SoWhoCaresAnyway
SoWhoCaresAnyway
Podcast Description
So Who Cares Anyway with host Ruth Germaine with her inspirational guest speakers will explore the incredible work and initiatives being undertaken in and with health and social care, as well as voluntary and community-based groups. We’ll discuss why their work matters and what difference they make to the people in their communities. I will also invite individuals with key messages or ideas about what needs to happen to significantly enhance our communities health and well-being.
To improve the health and wellbeing of people and achieve integrated care that focuses upon what matters to people, and what works for them, we all need to share learning, ideas and innovation, broadening our perspective of who cares, what they do and the difference that they make. My hope is that this podcast will provide a space for people to inspire and be inspired.
So, if you have a passion to make a difference to the health and well-being of your communities, join me, tune in and listen.
To find out more about me, or to Buy Me A Coffee to support this podcast visit https://linktr.ee/Reflective_Ruth
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast delves into themes such as healthcare transformation, community well-being, and the integration of health and social care. Specific episodes cover topics like emotional labor in healthcare, the connection between heritage and health, and the importance of workforce transformation, providing practical insights alongside impactful stories.
So Who Cares Anyway with host Ruth Germaine with her inspirational guest speakers will explore the incredible work and initiatives being undertaken in and with health and social care, as well as voluntary and community-based groups. We’ll discuss why their work matters and what difference they make to the people in their communities. I will also invite individuals with key messages or ideas about what needs to happen to significantly enhance our communities health and well-being.
To improve the health and wellbeing of people and achieve integrated care that focuses upon what matters to people, and what works for them, we all need to share learning, ideas and innovation, broadening our perspective of who cares, what they do and the difference that they make. My hope is that this podcast will provide a space for people to inspire and be inspired.
So, if you have a passion to make a difference to the health and well-being of your communities, join me, tune in and listen.
To find out more about me, or to Buy Me A Coffee to support this podcast visit https://linktr.ee/Reflective_Ruth
In this episode I’m joined by Beryl Palmer | LinkedIn,x a social worker and senior leader whose own experience of burnout, illness and disconnection led her to re‑examine how she was living — and ultimately to retrain as a sophrologist.
This conversation follows on from Episode 23 with Dr Jane Stevens MD, MBA, PhD | LinkedIn, where we first touched on sophrology and the harmony we often forget in chaotic systems. You don’t need to have heard that episode, but if you did, you’ll recognise some of the threads we pick up again here. With Beryl, the focus shifts, from understanding sophrology to exploring what happens when it’s lived, practiced and applied in real‑world care settings, and what it can open up for people working in demanding roles.
Beryl talks openly about the years she spent “living on a diet of stress,” the moment she realised she’d lost her sense of self, and the slow, steady process of reconnecting mind, body and identity. She describes sophrology as both a simple toolkit and a deeply transformational practice — something that can help people reset in the middle of a working day, or guide them through profound personal change.
Together we explore:
- what sophrology is and where it comes from
- how Beryl’s own burnout became a turning point
- the difference between “outside‑in” and “inside‑out” living
- why clinicians, social workers and carers are so vulnerable to stress and compassion fatigue
- how simple mind‑body practices can support emotional resilience
- the importance of teaching mental‑health skills before crisis
- how sophrology is being used in schools, retreats and health and social care teams
- what happens when people begin to notice the early signals of stress rather than waiting for collapse
This is a gentle, grounded conversation about learning to live differently, with more awareness, more balance, and more connection to ourselves.
Resources
Sophrology in Social Work Education
Exploring an innovative mind‑body method to support student wellbeing and resilience
https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/UDV9Y7RQXPPYV9XA76GC/full?target=10.1080/02615479.2026.2636685
NICE Guidelines: Mental Wellbeing at Work (2022)
NICE recommends that employers offer yoga, mindfulness and meditation as evidence‑based support for staff wellbeing.
Sophrology uniquely brings all three together in one structured method.
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng212
Out in the Field — Health & Social Care Retreats
Retreats designed to support the wellbeing, reflection and restoration of people working in health and social care.
https://outinthefield.org/
Free Online Sophrology Group Session
Join a free session hosted by the Sophrology Academy.
https://www.sophroacademy.co.uk/events/
Book: The Sophrology Method by Florence Parot
A practical introduction to sophrology and its mind‑body techniques.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sophrology-Method-mind-body-techniques-healthier/dp/1856753867/
Sophrology Vimeo Channel
Short videos and guided practices from the Sophrology Academy.
https://vimeo.com/user228831104
2‑Minute Animation: What is Sophrology?
A simple visual explanation of the method.
https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/1031474215
Beryl Palmer — Sophrologist
Learn more about Beryl’s work, training and practice.
http://www.berylpalmer.com/
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