POSITIVE LEADERSHIP – WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE?

It’s been a busy start to the year here at SOMAHEALTH where we are gearing up for our March 21st launch of the SOMA HEALTH MAGAZINE 1ST EDITION FOR 2023! We’ve got so many articles and focus groups that we’re discussing for the commencement of Spring. Check out our highlight page HERE where you can get the full low down. It’s a FANTASTIC and jam packed edition!

Anyway, all this work we’ve been focusing on and one of the main factors of this coming year 2023, is that of POSITIVE LEADERSHIP and what that looks like. We know too well coming from our background in veterinary that leadership is one of the main categories that raises its head in our research insights focus group polls. MANY people will put at the top of their list reasons for discontentment in practice / work is due to poor management, bullyish bosses and poor leadership. Now, come on, we’ve gone through some stuff recently that really highlights how we are done with the bullies and the overlord hierarchy attitude. People have spent far too long now working crazy hours for minimal return, little respect and appreciation and a general sense of US V THEM which when you’re the one putting in the frontline work, is only going to push you further to the bounds of ‘Ready to quit and not look back’.

Now, we all know. We get it. Money makes the world go round therefore those that own Businesses are all about the money but, with the cost of living rises, the overtime, the burn out, the pandemic, the stress and overwhelm and why not throw in BREXIT too, the money isn’t the point anymore. People need to know that what they’re spending ALL their time doing is worth something more that bloody money, especially money that they never get to see. That it has a deeper meaning and value and that the part they play in this isn’t taken for granted. They don’t want to hear about cost cuts anymore. They want to hear about pay rises, time off, CONTINUOUS PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, Bonuses, longer lunch breaks, 4 day work weeks, time to spend with family, delegated responsibilities and split rotas. THEY WANT THEIR POWER BACK and they want those that lead to come from a place of integrity and transparency where they can meet them on their level and the P*SS taking can be a thing of the past.

And maybe there you are in management having a laugh at us saying this but, let me tell you joke will be on you when your staff end up either joining in with the trending movements such as ‘lay down‘ or the similar likes of or, they’ll just end up diversifying in to other fields or full on quitting, which will only put pressure on the rest of the existing team as there’s already a recruitment crisis so, PLEASE start to treat your staff well. They’re the only reason you’re in Business in the first place

We’ve looked at the whole angle of emotions and feelings in the work place. A place that is centered around a very male driven structure and although Veterinary is very diverse in its gender roles, it has over the last decade become a predominantly female focused industry with a far higher percentage of new graduates and those in training being women. And with that comes the inevitable maternity leave and the later down the line menopause. Circumstances that unless you’re of an extreme leftist mindset, aren’t concerns that men need to deal with. I’m sure there are plenty of women that might read this and cringe, proclaiming that they only ever took the bare minimum maternity and haven’t endured the suffering of the ghastly changes but for those that longed for a longer maternity and time to raise children and have had a tough time with the menopause they might be reading this gasping THANK GOD that someone has the guts to speak out about this because for so long, we’ve not been allowed to mention these ‘frail, fragile vulnerabilities’ us women have to put up with out of fear that they’ll cost us our jobs because we are in a mans world, ran by men, with male rules and there is no time for feelings, families and fragile nonsense as such.

So it is with sadness that we have seen the polls. That so many, men and women are now not just hardened by the brutality they have had to put up with in the workplace by bullish management, restrictions and limitations put on consult times to drive in more profit and add extra burnout and stress to employee workloads and for no more money and possibly less of a lunch break. And add to the mix the amount of people that have left practice and how difficult it is to replace them so now we’re working other peoples shifts on top of the mad ones we already see to. And Management wouldn’t bat an eyelid if it were to be addressed to them the discontent of their team. They probably couldn’t even get a word with the management in the 1st place so for many, it is what it is

EXCEPT IT’S NOT – Because time has ran out now for the bullish team on top. The script has flipped. People want better leaders and working conditions and unless you’re going to provide that, they will leave

EXERT FROM A POST ON OUR SOCIAL GROUPS – POST FROM ANON THIS FEB 2023 BUT YET HIGHLIGHTING WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW

So, what then is the difference between a good leader and a bad leader?

We said it in our THE POSITIVE LEAD intro on our website:

Isn’t the term ‘BOSS’ pretty ugly? It’s so outdated, right? It sort of suggests that there’s a hierarchical order that stems from pressure and fear. A ‘boss’ motivates using these base principles.

A LEADER HOWEVER, DOES NOT!

