In Conversation with Nathalie Nahai

In today's conversation, I speak with David Rowan – renowned technology expert and former editor-at-large of WIRED magazine’s UK edition, Conde Nast’s award-winning technology-and-innovations magazine that stays ahead of the trends transforming businesses. In his role as editor of WIRED UK, he traveled extensively to investigate the companies and entrepreneurs who are changing our world, and his insights and research are documented brilliantly in his captivating book, Non-Bullshit Innovation: Radical Ideas from the World’s Smartest Minds. As a speaker, David has given keynotes around the world on the themes of technology, business, and innovation, and he has chaired and moderated high-profile events for the UK and French governments, for Google Zeitgeist and TED Global, and for international banks, and Fortune 100 businesses. His most recent awards include Techmark Technology Journalist of the Year, DMA Editor of the Year, and British Society of Magazine Editors’ Editor of the Year. With wide newspaper experience as an editor, he has made TV films for Channel 4 News, and written regular columns in GQ, Condé Nast Traveller, The Times, and The Guardian. Recorded on 12th January 2021.

In this episode, I speak with Scott Barry Kaufman – a humanistic psychologist whose work explores the depths of human potential. Having obtained his Ph.D. in cognitive psychology at Yale University, and an M. Phil in experimental psychology from the University of Cambridge under a Gates Cambridge Scholarship, his interests lie in using his research to help all kinds of minds live a creative, fulfilling, and self-actualised life. Scott has taught courses on intelligence, creativity, and well-being at Columbia University, NYU, the University of Pennsylvania, and beyond, and in 2015 he was named one of “50 groundbreaking scientists who are changing the way we see the world” by Business Insider. He also hosts the world’s No.1 psychology podcast — The Psychology Podcast— which has received over a whopping 15 million downloads and was included in Business Insider’s list of “9 podcasts that will change how you think about human behavior.” A prolific writer, teacher, self-actualisation coach, and public speaker, Scott’s writing has appeared in a host of publications including The Atlantic, Scientific American, Psychology Today, and Harvard Business Review and his latest book, Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization, proposes a new hierarchy of human needs for the 21st century – one that allows for the fulfilment of individual potential as well as the actualisation of transcendent purpose and peak experiences. Recorded on 12th January 2021.

Hello, and a warm welcome to this special extended season of The Hive Podcast, featuring the interviews from my new book, "Business Unusual: Values, Uncertainty and the Psychology of Brand Resilience". Join me, as I dive into the conversations behind the quotes, and hear from the world’s leading experts, psychologists and business leaders, whose insights and ideas are transforming how we work, rest and play. I’ll be releasing a new episode here, each week, but if you’d like to download everything at once and access additional resources and recommended reading, I’ve made all of this available to readers over at https://www.businessunusualthebook.com/. And if you’re tempted to discover more about your motivations and the principles that drive you, you can even check out the values map.com, a platform I’ve designed in collaboration with Dr Kiki Leutner of Goldsmiths University, to help you identify, develop and communicate the psychological values you or your business represents. In today’s conversation, I speak with Amy C. Edmondson – the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School, whose most recent book, The Fearless Organization, examines the powerful role of psychological safety in teamwork and innovation. Based upon almost 30 years of research, Amy’s work explores what it takes for groups of people to perform at a high level, and the dynamic forms of collaboration that are needed in environments characterised by uncertainty and ambiguity. Before her academic career, Amy was Director of Research at Pecos River Learning Centers, where she worked with founder and CEO Larry Wilson to design change programs in large companies. In the early 1980s, she worked as Chief Engineer for architect/inventor Buckminster Fuller, and innovation in the built environment remains an area of enduring interest and passion. Recorded on 6th February 2021.

In the final episode of the season, I speak with Professor Manfred Spitzer - a German psychiatrist, psychologist and neuroscientist, whose research and talks have been translated the world over. Medical Director of the Psychiatric University Hospital in Ulm, Germany, Professor Spitzer is also the founder of the Transfer Center for Neurosciences and Learning, and has worked at Heidelberg, Harvard, and the University of Oregon. In this conversation, we discuss everything from the perils of digitalising classrooms and reliance on our devices, to the exciting new interventions science might offer us as to how we build resilience from the lessons we have learned.

