, coping, masking, nervous system overwhelm, and years of misunderstanding. The goal is not perfection. The goal is learning how to work with your brain and body instead of constantly fighting against them. Because people heal more effectively when they feel understood, especially by themselves. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Taylor Ashley Taylor Ashley, Speaker, Educator, Therapist, and Emerging Writer Taylor Ashley is a therapist, educator, and speaker specializing in women’s health, eating disorders, and neurodivergence. She integrates clinical expertise with lived experience to explore the complex intersections of ADHD, body image, and recovery. Through her writing and presentations, she challenges outdated narratives and advocates for more inclusive, nuanced approaches to care. Known for her ability to translate complex concepts into relatable, impactful insights, Taylor creates spaces that foster both understanding and change. She is driven to amplify underrepresented experiences and become a stronger voice in reshaping how we approach mental health and healing. Related Articles: How To Shift The ADHD Perfectionism Narrative Eating Disorders & ADHD

Written by Michael Ritchie, Transformational Coach Michael is a Transformational Coach, Sound Healer, Numerologist & Human Design practitioner, & Sacred Medicine Holder. He is the in-house Healer & Mentor at Harmony P.E.C., leading the sacred healing team & co-facilitating the virtual Universal Foundations and Adept Courses to help seekers better understand their power & unique path. This reflection explores the idea of good and evil not as fixed opposites, but as expressions of a unified field of human experience shaped by perception, belief, and duality. It invites readers to consider a “middle path” perspective where balance, awareness, and integration of light and shadow become central to understanding the self and the world. You are both! You are the angel and the beast/demon, the light and shadow, both masculine and feminine. You are the cancer and the cure, the projector and receiver, the electric and magnetic, the giver and the taker. If we took all the humans off mother earth, name one thing that is evil? Name one thing that is good for that matter? The truth is, nature is neither good nor evil, it simply is! It is us, the human experience, that thinks, believes, emotes, and manifests evil upon this world, for without us, it simply does not exist. “What about all the evil in the world,” you ask? It is merely the catalyst to ignite the transition within you, from fear to courage, which is the first stage of love. By attaining access to the crown chakra, the love/light of creation, the “oneness”, you will learn, without question, that there is no such thing as good and evil. The two are simply different degrees of the “one”. It is the human experience, the experience of duality, which separates the two, and the attachment to the avatar, the human form, the vessel of experience within this density, that chooses one degree over the other. In other words, our beliefs create the separation, this duality of good vs. evil, as well as the emotional states that accompany them, for it is your perspective which determines your stance, and where you hold your energy determines your perspective. In other words, what is good for the frog is bad for the fly. So the fly would consider the frog as evil, while the frog sees the fly as food or good. Yes, we are both good and evil, both angel and demon, both light and shadow, both masculine and feminine, both cancer and cure, both projector and receiver, both electric and magnetic, both the giver and the taker. For in the fullness of your consciousness, you are “all”, the very “source”, the “oneness”, the infinite creator and intelligence from which all “reality” emerges. In other words, you are all experiencing itself from a personal perspective. For there is no “I”. For all is “one”. You are not alone, you have never been alone, you will never be alone. For the light of love and truth is always with you if you simply lower your resistance, your fear, quiet your small self, connect, and let your light guide you. You cannot reach this state from one side or the other, from the masculine or feminine, the light or shadow, for it takes the balancing of both of these energies, the whole of you, to achieve the fullness of your power. For it is the feminine, the heart chakra, which grants you access to the crown (the mother taking you to the father). The crown which fills the heart chakra with the love/light of truth (the father bringing you back to the mother). When this transmission is complete, the heart chakra will expand to ten times its capacity. It will become the lighthouse in the storm for those who need hope, courage, and guidance. The true path is the middle path, as every ascended master who has ever returned to us has taught. It is the path which “sees” both sides of the coin, the situation, simultaneously, seeing the truth of each perspective as well as its illusion. From the middle, we can access a 360 degree view as opposed to the singular perspective each has from his or her individual life experience. From the middle, we find love, compassion, gratitude, and forgiveness for all. From the middle, the space between good and evil, love and fear, masculine and feminine, light and shadow, projector and receptor, electric and magnetic, giving and taking, we find the medicine to heal ourselves, our family, our communities, our world. By enlightening the heart chakra with the love/light of the crown, we create the divine feminine, for she remains disconnected, limited in her power and potential until this state has been accessed. This has nothing to do with women or men, but with the masculine and feminine which reside within each of us, no matter which sex we identify with. Any practice which promotes separation of any kind is not the cure, but the very cancer that divides and weakens us. This allows the few to dictate the many, for force, money, government, weapons, muscles, sexuality, etc., to contain our power, the power of love/light and truth. Am I attempting to convince you? Not in the least. I’m simply calling to those who are seeking, who already “feel” this truth within. Big love to all, Michael Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Michael Ritchie Michael Ritchie, Transformational Coach Michael holds many skills & among many, he is known as a Transformational Coach, Sound Healer, Numerologist & Human Design practitioner, Sacred Medicine Holder, and Channeler of Energy from the Eternal Creator. In 2011-12 he was told he had 6m to a year to live. Since that day, he has dedicated his life to understanding awakening, enlightenment, and The Great Way. Funny how a death sentence lets you see what’s important, what’s not.

Written by Maria Akela, Intuitive Holistic Practitioner & Coach Maria Akela is a transformative healer, connector, and catalyst who has formed a holistic treatment & coaching concept that helps guide and connect people to their own inner wisdom and assists in trauma release on both physical, mental & spiritual levels. In a world overflowing with advice, guidance, and external perspectives, it can become easy to lose touch with our own inner authority without even realizing it. In this reflective piece, Maria Akela explores where true self-leadership begins, not in rejecting support, but in learning how to stay connected to your own clarity, discernment, and knowing while receiving it. There’s a subtle line between being supported and slowly giving your authority away. Most people don’t notice when they cross it. We live in a time where guidance is everywhere. Advice, tools, frameworks, methods, and perspectives are constantly available, constantly accessible. And on the surface, it looks like growth. But underneath it, something else can quietly begin to happen. Instead of asking, “What do I see?” “What do I feel?” “What do I choose?” We start asking, “What should I do?” Again and again. Until the question becomes a habit, and the habit becomes a way of relating to ourselves. Self leadership doesn’t disappear all at once It fades in small, almost invisible ways, every time we override our own perception in favor of someone else’s certainty. Not because we’re incapable. But because we’ve been taught, subtly, that clarity lives outside of us. But real self leadership doesn’t live in isolation either. It’s not about rejecting support. It’s not about doing everything alone, and it’s not about proving that you don’t need guidance. Real self leadership lives in the space between. The moment where you take in what’s in front of you, a perspective, a tool, a reflection, and instead of handing your authority over, you meet yourself there. You think. You feel. You decide. This is where things begin to shift Because you can listen deeply and still choose for yourself. You can receive guidance without losing your ground. You can explore tools without becoming dependent on them. The question is not whether you use support. The question is how. Does it make you feel smaller? More unsure? More reliant on something outside of you? Or Does it sharpen your thinking? Challenge your perspective? Bring you back to your own clarity? Because the goal was never to become someone who needs constant direction. The goal is to become someone who can stand in their own knowing, even after hearing a hundred different perspectives. Conclusion Maybe that’s the deeper invitation, to stop searching for the “right” answer long enough to notice that you are already capable of recognizing truth when you see it. Not perfectly. Not always immediately. But steadily, when you’re willing to stay connected to yourself in the process. Real self leadership lives here. Not in doing everything alone. Not in depending on everything outside of you. But in the quiet, steady ability to choose for yourself. A gentle invitation If this resonated, you’re invited to explore more of Maria Akela’s work on embodiment, awareness, and self leadership. Not as something to follow, but as a space to reflect, question, and return to your own knowing. Follow me on Instagram and visit my website for more info! Read more from Maria Akela Maria Akela, Intuitive Holistic Practitioner & Coach Maria Akela, with over two decades of experience, is a transformative healer, connector, and catalyst who assists in both physical, mental & spiritual trauma release. Her mission is rooted in seeing past the illusion of expectations and instead going into the deeper wisdom of what you are really meant to do. With an international community and track record of transformative treatments, Maria Akela wants to inspire you to regain your own natural flow and listen to your own inner wisdom.

