In this episode, I sit down with Brian Crooke, founder of Workplace Wellbeing Ireland, to explore the transformation of workplace wellbeing—from a peripheral perk to a central business priority. We discuss the key drivers behind this shift, the challenges organisations face in embedding wellbeing into their culture, and what the future holds for employee wellbeing initiatives.

In this episode, we sat down with Dr. Elke Smeets, an internationally recognised expert in positive psychology, to explore the power of self-compassion. We discuss practical ways to cultivate self-awareness, practice mindfulness, and be kinder to ourselves. Together, we delve into the importance of self-forgiveness, acceptance, and building a practice to improve our negative inner dialogue, helping you foster a more compassionate relationship with yourself.

Modern parents are under pressure from many sides, so we turned to mother-of-three Aoife Lee, a certified parenting coach and founder of Parent Support, for her top parenting advice. She recommends trusting your instincts, setting boundaries, harmonising different parenting styles, and practising self-care to avoid burnout – all of which is easier said than done! Find out more about Aoife at ParentSupport.ie, and check out daraandco.com for more resources on wellbeing, personal growth and relationships.

Ireland’s Centre for Positive Health Sciences is one of only a few in the world exploring the integration of positive psychology and lifestyle medicine. Chartered psychologist Dr Mary Collins works at the centre, and in this wide-ranging discussion she shares some evidence-backed principles and practices that are key to a fulfilling and flourishing life.   You can connect with Mary on LinkedIn to follow her work, and check out daraandco.com for more resources on wellbeing, personal growth and relationships.

Occupational health psychologist Dr Juliet Hassard joins us from Queen’s University Belfast to discuss her research into the design and development of psychologically safe and healthy workplaces, and the need for a paradigm shift in how workforces are managed. You can connect with Juliet on LinkedIn to follow her work, and check out daraandco.com for more resources on wellbeing, personal growth and relationships.

Have you ever thought about how much your surroundings can impact your mindset, your productivity or even your mental health? Maia Lemlij and Sebastian Sandler certainly have, and they apply neuroscience research to how they build homes and workspaces for XUL Architecture, their north London architecture practice. Find out more about XUL and neuroarchitecture at XULarchitecture.co.uk, and check out daraandco.com for more resources on wellbeing, personal growth and relationships.

In this episode, professional speaker and communication coach Camilla Long offers her advice on communicating confidently and having hard conversations. And, it turns out, one of the key skills you need for effective communication doesn’t involve speaking at all. Find out more about Camilla’s work at BespokeComms.net, and check out daraandco.com for more resources on building better relationships with yourself and others, including a masterclass from Camilla herself.

Did you know that Ireland was recently named the loneliest country in the EU? That’s why we sat down to speak to Dr Ann-Marie Creaven, a research psychologist who has looked into loneliness across the lifespan.   Ann-Marie explains loneliness in all its forms and why we need a community-based approach to tackling this issue. She also has some suggestions on how workplaces can get creative when it comes to fostering casual connections, inspired by her own campus at University of Limerick.   Ann-Marie’s loneliness research is funded by The Irish Research Council and you can follow her on X at @amcreaven. And, as always, check out daraandco.com for more resources on building better relationships with yourself and others.

This episode Elaine is talking to Nichola Leech, a professional singer, vocal coach and, most recently, a voice habilitation specialist. Nichola founded Voice Care Ireland after discovering the lack of support for the therapy she needed following a vocal trauma, and now she helps other people to rehabilitate their voice.  Nichola gives us a glimpse behind the scenes of the world of professional singing and explains how to look after your voice, be that for your career or otherwise. Check out VoiceCareIreland.com for more information and visit daraandco.com for more resources and information for building a better life.

We sat down for a chat with Yemi Adenuga, a Nigerian-Irish community leader and social justice advocate who, in 2019, became the first elected black female public representative in Ireland. We spoke to Yemi about the challenges that come with being a ‘first’ in any case, and the specific issues she faces as a public figure, such as trolling and abuse. We also talked about family values and what it was like to invite the viewers of GoggleBox Ireland into her home. You can find out more about Yemi and connect with her on YemiAdenuga.com Find more resources and information for building better relationships with yourself and others at daraandco.com.