Samantha Ayers chats with Elizabeth about what she does as a neurodiversity coach and how her work differs from therapy or counseling. She describes the ways that clients connect to strengths and resources to deal with everyday challenges, and ultimately, learn to accept (and even celebrate) their unique wiring.
To learn more about Sam and her way of working as a coach, you can check out her website: https://www.samanthaadhdcoach.com/
or email her directly at info@samanthaADHDcoach.com
You can also read more about her through the Neurodiversity Support Network of Switzerland directory: https://nsns.ch/language/en/coach/samantha-ayers/
Susan Mackay talks with Elizabeth about her experience with "career crash" and burnout, and describes the ways that she recovered by connecting with meaning and value in her new career as a coach. Susan describes how she learned that failure was an opportunity for growth, and that allowing herself to receive support from her "Thunderbirds" changed her perspective on the importance of human connection. The importance of Lego in her recovery was part of the inspiration that she uses in her work with clients.
To learn more about Susan, you can check out her profile on the Neurodiversity Support Network of Switzerland (nsns):
https://nsns.ch/language/en/coach/susan-mackay/
Susan Mackay, Founder, Create Connection and The Neurodiversity CoachLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanrmackay
Website: https://theneurodiversitycoach.ch/
Email: smackay@createconnection.ch
References:
05.53. Edmondson, Amy C. Right Kind of Wrong: Why Learning to Fail Can Teach Us to Thrive. London: Penguin, 2024.
08.36. Dweck, Carol S. Mindset: Changing The Way You Think to Fulfil Your Potential. London: Little, Brown / Hachette UK, 2017 (Updated Edition).09.35The Balcony and the Ballroom concept from Heifetz, R. A., & Linsky, M. (2002). Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive Through the Dangers of Leading. Harvard Business School Press.
18.15. Mackay, S. The power of believing in others. ION Neurodiversity. Retrieved 04.10.25, from https://ioneurodiversity.org/the-power-of-believing-in-others/
34.15. Mackay, S. Moving from IQ to WEQ: A new form of intelligence. ION Neurodiversity. Retreived 04.10.25, from https://ioneurodiversity.org/moving-from-iq-to-weq-a-new-form-of-intelligence/
36.07. Giwerc, D. (2011). Permission to Proceed: The Keys to Creating a Life of Passion, Purpose and Possibility for Adults with ADHD. Vervante.
Escalante, A. (2024, May 16). We’ve got depression all wrong. It’s trying to save us. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/shouldstorm/202012/weve-got-depression-all-wrong-its-trying-to-save-us
18.54 The Cyber Ball ExperimentJournal article:Williams, K. D., & Jarvis, B. (2006). Cyberball: A program for use in research on interpersonal ostracism and acceptance. Behavior Research Methods, 38(1), 174–180. https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03192765
YouTube video:Psychology and ELT. Social exclusion [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/goK2rivxTqQ?si=LBXKJXRtRl-6ALVs
28.34 Angie’s Comedy Courses - Comedy as Therapy: Comedy on referral - healing by feeling funny https://www.angiescomedycourses.com/comedy-as-therapy/
36.27 Hallowell, E. M. (2012, October). Ferrari Engines, Bicycle Brakes. Educational Leadership, 70(2), 36-38.
39.19 Zander, B. (2023, April). Life lessons from Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 [Video]. TED Conferences. https://www.ted.com/talks/benjamin_zander_life_lessons_from_beethoven_s_symphony_no_9
Chantal San Miguel joins Elizabeth to discuss her journey towards accepting her brain's unique wiring, and how she helps others- especially mothers- to learn how to connect with their most authentic self. Chantal describes how she works as a neurodiversity coach and the ways that coaching can help people to process a diagnosis of ADHD or autism. As part of the Neurodiversity Support Network of Switzerland, she works to create systemic change in Switzerland so that more people can access supportive care and ultimately let their brains sparkle.
To learn more about Chantal or to work with her, you can check out her website: https://chantalsanmiguel.ch/
She also is active on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neurosparkle.ch/
Elizabeth talks with Shelly Sharon, a trauma-informed Hakomi therapist with a specialization in the Mother Wound. Shelly describes what the Mother Wound is, and how it can affect people's decisions, relationships, and beliefs about themselves and the world. They talk about the power in understanding and working on the Mother Wound in therapy, and how these themes can resonate through generations and society.
To learn more about Shelly's work, you can check out her website: https://www.shellysharon.com
To contact her directly, you can send her an email at love@shellysharon.com
Elizabeth speaks with Bindu O. Fernandes about the Heart2Heart english support hotline. She shares her experience working with the organization and the possible usefulness of the service for english-speakers looking for support during tough and lonely times. Bindu notes that Switzerland can be a lonely place for migrants and this phone line is one way to feel connected to others.