Today I speak with Carl Miller, co-rounder and Research Director of the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media at Demos, the UK’s first think tank institute dedicated to studying the digital world. From ‘Fake news’, digital democracy and information warfare, to cybercrime, Internet governance and automated decision-making, Carl’s work explores how social media and technology is changing society, and his research aims to shed light upon how we might make better, more informed choices towards a more democratic society. His debut book, The Death of the Gods: The New Global Power Grab was published in 2018 by Penguin RandomHouse, and won the 2019 Transmission Prize. He presents programmes for the BBC's flagship technology show, Click and has written for Wired, New Scientist, the Sunday Times, the Telegraph and the Guardian. He’s a writer and thinker who’s work I greatly admire, and it was a pleasure and privilege speaking with him today.

Today I have the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Naeema Pasha, the Director of Henley Careers and Professional Development, Director of Diversity & Inclusion, and the Founder of the World of Work at Henley Business School. Naeema’s research on the Future of Work spans the territory of AI, ethics, climate change, diversity and inclusion and more, and her doctoral research on managing careers in uncertainty, explored key factors that enable people to take a positive pro-active stance to build successfully against the backdrop of technological change. Her new book, Futureproof Your Career: How to Lead and Succeed in a Changing World is co-authored by Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj, and comes out in December this year. We covered a lot of ground in this conversation, from themes around diversity and inclusion, to the future of work and her new paper, The Equity Effect. I do hope you enjoy the conversation.

This episode I speak with Dr Tom Chatfield, a best-selling author and philosopher of technology, whose new book, How to Think, explores the habits and practices that are fundamental to clear thinking and effective study. From the ethics of AI, and tech in deep time, to the philosophy of fake news and what it means to think well, Tom’s work explores how we might improve our experiences and understanding of ourselves, of one another and of technology. His non-fiction books exploring digital culture, including How To Thrive in the Digital Age (Pan Macmillan) and Live This Book! (Penguin), have appeared in over thirty languages, and his critical thinking textbooks and online courses, developed in partnership with SAGE Publishing, are used in schools and universities across the world. I’ve had the pleasure of sharing several stages over the years with Tom, and with each event, I’ve come away feeling inspired and awed at his ability both to understand and to vividly convey the complex and nuanced ways in which we might more richly engage with the world.

Today I speak with Sharath Jeevan, an author and speaker who helps organisations and individuals to re-ignite inner-drive and solve deep motivational challenges. Recognised as one of the UK’s ten leading social entrepreneurs in 2019, Sharath’s work has been featured in The New York Times, The Economist, CNN, National Public Radio and The Times of India, and he has served on the High Level Steering Group of the Education Commission, the pre-eminent global think-tank founded by former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. His forthcoming book, Intrinsic: A manifesto to reignite our inner drive, explores how we can harness ground-breaking research to solve what he describes as our motivational crisis, so as to better create the lives we want. In this conversation we navigate everything from motivation and meaning to purpose, autonomy and mastery, and I’m excited to share his insights with you here.

Today I have the pleasure of speaking with Austin Whitman, CEO of Climate Neutral, and a thought-leader well-versed in the world of corporate carbon responsibility. Having served as Vice President of Climate Change Capital, and Vice President of M.J. Bradley & Associates, two leaders in climate-focused investing and asset management, in 2019, Austin started Climate Neutral, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit aiming to accelerate the decarbonization of global emissions through their achievable certification framework. By using this framework to certify brands who measure their carbon footprint, offset it with verified offsets, and create future reduction strategies, Climate Neutral aim to turn consumer purchases into funding for climate solutions, and empower brands and consumers to take voluntary action against climate change. This was an eye-opening conversation for me, in which Austin really lifted the lid on how we might practically and proactively move towards a net zero carbon world, and I hope you find it as inspiring and useful as I did.

In this episode, I speak with Cory Doctorow, a Canadian-British blogger, science fiction author, activist, and journalist, whose recent books include "Attack Surface" and "How to Destroy Surveillance Capitalism", a work of nonfiction that explores conspiracies and monopolies. A special consultant to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Cory is also a MIT Media Lab Research Affiliate and co-founder of the UK-based Open Rights Group, and serves as a visiting professor of computer science at the Open University, and a visiting professor of practice at the University of North Carolina’s School of Library and Information Science. In this conversation we dissect the murky world of monopolies, technology and surveillance capitalism, and how these powers are shaping our economic and civic possibilities.