A leader knows that their team is there to be lead towards the end goal and that goal is what’s important. There is no ‘hierarchy’ as the operations of everyone involved are what will see the goal is reached, therefore everyone is of equal importance. The goal is what matters, not the order or sequential layers of ego ‘importance’ and that within a team, making sure the team is happy, healthy and functional is what will see the goals are reached

A good leader will use their ‘power’ and knowledge to inspire rather than influence, motivate rather than manage and will encourage their team when they FEEL down, lost, unsure etc. So you see, feelings do count because how we operate on the day to day is down to how we are feeling. If we’re tired, we may need a lift. If we’re stressed, we may need a break. There is nothing wrong with having these feelings. There is EVERYTHING wrong with not acknowledging them, as if we just ignore them and try to sweep them under the rug, that is when things spiral out of control and the team starts to collapse.

Everyone seems to think it’s only women that ‘feel’ things. Men apparently don’t! haha so it’s been long accepted in the workplace and encouraged by those that ‘lead’ us to not show emotions and leave the feelings at home with the nanny….Except wait a minute, we know of 3 suicides committed in the past 2 years in the industry by men that have taken their own lives because they didn’t have support from leadership and didn’t feel able to show how they were feeling. WE ARE SENTIENT BEINGS! WE ALL HAVE EMOTIONS! Just like the animals we spend all day healing, we have feelings too! We are not robots or machines and if anyone, male or female wants to have a cry or needs to take a break, they TAKE A BREAK! No questions asked

When did we become so cold? When all that mattered was money and the fast turning wheel? Well the wheel has gone rouge now hasn’t it! What we need now are proper leaders that can enter the workforce and put the people first. There will always be profit. It’s a huge booming Business this animal care for goodness sake they will always make their fat share but now is the time for those on the front-line to get some empathy, recognition and respect from proper leadership. Leaders that are placed there specifically to ask they how they’re doing. How can things be better? What can be done to make next week better than this week? What do you need to streamline your job so that you can get out that 10 mins early? How can the team perform better? What is really needed to make the damn difference…..

Jenny says, ‘Jeez, I think I’m struggling with long covid and I really need an extra few days to rest’ but is worried she can’t cos she’s had ‘too much time off’ when her son was sick and noone to cover her rota. Brian says he’s feeling depressed and is contemplating leaving or at least cutting back to part time hours. Emma is neurodivergient, has adhd and bipolar and doesn’t get on with Maria. The tension is dreadful and felt by everyone. She’s tried to set her up a number of times for various theft scenarios in an attempt to get her fired but to date, it hasn’t worked. Maria has been having a terrible time with perimenopause and can’t quite feel her normal self. Can’t get it regulated and it’s effecting her work performance. Everyone’s on burn out. The locum, Patricia isn’t able to cover this month cos her dad had a heart attack in Portugal and she’s got to go home to her family. No one else is available to cover other than the overpriced Vet, Ramon, that no one likes so they’ve shoved him on the night shift but that means that Jenny has to come in extra early to relieve him of duties and she’s already on late’s so that’s some really long days for someone who isn’t feeling well and won’t get paid the overtime. Guess who’s not stressed though? MANAGEMENT! Ha, yeah. So who’s going to come in and lead this team? Could you put up with the mental health issues? The rota nightmares? The constant need to encourage, motivate, persuade, inspire, support and rise up these tired folk that more than anything need a month in bed and a very big hug? Could you do it? And if so, given that workload, who would look out for you?

It takes a village!

It’s not a one person job anymore and this is precisely why we say, the hierarchy is dead. GOOD LEADERS DON’T LEAD – They teach others how to rise up and not need leaders. It takes the whole team to play their part and for everyone involved to look out for each other.

What do you think the future looks like? The polls are in! We’re running our surveys now on THE FOCUS GROUPS and you absolutely should get involved and have your say! You can post comments on the form below and we’d love your feedback.

Have you got a great management team? What are your leaders like in practice? How could things improve? What stories can you share? You can remain anonymous but we’d love to hear your feedback and thoughts on this one!

AND FOR ALL YOU LEADERS OUT THERE that come from a place of heart, honesty and good intention, HOW CAN WE HELP YOU? What can be done to make your life easier?

We thank you all so much and yes, we get the tone of this is heavy and tired. Aren’t we all but, we believe there is so much to look forward to and better days ahead. We will get there!

So we have set up THE POSITIVE LEAD program, designed to help encourage and support the leaders that are encouraging and supporting us! Please share and get as many on board as you can so that we can help turn the tables and get some really good vibes on the rise here! We have so much to stand for and we’ve come so far so let’s not give up or lose hope! It’s just about changing perspective and looking at things from a different angle.