You can learn more at https://www.143.ch/en/
To contact Bindu for more information, you can email her at bindu.fernandes@143.ch
Elizabeth and Zurich-based counselor Krish Phua discuss the complex interplay between sexuality and mental health. Their conversation explores how well-being can be benefitted from self-awareness, confidence and intimacy that grows in the realm of embracing and exploring one's sexuality. Krish suggests that working with clients can be enhanced by inviting them to discuss their sexual lives and identity, either in an individual or couples context.
To learn more about how Krish works and to check out his upcoming events, you can visit his website: https://mindinsights.ch/
or on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/krishphua/
The decision to separate or divorce is a huge point of stress for many immigrants, and a stressor that often shows up in the therapy room. The lack of familiarity with the legal system can be one of many barriers to taking the next step to leaving a relationship that is no longer working. Our interview with Frau Sabine Renker reveals important information about common areas of confusion and about the different resources that are available to those in challenging financial situations.
You can learn more about Frau Renker via her website :
https://advokatur1.ch
You can check with your canton's lawyer registry for more information and resources :
For example, in Bern: https://www.bav-aab.ch/de/
or the Federal Registry:
https://www.sav-fsa.ch/en/anwaltsregister
To learn more about your rights, you can look on your canton's legal information website, for example in Vaud:
https://www.vd.ch/etat-droit-finances/egalite-entre-les-femmes-et-les-hommes/violence-domestique
or for example in Bern:
https://www.zsg.justice.be.ch/fr/start/themen/zivilrecht/familienrecht.html
You can contact c2 for more information and resources:
Elizabeth discusses the inspiration for the Neurodiversity Support Network of Switzerland with the co-founder, Rachael Camp. Nsns strives to connect clients with better support options for understanding and navigating the particular challenges a neurodivergent person might encounter working and living in Switzerland.
For more information, you can check out the nsns website: https://nsns.ch/about/
or contact Elizabeth at contact@nsns.ch
Elizabeth speaks with coach Tessa Richter about her personal journey to understand the relationship between her high creativity and neurodivergence. She reflects on the ways in which creativity is commonly misunderstood and how the potential inherent to connecting actively to creativity can be better accessed.
Tessa sees neurodivergent traits as an expression of our intrinsic human genius and that we lose through a mechanistic world view and educational system. In her work, she helps clients use these traits as strengths to lead a self determined life based on knowing themselves and loving who they are. Tessa wants to raise awareness that understanding this secret potential that all humans possess could prove vital in a world increasingly ruled by the use of AI.
To learn more about Tessa's coaching work, you can join one of her webinars, coaching programs or contact her directly for a conversation. Her website is https://www.oursecretpotential.com and she speaks works in English, German and French.
Elizabeth is joined by artist and therapist, Cristina Szemere, who describes a novel intervention for increasing acceptance of somatic experiences. She describes how externalising traumatic or painful events onto paper can make the experiences easier to process, and can be a way to honour the resilience of the human condition while creating a sense of being witnessed. Cristina explores how Somatic Body Mapping could be expanded to help other populations navigate illness, accidents, and trauma.
To learn more about Cristina's work, you can email her at Info@dein-werk.ch
To learn more about the services that she offers, you can check out her website at https://www.dein-werk.ch
To read more about Somatic Body-Mapping, you can visit the website of its founder, Annette Schwalbe at https://www.annetteschwalbe.co.uk
Former HR professional Karina Schneider talks with Elizabeth about how her experiences shaped her work as a re-integration specialist for clients returning to work after a prolonged mental health absence. Her work is informed by compassion, strategy, and practical expertise and is grounded in her value to make the working world a more mentally-friendly place.
For more information about the work that she does with clients and companies, you can check out her website:
https://www.karinaschneider.com
Or contact her on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinaschneider-hrandwellbeingpartner/
There is a growing emphasis on the power of complementary body work to help people access and process emotional experiences. Psychologists are beginning to encourage clients to move beyond simply understanding and relating to their experience and into feeling their experience. As part of digging deeper into the potential of body work, Elizabeth speaks with Nadya Seeberger, a Breath Work facilitator and hypnotherapist in Biel-Bienne/Nidau.
More about Nadya: nadya-seeberger.com
More information about the practice of Breathwork:
www.mrjamesnestor.com
www.breatheology.com/about-stig-severinsen
Elizabeth speaks with her colleague, Laura Wadhwa, about her research on blended families. Laura shares some ways to talk to kids about the changes to the family constellation, and how to give space for kids to discuss and share whatever feelings they have. The importance of validating their reactions to avoid the destructive effect of shame is described.
For more information, Laura recommends the following book:
Van Deurzen, E., & Iacovou, S. (2013). Existential perspectives on relationship therapy. Bloomsbury Publishing.