In this episode, I speak with Della Duncan, a Renegade Economist and host of the Upstream Podcast, who facilitates opportunities for personal and systemic transition to a more equitable, sustainable, and enlivened world. Trained as a Right Livelihood coach, Della is also an Atlantic Fellow of Social and Economic Equity at the International Inequalities Institute at the London School of Economics, a Gross National Happiness Master Trainer, and a Regenerative Economics Consultant. Our conversation traverses many themes, from regenerative economics and alternative value systems, to sufficiency and one-planet living, and explores how we might reinvent how we live in a post-growth world.

Today I speak with Chris Willan, a multi-award winning travel photographer and nature enthusiast whose clients include The Times, Condé Nast, BBC Worldwide, The Nature Conservancy and The Arts Council UK. Having collaborated with some of the world’s most iconic photographers at the legendary Magnum agency, his photography has taken him around the world, traversing the realms of advertising, travel, TV and film, NGO, editorial and corporate assignments. Chris has also had solo exhibit at Tate Modern and The National Theatre, and he has received the World Responsible Travel Award for photography. In this conversation we explore stories of empowerment, sustainability and change, and how our capacity for curiosity and attention can reconnect us with the people and places we encounter.

Today I have the pleasure of speaking with author, art therapist and Jungian analyst, Mary-Jayne Rust, who lectures and facilitates workshops on Ecopsychology. Having worked in a men’s prison in the 1980s, and at the Women’s Therapy Centre in London during the early years of feminist psychotherapy, she has developed a rich and varied understanding of how culture shapes our internal worlds. In this conversation we talk about culture, breakdown and rites of passage, and how we might better understand and transform not only how we relate with ourselves, but also with the greater web of life.

Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with Casper Ter Kuile, author of The Power of Ritual and co-host of the award-winning podcast Harry Potter and the Sacred Text. A Ministry Innovation Fellow at Harvard Divinity School, Casper is also the co-founder of startup Sacred Design Lab, a research and design consultancy working to create a culture of belonging and becoming. In today’s conversation we explore how we might engage in practices that bring us a deeper sense of depth, connection and meaning, and how we might revisit the art and power of ritual through a modern lens.

Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with Simon Hill, CEO & Co-founder of Wazoku - a tech company that helps businesses unlock the nascent innovation potential of their employees, partners, customers the world over. An Angel investor, author & speaker on topics relating to collaborative innovation, crowdsourcing, co-creation and intrapreneurship, Simon also advises several B2B & B2C early stage tech businesses, and he has received many awards and nominations for his tech leadership over the years. In this conversation, we explore how organisational culture, business and innovation can remake the way in which we work and live, and learn about the extraordinary ways in which we can discover powerful solutions to complex problems.

Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with Looby MacNamara – an author, facilitator, designer, gardener and mother. Having discovered permaculture in 1999, Looby was deeply inspired by the collaborative learning environment and the focus on emerging solutions through collective wisdom, and she has since written 4 books connected with these themes: Cultural Emergence, People & Permaculture, 7 Ways to Think Differently and Strands of Infinity. In this conversation, we explore everything from community and resilience, to cultural emergence and education, in what I hope will offer an enlivening source of ideas and inspiration. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/ Recorded on 3rd February 2021.

In today's conversation, I speak with Betsy Reed, an author, speaker and award-winning director of innovative behaviour change approaches, whose work explores social and environmental issues. Her first book, ‘Communicating Social and Environmental Issues Effectively,’ was published in July 2020 by Emerald Publishing and the UK’s PRCA, the largest PR association in Europe. Betsy has led sustainability public affairs work for the world’s biggest food company and worked as an independent consultant advising executives in the food, tech and fashion industries on sustainability strategy, risk, and internal and external engagement. With her passion to engage people in exploring 'How connection, play and being human in everything we do can save the world,’ this was a vibrant, thought-provoking conversation which I hope will inspire you along your way. For more information, you can find Betsy's podcast and book via her website www.betsy-reed.com Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/ Recorded on 15th January 2021.

