LifeWise

Meet Maxime Maanders, a  clinical psychologist and plant medicine specialist with a holistic perspective on human healing.  His approach brings together ancient wisdom and evidence-based psychology offering an integrative understanding of what it truly takes for us to heal from psychological trauma.  KEY THEMES Psychology, Mental Health, Western Science,  Ancient Wisdom, Emotions,  Plant Medicine, Psychedelics, Human Connection,  Our Connection to Nature, Music, Group Therapy, Pain and Suffering.  BOOKS  A Course in Miracles: Scribe – Helen Schucman, Editor/Collaborator – William Thetford. The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk  FILM Dune based on a novel by Frank Herbert: Dune is not just a sci-fi adventure, it's a meditation on power, ecology, and how inner transformation can reshape the outer world, for better or for worse. QUOTES "You don't have to do it alone but you have to do it yourself" "The longest (or hardest) way men travel is from the head to the heart" -- Various "Trauma that starts in relationship heals in relationship" "How can people who are not in touch with themselves expect to help patients get in touch with their true self?" "Trauma is not what happens to you, it's what happens inside of you as a result" "Connect to everything, attach to nothing" "Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional" "Let food be that medicine and medicine be that food" "Don't worship the gate but go inside the temple"   CONNECT WITH MAXIME MAANDERS   Through a trusted friend – word of mouth.  

Meet Frits Van Den Heuval Van Varik, the founder of BaseQamp.  Through his work with the Dutch Marine Corps, Amsterdam Police, Amsterdam Fire Department and in youth services, Frits recognised two fundamental human needs: a safe space to develop self-awareness and practical tools for navigating life's emotional challenges.  He invites us to see our 'emotional backpacks' filled with joy, struggle, and trauma – not as burdens to carry but as sources of insight and strength. Through BaseQamp, Frits helps people reconnect with their hearts, transform lived experience into meaningful lessons, and discover how what they carry can deepen resilience and authenticity.     KEY THEMES Stress Regulation, Emotional Backpack, Mental Health, Inner Child, Resilience, Breathwork, Cold Immersion,  Psychedelics, Nature Connection, Human Connection, Group Therapy, Heart Math, Heart Coherence, Brotherhood.  FILM Top Gun directed by Tony Scott with Tom Cruise starring as Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, a talented but rebellious US Navy fighter pilot who pushes the limits, professionally and emotionally. QUOTES "There is only one guru in life and that is yourself."  "All the wisdom, all your insights, all your self-love, all your passion is within you – fully trust in you." CONNECT WITH FRITS VAN DENN HEUVAL VAN VARIK   Website: www.BaseQamp.com Email: Frits@BaseQamp.com

Meet Robbie Fenlon, a leadership coach and meditation practitioner drawing on more than 30 years of real-world experience from guiding mountaineering expeditions in the Alps and the Himalayas to coaching executives, scientists and athletes. With a deep interest in meditation, neuroscience and human development, Robbie helps people tap into their own intelligence, strength and experience to find practical solutions to their own challenges.  KEY THEMES Experiential Learning Spirituality Climbing, Interacting with Nature, Mental Health, Leadership, Coaching, Meditation, Self-Awareness, Redefining Success, Your True Nature BOOKS by Jon Kabat-Zinn, include:  Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness – The foundational book introducing the MBSR curriculum and philosophy.  Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life – A practical guide to integrating mindfulness into daily life for reducing stress and increasing awareness.  Coming to Our Senses: Healing Ourselves and the World Through Mindfulness  by Rick Hanson, include: Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love and Wisdom  Just One Thing: Developing a Buddha Brain One Simple Practice at a Time  Hardwiring Happiness: New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm and Confidence PODCAST 'Being Well'  with Rick Hanson and Forrest Hanson FILMS 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' directed by Sergio Leone. At its core, the film argues that moral labels are slippery.  "Good," "Bad," and "Ugly" aren't fixed virtues—they're roles people play in a brutal world shaped by greed, chance, and survival. Leone strips away romantic heroism and shows a landscape where self-interest rules, alliances are temporary, and outcomes hinge as much on luck as on character. A second, quieter message sits underneath: war is absurd and dehumanising. 'Free Solo' with climber Alex Honnold: a great example of how with consistent practice, discipline and mental training we can achieve excellence over time.   QUOTE Albert Einstein reflects on the interconnectedness of humanity and the illusion of separateness in a letter to Rabbi Robert S Marcus, 12 February 1950. He wrote:  'A human being is a part of the whole called by us 'universe', a part limited in time and space.  He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest – a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature as beauty.' CONNECT WITH ROBBIE FENLON At Robbie@truenature.ch, and on Linkedin  