You can also contact her via email: https://c2gether.ch/professional/laura-wadhwa-msc/
Elizabeth interviews her own father, Richard Wack, about his ADHD history. He reflects on the ways that it affected his relationship with his peers, family and himself. Despite having a successful legal career, he shares how undiagnosed ADHD affected his anxiety and addiction. He shares feedback that might be helpful to others who are discovering the ways that their brains work at a later age.
You can learn more about Richard here: https://nadn.org/pdf/Rick-Wack.pdf
Many of us no longer live in the same community as our parents. Often we live oceans away. This conversation is dedicated to discussing a topic that brings up many emotions and involves many complicated variables but in the end, is the most human of experiences to have.
For a recommended article that touches on some of these themes, we could recommend starting here: https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/health/a45665678/caregiving-for-aging-parents/
We are grateful for the contributions of Aoife, Patricia, and Diana in sharing their experiences in this important episode.
Aoife Hoitink has lived internationally for over 25 years. She has been living in Lausanne for the last 10 years. Aoife's parents are in Ireland and her in laws live in The Netherlands.
Patricia Vriesendorp is an American and Swiss trained psychologist & psychotherapist who has often had family spread out across borders. She currently lives with her immediate family, husband and 2 teen sons in Biel, while her extended family, mother and brother live in the Netherlands. The deterioration and eventual death of her father more than 2 years ago highlighted the challenges of navigating care for family while abroad.
Diana Rusen is a body work therapist who works with her clients in Biel-Bienne. She grew up in Romania.
Patricia and Elizabeth discuss the particularities of the process of applying for foreign training to be recognized in Switzerland to practice as a psychologist or psychotherapist. We talk about the important things to know, the differences between the BAG, PsyKo and FSP, and the pros-cons of working as a psychologist vs. a psychotherapist. We get lots of questions about this from mental health clinicians new to Switzerland so we hope that you will find this to be a handy resource as you navigate this complex and often frustrating process.
The c2 website gives more information and links: https://c2gether.ch/working-as-a-mental-health-professsional-in-switzerland
Contact:
Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH)
Psychology Professions Commission (PsyCo)
Schwarzenburgstrasse 157
CH-3003 Bern
Phone: +41 (0)58 464 38 18
E-Mail: psyko@bag.admin.ch
Elizabeth talks with Patricia about the importance of grief and grieving, and the particular ways it may impact people living away from their home countries and cultures. The collective experience of grief from the period of Covid is also discussed. Ways to navigate the experience of grief within yourself and with others were explored.
To find more information on the topic and additional resources, you can check out Patricia's blog post: https://c2gether.ch/grief-and-loss/
To join the virtual Grief Circle scheduled for 2 February, you can register here: https://c2gether.ch/event/grief-circle/
You can email Elizabeth or Patricia at: contact@c2gether.ch
Elizabeth and Patricia outline and discuss the upcoming changes to how psychotherapy will be covered by the insurance in Switzerland starting in 2023.
This episode is for:
Any existing psychotherapy clients curious about if and how their services will be reimbursed,
Anyone considering starting psychotherapy in the future,
or any mental health practitioners who may be curious about how these changes might impact how they interact with the healthcare system, and how this might contribute to the current demand crisis in healthcare.
For a written outline and more information, you can check out c2's website: https://c2gether.ch/c2-news/
There is also additional information via the Federal Office of Public Health: https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/de/home/berufe-im-gesundheitswesen/psychologieberufe.html
We encourage you to talk with your healthcare and insurance providers about how these changes might impact you and your family.
Elizabeth chats with Meltem Kusku, a mental-health counselor who talks about how her own experience with psychedelics has reduced her suffering and avoidance of a traumatic childhood experience that shaped her life. They discuss current research that suggests the efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapy for healing trauma, and the proposed uses of psychedelics in the treatment of other mental health conditions. She encourages people who are curious to talk openly about next steps with their medical and mental health providers.
If you want to get in touch with Meltem for more information, you can reach her via email at kuskum.chi@gmail.com
MAPS - A leading non-profit organization in psychedelic research, information and education.
Clinical trials that are going on in Switzerland for people to get an experience by participating in research.
A retreat center in Holland that legally offer integrative psychedelic experiences. There are many others.
Professional journalist and writer, Tara Giroud, shares her experience of writing for her mental health and her current inspiration to help others use this medium to support their own well-being. She discusses the importance of reflecting on our experiences and communicating with ourselves and others. Tara gives a number of practical tips to help when self-criticism shows up in your writing.
c2 will host Tara's workshop on this topic on 11 June at 10-12:30. To sign up, please contact Tara directly via email: taragiroud@gmail.com
You can check out her website: https://taragiroud.com/
or find her on Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn
You can also see more about the details about the workshop via the c2 website: https://c2gether.ch/events/