A high-performing employee quietly misses deadlines, skips meetings, and stops contributing ideas. The issue is not laziness or lack of skill. It is a slow, cumulative breakdown that organizations often overlook until it becomes expensive. Burnout is a business problem, and companies that fail to recognize it pay in turnover, lost productivity, and weakened culture. Burnout is no longer just a personal issue Burnout directly affects performance, retention, and long-term profitability. It is no longer something employees are expected to manage on their own. Organizations now see burnout showing up in measurable ways. Absenteeism rises. Engagement drops. Teams lose momentum. Leaders begin to notice patterns that cannot be solved with quick fixes like time off or motivational talks. The shift is clear. Burnout has moved from a personal struggle to a structural issue within modern workplaces. The importance of mental health in modern society has also raised expectations. Employees expect support systems, not just salaries. When those expectations are not met, dissatisfaction grows quickly. The business impact of burnout Burnout reduces output, increases errors, and weakens collaboration. The impact is both immediate and long-term. Teams dealing with burnout struggle to maintain consistency. Deadlines slip. Communication becomes reactive rather than proactive. Decision-making slows down, and innovation declines. Over time, this creates a ripple effect across departments. Hidden costs leaders often overlook Leaders also face hidden costs such as: Increased recruitment and onboarding expenses Loss of institutional knowledge Declining customer satisfaction Lower employee morale Financial performance often reflects these internal issues. What appears as a productivity problem is often rooted in employee well-being. What forward-thinking leaders are doing differently They treat mental health as a strategic priority, not a secondary concern. This approach shifts how organizations operate at every level. Leaders who prioritize mental health in leadership understand that culture starts at the top. They model boundaries, encourage open conversations, and normalize seeking support. This creates psychological safety, which improves both engagement and performance. These leaders also move away from reactive solutions. Instead of addressing burnout after it happens, they focus on prevention through better systems and policies. Redesigning work to prevent burnout They are restructuring workloads, redefining productivity, and building flexibility into daily operations. Prevention starts with how work is designed. Organizations are questioning outdated expectations. Long hours and constant availability are no longer seen as indicators of commitment. Instead, companies are focusing on outcomes rather than time spent online. Practical changes that make a difference Common changes include: Flexible working hours to support individual productivity rhythms Clear role definitions to reduce ambiguity Realistic deadlines that account for workload capacity Regular workload reviews to prevent overload These changes may seem simple, but they significantly reduce stress over time. Rather than reacting to burnout after it occurs, leaders prioritize preventing it by improving systems and implementing stronger policies. The role of benefits and support systems Structured support systems provide employees with consistent access to help. They make mental health resources part of everyday work life. Employee Assistance Programs have evolved beyond basic counseling services. Many organizations now integrate digital tools, coaching, and proactive check-ins. Within these systems, access to resources for EAP professionals becomes essential for maintaining quality support and ensuring employees receive relevant, timely guidance. The key difference is accessibility. Support must be easy to use and free of stigma. When employees trust these systems, they are more likely to seek help early. Financial stress as a hidden driver of burnout Financial pressure amplifies workplace stress and reduces mental resilience. It often remains unspoken but deeply affects performance. Financial stress and mental health are closely connected. Employees dealing with personal financial strain may struggle to focus, make decisions, or engage fully at work. This creates additional pressure that compounds existing workload stress. How companies can reduce financial anxiety Forward-thinking organizations address this by offering: Financial wellness programs Transparent compensation structures Access to financial planning tools Support during economic uncertainty Reducing financial anxiety helps employees maintain stability and focus. Leadership style and its impact on burnout Yes, leadership style directly influences burnout levels. Supportive leadership reduces risk, while poor leadership accelerates it. Leaders who communicate clearly and set realistic expectations create a more stable environment. They check in regularly without micromanaging. They recognize effort, not just results. These behaviors build trust and reduce unnecessary pressure. On the other hand, inconsistent leadership creates confusion. Employees are left guessing priorities and expectations. This uncertainty leads to stress, which can quickly escalate into burnout. Metrics that help identify burnout early Tracking the right data helps organizations identify burnout early. It turns a vague issue into something measurable. Key indicators to monitor Useful indicators include: Employee engagement scores Turnover rates Absenteeism patterns Productivity trends Feedback from pulse surveys These metrics provide insight into how employees are actually experiencing their work environment. Regular analysis allows leaders to act before problems become severe. Building a culture that sustains change A sustainable culture change requires consistent actions, not one-time initiatives. It must be built into everyday operations. Organizations that succeed in this area align their values with their policies. They do not just talk about mental health. They embed it into performance reviews, leadership training, and internal communication. Cultural shifts also depend on accountability. Leaders must be evaluated on how they support their teams, not just on business outcomes. This reinforces the idea that well-being and performance are interconnected. The future of workplace mental health Workplace mental health will become a core business function, not a separate initiative. It will influence strategy, operations, and leadership development. Companies that adapt early will gain a competitive advantage. They will attract and retain talent more effectively. They will build stronger, more resilient teams. Most importantly, they will create environments where people can perform at their best without sacrificing their well-being. The future is not about eliminating stress entirely. It is about managing it in a way that supports both individuals and organizations. Why burnout is a business problem leaders must solve now Burnout is not a temporary challenge. It is a systemic issue that requires long-term solutions. Ignoring it leads to higher costs, weaker teams, and missed opportunities. Forward-thinking leaders recognize that burnout is a business problem and act accordingly. They redesign work, invest in support systems, and lead with empathy and clarity. This approach creates a healthier workforce and a stronger organization. Businesses that take action today will define the workplace of tomorrow.