Meet DR ANURANJAN BIST, who, in his quest to help people find health and happiness pursued a traditional medical training, moved from India to set up a practice in the US.  A surprising turn of events lead him back to the Himalayas where he was born, to discover that 'we are the medicine' and 'yoga is mental health'. KEY THEMES Mental Health Traditional Medicine Psychology Yoga Yoga Guru Lineages Kundalini Yoga Yoga Practices Your True Nature Consciousness The Himalayas, India BOOKS Osho (Rajneesh Chandra Mohjan Jain) taught, without ever writing anything. The books published under his name are transcriptions of his teachings. He is credited with more than 600 titles. Danish researcher Pierre Evald claims that there are 300 titles in English and 300 in Hindi. FILM The Highest Pass (2012) and The Road to Dharma (2020) Both films are produced and directed by Adam Schomer and featuring Anand Mehrotra. QUOTES 'More and more you live from the heart. And when you live from the heart, then you experience God. And the more you experience God, the less thinking you have, and when you are completely silent, you are not there. You, as a person are not there. Only God is in complete silence.' ~ Osho 'Greatness is not about planning. Greatness is about finding.'  ~ Anand Mehrotra

Meet DEREK TATE, who will reveal the key factors to finding your flow on the ski slopes, at work and in your life. As a trainer of ski instructors and novices alike; Derek is on a mission 'to help as many people as possible experience the health and wellbeing benefits of sport and mountain life whatever your level of participation and involvement'. KEY THEMES Focus Flow Growth Mindset Personal Growth Dedicated Practice Role Models Optimal Performance Mindfulness Meditation BOOKS The Evolving Self by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Life's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl FILM High Society – with Ben Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Grace Kelly QUOTES 'Between stimulus and response there is a space and in that space is our power to choose a response, and in a response lies our growth and our freedom' ~ Victor Frankl

Meet NICOLE SCHWAB, who will reveal how our health and the health of our planet are inextricably linked, and what we can do to look after both.   The founding director of the forum of young global leaders, Nicole is actively involved in creating a 'restoration generation'. BONUS Watch a special video version of this episode's message here: https://movementwise.org/stories/coming-back-to-our-senses/  KEY THEMES Ecopreneurs Restoration Generation Diversity Durability Adaptability Biodiversity Balance of Nature Health of our Planet Flow BOOKS Poems by the Persian Poet Hafiz FILM The Whale Rider – story by Witi Ihimaera directed by Niki Caro. QUOTES 'Diversity of life is everywhere. It is within us, it is around us, it is part of life and that is what makes life so rich and so beautiful.' ~ Nicole Schwab

Meet Thierry & Mary Anne Malleret, who reveal the life-changing benefits of moving, and in particular walking out in nature. Not only is walking good for our bodies, it stimulates our brains, gives us access to our creative and strategic minds, and helps us to make good decisions. Compelling evidence from leading institutions such as Harvard and Stanford University and The Wellness Institute support movement as not just being important, but essential for us to be able to enjoy physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.  Thierry and Mary Anne challenge us all to transform our lives, and our world, 1 step at a time. They highlight that every single step we make as individuals ends up being relevant when aggregated at the scale of the 7.5 billion people who live on the planet.   KEY THEMES Health Mental Health Productivity Decision Making Wellbeing Injury Prevention Walking Posture Movement Nature   BOOK Belle de Seigneur by Albert Cohen   FILM The Godfather directed by Francis Ford Coppola   QUOTES 'Every Journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step' ~ Lao Tsu 'All truly great thoughts are born by walking' ~ Nietzche

