Workplace Wellbeing That Doesn’t Suck

Your Manager Isn’t a Therapist. But Maybe They Should Be.

There’s a moment — somewhere between your third Zoom call and your second existential crisis of the week — when you start to wonder: is this it? Is this what work is supposed to feel like? A slow, polite suffocation in business casual?

Enter Clare Martin, psychological coach, author, and the kind of person who doesn’t just talk about wellbeing — she builds systems for it. In this episode of Spiritual Conversation, the podcast from HolisticCircle that’s quietly becoming a sanctuary for the spiritually serious, host Philipp Kobald trades mystics and mediums for something far more radical: practical change.

Because let’s be honest — talking to angels is great. But sometimes what you really need is a manager who knows how to ask, “How are you?” and actually mean it.

The Cult of Crisis

Martin doesn’t wait for people to hit rock bottom. She’s not a therapist. She’s a psychological coach, and her work lives in the space before the breakdown — the quiet, dangerous zone where people are “fine.” Not thriving. Not crashing. Just surviving.

And that, she argues, is the real epidemic.

We’ve built a culture where burnout is a badge of honor and “busy” is a personality. Where leaders are expected to be emotionally bulletproof while simultaneously managing the emotional fallout of everyone else. And when things finally fall apart? That’s when the company calls in help.

Martin’s approach flips the script. Her Wellbeing Ambassador program trains leaders to recognize the signs of struggle before they become symptoms. It’s not therapy. It’s not a wellness retreat. It’s a system. One that’s evidence-based, psychologically grounded, and — dare we say — actually useful.

The Trojan Horse of Transformation

Kobald, ever the spiritual instigator, doesn’t let the conversation stay too safe. He pokes at the edges: isn’t this just corporate optimization dressed up in yoga pants? Are we really helping people — or just making them more efficient cogs?

Martin doesn’t flinch. “I care,” she says, plainly. And you believe her. Because her work isn’t about making people happy. It’s about making them whole. It’s about giving leaders the tools to support their teams without losing themselves in the process.

And yes, it’s also about performance. Because when people feel seen, supported, and sane, they tend to do better work. But that’s not the point. That’s the Trojan horse. The point is that people deserve to thrive. Even at work.

From Surviving to Thriving (Without the Buzzwords)

Martin’s model is refreshingly jargon-free. She doesn’t talk about “synergy” or “mindful KPIs.” She talks about rest. About connection. About purpose. Her “Rest and Rise” framework is simple: if you want people to rise, you have to let them rest.

It’s not revolutionary. It’s just human.

She teaches leaders to check in with themselves first — because you can’t pour from an empty cup, and you definitely can’t lead from one. Then she gives them tools to spot strengths in their teams, to build real relationships, and to create cultures where wellbeing isn’t a perk — it’s a practice.

And here’s the kicker: it works. Not because it’s flashy. But because it’s sustainable.

The Supervision Nobody Talks About

One of the most quietly radical parts of Martin’s approach is her insistence on follow-up. She doesn’t just drop a PowerPoint and disappear. She builds in reflection. Supervision. Community.

Because change doesn’t happen in a workshop. It happens in the messy middle — when a manager tries something new, fails awkwardly, and needs someone to talk to about it. That’s where the real growth lives. And Martin makes space for it.

It’s not glamorous. It’s not Instagrammable. But it’s real. And in a world drowning in performative wellness, that’s revolutionary.

The Spiritual Side of Spreadsheets

This is Spiritual Conversation, after all. And while Martin’s work is grounded in psychology, there’s a quiet spirituality running through it. Not in the incense-and-incantations sense. But in the deeper, more dangerous sense of asking: what are we really doing here?

What does it mean to lead with integrity? To care for people without controlling them? To build systems that serve the soul, not just the shareholders?

Martin doesn’t preach. She builds bridges. Between science and spirit. Between performance and presence. Between the person you are at work and the person you’re trying to become.

And that, frankly, is more spiritual than half the crystal shops on Etsy.

You Can’t KPI Your Way to Meaning

Kobald, ever the provocateur, brings it home with a simple truth: companies can’t control what happens once the seed is planted. They can bring in Martin to optimize performance. But what they get is something far more dangerous: people waking up.

Because once you start asking real questions — about purpose, about connection, about what actually matters — you can’t unask them. And that’s the quiet revolution Martin is leading. One wellbeing ambassador at a time.

Watch This If You’re Tired of Pretending

This isn’t a podcast about productivity hacks. It’s a conversation about what it means to be human in a system that often forgets we are. It’s for anyone who’s ever felt like they’re drowning in “fine.” For anyone who’s tired of surviving. For anyone who suspects there might be more.

You won’t find easy answers. But you might find better questions.

And sometimes, that’s enough to start.

Watch the full conversation between Philipp Kobald and Clare Martin on the @HolisticCircle YouTube channel. Not because it’ll fix your job. But because it might change how you show up in it.

HolisticCircle #PhilippKobald #ClareMartin #WorkplaceWellbeing #LeadershipDevelopment #MentalHealthAtWork #PositivePsychology #CorporateCulture #WellbeingAmbassador #MarketingForHealers

By Philipp Kobald in cooperation with AI
www.HolisticCircle.org
@2025 HolisticCircle by Philipp Kobald