Feelings Aren't the Enemy (Your Avoidance Is) with Dr. Marc Brackett
In this episode of The WorkWell Podcast™, Jen Fisher and special co-host Dr. Joe Grasso from Lyra Health speak with Dr. Marc Brackett, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and Professor in the Child Study Center at Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Brackett's bestselling book "Permission to Feel" has revolutionized how we think about emotions in schools and workplaces, and his new book "Dealing With Feeling" challenges us to stop running from our emotional lives and start actually living them.Episode Highlights:Why there's no such thing as a "bad emotion" and how all feelings are simply dataThe difference between being an "emotion scientist" versus an "emotion judge"How toxic masculinity teaches men to disconnect from their emotions, perpetuating cycles of loneliness and isolationWhy "being emotional" doesn't mean you're weak—it means you're humanThe Meta Moment: A four-step process for healthy emotion regulation in high-pressure situationsHow to have difficult conversations at work without avoiding or attackingWhy bringing your whole self to work includes bringing your emotionsPractical strategies for managers to create emotionally intelligent team culturesThe importance of checking in with your emotions before they leak into unrelated situationsQuotable Moments:"Emotional intelligence... is not emotional reactivity. Emotions are on a continuum. There's a little bit of anger, which is annoyance, and there's a lot of anger, which is enraged." - Dr. Marc Brackett"Just because you're feeling strong emotions doesn't mean you're not capable. Doesn't mean you're not strong. Life is about emotions." - Dr. Marc BrackettResources:Free app: "How We Feel" (available on iOS and Android) - A mood tracking tool developed by Dr. Brackett to help build emotional vocabularyThis episode of The WorkWell Podcast™ is made possible by Lyra Health, a premier global workforce mental health solution. Learn more at Lyrahealth.com/workwell.
--------
48:39
--------
48:39
Your Job Doesn't Actually Suck (Here's How to Make It Meaningful) with Tamara Myles
In this eye-opening episode of The WorkWell Podcast™, Jen Fisher sits down with researcher Tamara Myles, who studied over 2,000 workers across 25 industries and discovered this: your job doesn't actually suck—you just haven't unlocked its potential yet.Forget "follow your passion." Tamara reveals the real science behind work that matters, including why a hairstylist who sees herself as a "day maker" literally saved a client's life, and how a simple 40-second interaction can transform your entire workplace experience. Whether you're flipping burgers or running boardrooms, this conversation will change how you think about Monday mornings forever.Episode Highlights:Debunking meaningful work myths: Why it's less about what you do and more about how you experience what you doThe crucial difference between purpose and meaning: Why mission-driven nonprofits still struggle with burnoutThe Three C's framework: Community, Contribution, and Challenge as the building blocks of meaningful workThe 40-second connection rule: How micro-moments build workplace belongingThe power of recognition: Why one weekly "thank you" cuts burnout and disengagement in halfOn stage, backstage, and after the show: A framework for meaningful appreciationThe goldfish principle: Why humans are "indeterminate growers" shaped by their environmentBurnout vs. bore-out: The surprising ways people disengage from workQuotable Moment:"Meaningful work is less about what you do and more about how you experience what you do—and every job can, and should be meaningful." - Tamara Myles
--------
47:01
--------
47:01
Meet Your Mind’s Dysfunctional Family (And How to Make Peace with Them) with Britt Frank
Meet Your Mind’s Dysfunctional Family (And How to Make peace with Them) with Britt FrankIn this episode of The WorkWell Podcast™, Jen Fisher speaks with Britt Frank, licensed neuropsychotherapist, keynote speaker, and author of "The Science of Stuck: Breaking Through Inertia to Find Your Path Forward" and "Align Your Mind: Tame Your Inner Critic and Make Peace with Your Shadow Using the Power of Parts Work." Britt's research-based approach combines neuroscience, trauma therapy, and humor to help people understand why they do what they do—and more importantly, how to change it.Episode Highlights:The difference between "gas pedal stuckness" (workaholism/burnout) and "brake pedal stuckness" (procrastination)How anxiety functions as your mind's "check engine light" signaling underlying problemsWhy there's no such thing as self-sabotage—and what's really happening insteadUnderstanding "parts work" and how your mind contains multiple inner voices and charactersHow to transform your inner critic from enemy to ally through dialogue, not silenceWhy asking "why" keeps you stuck while asking "how" and "what" creates momentumPractical strategies for leaders to recognize which "parts" of their team members are activatedThe difference between professional success and professional fulfillmentHow to shift from reactive parts brain to your "inner CEO" in workplace situations Quotable Moment:"All behaviors, even suboptimal ones, even bad ones, are doing a job and they're serving a function." - Britt FrankLyra Lens:In this segment, Dr. Joe Grasso, VP of Workforce Transformation at Lyra Health, explores how high achievers with their "foot always on the gas" can create (and reveal) systemic organizational problems. He discusses values-based working, moving from blame to curiosity when addressing performance issues, and how managers can shift from treating individual behavior problems to addressing systemic workplace challenges. Resources:This episode of The WorkWell Podcast™ is made possible by Lyra Health, a premier global workforce mental health solution. Learn more at Lyrahealth.com/workwell.