Meet Tania Cotton, who reveals how she has helped individuals, including elite athletes, overcome health and performance challenges to do things in their lives they had believed impossible.  As a movement specialist, MovementWise film producer and LifeWise Podcast host, Tania shares the secrets to unlocking your potential to live life, love life and perform at your best.  Tania wants everyone to know that most pain, injury and disease is completely avoidable and that becoming MovementWise is the gateway to opening up a life of active opportunities. KEY THEMES Health Performance Injury Prevention Durability Adaptability Posture Movement Self-Awareness Inspiration Hope BOOKS Your Performance Passport – A Guide to Becoming MovementWise by Tania Cotton - available to you when you sign up for an online or in-person Performance Passport Workshop at www.movementwise.org.  FILMS MovementWise Films (www.movementwise.org): Turning a Threat into an Opportunity Kate's Story The Art of Health and Human Performance with Stéphane Lambiel The Sky is No Limit with Géraldine Fasnacht QUOTES 'It's not just if you move, it's how you move and why that is important.' ~ Tania Cotton

Meet GUY EVANS, a sedentary 'office worker' (trade lawyer), world champion triathlete and a family man with 2 sons who understands the importance not only of a work-life balance, but also of keeping your whole body in balance.  Learning to move efficiently has not only enabled him to perform at his best, moving regularly also enables him to access his creative and strategic mind. Guy wants everyone to know that pain is not part of their job description or a natural part of aging; and that we can all benefit from becoming MovementWise.   KEY THEMES Pain Performance Work-Life Balance Body Balance Posture Movement Health Wellbeing Mental Health Mental Performance   BOOKS Your Performance Passport – Your Guide to Becoming MovementWise by Tania Cotton   FILM Patrick's Story – Return to Play: A MovementWise Film, produced and directed by Tania Cotton and Keith Partridge.   QUOTES 'Moving properly is part of looking after yourself. I have no doubt that I am more able mentally as a result of just being able to get up and do things than I would otherwise.' ~ Guy Evans

Meet NICOLE SCHWAB, who will reveal how our health and the health of our planet are inextricably linked, and what we can do to look after both.   The founding director of the forum of young global leaders, Nicole is actively involved in creating a 'restoration generation'.   BONUS Watch the video version of this episode at MovementWise.org/LifewisePodcast13   KEY THEMES Ecopreneurs Restoration Generation Diversity Durability Adaptability Biodiversity Balance of Nature Health of our Planet Flow   BOOKS Poems by the Persian Poet Hafiz   FILM The Whale Rider – story by Witi Ihimaera directed by Niki Caro.   QUOTES 'Diversity of life is everywhere. It is within us, it is around us, it is part of life and that is what makes life so rich and so beautiful.' ~ Nicole Schwab

Meet SUNITA SEHMI who, from a rich and diverse background, runs workshops on inclusivity and diversity. Working with organisations such as The Gavi Alliance, McKinsey and Facebook, Sunita supports senior executives to enhance their personal effectiveness enabling them to foster greater leadership and collaborative behaviours.  Sunita challenges people's perception of what they and other people are capable of, and helps them 'get out of their own way' to unlock human potential.   KEY THEMES Self-Awareness Team Building Coaching Life Skills Self Confidence Creativity Collaboration Communication Personal Growth Self-Development Mental Health   BOOKS The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy Getting Out of Your Own Way by Sunita Sehmi   FILM The Godfather directed by Francis Ford Coppola.   QUOTES 'People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel' ~ Maya Angelou

Meet inspirational football coaches VERA PAUW and BERT VAN LINGEN – 2 professional sports coaches who have revolutionized the game of football, and sports coaching. Individually they are both extraordinary.  As a team they are unstoppable. They reveal the secret to setting yourself up for success in sport and in life.   KEY THEMES Coaching Sport Football Performance Training Context Life Skills Inclusivity Equal Opportunities Team Work   BOOKS Football Theory by Jan Tamboer Coaching Youth Football by Bert Van Lingen The Periodisation of Football by Raymond Verheijen