In this conversation, I speak with Gill Coombs - an author, coach, and facilitator who works with groups and individuals to help them find their unique way of contributing something positive to the world - whether through their work, activism, or life choices. With an approach rooted in her own journey towards fulfilling work, she has supported hundreds of people to charter a path that's both good for the soul, and good for the world, and has written several books exploring these rich themes. From exploring how we might connect with and more fully express our values, to ways in which we can live and work with greater alignment and purpose, this conversation is a gentle, powerful tonic for the soul. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/ Recorded on 7th January 2021.

In today’s episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Professor Graham Miller - Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the University of Surrey and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. A member of the Executive Board of the University, Graham also holds a Chair in Sustainability in Business, and his research focusses on the drivers we can use to create a more sustainable tourism industry. Beyond University walls, Graham holds a UK Sustainable Innovation fund to create indicators of sustainability for businesses in the camping and caravanning industry, with Plum Data Ltd and Professor Xavier Font (University of Surrey). With pressure mounting for companies to operate more responsibly both for people and planet, we talk about the need for CEOs to do more than just commit to initiatives for equality and sustainability. Rather than focus simply on the “input” or effort they’re making, we discuss the importance of tracking real, tangible “output” - the evidence that shows the effectiveness of the approach being deployed. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/ Recorded on 7th January 2021.

Today I speak with Ebony Bailey, the Communications Manager for EcoCiv, an organisation whose mission is to promote civilizational change for the long-term wellbeing of people and the planet. Working with allies and global leaders to design solutions for the well-being of the entire web of life, Eco Civ have been able to catalyse groundbreaking explorations of the ways that current systems and structures need to be transformed. Ebony is a researcher, photographer and filmmaker whose work explores cultural intersections, diaspora and food justice, whose interest lies in using communications as a means of telling stories that weave together diverse social causes. She received a B.A. in journalism at USC and recently completed her Master’s thesis documentary project at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. In this conversation, we explore what changes we can make to our existing systems so as to live more sustainably, in a way that supports not only our local ecologies, but also the rich, diverse communities to which we belong. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/ Recorded on 30th November 2020.

In this episode, the first of the new year, I had the pleasure of speaking with Tessa Clarke - CEO and co-founder of Olio, a food-sharing app between neighbours designed to help eliminate food waste. What started out as a local initiative in North London back in 2015 has since grown into a phenomenally popular app, serving over 2.5 million users in 4 years. To date, Olio has shared 9 million portions of food, saved 1.3 billion litres of water and 8168 tonnes of carbon that would otherwise have been emitted. A champion of businesses that combine profit with purpose, Tessa and her co-founder, Saasha Celestial-One, are vocal advocates of sustainability, the circular economy and zero waste, and Olio’s impact has been widely recognised, most notably by the United Nations who highlighted Olio as a "beacon” for the world, and by Vivatech who awarded them the "Next European Unicorn". If you’re looking for ways to make a difference and work towards a more equitable, sustainable and just society, this action-packed conversation is for you. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/ Recorded on 16th December 2020.

With the deepest night of the year upon us, today’s rather special conversation comes as a celebration of solstice and the turning of the year, as a joint offering from The Hive, Accidental Gods, and the Upstream Podcast. We wanted to take a moment to reflect on the challenges we’ve faced and what they’ve taught us, share some the inspiring gifts that have gotten us through, and offer our visions for what we might create together as we move into 2021. For those of you who are as yet unacquainted, Manda Scott is a podcaster, screenwriter and trainee homeopath. In her past, she’s been a veterinary surgeon, an award-winning novelist, columnist and political activist. These days, she teaches shamanic dreaming and is doing her utmost to facilitate conscious evolution. She’s host and co-founder of Accidental Gods and - newly - is one part of Narrative Ark. She’s looking forward to a transformative year in 2021. My second conversation partner, Della Duncan, is a renegade economist dedicated to the just transition to a more sustainable and equitable world. From sharing stories of economic system change through the Upstream Podcast, to her workshops and consultancy work with communities and organizations, she helps people to better align their work with alternative economics movements. I really enjoyed being a part of this conversation with these two formidable women, and as we look to the year ahead, I hope this episode may serve as a companion to you. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/ Recorded on 9th December 2020.

