Secrets From a Coach - Debbie Green & Laura Thomson's Podcast

Laura Thomson-Staveley & Debbie Green
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Business
  • Updated Weekly

Ideal for your commute, lunch break or even a well-deserved moment of self-care and development, our 25 minute episodes focus on positive actions to help you thrive and maximise your potential in the ever-evolving workplace, and in life. Join Debs and Lau, your positive cheerleaders bursting with energy and insight to maximise your confidence and success in the changing workplace. Each episode aims to leave you feeling motivated, supported and armed with the tools and practical skills you need to maximise success as we experience the biggest shift in how we work in our lifetimes.  We lift the lid on the real foundations for success in this new world of work. Our weekly episodes remain current and up-to-date and we frequently welcome high-profile guests to keep things fresh and diverse and to tackle topics like leadership, mindset, success, confidence, motivation, team engagement, mental health, self-care, time management, career development, life-work balance and thriving in the newly AI-enabled workplace.  Our monthly newsletter is packed full of tips and quality inspiration material for yourself and your colleagues. You can sign up via our site www.secretsfromacoach.com. If you’d like any more information or to work with us on any of these topics, reach out to us via secretsfromacoach@aol.com, connect via Insta or Facebook and please rate and review so we can reach out and support more people. #sharethesecret 

  1. 4d ago

    290. Who Am I Now? Navigating the Working Parent Identity Shift

    Send us Fan Mail In this first in our 4-part focus on Working Parents - Making The Balance Work, we explore how to navigate the shift in identity when first becoming a parent. Debs has been a parent coach for many years, working with organisations to help people navigate new parenthood so they can return to work and thrive.  Returning to work after having a child is about much more than just logistics and childcare, it triggers a massive, often unspoken shift in your personal and professional identity. We dive into the deep emotional and psychological transition of shifting from ‘colleague’ to ‘parent’.  From addressing the pressure to perform exactly as you did before, to handling workplace perceptions, mum/dad guilt, and reclaiming  confidence, we break down what this identity shift really means for a working parent’s career. Whether you are preparing for parental leave, actively returning to the workplace, or looking to support your team as a leader, this episode offers practical, compassionate insights into managing the working parent dynamic.

    35 min

  2. May 29

    289. Team Resilience and Staying Well Under Continuing Pressure

    Send us Fan Mail In our final of our 5-part focus on Healthy Coping Mechanisms, David Stokes, Network Delivery Manager for Network Rail’s control centre, shares how teams cope in a high-pressure operational environment where they never know what will happen next. A major theme is how much attitudes have shifted around mental health and coping. David reflects that people are now more comfortable saying when they are not okay, rather than relying on the old “stiff upper lip” approach. He explains that understanding the physical mechanics of stress can remove shame: it helps people realise their reactions are not weakness or poor performance, but the body responding under pressure. David describes the control centre as being like a boxing ring: you know you may get punched, but you do not know when, how hard, or how often. Preparation, training and muscle memory are therefore vital, especially in the first few minutes of a serious incident. But he also stresses that recovery matters just as much as readiness. His own coping mechanisms include preparing well before a shift, prioritising sleep, exercising, eating well, switching off properly, connecting with others, and spending time outside. He is clear that people cannot keep “revving” indefinitely; they need time to reset, or they return to work already depleted. As a leader, David explains that when someone has been through a difficult incident, he takes them away from the intense control room environment, gives them time with no sense of clock-watching, and often walks with them outside. Movement, space and reassurance help people talk more freely and reduce their stress levels. He is passionate about this work because he has seen people struggle when their baseline stress stays too high, affecting both work and home life. His belief is simple and strong: 'it is okay not to be okay, but it is not okay to battle on alone'.  For managers, David's message is to step in early, not brush difficult situations under the carpet, and give people the most valuable thing they have: time. Some of the most meaningful conversations, he says, start with someone saying, “I’m fine, mate, I’ve got nothing to talk about.” His final call to action is beautifully simple: have respect - for yourself and for the people you impact. Listen to yourself, and listen to others.

    35 min

  3. May 22

    288. Leading a Team Confidently Through Stressful Moments

    Send us Fan Mail In this fourth in our 5-part focus on healthy coping mechanisms, we explore how to cope in the moment when things get stressful. We explore the impact of our physiological response and instinct in these moments: You can’t “time manage” your way out of a crisis shift. When the pressure hits and the moving parts won’t stop moving, the difference often comes down to one thing: whether people feel safe enough to speak up and lean on each other. We talk with railway operations leader Chris Parsons about what it takes to keep a service moving when pressure spikes, and how healthy coping mechanisms become a team habit instead of a private struggle.  Chris shares the leadership behaviours that build psychological safety long before things go wrong: asking “how can I help,” being honest when you don’t know an answer, and having the personal conversations early so trust is already there when stress rises. We also get into practical, in-the-moment support that actually works on shift, from taking part of a colleague’s workload to something as basic as making sure they get a drink or lunch when stepping away could mean losing control of an incident. We come back to trust, early conversations, and practical support that protects people first and performance second.

