Reaching Minds - ‘Thoughts for your Life Journey’

In this episode of Reaching Minds: Thoughts for Your Life Journey, I’m joined by my colleague and friend Jackee Holder to explore the transformative power of journaling as a reflective practice and life companion.
Journaling is often seen as a simple habit, yet in this conversation we uncover how expressive and reflective writing can become a profound tool for healing, self-understanding and personal growth. Jackie shares her own lifelong relationship with journaling, tracing it back to childhood, and reflects on how writing has helped her navigate trauma, creativity, leadership and identity.
Together, we explore how journaling helps us work beneath the surface, giving voice to what sits in the subconscious, allowing unprocessed emotions to be acknowledged, and supporting healthier endings, clarity and renewal. We discuss how journaling doesn’t require perfect language or polished sentences, and how drawing, poetry, letters and colour can all become meaningful forms of expression.
This episode also looks at journaling in professional contexts, particularly in leadership, coaching and organisational life, where reflective writing can help people slow down, make meaning, and show up with greater presence and compassion.
As we look ahead to 2026, Jackie also shares what she is being called to create next, including new work through the School of Journaling and a forthcoming book.
This is a thoughtful, generous and deeply human conversation for anyone curious about reflection, creativity and the power of writing to support a more conscious life.

In this special 52nd episode of Reaching Minds: Thoughts for Your Life Journey, I take a moment to pause, reflect and look back on the conversations that have shaped the podcast over the last year and a half. Joining me is Heather Kelly, who has been a valued part of the journey, co-hosting episodes and supporting the growth of the podcast behind the scenes.
Together, we explore the origins of Reaching Minds - beginning with the very first episode on endings - and the fears, hesitations and unexpected encouragement that helped bring this podcast to life. We talk about the guests who have inspired me, the topics that sparked curiosity, and the global perspectives that have enriched these conversations.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
What motivated me to start the podcast

How intuition guides the themes and guests I choose

Reflections on memorable episodes, including the surprising popularity of the one on shame

What podcasting has taught me about authenticity, courage and curiosity

How I see the next phase of Reaching Minds unfolding

This episode is both a celebration and a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who has listened, shared and grown with me. I hope these reflections offer you insight, inspiration and a moment to pause in your own journey.

Explore more episodes and resources at: www.nitasharma.com

Welcome to Reaching Minds: Thoughts for Your Life Journey.

In today’s episode, we explore the discipline and philosophy of Action Learning Questions - what they are, why they matter, and how this approach helps individuals and organisations navigate challenges that don’t have straightforward answers.
Action learning was originally shaped by Reg Revans and grew out of scientific inquiry, experimentation, and a willingness to work from a place of “not knowing”. Today, the methodology remains highly relevant. We live in a world saturated with quick fixes and instant expertise, yet many of the issues leaders face are not puzzles with predefined solutions. They are complex, multi-layered problems influenced by social, technical, economic and cultural realities.
To help us unpack this, I’m joined by Dr Richard Hale, co-founder of Know Will Do Action Learning Network and creator of the Action Learning Question approach. Richard has spent more than 25 years developing and implementing this methodology for governments, global organisations, and business schools. He has published widely in the fields of learning relationships, coaching, mentoring and organisational development, and brings a rich historical and practical perspective to this conversation.
Together, we look at:
Why action learning is essential for tackling today’s intractable problems

The difference between puzzles and problems

The courage required to say “I don’t know” in professional settings

The value of multiple truths and diverse perspectives

The role of knowledge mapping (sky, ground, underground)

How organisations such as the Civil Service have used Action Learning Questions to drive real change

The personal capabilities people develop through this work, including deeper listening, reflective practice and working constructively with uncertainty

Why sponsorship and alignment with real business challenges are vital for success

Richard also shares the evolution of the Postgraduate Certificate in Action Learning Facilitation, a unique qualification accredited through York St John University, and the importance of creating facilitators who can mobilise, catalyse and sustain learning across organisational systems.
This is a rich, reflective and practical conversation for anyone working in leadership, coaching, development, systems change or organisational transformation.

Welcome to this episode of Reaching Minds: Thoughts for Your Life Journey. Today, we will be exploring what happens when leaders overuse their strengths, and how personality and persona shape that dynamic—and what the impact of this can have on self and on others. We also look into of leaders recognising when they overuse their strengths, potentially leading to negative consequences 
About Joseph Ogbonna
Joining me today is my very good colleague, Joseph Ogbonna. Joseph is a leadership and executive coach, a PCC with the ICF, and an FRSA. He treasures wisdom and has expertise in mind-shift strategic thinking. Joseph also has a special interest in African affairs and the movement of our bodies. Joseph, welcome—and thank you for being here.
Questions we pose in the podcast:
What do we mean by strength? 