Meet inspirational football coach VERA PAUW - a woman who has been honoured by the International Olympic Committee for her contribution to creating equal opportunities for women in sport. Vera reveals how, by handing over ownership and responsibility to players, she enables players to step outside their comfort zone to discover that failure is part of success, and that through sport they can learn not just skills for sport but also skills for life. Vera Pauw is an outstanding example of how 'a good coach can change a game and a great coach can change a life' ~John Wooden.   KEY THEMES Coaching Sport Football Performance Competence Confidence Life Skills Inclusivity Equal Opportunities Human Rights Values   BOOK The Frailty Myth by Colette Dowling.   FILM Hidden Figures directed by Theodore Melfi and written by Melfi and Allison Schroeder. Based on the book 'Hidden Figures' written by Margot Lee Shetterly.   QUOTE 'Freedom cannot be achieved unless women have been emancipated from all forms of oppression'  ~ Nelson Mandela

Meet CINDY BURWELL, the founder of 'The Inside Game' coaching network. Inspired by John Wooden's saying 'A good coach can change a game and a great coach can change a life', Cindy promotes the power of play and the positive impact good coaching can have on each of us as individuals and on society as a whole.  She brings together world-renowned coaches to support each other to inspire each other not just to change the game, but to change lives.   KEY THEMES Play Building a Team Sports Coaching Life Skills Physical Competence Self Confidence Physical Literacy Athletic Development Human Development Mental Health   BOOKS Start With WHY by Simon Sinek Find  Your WHY by Simon Sinek   FILM Friday Night Lights (American TV Series) – about a football coach.   QUOTES 'A good coach can change a game and a great coach can change a life' ~John Wooden 'No-one cares what you know until they know that you care' ~Theodore Roosevelt

Meet a man who really knows how to listen - MARK MILTON. At the beginning of his professional journey, Mark volunteered to man a suicide prevention hotline offering emotional support. He went on to become the Chairman of the International Federation of Telephone Emergency Services, IFOTES, which has 347 centres in 25 countries.  Through his Foundation, Education 4 Peace, he offers groundbreaking expertise to national and international sports federations and has worked with UEFA to develop an educational platform to reduce violence in sport.   KEY THEMES Self-Awareness Listening Skills Healthy Relationships Sport and Resilience Human Needs Conflict Resolution Self-Perception   BOOK Football – A Path to Self-Awareness: Becoming Master of Our Emotions Multisports - Maître de Tes Emotions : Self-Awareness for everyone. Both books beautifully produced and distributed by Education 4 Peace (E4P) in collaboration with some of the world's greatest sports coaches and athletes.   FILM 'The Power of The Mind' with Sacha Décosterd and Claudio Alessi:  a MovementWise.org film produced by Tania Cotton and filmed by Keith Partridge.   QUOTE 'I never lose.  I either win or I learn' Nelson Mandela

Meet mental health and wellbeing expert Louise Ansell, a woman who is passionate about helping people thrive under pressure and perform at their best. Louise reveals how we can overcome the global pandemic of people who are alive yet not living. She shares both her personal and professional experience in enabling people to live life, love life by sharing the golden keys that unlock human potential.     KEY THEMES Mental Health Wellbeing Performance Nature Self-awareness Self-discovery Meaning and Purpose Confidence Coaching Thriving Happiness   BOOKS The Whole Story by Ffyona Campbell Unlimited Power by Tony Robins Daring Greatly by Brené Brown   FILM Unbroken written by Joel and Ethan Coen and directed by Angelina Jolie.   QUOTE New DirectionsBy Doris Warshay           I want to travel as far as I can go, I want to reach the joy that's in my soul And change the limitations that I know And feel my mind and spirit grow. I want to live, exist, to BE, And hear the truths inside of me.                                