    38 min

  4. May 15

    287. Beyond the Day Job: Hobbies as Healthy Coping Mechanisms

    Send us Fan Mail In the third episode of our Healthy Coping Mechanisms mini-series, Debs is joined by railway operations professional and radio presenter Lee Everest to explore how hobbies can help us cope, recover and reconnect with ourselves. Lee works in a high-pressure rail environment where clear decisions, safety and service all matter. He shares how, after years of bringing work home in his head, he found a powerful release through community radio - something he had dreamed of doing since childhood. What began as a hobby became a 'happy place': a way to switch off from pressure, rebuild confidence, create community and give something back. Lee talks about the difference it has made to his mental wellbeing, especially when working shifts, handling demanding days and needing a healthy escape from the intensity of work. This episode explores why hobbies are not just 'nice to have' - they can be a vital part of staying well, building identity beyond the day job, and creating space for joy, creativity and connection. Lee also shares the importance of boundaries. When something you love grows bigger, it still needs to fit healthily around real life, relationships and rest. His reminder is simple: find something that lights you up, protect time for it, and don’t be afraid to give it a go. A warm, practical conversation about switching off, finding your release valve, and remembering that we are all more than our work. You can find Lee’s radio work at: www.danceradioshows.com

    31 min

  5. May 8

    286. The Coping Reframe: Trust, Grief and Healthy Coping

    Send us Fan Mail Content note: This episode includes references to suicide bereavement and grief. In the second episode of our Healthy Coping Mechanisms mini-series, we are joined by rail incident controller Tom Curcher for a powerful and honest conversation about coping under pressure, building trust, and recovering after difficult experiences. Tom shares a fascinating behind-the-scenes insight into working in a high-pressure rail incident response environment, where communication, calm thinking and teamwork really matter. He explains why trust is the foundation of effective response, how he prepares for worst-case scenarios without becoming overwhelmed, and why sharing the load is essential when pressure is high. This episode also explores a deeply personal resilience reframe. Tom talks openly about losing his dad to suicide, living with grief, and how that experience has shaped his outlook on life, work and supporting others. Rather than seeing resilience as simply 'bouncing back', Tom offers a grounded reminder that we can live with difficult experiences, learn from them, and still choose connection, gratitude and growth. Tom shares the power of genuinely asking “how are you?”, listening without trying to fix, knowing what is and isn’t yours to carry, and creating team environments where people feel safe to speak honestly. His call to action is simple but brave: ask for feedback, drop the mask, and consider what you could do differently to help yourself and others cope better. Tom volunteers with SOBS – Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide. You can connect with Tom on Instagram: Tom Curcher

    44 min

  6. May 1

    285. Healthy Coping Mechanisms

    Send us Fan Mail In this first in our 5 part mini-series looking at healthy coping mechanisms, we explore a practical proactive wellness toolkit for coping in the moment, recognising stress and making sensible choices under pressure.

    31 min

  7. Apr 24

    284. Team Performance Under Pressure

    Send us Fan Mail In this third episode in our miniseries looking at Powerful Presence we are thrilled to be joined by performance coach Tony McAllister who unusually, was the coach for both the Olympic and Paralympic Skiing Teams.   He shares his perspective and advice for enabling a team to perform under pressure. Mindset, preparation and a one-team attitude.

    49 min

  8. Apr 17

    283. Effortless Presence - Poised to Perform

    Send us Fan Mail Welcome to our second episode in our Powerful Performance mini-series and this one is all about staying calm, getting into flow (not fluster) state and shifting from anxiety into anticipation. We share simple tools for keeping on the front foot including situations like performance reviews and creating a sense of readiness that balances presence with preparation.

    30 min
See All (291)

About

Ideal for your commute, lunch break or even a well-deserved moment of self-care and development, our 25 minute episodes focus on positive actions to help you thrive and maximise your potential in the ever-evolving workplace, and in life. Join Debs and Lau, your positive cheerleaders bursting with energy and insight to maximise your confidence and success in the changing workplace. Each episode aims to leave you feeling motivated, supported and armed with the tools and practical skills you need to maximise success as we experience the biggest shift in how we work in our lifetimes.  We lift the lid on the real foundations for success in this new world of work. Our weekly episodes remain current and up-to-date and we frequently welcome high-profile guests to keep things fresh and diverse and to tackle topics like leadership, mindset, success, confidence, motivation, team engagement, mental health, self-care, time management, career development, life-work balance and thriving in the newly AI-enabled workplace.  Our monthly newsletter is packed full of tips and quality inspiration material for yourself and your colleagues. You can sign up via our site www.secretsfromacoach.com. If you’d like any more information or to work with us on any of these topics, reach out to us via secretsfromacoach@aol.com, connect via Insta or Facebook and please rate and review so we can reach out and support more people. #sharethesecret 

Information

You Might Also Like