Will leave it here but until next time, and please let us know your stories as and when you can. We really do want some good, hopeful ones in the mix too!

Sending everyone positive vibes and wishing you ALL the best

THE EFFECTS OF GUT HEALTH ON YOUR MOOD – HOW EATING FOODS THAT PROMOTE A HEALTHY GUT CAN LEAD TO A BETTER MOOD AND MINDSET

Good morning friends!

Here at SOMAVET we have spent the last 3 weeks since the beginning of Jan testing out the cyclical meal plan that was created by Kathryn Asher and a number of her affiliate colleagues in nutritional psychology and endocrinology to see if we could notice the benefits and difference when it comes to hormones, sleep and mood.

It is scientifically proven that it takes the body 3 months (90 days) to reset itself properly from start of a program to shed load in to a new cycle and that is why we have chosen to include this 90 life lab challenge in to our March 21st edition so that those looking to really deep dive on their health and wellbeing can follow a tailor made, realistic 90 day step by step guide that looks at how you can improve your hormone function, sleep, gut health and mood by simply implementing a cyclical meal plan that incorporates natural, seasonal and locally available foods that are easy enough to put together as meals for you and your family and that are based on what to eat at specific times of your cycle (Guys, you can do this too it is absolutely fine, if not entirely encouraged)

We will put a link to the LIFE LAB HERE for you to head to for the FULL break down but, this post is about the science of how these meal plans benefit your gut health and what effects that change has on your overall mood AND we can tell you that after only 25 days in, we are all feeling GREAT!

It has been reported by most on our team that they feel lighter, more energetic and they are really enjoying putting meals together or at least their other halves are (we have a couple that can’t even make toast 🙂 and as it’s linked to the PLANTOEAT app they can click straight on the meal they wish to make and all the ingredients and shopping lists are right there so it’s a super easy way to reduce time and cost etc but, LET’S GET BACK TO THE SCIENCE////

So, you know how if you feel like something isn’t quite right? You have a sense that something is off? You’re uncomfortable, on edge or feel uneasy? That sinking feeling in your stomach brings on the twinges and can make you feel that perhaps you need the loo or you end up doubled over in pain caused by panic and stress? Well, that’s your 2nd brain talking. The one that’s closely linked to your intuitive sensory brain in your actual brain but instead of it being in your head, it’s in your guts. All those sayings, ‘I haven’t got the guts to do it’ or ‘Always trust your gut’ or ‘That gut feeling’ well, they’re not just hog wash sayings. They truly count! And then you have Hippocrates that clearly stated in all his elaborate wisdom that, ALL DISEASE BEGINS IN THE GUT and LET FOOD BE THY MEDICINE AND MEDICINE BE THY FOOD – Suggesting that, if we are mindful with what we eat, then our health will replenish and our mood and mind will thrive!

THE INSTINCTIVE, INTUITIVE SECOND BRAIN

The science of our brain, for those interested in the facts and fundamentals state that the gut is, as mentioned above, our 2nd brain. What does that mean?

Neurons are basic building blocks in the nervous system, which transmit information throughout the body. The human gut is lined with over 100 million neurons – more than are present in the spinal cord. Scientists believe that neurons are present in the gut to deal with the complex digestive process, without your brain getting involved. But our gut brain gets involved in lots of other interactions, too. Bacteria in the gut produce neurotransmitters, or chemical messengers, such as dopamine, serotonin and GABA. Information is then passed from the gut to the brain via the VAGUS NERVE which runs all the way from your abdomen to the brain stem.

So this means that the food you eat is directly responsible for your gut bacteria and the environment that is cultivated within your gut (your MICROBIOME – AKA your MINI BIOLOGICAL ME , which is therefore responsible for your emotional wellbeing as it directly correlates to your hormone production, digestion and brain function – thus, MOOD. It is a very syncopated system that if treated to function harmoniously, will do so and will benefit you to the maximum but otherwise, you’re gonna pay the consequences of a volatile system that is the feeding ground for all other areas of disease and imbalance throughout the rest of the body, mind and spirit. Taking care of your gut wants to be your number 1 priority and then everything else will slot in to place.

We’re going to be chatting with a number of Gut Health advocates over the next coming months to help Kathryn alongside her LIFE LAB and that can shed light from a scientific perspective, creative and food prep perspective and also spiritual perspective so that all bases are covered because there are many that believe that the best way to support your gut is through a meat based diet whereas there are many that would suggest the alternative and that plant based is the best way forwards. Well, there’s always a polarity in everything in life, that’s for sure BUT, we are going to base our conversations and our plans and programs around versatile options that can suit everyone’s needs and desires and also look at how the little swaps and drops can make such a huge difference but for now…..

