How To Heal

How to Heal Ep 3: Improv comedy & skills for connection with Leo Maxwell Topics covered: What is improv? Being silly and sense of play Laughter, friendship, vulnerability and living with failure Active listening Communication and confidence Openness Empathy Confidence Communication and relationship building skills The power of conversation Hi I’m Will and this is the How to heal podcast. In my twenties, I was looking for solutions to fix my health. I found that it cost a lot of time and money to find the wellbeing expertise that were right for me. The great thing is, there is a wealth of information on wellbeing we can access now, but how do you figure out what things will be best for you as an individual? In my own life and from hearing thousands of stories working in healthcare, I’ve seen that health is a creative, ongoing process and although there are some principles that apply to us all, we’ve got to find bespoke solutions that work for us in our own lives. I’ve recorded conversations with people I know and trust in and around the world of wellbeing. My wish is that by sharing these voices, you can get closer to new ideas and expert value that might inspire YOU to transform your health. Creating wellbeing when you’re stuck isn’t always about the usual suspects of addressing diet and exercise. It's also about social connection. Research shows that high levels of social connection can lower levels of anxiety and depression, improve emotional regulation and increase longevity. But what are the skills needed to achieve strong and enjoyable connections? In this conversation, as well as learning the common mistakes that people might make, I think you’ll get a really good insight into the workings and importance of self-expression, being authentic, empathy and confidence. With today’s guest we enter into the playground of improvised performance with Leo Maxwell. As well as a very good friend of mine, Leo is an improviser, improv for business coach and voice actor. He can most often be seen performing with the descendants at Hoopla Impro in London Bridge. I feel Leo is really able to break down the mechanics of this type of performance and share how the skills he’s learned can be practiced in daily life. You can find Leo on Instagram @leo_alasdair and his performance group handle is @descendantsimpro I hope you enjoy the conversation Thank you so much for listening, making these episodes is a new project for me and I’d love to hear what you think, so do message me if you want to share any thoughts or ideas for health topics I can cover in future. The best way is via Instagram and I’m @willshipp11 I will be making more of these with some excellent guests on the horizon so you can look out for those in the coming months.

Today we are talking about meaning and purpose, and how that relates to wellbeing. So, if your'e someone currently thinking about a job change or even career change, or if in the new year, you’re reflecting on your values and what gives you fulfilment in my life, this will be a great listen for you. I’m talking to Laura Jane Thomas. Laura is a Coach, Consultant and Facilitator who helps people uncover their sense of purpose through her Reignite coaching and training programmes. Laura’s coached and supported 100’s of professionals to make bold and authentic career moves that firmly put them on the path to fulfilment. After formally starting her career at IBM, Laura followed her love for health and at 26 set up her health coaching business Happy Sugar Habits. Building an e-mail audience of 5000 people in a few years and writing over 400 articles, Laura was featured in The Daily Mail, Grazia and ran her own slot on UK Health Radio. With deep experience in wellbeing, personal development, entrepreneurship and organisational development;  Laura is on a mission for everyone to get clear on their own sense of purpose so they can live true to themselves, and strive towards a world where work is truly health giving rather than health inhibiting. Thanks so much for listening in, we cover this topic on many different levels and I think there’s something in this conversation for everyone, so I hope you enjoy it.

Hi, I'm Will, welcome to How to Heal. In my twenties, I was looking for solutions to fix my health. I realised it costs a lot of time and money to find the expertise that were right for me. There's a wealth of information on wellbeing we can access now. But how do you figure out what is going to meet your needs best as an individual?  As a coach, I now support people to overcome mental and physical health struggles. I've recorded some conversations with people I know and trust to bring you closer to practitioners and experts in and around wellbeing.  Henry Fagg is an Alexander technique teacher. He's a musician as well based in Bristol. He's on the faculty at Trinity lab and school of music and dance in Greenwich, London. One of his recent publications on this subject is nine modern context for the Alexander technique. I also trained in Alexander technique and it helped me to overcome chronic pain and recover from foot surgery.  This episode is for you if you’re suffering with back pain or any discomfort in your body, perhaps you’re a musician, performer or athlete, or you know about the Alexander Technique and want to hear someone else’s story. If you’re interested in posture, presence and performance or if you have a mindfulness practice and want to bring some more attention to your body and how you move, this is going to be a great conversation for you. This is a subject that is close to my heart, I know you're going to learn a lot from Henry and I hope you enjoy this conversation.