Koko’s Post

II’m so excited I could barely sleep last night. I’m in Oxford for the week, attending a different kind of conference than I usually do, Masters Events - Europe's largest trauma and mental health conference. Psychology and Neuroscience have long been my passion (and hyperfocus), this is the field I have read and researched the most. Understanding people, not just what they do, but why, and how their past impacts the present, is in my opinion the key to developing people and running a successful business. Throughout the years of running Verve, I incorporated many things I learned from the world of psychology and neuroscience. From behavioural profiling, and asking the right questions at the interview stages, to sending my management team on a 7 day residential personal development course (The Hoffman Process). But in my quest to understand and develop others, I had forgotten one person. Myself. In 2018, a year after I sold my company (and I was feeling the pressure of the earnout and going through a divorce), one of my colleagues, Jonas Grünfeld, handed me a book that his then girlfriend had just read and she thought I would like. The book was "The Body Keeps the Score" by Bessel van der Kolk. To say this book changed my life is an understatement. If you haven't already read the book, it is about how trauma impacts the body and mind. How trauma can affect a persons ability to feel pleasure, engage and trust. But also how trauma shows up in the body, such as in the way we sit, breath, sleep and digest. I devoured this book and it set me on the journey that changed everything, not outwardly but inwardly, how I feel inside. And TODAY I am attending a whole day immersion workshop with THE Bessel van der Kolk - I hope I get to meet him face to face, to say thank you for helping me find, no, becoming myself. If you haven’t read the book yet, I’ll drop a link in the comments. Also if you want to attend the conference, there are still virtual tickets available I believe. #selfdevelopment #trauma #mastersevents #bessellvanderkolk #neuroscience #psychology

I have the privilege of owning some of the MOST POWERFUL health and wellbeing equipment out there at this very moment in time... here is how I am so confident to say this! During the immersive event with Dan Siegel at Masters Events at Oxford University last Wednesday, Dan talked about becoming consciously aware of our bodies. Understanding the inner life of another with insight, empathy and integration. He also talked about chaos, anger, fear, being rigid in the way you experience life and how lack of nurturing in the early years can bring us out of harmony. He says it is not until you become; Flexible Adaptive Coherent Energised Stable that harmony can be restored and we can accept each other as unique individuals. He mentioned the window of tolerance and looking for ways to widen it so that we can be resilient in the hectic world around us. You have to bring yourself into the NOW, stop making everything intellectual and just FEEL! I believe that Mederi Wellness holds two of the most POWERFUL tools to help clients that have experienced trauma in their lifetime become connected back to self. The way float therapy can assist with 'getting back to self' is by allowing you, in the darkness and silence of the pod to regain the awareness of your 5 senses. You will be able to hear your heartbeat, your breath, you will feel the water around you, smell the Epsom salt in the water, taste the flavours of your morning drink or meal you had beforehand and perhaps you will see into the darkness different colour and shapes, or maybe you will see nothing and be completely in the moment. When you reach this state of consciousness (can be achieved through meditation) you reduce cortisol, improve immunity and cardio function, your cells alter and reduces inflammation in the body. So when clients come and visit us and have never tried to meditate they are entering the pods that will put them into a meditative state within minutes. If you are looking to make these improvements to your health you can speak to me directly via DM or go straight to our booking system --->https://lnkd.in/e2e5gjEC

May is Mental Health Awareness Month (and approaching fast), so MHA National recently shared their May toolkit for schools/workplaces/communities. This graphic caught my eye - I'm particularly prone to missing meals and not drinking enough water when I get busy, but it makes a MASSIVE difference. Prioritizing those needs is one of my goals moving into May. You can download the toolkit from Mental Health America here: http://buff.ly/3aQwaXb

#Inside Our Minds 2024 Launch Event Today I attended the Inside Our Minds 2024 Launch Event with Rachael Burns, Youth Mental Health Leader, and Dr Tim McDonald, The Y CEO. Rachael is actively involved in this project and gave a moving speech at the event.  Inside Our Minds is a powerful series showcasing stories of young people’s mental health struggles, released during Mental Health Week in October each year.  The main purpose is to continue to destigmatize the mental health issues and promote a positive, open conversation for young people. https://lnkd.in/gdYEY6U2

💡 Special thanks to the 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐬𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 for inviting me to encourage and equip mental health professionals in their efforts to not only help people heal from traumatic life experiences – from a culturally competent perspective – but also reduce the likelihood of unintentionally creating new traumatic experiences in their professional helping efforts.   For More on Lambers’ Trainings & Resources, Visit https://lnkd.in/ehdNdsN   #innovationsinpsychotherapy #diversitymadesimple

🌎 On October 10, we celebrated World Mental Health Day—and it got us thinking! 💭 How is Monitoring & Evaluation playing a role in shaping mental health programs? In our search, we discovered an eye-opening article: 'Monitoring and evaluation of mental health and psychosocial support programs in humanitarian settings: a scoping review of terminology and focus', authored by Jura Augustinavicius, M Claire Greene, Daniel P. Lakin, and Wietse Tol Curious about how M&E can make a difference in the mental health space? Take a read, and drop your thoughts in the comments below! Let’s spark a conversation on how we can elevate social impact through effective program management. #WorldMentalHealthDay #MentalHealthMatters #MandE #SocialImpact #ProgramManagement

#Inside Our Minds 2024 Launch Event Today I attended the Inside Our Minds 2024 Launch Event with Rachael Burns, Youth Mental Health Leader, and Dr Tim McDonald, The Y CEO. Rachael is actively involved in this project and gave a moving speech at the event.  Inside Our Minds is a powerful series showcasing stories of young people’s mental health struggles, released during Mental Health Week in October each year.  The main purpose is to continue to destigmatize the mental health issues and promote a positive, open conversation for young people. https://lnkd.in/gdYEY6U2

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 Today, we celebrate men’s contributions to society, their achievements, and their resilience. But let’s also shine a light on an often-overlooked topic: Men’s Mental Health. At Magna Carta College, we believe in fostering awareness and breaking the stigma around mental well-being. Together, let’s create a supportive environment where conversations about mental health are welcomed and prioritised. 💭 Did you know? 🔹 Men are less likely to seek help for mental health challenges. 🔹 Talking about emotions is a sign of strength, not weakness. This year, let’s educate ourselves, support one another, and promote a culture of care. 🤝 #MCC #MagnaCartaCollege #InternationalMensDay #MensMentalHealth #EducationForChange

June is Men's Mental Health Month A time to spotlight the mental health challenges faced by men and encourage open conversations about mental well-being. Break the Stigma! 1. Encourage Open Conversations! 2. Promote Professional Help! 3. Highlight Role Models! 4. Provide Resources! Resources - National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 - Men's Health Network: menshealthnetwork.org - Mental Health America: mhanational.org

Did you know May is mental health awareness month? The involvement of youth-serving professionals is key in addressing mental health challenges our youth face. 🔑 Learn more by reading our May Monthly Column, here. https://loom.ly/ihSgxvk