What are the TOP 5 things that you can do to support your gut health?

  • HYDRATE – Drink CLEAN, FILTERED water (We’re coming in hard later in Feb with a discussion about this from one of our toxic load experts Catherine Farrant) but wherever possible please drink from running water sources that have filter systems on and avoid bottled water as even if bottling filtered water after 4 hours the acidity levels rise so much and your water is no longer living, it is effectively DEAD therefore will not hydrate you in the way water is designed to. Spring water, running water is by far the better option than anything bottled
  • DO NOT EAT ATE AT NIGHT – Give your body time to rest and digest. If you are on a fasting program, when you start eating in your day might vary but we suggest that stopping food intake at 7pm will give your digestive system time to rest and restore
  • SLEEP – One of the best things you can do for your gut health is to do NOTHING AT ALL and simply sleep. Go to bed at a good time each night and make sure that you haven’t eaten too close to bedtime (See above) and that you allow your body time to fully rest and replenish. Your body LOVES it when you’re asleep because all your cells and tissues repair while you are in the land of nod, your immune system gets its cytokine boost that helps fight free radicals and inflammation and all of your hormones are hard at work to make sure they repair and reset the systems needed to work best for you so, GO TO SLEEP!
  • GET FERMENTING – Fermented foods are preserved using an age-old process that not only boosts the food’s shelf life and nutritional value, but can give your body a dose of healthy probiotics, which are live microorganisms crucial to healthy digestion. It’s become increasingly popular and good that it has, that foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi and kefir have made their ways on to the food isles but while they’re great add in’s for your tummy, they’re even better if you can make them yourself and it’s super easy to do so…Check out MISTYS_GUT_INSTINCT for some fab fermenting facts and ideas!
  • REDUCE SUGAR, GLUTEN AND DAIRY – Unless it’s in raw form or of very good quality, most store bought dairy products can wreak havoc on your gut health but that’s not the case for raw milk or Greek yoghurt that has the live bacteria known to aid healthy bacteria cultivation and so chose wisely when it comes to cheese, milk and so on. Just an FYI but ALL parmesan is raw so YAY. But wherever possible also reduce gluten and SUGAR is a nightmare on your gut as it feeds overgrowth of bacteria that can lead to candida, yeast overgrowth and parasitic infections so swap for honey instead!

We will continue on our GUT CHATS over the next few months but we thought, given it’s the middle of winter and all our moods are low enough given that simple fact alone, let’s look at ways that we can increase our mood and if a simple few bits and pieces as above can help, give them a go!

Anyone interested in Kathryn’s cyclical LIFE LAB meal plan can join either via our quarterly membership or annual membership though she is also selling the SUPER CYCLE MEAL PLAN as a stand along sale item via her site so ANYONE not just vets can purchase this should you be interested. These make a fab gift for people that would like ways to help out friends or family members and she is running her sale in conjunction to our March release so you can buy it now in January Sale ready for our MARCH SUPER START where we all take our power back and get in shape, MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT!

Love your guts and yourself from all of us at

HOW TO MANAGE / SUPPORT SOMEONE WITH DEPRESSION / ANXIETY IN THE WORK PLACE AND AT HOME

One of the hardest things we can face is living or working with someone struggling with depression or anxiety but, the ABSOLUTE HARDEST thing we can face is actually having depression or anxiety and not feeling as though you are supported by those around you

Our upcoming LIFE LAB will be a program featured in our March 2023 wellness in the work place edition and looks at how we can really support those that we work with and live with that are facing mental and emotional trauma, through no fault of their own and how we can enforce realistic, effective and compassionate structures and incentives in and around the work place, throughout the work force and in the home environment to help those in need and at the same time help your self and your team

It it such a challenge working or living with someone that is unsure of how to regulate their own mental health and we’re often guilty of bypassing or gaslight them or brushing matters under the carpet so that it doesn’t rub off on your work day or home life but these issues are increasingly becoming a huge concern and we must look and act to be inclusive and supportive to those in need

WHY ARE SO MANY STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH RIGHT NOW?

No one can be blamed for not being able to handle all that life throws at us, that’s for sure! It is more due to circumstantial pressures such as work load, finances, rising living costs, relationships, social circumstances, fast paced living and a general disconnect to natural /cyclical surroundings and all these external influences cause overwhelm and burn out which stacked up can really take their toll on our management of our mental, emotional and physical health.