Written by Sandro Endler, Business Finance Specialist Sandro Endler is an experienced finance professional with over 30 years of expertise in business finance and strategy. He is the author of FACE IT! Mastering Business Finance and holds advanced degrees in finance and economics from renowned universities. In business, major decisions rarely fail because of lack of ambition. They fail because of lack of structure. Owners pursue financing without understanding their numbers. They consider selling without knowing their value. They bring in partners without clarity on dilution, risk, or return. The issue is not effort, it is sequence. Over the years, working with business owners and developers, I have found that effective decision-making follows a disciplined three-stage progression. Financial Readiness, Valuation, and Capital Readiness. Financial readiness, understanding the reality of the business Every strategic move begins with a simple but often overlooked question, "Where do we really stand?" Financial Readiness is not bookkeeping. It is a structured diagnostic of how the business performs, how it generates cash, and how it is positioned financially. This stage focuses on the reliability and usability of financial statements, cash flow generation and sustainability, cost structure and margin behavior, debt exposure and obligations, and operational efficiency and financial controls. Without Financial Readiness, financing discussions lack credibility and decisions rely on assumptions. With it, the business gains clarity and direction. Valuation, translating performance into economic value Once financial clarity is established, the next question becomes, "What is this business worth?". Valuation is not a theoretical exercise. It is a decision framework that translates performance into economic value. A proper valuation considers cash flow generation capacity, risk profile of the business, industry dynamics, capital structure, and growth expectations. Valuation becomes essential when bringing in partners, negotiating financing, or planning an exit. Without valuation, decisions lack a financial anchor. With it, negotiations become structured and informed. Capital readiness, positioning for funding and execution After understanding performance and value, the final question is, "Are we ready to access capital and execute?" Capital Readiness is where strategy meets the market. It involves structuring the business to align with lender and investor expectations. Key elements include: Defining an appropriate capital structure Building forward looking financial models Demonstrating debt service capacity Presenting a clear and credible funding narrative Organizing supporting documentation Without Capital Readiness, funding is often delayed or rejected. With proper preparation, the business becomes investable. The importance of sequence The strength of this framework lies in its order. Many businesses attempt to jump directly into raising capital without first establishing clarity or value. A disciplined sequence, financial readiness, establish clarity, valuation, define economic value, capital readiness, prepare for execution Final thought Business outcomes are driven not only by opportunity, but by preparation. Financial clarity provides understanding. Valuation provides perspective. Capital readiness provides access. When these elements are aligned, decision-making becomes structured, negotiations become stronger, and execution becomes more effective. Follow me on LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Sandro Endler Sandro Endler, Business Finance Specialist Sandro Endler is a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA®) and Senior Executive Contributor for Brainz Magazine. He specializes in business valuation, capital readiness, and financial strategy, helping owners translate entrepreneurial ambition into institutional confidence.

Written by Sara Yoggini, EcoHub Community Wellness Retreat Entrepreneur Sara Yoggini is a Yoga lifestyle coach, EcoHub entrepreneur, and innovator who blends ancient wisdom with modern design. A certified Yoga and Yin Yoga teacher and Ayurvedic Principles Guide, she empowers individuals through holistic health, energy alignment, and sustainable living, inspiring personal growth and well-being. She is also an Eco Studio designer. Spiritual awakening is often described as a path to peace and clarity, yet the reality can be far more intense, complex, and deeply transformative. This guide explores the truth behind awakening and Kundalini energy, offering insight, grounding, and practical support for navigating a journey that can both challenge and profoundly reshape your sense of self. Are you ready to embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery? Spiritual awakening is not just a mystical concept, it is a powerful, life-changing process and experience that leads to profound clarity, inner peace, and a deeper connection to your true essence. Whether you're beginning to explore the path of spirituality or already on your way, this guide will help you understand the stages of spiritual awakening, the potent force of Kundalini energy, and how to navigate the challenges of enlightenment, the stages of ascension, and what to expect along the path of awakening. I will dive into some key truths and experiences and what to expect when you’re transitioning through this life-changing and quite intense experience, helping with insightful questions and answers. You’ll gain tools and practices to aid you on this sacred journey and, in turn, complete shift in your perspective and ultimately a spiritual identity shift. What is spiritual awakening? Spiritual awakening is the process of expanding your consciousness, realizing your true nature, and aligning with the higher purpose of your life. It can happen suddenly, as a transformative event, or gradually, unfolding over time. Sometimes, it is known that spiritual practitioners at certain retreat safe spaces use natural medicinal plants and herbs like Ayahuasca to trigger a profound, unique spiritual experience and emotional purge. There are many other types that can be used, but as I mention later, we need caution when approaching medicinal herbal medicines and wild forest herbs when awakening this powerful energy. We must treat our bodies and the process with respect as we embark on this, as it also has its risks if not done in the correct setting or with the appropriate teacher, guide, or shamanic healer. As mentioned, my kundalini awakened through immense stages of trauma over a lengthy period of my life. I reached a point in my path that led me to find the spiritual aspect of self. At its core, spiritual awakening is an exponential shift in awareness that leads to a deeper understanding of reality and the interconnectedness of all things, but it can be very intense and quite hard to navigate without the correct knowledge or tools. As you move through this process, you’ll begin to experience heightened intuition, profound emotional healing, and an increased sense of interconnectedness with everything around you. Spiritual awakening often leads to a dramatic change in your perspective on life, making you more attuned to your higher self, becoming more aware of patterns of cause and effect, and the long line of historic trauma and patterns in your own life, and why these experiences have led up to your awakening. 5 key tips to guide you on your spiritual awakening journey 1. Embrace silence and meditation Meditation is at the forefront and is the cornerstone of any spiritual awakening. Through silence, you learn to listen to your inner voice and connect with your higher consciousness. Meditation helps quiet the mind, clear negative thought patterns, and allow your intuition to flourish. Tip, start with a few minutes of deep breathing or guided meditation each day. Use resources like Insight Timer or Headspace to get started, and there are so many guided meditation channels on YouTube and a lot of hands-on tools online to explore. The channel Gaia is a great space to learn lots of information from trusted sources who can help guide and navigate you on your own spiritual journeys of awakening. 2. Stay grounded in the present moment Spiritual awakening often leads to expansive thoughts and feelings, but it’s important to stay grounded in the present. Practicing mindfulness allows you to stay connected to the Earth and your own physical body while you navigate this shift in consciousness. Tip, engage in grounding activities such as nature walks, yoga, or journaling to help stay centred and remind yourself that this is part of stabilizing and balancing your energy when it gets a little tricky and overwhelming energetically. 3. Be patient and compassionate with yourself Spiritual awakening is a process, and it doesn’t happen overnight. Progress may feel slow or confusing, but it’s essential to be patient with yourself. You’re learning, healing, and evolving in ways you might not fully understand yet. Tip, take time each day to reflect on how far you’ve come and embrace the journey with patience. Remember Buddha’s wisdom, "You are the master of your destiny. You can influence, direct, and control your own environment. You can make your life what you want it to be." 4. Prioritize self-care As you experience shifts in your energy, emotional turmoil is a common part of the process. You will experience profound states of euphoria and, on the other side of its dual nature, experience bouts of depression, isolation, and confusion. It is essential to take care of your body and mind during this transformation. Get enough sleep, eat nourishing foods, and engage in practices like yoga, energy healing, or aromatherapy to maintain your well-being. You will also go through stages of growth, learning about your childhood traumas, what triggers you have within, and learning more about your emotional body. Sometimes you learn that you are the key to breaking generational cycles of pain and trauma within your family and ancestral bloodline, which leads you on the healing process of your shadow work and inner child healing. From my own personal experience, this is quite intense, and you can feel quite isolated and lost, but after the processes and emotional purges, you will eventually level out and regroup. It is only temporary, but it can come in stages, so just be prepared to flow with waves and settle like the river, and gain a profound wisdom from these experiences to help others and better cope with life when it is lifting. Tip, consider practicing self-care rituals like aromatherapy or energy work to clear your energetic blockages, and use scented candles and crystal baths, all soothing and grounding, taking space to relax your nervous system. 