--------
57:16
--------
57:16
Mind the (Future) Gap: Preparing for What's Next in Mental Health (Live from Lyra Breakthrough)
Mind the (Future) Gap: Preparing for What's Next in Mental Health Special Live Episode from Lyra Breakthrough 2025In this special live episode of The WorkWell Podcast™, recorded at the Lyra Breakthrough Conference, Jen Fisher hosts a dynamic panel discussion exploring how AI, shifting demographics, and evolving expectations are reshaping mental health support in the workplace.Panel Experts:Dr. Tom Insel - Former Director of the National Institute of Mental Health and visionary behind the bold statement that "AI is to mental health what DNA was to cancer"Briana Duffy - Market President at Carelon Behavioral Health, witnessing mental health become a mainstream conversation across generationsDr. Alethea Varra - Senior Vice President of Clinical Care at Lyra Health, pioneering the integration of technology and clinical excellence in modern mental healthcare deliveryEpisode Highlights:Why AI represents a transformational force in mental healthcare, offering precision in diagnosis and treatment like never beforeThe critical difference between AI as a "GPS system" versus autonomous "Waymo" therapy - and why we're not ready for the latterHow predictive algorithms can identify individuals at risk for self-harm up to five months in advanceThe challenge of responsible AI implementation: why human oversight is essential to prevent dangerous "drift" in AI responsesYoung people now listing "been in therapy" as a requirement on dating profiles - and what this means for workplace expectationsWhy 70% of students prefer community-based care over traditional one-on-one therapyThe generational divide: younger workers prioritizing mental health support versus older workers' "tough it out" mentality - and how to leverage both perspectivesThe shift from "mental health" to "mental fitness" - expanding the conversation beyond crisis care to preventative wellnessValue-based care revolution: paying for outcomes and results rather than time spentReal ROI data: 30% reduction in overall healthcare spend for engaged members in sophisticated care programsQuotable Moments:"AI is like the number one use of therapy. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I put this into a timeline where I think about how we did navigation... we had these paper maps to go on a trip, and now we use GPS. The question is, are we ready for Waymo?" - Dr. Tom Insel"My job as a therapist so very often is to sit down with a human in front of me and to tell them something that is actually not going to make them happy. Generative AI tends to drift, and we've seen examples of that." - Dr. Alethea Varra"If this (therapy requirements in dating apps) is the new mainstream norm in the dating world... it's not going to look materially different in the workplace." - Briana DuffyResources:This special live episode of The WorkWell Podcast™ is made possible by Lyra Health, a premier global workforce mental health solution trusted by leading companies like Starbucks, Morgan Stanley, Lululemon, and Zoom. Lyra provides personalized care to over 17 million people with fast access to evidence-based providers and tools that deliver proven results.Learn more at Lyrahealth.com/workwell.
--------
46:30
--------
46:30
The TikTok-ification of Self-Care (And How to Fix It) with Dr. Pooja Lakshmin
The TikTok-ification of Self-Care (And How to Fix It) with Dr. Pooja LakshminIn this episode of The WorkWell Podcast™, Jen Fisher speaks with Dr. Pooja Lakshmin, psychiatrist, mental health advocate, and author of "Real Self Care." Together they unpack the commercialization of wellness and explore why so many women feel caught between achieving everything and finding time for authentic self-care. They navigate the complexities of caregiving, adult friendships, and finding hope in challenging times.Episode Highlights:The four principles of real self-care: boundaries, compassion, values, and powerWhy the "pause" is the true boundary - not simply saying noThe invisible burden of elder caregiving and why it's so difficult to discuss at workHow to maintain meaningful adult friendships when life gets overwhelmingUnderstanding hope as an active practice rather than wishful thinkingThe importance of finding small moments of joy and connection in daily lifeQuotable Moment:"Real self-care is an internal process. Boundaries, compassion, values, and power - those four internal principles, that's the work of real self-care. And then once you've done that, then you go to yoga, then you do your meditation. But if you're not using those internal principles and not doing that internal work first, then the external tools will be empty." - Dr. Pooja LakshminLyra Lens:In this edition, Dr. Kendall Browne, Clinical Psychologist and Director at Lyra Health, unpacks the concept of "the pause" that Dr. Lakshmin identified as crucial for boundary-setting. She explains that while pausing seems simple, implementing it proves challenging—especially for women who feel pressure to respond instantly. Dr. Browne offers practical strategies for habitualizing this pause and distinguishes between different boundary types: porous (saying yes too often), inflexible (saying no reflexively), and purposefully permeable (thoughtful decisions about when to engage).Resources:This episode of The WorkWell Podcast™ is made possible by Lyra Health, a premier global workforce mental health solution. Learn more at Lyrahealth.com/workwell.
The WorkWell Podcast™ is back and I am so excited about the inspiring guests we have lined up. Wellbeing at work is the issue of our time. This podcast is your lens into what the experts are seeing, thinking, and doing.
Hi, I am Jen Fisher, host, bestselling author and influential speaker in the corporate wellbeing movement and the first-ever Chief Wellbeing Officer in the professional services industry. On this show, I sit down with inspiring individuals for wide-ranging conversations on all things wellbeing at work. Wellbeing is the future of work. This podcast will help you as an individual, but also support you in being part of the movement for change in your own organizations and communities. Wellbeing can be the outcome of work well designed. And we all have a role to play in this critical transformation!
This podcast provides general information and discussions about health and wellness. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast. The podcast owner, producer and any sponsors are not liable for any health-related claims or decisions made based on the information presented or discussed.
Colombia