At some point we all feel this though for those that feel it more so or that have deep depression or anxiety, whatever the cause, it is the responsibility of those in Management to make sure that those vulnerable members of the work force have the support they need before mounting pressure becomes too much to bare.

If you’re a practice or Business that would like to join our group membership that enables our LIFE LAB for all your team, our January offer for 25% off is still running until the end of the month. Please visit https://fortisonehealth.foundation/home/ or if you don’t want to invest in the whole group package but you have someone in your practice or work place that you believe is struggling and this could be a fantastic program for them individually, please check out our single user sale on our site that also has discount until the end of Jan. 

Mental health is not something we go through alone, it is an inclusive and collaborative effort that requires proper maintenance and support 

Join us in making sure everyone’s supported this year! Everyone deserves it!

WHAT IS FEATURED IN THIS QUARTERS LIFE LAB AND WORK PLACE INCENTIVES?

check out our MARCH MAGAZINE page for all the briefings

#BEINGMINDFULOFMINDFULNESS

THE SOMA HEALTH AND WELLNESS PODCAST

A BIG HELLO from the team at SOMA Health!

A place where the voices of anyone and everyone concerned about embodied healthcare can come together to share insights and opinions through fun, diverse and engaging discussions for all to hear

As the World continues to change, adapt and evolve, EMBODIED HEALTH AND WELLBEING is a collective collaborative effort of understanding healthcare concepts in a unified, inclusive way and looks to focus on collective and interpersonal embodiment as a simplified method where rather than parts and pieces of us as separate parts and pieces, that often get lost or misplaced along the way, we look at the parts and pieces as a whole. Connecting the dots and gluing everything back together again!

We look to cover ones live in all aspects. The internal aspect AKA the self inside of you. Your soul, your mind, your heart and your emotions. Then the parts of you that exist in the world and the parts of the world that you exist in. Your lifestyle, family life, finances, social health, environmental health, work life health etc. It seems complex doesn’t it? But, once you take back control of how to manage and move through your life, it can actually be very simple and very fulfilling!

We’re all about not complicating anything and finding a way back to neytral spaces and places where you can feel safe to explore yet grow in ways you never imagined possible. And we’re here to help guide you all the way so this is a shared effort and everyone’s voice and opinion counts!

An intro from us:

I am your host, Kathryn Asher. I come from a trained background in Psychology, in particular in behavioural psychology and I have worked in the Veterinary and human healthcare sector since 2014. I started working in Veterinary research and development back in 2018 focusing on qualitative research groups, finding out how people we’re feeling with a particular interest being spent on the mental health and wellbeing of those on the front line. Since then, I have helped to grow our insights projects using my strengths in behaviour and strategic forecasting as I saw the markets change some years ago and predicted the likely outcomes that I now see playing out in front of us. It is an interesting place to be sat in where the very changes you anticipated come to live right in front of you and with that and the understanding of how and why, I have spent a number of years now connecting with likeminded forces in the fields to collaborate and share insights that decode the developments and influence the ways forward. Now, it is the voices of those on the frontline that matter as you’re all the ones doing the hard work that makes the difference. We want to hear from you and share your views and considerations and find out how, given all these changes that are now undeniable, you’re all feeling!

This podcast looks to focus on the research group topics we have currently running. You can find details of our FOCUS GROUPS which are live and will continue to run until mid 2024 so there is plenty of time to join in. The topics in these groups will be what is covered throughout our podcast discussions so there can be further elaboration and predictive analytics that can be shared for a wider audience and for the benefit of our interconnected sectors going forwards.

BUT WE WILL ALSO BE LOOKING AT ………

We identify the problems within our current system and with them propose how we can dissolve what doesn’t work and aim to restructure in a positive way. How problem solving and risk assessments need to factor in the voices of everyone within the workforce and beyond and not just those within the professions that lead.

We look at ways to manage our own health and how to make sure that we are supporting each other in practice and step up to the table where needs be. We need to make sure our policies and practice protocols are fair and that equality in the workplace is prioritised. We need to consider the future way forward that prioritises people over profit and make sure our ethics and standards are coming from a place of integrity that values our workforce and if not, how changes can be made to implement new methods that can help influence balance.

Do you want to get involved? Do you want to share your work? knowledge? Insight?

Let us know! Book in for an interview with us by sending your request to insights@fortis-vets.com

Please check us out and tune in to the podcast when it goes live in Jan 2023 and share away, get in touch, get involved!

As always, a huge thank you to everyone that so far has contributed towards the development and growth of this universally wonderful project and a huge thank you to those of you yet to jump on board! Let’s have fun and get this show on the road!