5. Seek guidance from trusted sources A spiritual awakening can be both exciting and mentally and emotionally challenging, and somewhat testing in terms of fatigue and its dual nature, which brings bouts of depression and moments where you feel exhilarated with energetic boosts and spiritual insights. Connecting with experienced spiritual teachers or finding a community of like-minded individuals can offer valuable insights and support. Tip, explore trusted resources like The Chopra Centre or The Yoga Institute for guidance and deeper teachings, or online forums where you can connect with others on the same journey so you do not feel isolated and can share your experiences, along with many other insightful spiritual gurus, teachers, and speakers. What is Kundalini Awakening? How do I cope with it? Kundalini energy is often described as a dormant serpent coiled at the base of your spine. When activated, it rises through the chakras, triggering profound spiritual awakening, healing, and transformation when it reaches the crown and cracks the cosmic egg of consciousness, activating your soul star chakra and connecting you to higher dimensional knowledge, also known as your halo. This process, known as Kundalini awakening, can be intense, but it is an essential part of the enlightenment journey. Understanding what happens during Kundalini activation can help you cope with the powerful energy shifts that arise. Proper care and guidance need to be followed throughout this process, as the kundalini energy is powerful and is to be respected. The best advice is to go through various stages of healing your body, mind, and spirit, along with breath work, meditation, diet, chakra cleansing, and inner shadow work. If your chakras are imbalanced at the time of kundalini awakening, this can cause issues where the energy can get trapped or blocked from reaching its full potential. Full kundalini will only arise when the participant has undergone a lot of healing and inner work, and is aware of the processes and becomes wiser to the energetic frequency. It is always best to practice these experiences with a trusted practitioner or someone who is knowledgeable, as this is a serious journey of awakening and, without proper care, can cause a range of emotional and somewhat traumatic experiences if not handled with appropriate guidance. 10 key symptoms of Kundalini Awakening Physical sensations, you may feel heat, tingling, or energy surges throughout your body. These sensations indicate that your energy centers, chakras, are awakening. Emotional purging, unresolved emotional traumas or negative patterns may surface for healing. Heightened intuition, you might experience stronger intuitive abilities, such as vivid dreams or the ability to sense energies around you. Shifts in perception, a deep sense of unity, interconnectedness, and oneness with the universe may emerge. Spiritual visions or experiences, some experience mystical visions, heightened states of consciousness, or a deeper connection to higher realms. Chakra activation, physical sensations of energy moving through your body as each chakra awakens. Increased creativity, your creative energy may surge, bringing new ideas and artistic inspiration. Sensitivity to energy, you may become more sensitive to the energies around you, including the emotions of others or environmental influences. Physical exhaustion, kundalini awakening can leave you feeling physically drained as your body adjusts to the rising energy. Feelings of disconnection, during awakening, you may temporarily feel disconnected from your previous sense of identity or the material world, which is part of the process of becoming more aware. The soul's journey through lifetimes: Ascending to higher states of Consciousness the Reincarnation Theory Each soul embarks on a journey of learning through multiple lifetimes. Known as the process of reincarnation, each life presents a unique set of lessons that help the soul grow in wisdom and ascend to higher states of consciousness. These lessons often focus on virtues like love, compassion, patience, and forgiveness. As you move through lifetimes, your soul transcends the limitations of the ego and attains greater awareness, leading to a state of pure bliss, or Samadhi, as yogis define it, a pure state of being at one with the self, the higher self, and a higher level of consciousness, connected and content with universal energy and unconditional love. In moments of spiritual awakening, you may begin to recall past life memories or experience intuitive flashes of past life wisdom. These insights help you realize that you are more than your physical body, you are an eternal being undergoing a process of spiritual evolution, along with awakening dormant gifts, creative or psychic talents you were not aware you had previously, along with an expanded level of insight, intuition, and awareness of the world around you and of others. How to know if you’re having a spiritual awakening vs. A mental health issue The intense experiences associated with spiritual awakening can sometimes be mistaken for symptoms of mental health disorders. However, there are clear distinctions between the two. 1. Nature of the experience Spiritual awakening marks a profound shift in consciousness, leading to deeper insights, greater peace, and an enhanced sense of interconnectedness. Mental health disorder can cause persistent distress, confusion, or disorientation without providing any sense of growth or healing. 2. Duration and impact Spiritual awakening, though intense, tends to lead to long-term positive growth and transformation. Mental health disorder typically involves ongoing challenges that hinder daily functioning and well-being, where you cannot function without appropriate care. 3. Emotional reactions Spiritual awakening involves temporary emotional upheaval that eventually leads to healing and peace. Mental health disorder involves emotional challenges that are often more overwhelming and long lasting. 4. Increased intuition Spiritual awakening brings heightened intuitive abilities, such as synchronicities, deeper insights, and vivid dreams. Mental health disorder may cloud intuition with confusion or overwhelming anxiety. 5. Long-term growth Spiritual awakening leads to greater peace, self-awareness, and alignment with your true self. Mental health disorder, without treatment, often leads to persistent negative patterns and reduced quality of life. Note, if you’re struggling with emotional distress, it is always important to seek professional guidance from a therapist or counsellor. Spiritual awakening should ideally lead to growth and healing, not ongoing pain or suffering, but ultimately leads on a journey of self-discovery, deeper meaning, and existential soul growth in our human experience. Final thoughts The journey of spiritual awakening is an ongoing process of growth, healing, and self-discovery. It is about reconnecting with your true nature and transcending the limitations of the ego. Along the way, you will face challenges and moments of discomfort, but with patience, self-compassion, and guidance, you will emerge more aligned with your higher self. Trust the process, embrace the changes, and remember that every soul’s path is unique. Whether you are experiencing Kundalini energy or seeking enlightenment, your spiritual awakening is a sacred journey that leads to deeper peace, wisdom, and connection, so embrace the journey and do not take life too seriously. We are all living our own unique experience, so make your experience one you will be content and happy with. Remember, happiness and contentment are the ultimate states of being and higher consciousness. Resources to explore Insight Timer, free meditation resources and guided practices. Headspace, a popular app for mindfulness and meditation. The Chopra Centre, learn more about meditation, well-being, and holistic practices. The Yoga Institute, discover teachings on yoga, mindfulness, and spiritual growth. Gaia, the online channel, full of spiritual and transformative and insightful knowledge. YouTube guided meditations. Doreen Virtue, chakra cleansing meditation. Embrace your awakening and trust the process, it is your path to a more conscious, fulfilled lifestyle and a journey of self-discovery and empowerment. Take yourself on a journey of healing, hope, and inspiration to connect with your true spiritual nature. We are all one of the same energy, and we are all connected. You can read books and take in others’ experiences, but until you embark on your own, that is where the true wisdom of experience lies. By all means, research, learn, and take in what is needed, but it is solely your own soul’s awakening journey. We all have unique insight and our own individual outlook on how we perceive this transformative experience. The inner wisdom and how best to navigate depends on your own unique soul resonance and how you process and release intense and profound energies. Become one with self, one with your own unique experience, and at one with the universe. Enjoy the process of learning and unlearning, growth and expansion, and experience your own transformative and profound journey we call life. Follow me on Instagram and visit my website for more info! Read more from Sara Yoggini Sara Yoggini, EcoHub Community Wellness Retreat Entrepreneur Sara Yoggini is a CPD-accredited Yoga Lifestyle Coach, a 300-hour Yoga and Yin Yoga teacher, a Yoga Alliance-qualified teacher, an innovative ECOhub community entrepreneur, an eco-designer, and a humanitarian. She founded the Ethereal Retreat Community Wellness EcoHub, blending ancient wisdom with modern geodesic design to create a sustainable space that promotes healing and personal growth. With a strong focus on mental health and holistic living, Sara is also a guide in Ayurvedic principles, a sister science to yoga practice, and an energy alignment coach. She specializes in designing transformative outdoor spaces, building a geodesic dome garden studio community retreat to integrate wellness practices with eco-conscious initiatives, pioneering advancements in health and well-being.

