Work And Wellbeing
Podcast Description
Welcome to the Work & Wellbeing Podcast, where evidence meets practice. I'm Eileen Donnelly, passionate about creating healthier workplaces where people thrive. After 20 years in workplace wellbeing, I've created this space to explore what actually works - evidence-based approaches that make genuine differences. We feature two formats: in-depth conversations with innovative practitioners sharing real successes and challenges, plus research episodes translating studies into actionable insights. For leaders, HR professionals, or anyone caring about healthier work environments.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast emphasizes themes such as workplace wellbeing strategies, psychological safety, experiential learning, and the impact of reflection on performance. Specific episodes explore topics like why traditional training fails, the importance of psychological safety in high-risk industries, and the relationship between reflection and mental health, providing practical and research-backed insights.
Welcome to the Work & Wellbeing Podcast, where evidence meets practice. I’m Eileen Donnelly, passionate about creating healthier workplaces where people thrive. After 20 years in workplace wellbeing, I’ve created this space to explore what actually works – evidence-based approaches that make genuine differences. We feature two formats: in-depth conversations with innovative practitioners sharing real successes and challenges, plus research episodes translating studies into actionable insights. For leaders, HR professionals, or anyone caring about healthier work environments.
In honour of National Suicide Prevention Week, Jeremy O'Dwyer, a Lived Experience Speaker and Trainer in Suicide and Mental Health Awareness, joins Eileen for a deeply personal and powerful conversation about suicide. Jeremy shares his own journey through loneliness, depression, and a suicide attempt, offering a rare and honest insight into the mind of someone experiencing profound emotional pain.
He discusses the immense pressure of hiding his struggles for over 15 years due to stigma, the challenges of seeking help, and the critical moment he realised life was no longer worth living. Jeremy explains that suicide is often not about wanting to die, but about finding an escape from unbearable anguish.
This episode explores the vital role workplaces can play in suicide prevention. Jeremy outlines how a supportive culture, line manager awareness, and the confidence to have difficult conversations could have made a significant difference in his own story. He provides clear, actionable advice for leaders on how to recognise the signs, listen without judgement, and signpost effectively.
The conversation covers Jeremy's slow but steady recovery, the non-linear nature of mental health healing, and how he transformed his lived experience into life-saving work. This is an essential listen for anyone who wants to understand the reality of suicide and learn how to create a workplace where it's safe to speak up and seek help.
Key Insights:
• Suicide is often not about wanting to die, but about escaping unbearable pain
• Stigma is a major barrier that forces people to hide their struggles, often for years
• Workplaces have a critical role in prevention by fostering a culture of open conversation
• Leaders don't need to be experts, but they need the awareness and skills to ask, listen, and signpost
• Recovery is not linear; it involves progress and setbacks, and ongoing support is crucial
Connect with Jeremy O'Dwyer Lived Experience Speaker and Trainer in Suicide and Mental Health Awareness LinkedIn @jeremyodwyer52b15225
Connect with Eileen
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: @eileen-donnelly
Website: www.rippleandco.com
⚠️ IMPORTANT SUPPORT INFORMATION ⚠️
If any of the content in this conversation has affected you, please reach out for support:
🇬🇧 UK Support Services:
• Samaritans: 116 123 (free, 24/7 from any phone)
• Crisis Text Line: Text SHOUT to 85258 (free, 24/7)
• Mind: 0300 123 3393 (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm)
• Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM): 0800 58 58 58 (5pm-midnight daily)
🇮🇪 Ireland Support Services:
• Samaritans Ireland: 116 123 (free, 24/7)
• Pieta House: 1800 247 247 (free, 24/7)
• Aware: 1800 80 48 48 (Mon-Sun 10am-10pm)
💼 Workplace Support: • Ripple & Co: [email protected]
• Employee Assistance Programmes (check with your HR team)
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Disclaimer
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