In today’s episode, I speak with Alex Edmans, the professor of Finance at London Business School. He has a PhD from MIT as a Fulbright Scholar, and was previously a tenured professor at Wharton and an investment banker at Morgan Stanley. Alex has spoken at the World Economic Forum in Davos, testified in the UK Parliament, and given the TED talk What to Trust in a Post-Truth World and the TEDx talk The Social Responsibility of Business with a combined 2 million views. He serves as Mercers School Memorial Professor of Business at Gresham College, giving a series of lectures to the public, and on Royal London Asset Management’s Responsible Investment Advisory Committee. His book, Grow the Pie: How Great Companies Deliver Both Purpose and Profit, headed the Financial Times list of Business Books of the Month for March 2020 and was featured in the FT’s Summer Books of 2020. He has been named to Poets and Quants Best 40 Professors Under 40 and Thinkers50 Radar. In this conversation, we dismantle some of the misconceptions about purpose-driven businesses, and explore how enterprises of any size can begin to connect more deeply with their values to meaningfully contribute to society. From how we define purpose, to focussing on what is in our hands to change, Alex offers a refreshing and accessible way of re-appraising what we can offer to the world. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/ Recorded on 19th October 2020.

In this opening episode of season five, I had the pleasure of speaking with Alan Watson Featherstone, an ecologist, nature photographer and inspirational public speaker. The founder of Trees for Life, an award-winning Scottish conservation charity for which he was executive director for almost 30 years, Alan's pioneering work to restore the Caledonian Forest in Scotland and the 10,000 acre Dundreggan Estate in Glenmoriston, has become a flagship project for native woodland recovery. Alan's photographs have appeared in publications such as Time magazine and Encyclopedia Britannica, and he has given lectures at events and conferences in more than 20 countries worldwide. His pioneering work has been recognised through a number of awards, from the UK Conservation Project of the Year awarded to Trees For Life in 1991, to the Schumacher Award in 2001, the Spirit of Scotland Environment Award in 2012 and the RSPB Nature of Scotland Outstanding Contribution Award in 2013. In this conversation, we explore some of the unexpected paths that can lead us towards regenerating the natural world, and what can be achieved even in the absence of any physical resources. From finding ways to harness our inner power, to the journey of transformation within our personal lives, we explore how we can start to create the kind of worlds our hearts can believe in - from the inside out. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/ Recorded on 30th October 2020.

In this final episode of the season, I had the pleasure of speaking with the wonderful Caroline Webb - an executive coach, international speaker, and author of the best-selling book, How To Have A Good Day: Harness the Power of Behavioural Science to Transform Your Working Life. A Senior Advisor to McKinsey, where she was previously a Partner, Caroline specialises in teaching people how to apply behavioural science insights to improve their professional lives. She’s worked with hundreds of organisations to help their employees become more productive, energised, and successful, first as a Partner at McKinsey, where she continues to serve as a Senior Advisor, and now as CEO of her own firm, Sevenshift. Her book has been published in 14 languages in over 60 countries so far, and has been hailed by Forbes as one of their “must-read business books,” and described by Fortune as one of their top “self-improvement through data” books. From managing uncertainty by reconnecting with those things of which we can be sure, to working with self-compassion and conscious attention, we discuss what it might look like to regain a sense of control and competence in uncertain times, and how through noticing moments fo aliveness, joy and energy, we can start to tune into what gives us a greater sense of depth and meaning in our lives. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

On today’s show, I have the privilege of speaking with Jennifer Morgan, the International Executive Director of Greenpeace International. Jennifer is the former Global Director of the Climate Program at the World Resources Institute (WRI), Global Climate Change Director at Third Generation Environmentalism (E3G) and she also led the Global Climate Change Program of the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF). She has published widely on international climate policy issues, and Jennifer recently addressed the 2020 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, calling upon global leaders to recognise this moment, as we recover from the impacts of the pandemic, as an unmissable chance to put people and the planet first. In our conversation, we explore what actions, large and small, we can take to come together and create a future we want to inhabit. We look at how the interpersonal values of compassion, courage, cooperation and kindness, can be used as a basis upon which to redesign the world in which we live, and we consider the choice we have of using wellbeing as the primary lens through which we make our decisions, both now, and as we emerge into the next chapter. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