Written by Dragana Favre, Psychiatrist and Jungian Psychotherapist Dr. Dragana Favre is a psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and seeker of the human psyche's mysteries. With a medical degree and extensive neuroscience education from prestigious institutions like the Max Planck Institute and Instituto de Neurociencias, she's a seasoned expert. There is a moment, so brief that we usually miss it, when the mind loosens its grip on the world, but does not yet fall into sleep. A slipping. A soft fracture in continuity. You are still here, but not entirely. Thought becomes image. Logic dissolves into suggestion. Something begins to speak that is not fully you, and yet unmistakably yours. This is N1. Neuroscience describes it plainly, a transition from waking alpha rhythms into slower theta activity, a fading of sensory anchoring, the beginning of dream fragments (American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 2014). But the description feels insufficient. Because what happens here is not just a change in frequency. It is a change in authority. The waking mind is no longer fully in charge. Yet, it has not disappeared. This is the paradox that recent research has finally begun to touch. In the study by Antoine Lacaux and colleagues, participants who briefly entered N1 were significantly more likely to experience sudden insight, almost three times more likely than those who stayed awake (Lacaux et al., 2021). But those who went deeper into sleep lost that advantage. Something fragile was crossed. Something necessary was lost. So N1 is not simply “sleep onset.” It is a narrow corridor. Not unconsciousness. Not consciousness. It is a tension. Perhaps this is the essential point, creativity does not come from the switch itself, but from the instability of the switch. Because in N1, two conditions coexist that rarely tolerate each other, the loosening of control, where the unconscious begins to recombine freely, and the persistence of awareness, where the mind can still notice. In other words, too much control, and nothing new emerges. Too much dissolution, and nothing can be remembered. But here, just here in N1, the system trembles between both. There is enough unconscious recombination to produce novelty, and enough conscious capture to hold it. This is why insight appears not as effort, but as arrival. It is not constructed, but encountered. This fragile coexistence has also been explored experimentally by Adam Haar Horowitz, who used hypnagogic states to guide creative thinking. His work suggests that N1 can be entered, even cultivated, as a space where thought becomes more associative, more fluid, yet still retrievable (Horowitz et al., 2019). Again, the key is not sleep itself, but remaining at its edge. From a brain perspective, one might say that the usual hierarchy softens. Executive networks loosen their grip, while associative networks begin to speak louder. But the system has not yet collapsed into full dream logic. It is still listening, and this listening matters, because without it, nothing would return. But neuroscience is only telling one side of the story. Long before EEG, depth psychology already knew something about this state. Jung called it active imagination. Active imagination is not a technique, but rather a posture, a way of allowing images to emerge without immediately mastering them, and a way of remaining present while something other is speaking. Contemporary post-Jungians like Robert Bosnak describe this as a “dual consciousness”, being both inside and outside an image at once. Mary Watkins speaks of “waking dreams,” where imagination unfolds but is not lost to us. These are not metaphors. They are descriptions of a structure of experience that neuroscience is now rediscovering. What they all point to is that the psyche becomes creative not when it is free, but when it is held in a precise kind of openness. Too rigid, and it repeats. Too dissolved, and it disappears. So the work, whether in therapy, art, or science, is always the same, to remain at the threshold without collapsing it. There is something unsettling about N1. Anyone who has touched it consciously knows this. The images are familiar, but slightly off. Faces shift. Spaces bend. Thoughts feel both intimate and foreign. This is where the philosophical notion of the unheimlich emerges, what Freud described as the uncanny, not the unknown, but the strangely familiar. The return of something that was always there, but hidden. N1 is full of this. Because when control loosens, the mind no longer organizes reality in the same way. Boundaries soften, categories leak, the world is no longer entirely “home-like.” Yet, it is not alien either. It is both. This is the signature of the liminal. Anthropologically, liminality is the phase where identity dissolves but has not yet reformed. Psychologically, it is the space where meaning becomes unstable. Neurologically, it may correspond to precisely these transitional regimes, like N1, where the system is reorganizing itself without fixed structure. It is here, in this instability, that something new can emerge. But emergence is not comfortable. Because the same openness that allows creativity also allows the uncanny. The same weakening of structure that permits new connections also exposes what was previously held back. In this sense, creativity and the unheimlich are not opposites. They are twins. Both arise when the familiar loses its rigidity. Both require the courage to remain in between. If we follow this to its end, a different image of creativity appears. Not as production. Not as problem-solving. But as threshold work. To create is not to force something into being, but to enter a state where something can appear, and to stay there long enough to receive it. This is what N1 shows us in its most minimal, biological form, a fleeting instability in the brain, a slight loosening of the world, a moment where the unconscious begins to speak, but has not yet taken over. If we are attentive, if we do not fall, and do not resist, we catch it. An idea. An image. A solution. A-ha. Follow me on LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Dragana Favre Dragana Favre, Psychiatrist and Jungian Psychotherapist Dr. Dragana Favre is a psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and seeker of the human psyche's mysteries. With a medical degree and extensive neuroscience education from prestigious institutions like the Max Planck Institute and Instituto de Neurociencias, she's a seasoned expert. Her unique approach combines Jungian psychotherapy, EMDR, and dream interpretation, guiding patients towards self-discovery and healing. Beyond her profession, Dr. Favre is passionate about science fiction, nature, and cosmology. Her ex-Yugoslav roots in the small town of Kikinda offer a rich backdrop to her life's journey. She is dedicated to helping people find their true selves, much like an alchemist turning lead into gold. References: Lacaux, A. et al. (2021). Sleep onset is a creative sweet spot. Science Advances. Horowitz, A. H. et al. (2019). Dormio: Interfacing with dreams. Consciousness and Cognition. American Academy of Sleep Medicine (2014). International Classification of Sleep Disorders. Freud, S. (1919). The Uncanny. Jung, C. G. (1960). The Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche. Bosnak, R. (2007). Embodied Imagination. Watkins, M. (1976). Waking Dreams.

