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