This episode, I speak with Geoff White, an investigative tech journalist and author, whose book "Crime Dot Com: From Viruses to Vote Rigging, How Hacking Went Global", is due out on the 10th of August this year. Geoff has covered technology for BBC News, Channel 4 News, Audible, Forbes online and many others, and his exclusives reveal tech’s impact on our lives: from the controversial police use of facial recognition and the failure of artificial intelligence therapy apps, to hi-tech call centre scams and fraud in the internet dating industry. He has written and presented two major podcast series for Audible - "Artificial Intelligence: Friend or Foe?" and "The Dark Web", and also runs his own series, "Cybercrime Investigations", an inside look into the world of an investigative journalist, detailing the twists and turns as the story unfolds. If you’ve been following this podcast since it started, you’ll have heard us in conversation in episode 5, where we explored the murky world of the dark web and the manipulative power of fake news. I wanted to bring him back on the show in this moment to help us dig deeper into the ways in which misinformation flows so quickly from one person to the next, and what we can do to become more resilient against content that is designed to alarm and persuade. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

This episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Gemma Milne, a science and technology writer whose book, Smoke & Mirrors: How Hype Obscures the Future and How to See Past It, just recently came out. Her work explores science, tech and the broad cultural issues surrounding their advancements, and she has a particular interest in deep tech, including biotech, agriculture, energy, space, health, quantum computing, AI. Gemma is also a deep tech advisor to governments, investors and other organisations working in these spaces, and she’s the Co-Founder of Science: Disrupt, a media organisation that connects and showcases innovators and entrepreneurs creating change in science. In this rich conversation, we talk about everything from hype, advertising and fake news, to simplified narratives and emotion-laden messaging, and how all of these things can influence our perception of the world and the situations around us. We explore why there’s such a great need for robust critical thinking, especially in this moment, and why it might serve us better not to think so much in terms of fixing broken systems, but assessing them according to the values on which they were built, so that we might more consciously choose the values on which to redesign them. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

In today’s show, I’m doing something a bit different. This week I was invited by Manda Scott to join her in conversation on her podcast, Accidental Gods, and we decided it would be lovely to share it with all our listeners, across both of our platforms. We explore what it means to be human under the lockdown, and how we might grasp this moment in ways that will leave all of us better when it’s over, without feeling guilt-tripped or (even more) exhausted on the other side. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

In today’s conversation, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr Gillian Isaacs Russell - an author, Psychoanalyst, Psychotherapist, and a member of the British Psychoanalytic Council, the American Psychoanalytic Association and the International Psychoanalytical Association. Having served on the Editorial Board as Book Reviews Editor, Gillian is currently on the Reviewing Panel for the British Journal for Psychotherapy, and was recently co-opted to the Covid-19 Advisory Team for the American Psychoanalytic Association. With each of us living different experiences of what it means to be under lockdown during a pandemic, we explore how denial, grief, loss and fear can show up, what personal adaptation and transition might look like, and how we might begin to give ourselves permission to experience and integrate what we’re living through, however that may be. We also discuss the role of eye gaze and embodied presence, how increased screen time may bring both losses and gains, and what we may come to value as we move through this time together. Gillian also mentions several fascinating studies which I’ll link to in the show notes page if you fancy diving in deeper. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

In this episode, I had the treat of speaking with a beloved friend, Blanche Ellis. An artist, musician and poet, Blanche works with events and conferences using live-scribing and graphic facilitation techniques to capture content and the flow of ideas. She helps businesses find beautiful ways to convey their message on long term projects, and has worked with the BBC, Kings College London, CISCO, the NHS, The British Council and Roshe as well as some great social movements including WOW (Women of the World) Festival and Drivers for Change at The Southbank Centre and Rising Global Peace Forum. Within her artistic practice, Blanche has worked on projects and shown her art in galleries in London, Norwich, New Orleans and Barcelona, and in the past few years she has been studying more traditional techniques of oil painting and charcoal at the Barcelona Academy of Art, which is where we met. In this conversation, I wanted to uncover how any and each of us can engage in creative processes in our everyday lives, from exploring and absorbing what comes to us, to integrating our experiences and finding ways to echo it back. Far from creativity being a gift to the chosen few, we talk about how it can be used by anyone as a means of understanding and transforming how we experience the world and ourselves, whether through movement, mark-making, music or the weaving of stories. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