Written by Kiara Brown, Licensed Professional Counselor, EMDR-Certified Therapist & Certified Hypnotherapist Kiara Brown is a Licensed Professional Counselor, EMDR-certified therapist, and hypnotherapist specializing in trauma healing, nervous system regulation, and the integration of clinical and spiritual approaches. If you have been hearing or seeing people online talk about receiving EMDR therapy and have ever wondered what it is, this article is for you. People have been talking about EMDR for years since it was created, but not many people know what it really is or what it helps with. Many famous people have spoken about it and how it helped them, there is a reason people have been raving about it. Who is this for? This article is for you if you’ve been in therapy before, understand your patterns logically, but still feel triggered. Nothing has changed in the way you hoped when you first started therapy. If, even after being in therapy for a long time, you still experience anxiety, panic, shutdown responses, or your body reacts before your mind can catch up to the triggers, this is for you. As an EMDR-certified therapist, I’ve seen how powerful this approach can be when talk therapy alone isn’t enough. In my work, I often see clients who feel frustrated because they understand their trauma, but their body hasn’t caught up yet. Pause for a moment. As you read this, notice your body. Feel into your shoulders. Are they tense? Focus on your breathing. Is it shallow and fast? Take one slow breath in through your nose, and then slowly, fully out through your mouth. This is the kind of awareness EMDR helps you build, learning to listen to your body, not just your thoughts. What is EMDR? EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It was first created by Francine Shapiro in 1989 to help clients with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She found that traumatic memories are stored in maladaptive ways, and when the memory is activated in a controlled way through eye movements or bilateral stimulation (moving both sides of the body at once), the brain and body can naturally heal them, making them more adaptive. EMDR has eight phases that each client goes through for each core negative belief they have about themselves. The first step is to identify the negative belief a client holds about themselves and the positive belief they want to have instead. After those are identified, core memories are selected for each negative and positive belief. By the end of all eight phases, clients report a significant reduction in symptoms. This doesn’t mean the memories go away, it just means the intense psychological and physical symptoms are reduced to the point that they no longer cause problems in day-to-day life. What are the eight phases of EMDR? History taking: During this phase, the client and therapist discuss the client’s life history and assess their symptoms. This is also where the client and therapist work together to formulate the treatment plan. Preparation: This is one of the longest parts of EMDR. This phase is about building rapport between the client and therapist. During this phase, affect-regulation skills and teaching stabilization occur. This phase takes the longest because it can take clients time to get into the habit of using regulation skills consistently to process their trauma, and building rapport is an ongoing process throughout therapy. Assessment: This is the phase where target memories are identified. Memories are associated with images, feelings, physical sensations, or simply the act of remembering. The negative and positive beliefs are also identified. The validity of positive beliefs and the distress associated with the memory are measured. Desensitization: Phase four is when the main work begins. This is where the therapist applies bilateral stimulation (eye movements, sounds, body taps, or vibrations) while the client focuses on the core memory. During this time, the client allows the memory to unfold as needed and allows whatever emerges to continue until distress decreases. This phase can take a long time, depending on how long you spend in each session. When clients do the traditional 60-minute session per insurance regulations, it can take numerous sessions to fully process a memory. Installation: This is the phase where the focus is on the positive. The client and therapist begin integrating and strengthening the positive belief while continuing bilateral stimulation. This phase will occur after each session, even if the negative memory hasn’t been fully processed. It is always important to focus on the positive, as this helps ground clients after processing hard memories. Body scan: This is very important when working with trauma. Trauma is stored in the body, and focusing on how the body is feeling is a good way to know how much improvement a client has made with processing their trauma. This phase also continues to process the somatic disturbances until they dissipate. Closure: This is the end of one session, which concludes with grounding and containment. The therapist ensures the client is stable before the client leaves the session. Reevaluation: At the next session, the therapist and client reassess the targets and overall effectiveness of the treatment. This will be the session to discuss the previous one, then continue processing the memory if needed, or move on to another memory. What does EMDR feel like? Once you start processing memories with EMDR, it doesn’t feel like traditional talk therapy. Many clients notice memories, emotions, or body sensations coming up in waves. It can also be described as your brain connecting the dots or finally processing something that felt stuck for years. Throughout the process, you are always in control, and the therapist guides and supports you. For example, someone may know that they are safe now, but their body still reacts as if the past is happening to them. EMDR helps resolve that disconnection. What can EMDR help with? Even though EMDR was originally created for PTSD, it has been shown to have a great impact and improvement for people who have anxiety, depression, personality disorders, panic disorders, specific phobias, dissociative disorders, somatic symptoms, medical-related conditions, substance use disorders, body dysmorphic disorder, and so many more conditions that are currently being researched. EMDR works by helping clients get out of their logical mind and focus on their emotions and body sensations. The overall message of EMDR is that it’s not based on the diagnosis, it’s about targeting maladaptive memories and bringing forward adaptive responses to them. What EMDR is not EMDR is not a quick fix for any of the symptoms clients have been experiencing. It has been shown to be faster than talk therapy alone, but it is not a one-time fix. EMDR has a full eight-phase protocol for a reason. When working with a certified EMDR-trained therapist, the first step is to ensure clients remain present throughout the process. If a client dissociates or continues to struggle with maintaining calm during their day-to-day life, it is not the right time to dive deep into core memories of their trauma. EMDR can still take months or years to reach full remission, depending on how severe the trauma is. How to know if EMDR is right for you You may be wondering if EMDR is right for you. A lot of people who have been in traditional talk therapy for years have seen little to no improvement in their symptoms. EMDR does help clients move through years of trauma in a shorter period, but clients must be emotionally stable before starting. If you are someone who can generally handle stress well without dissociating or struggling with day-to-day life, you may be ready to start processing trauma. If you are someone who still struggles with stress and managing day-to-day life, EMDR is still helpful because it teaches people how to handle those stressors more effectively than just talking things out. If you are tired of focusing on the logic of the situation and ready to focus on its emotional and physical aspects, EMDR may be right for you. A big thing to remember with any therapy is that the relationship between client and therapist is what really makes the difference. So, make sure the therapist you choose is one you feel comfortable with. Interested in learning more Sometimes healing is not about understanding more, it is about finally allowing your system to process what it has been holding onto. You can learn more, reach out here, or explore more conversations like this on my YouTube podcast. Follow me on Facebook, and Instagram for more info! Read more from Kiara Brown Kiara Brown, Licensed Professional Counselor, EMDR-Certified Therapist & Certified Hypnotherapist Kiara Brown is a Licensed Professional Counselor, EMDR-certified therapist, and certified hypnotherapist who specialized in trauma, anxiety, and nervous system regulation. She is the founder of Lunar Counseling, where she blends evidence-based approaches like EMDR with somatic work, subconscious healing, and spiritual integration. Her work focuses on helping people understand how trauma is stored in the body and how to safely begin releasing it. Kiara approaches healing as both a clinical and deeply personal process, one that involves the mind, body, and something deeper. She is the host of the Lunar Counseling Podcast, where she explores the intersection of mental health, embodiment, and spiritual growth in a grounded and accessible way. Resources: Original EMDR Study (1989): Shapiro, F. (1989). Eye movement desensitization: A new treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 20(3), 211–217. Early Outcome / Foundational Text (Late 1990s): Shapiro, F. (1995/2001). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing: Basic principles, protocols, and procedures (1st ed. 1995; 2nd ed. 2001). New York: Guilford Press. PTSD (Strongest evidence base): Systematic reviews & meta-analyses Chen, Y.-R., Hung, K.-W., Tsai, J.-C., Chu, H., Chung, M.-H., Chen, S.-R., Liao, Y.-M., & Chou, K.