We often talk about ‘playing to our strengths’—but Joseph, what do we actually mean when we say a strength can be overused?

What are the positive trait (e.g., confidence, empathy, drive) becomes a liability when over-relied upon

How does someone’s personality influence the kinds of strengths they lean on—and overuse?

Mention assessments (like MBTI, Big Five, Enneagram) if useful

How do you see persona shaping a leader’s behaviour over time?”

What do you think the real consequences are—on individuals, teams, or culture—when leaders don’t notice they’re overusing a strength?”

So how do we help leaders become more aware of when a strength is becoming a liability? What tools or practices help here?”

Joseph, have you ever found yourself overusing a strength—even with the best intentions? What did that teach you?

To our listeners—what’s one strength you might be overusing right now? And what would it look like to lead with more balance and intention?”

Resources:
https://www.talentsage.com/our-tools/the-5step-profile-report-tool/
https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/286556/ndys.aspx 
https://www.hogandarkside.com/
https://inemmo.com/lumina-learning-psychometrics/lumina-spark-self-awareness-growth/
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/oct/09/book-authenticity-jodi-ann-burey

Welcome to Reaching Minds: Thoughts for Your Life’s Journey. In today’s episode, we’re diving deep into a topic that affects so many of us yet is still often misunderstood trauma. How in our social media-driven world, the term ‘trauma’ is often overused and misapplied, potentially diluting its real significance
Now, Traumatising experiences don’t always look the way we expect. They are not always singular, acute, life-altering events, incorporating also complex, relational difficulties that can start in childhood. The long-term effects are far-reaching and can shape everything from how we interact with others to how we view and navigate the world as adults. Adding even more nuance is the fact that what is traumatising to one person may not be at all to another, depending on how they were raised, whether they’ve experienced overwhelming threats more than once, and other factors, so it could be said that trauma expresses on something of a spectrum. 
In this episode we will unpack some of  these ideas, with special focus on the impact of complex trauma and how relational wounds — like neglect or witnessing violence — leave lasting scars. We’ll explore resilience, the role of environment in healing, and why understanding the root causes of trauma is so crucial with the  pioneering work that has been done  in this field, like Bessel van Der Kolk and Gabor Maté.
About Charlotte Nicholson
I’m joined by a truly remarkable guest, Charlotte Nicholson, who is a teacher, guide and facilitator trained in numerous styles of yoga and other embodied practice modalities adapted for addressing trauma. She has offered therapeutic support using trauma sensitive yoga to individuals living through anxiety, depression, compulsions, dysregulated eating and complex PTSD – all expressions of suffering and attempts to find coping mechanisms - offering both one-on-one and small group sessions, both in-person and online. She also brings her work into the field of psychedelic-assisted therapy, a promising frontier in trauma healing. She currently divides her time between the UK and Peru, where she training to facilitate ayahuasca retreats with veterans and other individuals seeking recovery.
Questions we will pose in understanding Trauma: 
There’s increasing use of the term ‘trauma’ in everyday life. What’s your take on that?

How would you define trauma, and how has that definition evolved in recent years?

What’s one misconception about trauma you'd like to clear up for our listeners?

How do you differentiate between trauma and stress, especially in therapeutic settings?

How do social, environmental, and relational factors like racism, wars etc influence how trauma is processed?

Is there a danger in pathologizing normal emotional responses? How do we find a balance?

What are some of the most misunderstood symptoms of trauma?

What does trauma healing really look, and why is it often non-linear?

How important is the body in trauma recovery, and what role do somatic therapies play?

Are traditional talk therapies sufficient for trauma, or do we need to rethink how we approach treatment?

Resources: 
https://www.charlotte-nicholson.com/about - Charlotte is happy to have an initial  conversation 

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

by Bessel van der Kolk | 24 Sept 2015

 Dr Gabor Maté 5 Books Collection Set (When the Body Says No, Hold on to Your Kids, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, Scattered Minds & The Myth of Normal)

2022

Trauma Sensitive Yoga Practitioners 

The Embody lab - https://www.theembodylab.com

Roadmap for trauma and response change for organisations in Scotland

Interested in Working with me!
Contact me on Linkedin if you wish to explore what I offer. https://www.linkedin.com/in/nita-sharma-cpcc-pcc-78b1a22/
If you interested in One-to-One coaching contact me through LinkedIn or through my website www.nitasharma.com