247: A Day in the Life of Helen O’Grady: Coaching in Health, Social Care and Education
Release Date: 06/16/2025
275: Tenderness, Mutuality, Bravery: Redefining Coaching Relationships with Ian Mitchell
The AC Podcast
In this episode, our host Helena Clayton is joined by coach, supervisor and coach trainer, Ian Mitchell for a rich and thoughtful conversation about the place of love in coaching. Ian shares his journey from the financial sector into coaching and supervision, alongside insights from his research into spirituality and love in leadership. Together, they explore what it means to bring love, intimacy, and tenderness consciously into coaching relationships, and why these qualities matter in work with leaders and coaches, particularly in our troubled world where the desire for meaning and purpose,...
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274: Love, Stillness, and Spirituality in Coaching with Aboodi Shabi
The AC Podcast
In episode four of our Love in Coaching series, host Helena Clayton speaks with veteran coach and educator Aboodi Shabi about love and spirituality in coaching. They explore how the profession has evolved from a performance-driven model to one that embraces the full depth of human experience. Aboodi shares why love—expressed as compassion, presence, and genuine care—is central to transformative coaching in the current world we live in, and how spirituality can provide grounding and insight for both coach and client. He also discusses the courage required to bring these themes into...
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273: Leading with Love: The Inner Work of Transformational Leadership with Amy Elizabeth Fox
The AC Podcast
In this episode, host Helena Clayton is joined by the founder of Mobius Executive Leadership, Amy Elizabeth Fox to explore the field of trauma-informed coaching, vertical development, and the urgency of doing deep inner healing work with senior leaders. As organizations face greater volatility and complexity, Amy reflects on the role of emotional and spiritual development both in the maturation path for coaches and practitioners as well as in the development journey for leaders. They delve into how understanding trauma, building emotional literacy, and developing presence can...
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272: Love, Leadership and Men: Emotional Courage and Authenticity with Craig White
The AC Podcast
What if the real turning point for male leaders isn’t more strategy—but more love, presence, and emotional courage? In this powerful episode, leadership coach and host Helena Clayton talks with high-performance coach and men’s mentor Craig White, whose work guides successful men —especially those in their 40s and 50s—towards deeper emotional connection, self-acceptance, and authentic leadership. Craig explores why many men feel disconnected from themselves, and their emotional lives and relationships, and how balancing masculine and feminine energies can dramatically expand a...
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271: Why Naming Love in Coaching Can Transform Leadership with Clare Norman
The AC Podcast
In this thought-provoking episode, host, Helena Clayton sits down with coach, supervisor and author Clare Norman to explore the transformative power of love in coaching, leadership, and organizational life. Drawing on their 15-year professional connection, they unpack how love—specifically agape, unconditional love—differs from empathy, compassion, and care, and why naming love explicitly can shift the depth and quality of coaching relationships. Claire shares real-life examples about how coaching and supervision becomes a deeply human-centred practice when viewed through the ‘lens of...
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270: Transforming Coaching Relationships Through Fierce Love and Courage with Marie Quigley
The AC Podcast
In this episode, host Helena Clayton sits down with executive coach, supervisor and trainer Marie Quigley for a powerful conversation about bringing love—courageous presence, authenticity, and deep humanity—into coaching. Marie reflects on her own evolution from traditional, performance-driven coaching to a more holistic practice that balances high challenge with deep compassion. She shares how integrating love not only supports clients more fully but also expands a coach’s own capacity to hold complexity, uncertainty, and emotion. Helena and Marie explore the shifting landscape of...
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269: A Day in the Life of Lucy Whitehall: Psychology-Informed Leadership Coach
The AC Podcast
In this episode of ‘A Day in the Life Of’ podcast series, host Maxine Bell speaks with Lucy Whitehall, a psychologically informed leadership coach whose journey from corporate life to self-employment has shaped a deeply reflective and authentic practice. Lucy shares how she’s learned to love working life again by embracing balance, integrity, and compassion—while navigating the grey area between coaching and therapy. Propelled by her fascination in what makes humans tick, she is a coaching psychologist and positive psychologist whose practice focuses on the deep work –...
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268: Why Creating Neurodiverse, Inclusive Workplaces is Good Business with Professor Ludmila Praslova
The AC Podcast
In this episode, Kate Jenkinson talks to Professor Ludmila Praslova, organizational psychologist and author of the acclaimed book The Canary Code. Ludmila shares insights from her research and lived experiences, unpacking the book’s central metaphor of the ‘canary in the coal mine’ — as a powerful lens for understanding workplace dynamics. She explains how neurodivergent individuals, often more attuned to dysfunction, can serve as early warning signals for toxic environments: arguing these sensitivities are not weaknesses but offer organizations a vital opportunity to detect and...
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267: The Business and Human Benefits of Neuroinclusion with Dominique Stern and Nathalie Meunier
The AC Podcast
In this insightful episode, host Kate Jenkinson speaks with neurodiversity lead, Dominique Stern and scientist and coach, Nathalie Meunier about how the global healthcare company, Roche, is embedding neurodiversity inclusion into its culture through coaching, education, community, and courageous leadership. Together, they explore how understanding and embracing neurodivergent experiences can transform the employee experience. Dominique and Nathalie share real examples and practical strategies that highlight how psychological safety, active listening, and curiosity can unlock hidden potential...
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266: Inclusive Leadership: Leading with Care and Purpose with Fiona Plows
The AC Podcast
In this episode, host Kate Jenkinson talks to Fiona Plows, VP of Enterprise Innovation, for a thought-provoking conversation about neurodiversity and inclusive leadership. Fiona reflects on her career journey from a PhD in chemistry to leadership in tech and innovation and how she learned the importance of purpose-driven problem-solving over mere technology expertise. She explains how neurodivergent traits can fuel creativity and innovation, offering both personal reflections and organizational strategies for creating inclusive spaces where diverse minds thrive. With lots of real-life...
info_outlineIn this inspiring episode of our ‘Day in the Life of’ podcast series, host Maxine Bell sits down with Helen O’Grady, an experienced coach and supervisor who brings her background in paediatric nursing into her coaching work within the health, social care, and education sectors. Helen shares her powerful journey from healthcare to coaching, shedding light on the unique challenges and opportunities in supporting professionals working on the front lines. Maxine and Helen explore how coaching can transform leadership and client care in health and social care, the emotional toll of frontline work, and how coaching supports burnout prevention and emotional wellbeing. They also discuss the persistent funding challenges and why coaching should be prioritised in high-impact environments like the NHS, social work and education.
Helen also discusses the importance of supervision for coaches and the evolving conversation around professional regulation in the coaching field. She shares honest reflections on the mindset shifts required in helping professions—from "rescuing" to empowering clients—and why self-trust and community support are vital for sustainable coaching practices.
Full of insights and tips, Helen’s passion and care for coaching and supervision light up the conversation. If you are feeling uncertain about coaching in any way or seeking a new perspective and purpose in your practice, this podcast episode is for you!
· Discover the value and impact of coaching in the health, social care, and education sector
· Learn how to shift from a "rescue" mindset to one that supports agency and empowerment
· Understand the critical role of supervision in sustaining ethical, reflective, and resilient coaching
"From the moment I discovered coaching, I was like, wow, this is fantastic. I still get so much joy from all aspects of it; I feel very blessed to have found it."
Tune in next week as Helen hosts a new 11-part podcast series: Coaching Supervision Uncovered!
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