The Being Human Podcast with Richard Atherton

Loved this episode? The Compassion Exchange is the community I helped build for Being Human listeners who want to put what they hear into practice. Monthly group coaching with me, other guest coaches and speakers, and a growing resource library. There's a 20% lifetime listener discount waiting for you: https://www.thecompassionexchange.com/being-human ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What if what’s really wearing you out isn’t your to-do list, but the hidden burden of everything your mind is juggling at once? In this episode of Being Human, Richard Atherton talks with Dr. Liane Davey, an organisational psychologist, New York Times bestselling author, and co-founder of 3COze Inc. Liane has spent more than thirty years studying what helps teams succeed and what causes them to quietly fall apart. Her new book, Thoughtload: Manage the Madness and Free Your Team to Do Great Work, began with a moment on stage when someone in the audience challenged the idea that workload was the main problem. Liane paused during her talk and said for the first time, "It's not the workload that's killing us — it's the thought load." That line caught the room and launched the idea. Thoughtload is the hidden cost that affects how you perform and show up at work. It comes from growing mental demands, an emotionally unsettled world that follows you into the office, and the idea that you shouldn’t take time to recharge. We talk: Why "priorities" had no plural The invisible tax on your focus Emotions vs. feelings at work Energy as a renewable resource The 15-minute overwhelm fix Links: Liane DaveyThoughtload (book + resources)Liane on LinkedIn

▶️ Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardatherton-firsthuman/ What if creativity isn’t a talent for the few, but the defining quality of being human? In this episode of Being Human, I’m joined by Fredrik Haren, global creativity expert, speaker, and author of The World of Creativity. Fredrik has spent decades travelling the world studying where ideas come from and why modern organisations and education systems so often crush creative thinking. We explore why creativity has little to do with confidence, why having ideas brings profound joy, and how each of us carries an “inner theme”: a unique perspective the world needs. If you’re someone who sees yourself as ‘not creative’, or if you struggle to get your creativity flowing, this episode is a must-watch. We explore: How we don’t create for others Why creativity defines humanity How the get the ideas flowing The joy of having ideas Discovering your ‘inner theme’ Links:Fredrik’s Website

▶️ Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardatherton-firsthuman/ What if great leadership requires more than IQ and EQ? In this episode of Being Human, I speak with Dr. Yosi Amram, psychologist, executive coach, and pioneer in developing our understanding of Spiritual Intelligence (SQ). Yosi offers a research-backed framework for translating spiritual values into practical action. Drawing on extensive empirical studies, Yosi shows how SQ predicts leadership effectiveness and personal well-being in ways traditional models miss. And Yosi is not speaking only as an academic. Yosi held the record for the fastest promotion to captain in the history of his regiment in the Israeli Air Force. He has taken two tech start-ups to IPO. He’s a man who knows how to lead. We explore how to make spirituality accessible without dogma, how SQ helps leaders navigate complexity and suffering, and why meaning, purpose, and inspiration are no longer optional in modern work. Yosi also shares principles from his clinical and executive coaching work on how to lead with integrity, compassion, and presence. We explore: What SQ actually is Spirit → action translation Leadership + meaning + purpose Beyond IQ and EQ His recommendations for developing SQ Links:Yosi’s Website

▶️ Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardatherton-firsthuman/ Can energy healing be measured? And if so, what does it mean for medicine? In this episode of Being Human, I speak with Dr. Shamini Jain, founder of the Consciousness and Healing Initiative (CHI) and one of the leading scientific voices bridging mind-body medicine and biofield science. Drawing on controlled laboratory studies on cells, tumors, animals, and humans, Dr. Jain explains why the evidence for biofield mechanisms can no longer be dismissed as placebo or wishful thinking. We explore how ancient healing practices map onto modern physics, why the biomedical model struggles with subtle energy, and what a paradigm shift in healthcare could look like. This conversation sits at the frontier where science, spirit, and healing converge. We discuss: Evidence beyond placebo What “biofield” actually means Cancer and cell line studies Why medicine must evolve Links:Dr. Jain’s Website

▶️ Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardatherton-firsthuman/ Is modern education preparing us for the world we’re actually living in? Or is it accelerating our collapse? In this episode of Being Human, I’m joined by Jim Garrison, founder of Ubiquity University, to explore why today’s education system may be failing humanity at the deepest level. Jim argues that Western education prioritises left-brain development: memorisation, analysis and knowledge acquisition, while neglecting ethics, inner growth, and wisdom. Drawing on philosophy, systems thinking, and decades of institutional leadership, he explains how this imbalance fuels ecological destruction, political instability, and moral drift. We explore what a new educational paradigm could look like. It includes somatic, creative, and experiential learning, along with the development of our rationality. Ultimately, it focuses on pursuing the good, the beautiful and the true. We discuss: Why memorisation replaces wisdom Education’s role in global crises The loss of ethics and values What transformative learning requires Jim is a brilliant orator and true pioneer of a new educational paradigm. Links:Uniquity University

▶️ Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardatherton-firsthuman/ What does it really mean to live in balance — not by escaping pain, but by transforming how we meet it? In this episode of Being Human, filmmaker and Tai Chi teacher George Thompson shares his journey from anxiety, self-doubt, and overthinking to presence, spaciousness, and embodied awareness. After travelling to the Wudang Mountains in China to study Tai Chi and Daoist philosophy, George discovered a radical shift: “To hurt is to be human. Balance is possible. Practice is the path.” We explore how ancient wisdom meets modern life, and how spirituality becomes actionable, grounded, and deeply human. We cover: - Turning up at the wrong temple- Scrolling Reddit on the Sacred Mountain- Materialism vs dualism vs panpsychism- The role of compassion and connection in leadershipOh, to have so much wisdom so early in life! George is a treat. Links:George’s WebsiteTaoist Wellness Online

▶️ Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardatherton-firsthuman/ Is telepathy real — and can it be proven scientifically? And what does it mean for our understanding of consciousness?In this episode of Being Human, we speak with Dr. Diane Hennacy, psychiatrist, neuroscientist, former Johns Hopkins faculty member, and author of The ESP Enigma. Diane has spent years rigorously testing individuals — including autistic savants — who appear to demonstrate astonishing telepathic abilities. We explore why she believes consciousness is not produced by the brain but decoded by it, and what this means for our understanding of what it is to be human. Diane is hugely entertaining in this profound conversation linking neuroscience, intuition, and human potential. We explore: Early experiences with extrasensory perception First meeting a telepathic autistic child Finding fame with The Telepathy Tapes and plans for even more sophisticated experiments Implications for society What is consciousness and can AI develop it? Links:Diane’s Website