Meet mental health and wellbeing expert Louise Ansell, a woman who is passionate about helping people thrive under pressure and perform at their best. Louise shares her personal story of how unexpectedly she lost her identity and did not know which way to turn. Her personal and professional experience has enabled her to help those who live in stressful environments, or chose to push the limits. She provides strategies that enable people how to live life, love life, and lead their lives with meaning, purpose, and direction.   KEY THEMES Mental Health Wellbeing Performance Successful Leaders Body Mind Connection Meaning and Purpose Contribution Confidence Gratitude   BOOKS The Whole Story by Ffyona Campbell Unlimited Power by Tony Robins Daring Greatly by Brené Brown   FILM Unbroken written by Joel and Ethan Coen, and directed by Angelina Jolie.   QUOTE New DirectionsBy Doris Warshay I want to travel as far as I can go,I want to reach the joy that's in my soulAnd change the limitations that I knowAnd feel my mind and spirit grow.I want to live, exist, to BE,And hear the truths inside of me.

Meet Boris Cyrulnik and Mark Milton, 2 of the world's most experienced experts on adversity and resilience.  Boris Cyrulnik is known as 'The Pope of Resilience' for bringing this word to our attention.  They reveal why sport can provide us with such powerful opportunities to learn how to overcome adversity and the importance of having role models throughout our lives. Boris Cyrulnik highlights the importance of having multiple identities based on who we are, what we want to do and who we want to be at each milestone of our lives.   KEY THEMES Resilience Sport Role Models Identity Security Safety Wellbeing   BOOK Sport et Résilience directed by Boris Cyrulnik and Philippe Bouhours   FILM Tarzan created by Edgar Rice Burroughs   QUOTE 'Humour is the Politeness of Despair'  ~ Boris Vian

Meet Boris Cyrulnik and Mark Milton, 2 of the world's most experienced experts on adversity and resilience.  Boris Cyrulnik is known as 'The Pope of Resilience' for bringing this word to our attention.  They reveal why sport can provide us with such powerful opportunities to learn how to overcome adversity and the importance of having role models throughout our lives. Boris Cyrulnik highlights the importance of having multiple identities based on who we are, what we want to do and who we want to be at each milestone of our lives.   KEY THEMES Resilience Sport Role Models Identity Security Safety Wellbeing   BOOK Sport et Résilience directed by Boris Cyrulnik and Philippe Bouhours   FILM Tarzan created by Edgar Rice Burroughs   QUOTE 'Humour is the Politeness of Despair'  ~ Boris Vian

Meet Keith Partridge, an EMMY Award-winning adventure Film Maker, whose desire to follow his passion has taken him and his camera to the top of Mount Everest and into unexplored caves, with some of the world's greatest climbers, explorers and scientists.  He has witnessed people working in the harshest of conditions in the most remote corners of the world and discovered how connecting with nature can be the key to human survival.   Keith Partridge and Tania Cotton have worked together to bring 15 MovementWise Journeys to life on film, using the power of storytelling to show you how individuals, including elite athletes, can overcome health and performance challenges to do things in their lives they previously believed impossible.  If you want to be inspired to follow your passion and discover how you can feel truly alive – this podcast is for you!   KEY THEMES Following a passion The power of the mind Adventure filming Human connection Overcoming pain and injury Connecting with nature Meaning and purpose Creativity Fulfillment   BOOK Touching the Void by Joe Simpson The Adventure Game by Keith Partridge   FILM Touching the Void based on the book by Joe Simpson and directed by Kevin Macdonald. Bonington – The Mountaineer: My Life Story a film from Brian Hall and Keith Partridge Kate's Story – Turning a Threat into an Opportunity a MovementWise.org film produced by storyteller Tania Cotton and directed by Keith Partridge.   QUOTE 'At the age of 80, he still flies and floats beautifully on a cliff.  The minute you stop moving that's a really bad state of affairs - you've got to keep at it.' ~Keith Partridge on Sir Chris Bonington, Mountaineer