-R. (2014). Efficacy of eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing for patients with posttraumatic stress disorder: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. PLOS ONE, 9(8), e103676. Cusack, K., et al. (2016). Psychological treatments for adults with PTSD: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Annals of Internal Medicine, 165(5), 326–336. Clinical guidelines: World Health Organization World Health Organization. (2013). Guidelines for the management of conditions specifically related to stress. Department of Veterans Affairs & Department of Defense. (2023). VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of PTSD. Depression: Meta-analysis / Systematic review Carletto, S., et al. (2021). EMDR for depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 660459. Hase, M., et al. (2015). EMDR therapy in the treatment of depression: A matched pairs study. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 9(2), 64–72. Anxiety disorders: Meta-analysis Valiente-Gómez, A., et al. (2017). EMDR beyond PTSD: A systematic literature review. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1668. Yunitri, N., et al. (2020). Effectiveness of EMDR for anxiety disorders: A meta-analysis. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 123, 102–113. Panic disorder & phobias Faretta, E. (2013). EMDR and cognitive behavioral therapy in the treatment of panic disorder: A comparison study. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 7(3), 121–133. De Jongh, A., et al. (2011). Treatment of specific phobias with EMDR. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 25(3), 357–364. Somatic & Medical Conditions Behnammoghadam, M., et al. (2015). Effect of EMDR on stress in myocardial infarction patients. Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research, 20(4), 426–432. Gerhardt, A. (2016). EMDR for chronic pain: A systematic review. Pain Medicine, 17(2), 246–254. OCD / Intrusive symptoms Nazari, H., et al. (2011). Comparison of EMDR and citalopram in treatment of OCD. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 25(8), 1021–1025. Substance use disorders Hase, M., et al. (2008). EMDR in the treatment of substance abuse: A review. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 2(3), 170–179. Markus, W., et al. (2020). EMDR therapy in addiction: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 546. Body dysmorphic disorder Brown, T. A., et al. (1997). EMDR in the treatment of body dysmorphic disorder: Case series. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry. Dissociation / Complex trauma Dworkin, M. (2005). EMDR and the relational imperative: The therapeutic relationship in EMDR treatment. Korn, D. L., & Leeds, A. M. (2002). Preliminary evidence of EMDR resource development for complex trauma. Journal of Clinical Psychology. Neurological / Functional conditions Chemali, Z., et al. (2004). EMDR for phantom limb pain: Case report. The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences. Sexual / Relational conditions Doering, S., et al. (2013). EMDR in the treatment of vaginismus: A controlled study. Journal of Sexual Medicine.

Written by Claudia Cubbage, Headteacher and Career Change Coach Claudia Cubbage is known for her work in leadership and career development, particularly within education. She is the founder of RenewEd Ltd and is currently developing the RenewEd book series, drawing on over 25 years of school leadership experience. Career change is often an unexpected journey, one that doesn't always start with clear ambition. Whether triggered by circumstances, redundancy, or a shift in priorities, navigating a career transition requires clarity, strategic thinking, and understanding of the personal and financial realities at play. Career change is rarely a clean, planned decision. For many people, it does not begin with a clear ambition. It begins with circumstance. The reality behind how careers actually start Some people fall into their careers, a job after college, an opportunity that made sense at the time, or a role that gradually became a career. Others return to work after time away, raising a family, caring for loved ones, or taking a break that shifts perspective. For some, change is forced, redundancy, restructuring, or a role that no longer exists. In each case, the starting point is different. Regardless of circumstances, the real challenge is moving beyond recognition of change to designing a path forward. When the landscape shifts around you What worked before does not always work now. Industries evolve, competition increases, and expectations change. Roles that once felt secure become uncertain, and skills that were once enough now need to be repositioned. Suddenly, people find themselves needing to make decisions they were not prepared for, not just about what job to do next but about what direction to take. When change is not your choice For some professionals, a career change does not begin with a question, it begins with an outcome, redundancy, a contract not renewed, or a role removed. In the UK, this is becoming a more familiar experience. As economic pressures increase, more people are finding themselves needing to act quickly, often with little time to prepare. This creates a very different starting point. Instead of exploring possibilities, people are managing urgency. Income needs to be maintained, stability needs to be restored, and decisions feel immediate. At this point, the focus naturally shifts to speed, finding something, securing something, and moving forward as quickly as possible, and that is entirely understandable. But this is also where risk increases. Because decisions made under pressure are rarely made with full clarity. Even in uncertain situations, the process remains the same, stabilize first, understand second, and move forward with intention. The pressure to make the right move For those navigating forced change, the challenge is not just about what comes next. It is about balancing immediate needs with longer-term direction. Taking the first available role may solve the short-term problem, but without some level of reflection, it can recreate the same situation in a different form. This is where even a small pause can make a significant difference, not to delay action but to ensure that action is moving in a direction that makes sense. The financial reality people do not talk about One of the biggest unspoken concerns in career change is pay. People grow into their salaries over time, their lifestyle adjusts, and their responsibilities increase. Financial commitments become fixed. So when a career change becomes a possibility, the question is not just, "What do I want to do?" It becomes, "What can I afford to do?" This is where many people hesitate, not because they lack ambition but because the risk feels too high. The challenge of competing in a different space For those who begin to explore change, another challenge quickly appears. They must navigate new sectors, roles, and expectations. They are entering new sectors, new roles, and new expectations. Suddenly, an experience that once felt strong begins to feel uncertain. People question their relevance, compare themselves to others, and begin to doubt what they bring. What actually creates movement The shift does not come from pushing harder, it comes from stepping back, from understanding what experience you already have, how it translates beyond your current role, and where it holds value in a different context. This is where direction begins to take shape, not as a perfect plan, but as something solid enough to move towards. A different way to approach career change Career change is often approached as a practical process, update a CV, apply for roles, and prepare for interviews. But that approach only works when the direction is already clear. When it is not, action alone leads to frustration. Instead, the process needs to begin earlier, with structured thinking, with understanding, and with clarity about what fits and what does not. What this looks like in practice I recently worked with someone returning to work after a period of time away. They had experience, capability, and a strong work ethic, but they were unsure how to position themselves. They were also concerned about salary, they had previously earned well and were unsure how much they would need to compromise. At first, they focused on applying, but nothing quite landed. The shift came when we stepped back. We looked at their experience differently, identified where their skills still held value, and explored realistic options that balanced both direction and financial needs. From there, their approach changed. Applications became more targeted, confidence improved, and importantly, their expectations became clearer and more grounded. They did not just find a role, they made a decision that made sense. Why this matters now Career paths are no longer linear. More people will change direction, re-enter the workforce, adapt to new sectors, and respond to unexpected change. The ability to navigate these moments is becoming essential, not just to secure a job but to build a career that remains sustainable over time. Moving forward This is the focus of my second book, RenewEd Career: How Coaching Provides Clarity and Direction. It explores how professionals navigate career change and career transition in a way that is both realistic and intentional. To support its launch, the book will be available for free on Kindle for one day on 7 May. Recognizing the need for change is only the beginning of real progress. True progress comes from understanding and intentionally navigating what comes next. If this resonates, you can find out more about my work as a career change coach, career transition coach, leadership coach, and headteacher coach at RenewEd Ltd. You can also connect with me on LinkedIn, where I regularly share insights on career change, leadership, and professional development. To explore how coaching could support your next step, visit here. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for more info! Read more from Claudia Cubbage Claudia Cubbage, Headteacher and Career Change Coach Claudia Cubbage is a UK-based career change coach and headteacher coach specialising in sustainable leadership and purposeful transitions. After a decade as a headteacher and 30 years in education, including 25 years in senior leadership roles, she brings deep, practical insight into the realities of leadership. She supports headteachers and school leaders to lead effectively while balancing the demands of complex roles, alongside professionals from outside education navigating career change. She is the founder of RenewEd Ltd and the creator of the Compass framework, which underpins RenewEd Leadership coaching. Her work focuses on helping people lead and work in ways that are sustainable, values-led, and confidence-building.