In today’s show, I had the pleasure of speaking with Joshua Macht, the Executive Vice President and Chief Product and Innovation Officer at Harvard Business Publishing. An American journalist and media commentator. He joined HBR from TIME magazine where he worked as the Editor and General Manager of TIME.com, as well as the magazine's Technology Editor. Before that, he was a journalist at Inc. magazine, where he became the editor and co-founder of Inc.com. For most of us, the current crisis has put a halt to ‘business as usual’, and with companies and workplaces having to adapt quickly to the new landscape, we ask how going virtual may be changing the ways in which we do business, both in the short term, and in the future. We talk about the values and qualities that leaders will need to cultivate during this crisis, and how this may influence everything from the management of remote workers, to the ways in which companies fulfil their social responsibilities. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

This episode, I talk with Carl Miller, the Research Director of the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media (CASM) at Demos, the first UK think tank institute dedicated to studying the digital world. We explore how digital tools are being harnessed during this time of physical distancing - from their potential impact on our social and business lives, to their implications for personal privacy and human rights. We also talk about what we can do to reduce the spread of misinformation (and why our parents seem to be particularly susceptible), and the principles we could apply to engage with social media and news in a supportive way that benefits (rather than undermines) our mental and emotional health. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

So, for the first of these episodes, I wanted to dive into the big questions and thought who better to invite back on the show, than my beloved friend, the wonderful author and psychotherapist, Dr Aaron Balick. In this opening conversation, Aaron and I explore some of the layers of human response to crises beyond our control - from how we deal with uncertainty, to ways in which to cope with the anxiety such unpredictable situations can provoke. We touch on grief, loss and manic defence, and discuss how our capacity to relate to our state of mind from a place of awareness (rather than identification) can stand us in good stead when coping with unexpected and complex life events. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

Today’s guest is Christopher Timmermann who hails from Santiago, Chile, where he obtained a BSc in Psychology prior to undertaking a Neuroscience MSc in Bologna, Italy. We explore the comparative effects of DMT, LSD and psilocybin on brain function, our need and capacity for transformation, and the potential for altered states to offer us experiences from which new and creative ways of thinking may emerge - something that may prove vital if we are to innovate our way out of the climate crisis. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

This episode, I speak with Sophia Rokhlin, an author, speaker and nonprofit organiser whose work with engaged botany and ecology bridges the worlds of indigenous ecological knowledge and Western science. We discuss the popularisation of Ayahuasca, the importance of integration and harm reduction, and some of the economic, social, political, cultural and environmental impacts that Ayahuasca use is having on its societies of origin and beyond. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

In today’s show, I’m excited to be speaking with Bruce Parry, an award-winning documentarian, indigenous rights advocate, author, explorer, trek leader and former Royal Marines commando officer. Our conversation explores everything from the kinds of narratives we currently inhabit and the use of sound in traditional healing rituals, to what the non-hierarchical social dynamics within a particular indigenous community can teach us about how we might redesign the societies in which we live. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

This episode, I’m delighted to be speaking with Manda Scott, a best-selling author, columnist and teacher, whose new platform Accidental Gods explores how we might to transform ourselves and evolve our conscious engagement with the world. Our conversation spans from consciousness, resilience and the evolution and interconnectedness of complex systems, to shamanic practice, trust, and the courage required to leap into the void. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

In this conversation, I’m really delighted to be speaking with a dear friend of mine, Dr Kiki Leutner, a Business Psychologist and Data Scientist, who combines psychological theory with machine learning methodology. We explore, from a personality-based perspective, what creates a sense of self and identity, and how this relates to our feeling of connectedness and belonging. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

In today’s conversation, I speak with Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Professor of Business Psychology at University College London and Columbia University, and an international authority in psychological profiling, talent management, leadership development, and people analytics. We explore the role of leadership, gender and (in)competence, and some of the psychological factors that have led to the current economic, political and environmental crises we are facing today. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

This episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Sam Gandy, an ecologist and researcher whose interests in nature, wildlife and psychedelics have led him far afield from Kefalonia, Almeria and Texas, to the Peruvian Amazon, Vietnam and Ethiopia. We discuss everything from ecological restoration and resilience, to psilocybin research, eco-anxiety and the importance of actively working to heal the damage we’ve caused in the living world. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

In today's show, I talk with Professor Sue Thomas, an author, researcher and academic whose work sits at the intersection of humanity, nature and technology. We explore the relationship and distinctions we draw between ourselves, the living world and the technology we create, what it means to be technobiophilic, and how our search for meaning, awe and transcendence can lead us to unexpected places. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

This episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Dr Andy Letcher, a senior lecturer in ecology and spirituality at Schumacher College, whose background and research includes everything from Druidry and Neo-shamanism, to environmental activism and psychedelic spiritualities. We talk about what it means to experience the world as alive, agentic and meaningfully interconnected, the nature of the permeable self and how to get there and the potential of psychedelics to reveal the world (and our place within it) in a new light. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

For our first episode of the third season, I’m excited to be talking with Mike Albert – an academic, activist and Zen Buddhist trying to discover a balance between radical activism and spiritual acceptance, between struggling for a better world and finding love and acceptance amidst a world in the throes of collapse. In today’s show, we explore everything from the complexity of human systems and our inextricable connection with (and impact on) the natural world, to the ways in which ritual, activism and relational practices can help us to work with, and derive something transformative from, the ecological crisis that is unfolding. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

In times of trouble, austerity and uncertainty, we so readily abandon the arts in the belief that they are somehow auxiliary to our survival. Yet in our moments of greatest need, it is often the arts that we turn to for refuge, hope and courage to keep going. For our final episode in the season, I’m delighted to be talking with Dan Hillier, one of my favourite artists, who works with composite images and 19th-century engravings to create captivating, mystical, archetypal images. Dan’s art draws upon the rich, natural world we inhabit, and the surreal, sometimes psychedelic aspects of the lived experience. In today's show, we explore the enlivening, often transcendent experience that art, nature, and presence with others can offer us if we just slow down and let go... Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Sarah Corbett, an award-winning speaker, professional activist, author and the founder of Craftivist Collective, a social enterprise which uses the technique of craftivism (combining craft and activism) to engage people in social justice issues. Her TED talk, Activism Needs Introverts, was featured on TED’s homepage in November 2017 and has since generated over 1 million views... In today's show, we explore how the art of gentle protest can be a powerful force for good especially in difficult times. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

Today I’m interviewing a very special author… Paul Francis is a psychotherapist, shamanic practitioner, teacher, writer, and founder of the Three Ravens College of Therapeutic Shamanism, in North Wales. Citing shamanic practices as fundamental to our re-connection both with ourselves, and with the living environment, I’m excited to explore how our world views can influence and shape the ways in which we relate with nature. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

In this episode, I’m delighted to be talking with Kate Pincott, a designer, curator, and co-founder of Nafisi Studio, a British-Persian duo safeguarding traditional handcrafted joinery in Horsham, England. I first met Kate several years ago in London, while she was working as a product designer at Facebook and curating an international talk series, “This Happened”, which explored the making process within interaction design. It’s only very recently when I received a curious email, marked “Into the woods” that our paths crossed again, and I realised her story may resonate with the longing many of us have to rewild ourselves and reconnect with our natural home. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

Today’s guest, Professor Ben Garrod, is an evolutionary biologist, author, broadcaster and primate conservationist, who has worked alongside Dr Jane Goodall and Sir David Attenborough to ignite a love of the natural world in a wide audience, young and old. In this episode we explore bio-anthropology, the existence of rituals among non-human primates, our fractured identity with the natural world, and why we need to fall in love with the earth if we are to save it. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/

This episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with David Holmgren, an internationally renowned environmental designer, ecological educator and author, best known as one of the co-originators of the permaculture concept with Bill Mollison. We discuss the science and heritage of the permaculture model, what sustainability really means on the larger scale, and how we can enjoy a richer, more meaningful life through radically changing the way in which we relate to, and draw resources from, the earth. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/