Written by Val Douglas, Guest Writer Losing a job is hard. But what hurts most isn't always the income or the routine, it's the quiet question that follows, "So who am I now?" If you're asking that question, this article is for you. The silence is deafening Days or even weeks have passed since you lost your job, and there's an emptiness inside you that stirs and leaves you restless. While it seems the rest of the world is working, those days of boardroom and lunch meetings, spreadsheets, budgets, and client calls that occupied so much of your waking hours now leave everything feeling eerily calm and quiet. It's almost deafening. You feel lost. Like being the last one left on stage after the audience has gone home. The lights are still on, the chairs are still warm, but the performance is over, and no one told you what to do next. You start to question everything. I had great relationships. I worked long hours. I gave it everything I had. Was I even good at what I did? This is bigger than grief What you are experiencing on this job loss journey is completely normal, and the only way through this act of your career is to understand that you are going through a shift in identity. This isn't an identity crisis, although it may feel like one. What you are experiencing is a shift from who you were on your professional stage, how you showed up each day, both your image and your energy, to who you are in your raw form behind the scenes. Stripped down to the person you built yourself from, before you allowed yourself to be defined by a title. Think of an actor who plays the same role for years. Over time, they start to blur the line between themselves and the character. But when the show ends, the real work begins with remembering who they were before the curtain ever went up. The loss of identity that comes with job loss is often folded into the stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. And while grief is real and valid, your identity goes beyond it. In fact, as Harvard Business Review points out, work gives us far more than a paycheck, it shapes our recognition, status, belonging, and sense of self. Grief is about the job you lost. Identity is about who you are without it. The stages of grief imply an endpoint, a process of letting go as you mourn a role, an income, respected colleagues, and a routine that were taken from you. Grief anticipates that you will eventually arrive at acceptance. But identity is different. It's bigger. It's ongoing, layered, and deeply personal. Unlike grief, identity doesn't have a finish line, and rebuilding resilience after loss goes far deeper than simply bouncing back. It feels more like a reckoning because your role answered the question "who am I?" for days, months, and even years. Your job title was always a borrowed identity When you look at your resume, you'll see the many titles you've held over the years, all of them temporary as you moved onward and upward. Borrowed identities, every one of them. In many of those moments, you moved on because you were growing and evolving. You called the shot. This feels different, though. Like something was taken. Like you were left standing exposed and vulnerable on the stage. But you are so much more than the title on a business card or the perfectly pressed suit you put on each day. You are a culmination of your values, strengths, skills, and experiences flavoured by your own personal flair that you bring into every area of your life. Not just the workplace, but your life as a whole. As Arthur Brooks writes in his book From Strength to Strength, "You are not your job." And that goes for you, too. So where do you begin? Reestablishing your identity takes time, and it is completely possible. I like to tell my clients to think of this as a gift, a chance to realign with who they really are. Here are three places to start. 1. Get reacquainted with yourself Step outside your work mindset and make time to reflect. Who were you before your career occupied so much of your life? What did you do in your spare time? Who did you spend your time with? What aspects of you have changed over the years, both for better or worse? Understanding your likes, dislikes, values, interests, and hobbies is the foundation of everything that comes next. 2. Recognize the value you bring every single day When did you last take inventory of the strengths you bring to daily life, outside of work? Most people don't realize their resilience shows up most in the everyday moments nobody stops to notice. As a parent, you teach your children values, resilience, and how to navigate the world. As a partner, you hold the household together in ways that never appear on a resume. As a friend, a volunteer, a coach, you show up, and you matter. These things say far more about who you are than any title ever could. 3. Understand who you are becoming As you reconnect with yourself, hold that as your reference point going forward. When you know who you are, you carry confidence into any room, and you'll be far better equipped to plan your career next steps with intention. Whoever you become is built on the foundation of who you already are. That is your fibre. And nobody can take it from you. Your story is still being written All three of these steps have one thing in common, they are about who you are, not what you did. And through this process, you will begin to shift the story you tell yourself. You'll find language for who you are that has nothing to do with a job description. Remember, the stage didn't disappear when the role ended. You are still the actor. And the most powerful performance of your career isn't the one tied to a title, it's the one rooted in knowing exactly who you are without one. The lights are still on. The stage is still yours. This isn't the end of your story, it's the moment you finally get to write it on your own terms. As I share in my book The Unseen Road to Resilience, knowing your identity requires work, and it means making time for uninterrupted self-reflection as you move into your next chapter. Many of my clients tell me that carving out that time feels impossible amid job searching, tailoring resumes, and everyday responsibilities. That's exactly why they turn to coaching, for both the space and a thought partner to help them find the answers that were inside them all along. If you're ready to do that work, I'd love to be part of your journey. My book The Unseen Road to Resilience is a great place to start. And when you're ready to go further, visit shift180coaching.com to book a conversation. Visit my website for more info! Valora Douglas, Guest Writer Valora Douglas spent over 25 years working her way into senior leadership roles across multiple industries – building teams, driving results, and navigating her own career transitions and identity shifts along the way. That lived experience is the foundation of Shift180 Coaching. As a certified Leadership and Performance Coach, she helps experienced professionals reconnect with who they are so their next chapter is built on identity, not just opportunity. Her latest book, The Unseen Road to Resilience, captures the inner work that makes real reinvention possible. Connect with Val at shift180coaching.com.