Becoming Wildly Resilient

Rhonda Henry and Eric Wilkinson, mental health therapists with University of Kentucky Human Resources, returned to “Becoming Wildly Resilient” in February to chat about creativity. Listen as they explain: the four types of creativity; how creativity benefits our personal and professional lives; why we sometimes lose sight of our creative capacity; and how we can cultivate more creativity throughout our days. Yo...

Jason Brooks, Executive Director for Institutional Engagement with the UK Office of Institutional Diversity, and Dr. DeShana Collett, PA-C, a professor with UK College of Health Sciences and University Senate Chair, joined “Becoming Wildly Resilient” this month. Listen as they discuss the vital topic of diversity, equity and inclusion, particularly how they drive belonging and connect to well-being in the workplace. Some of what yo...

The holidays and new year bring joy and celebration but can also be a little hectic, stressful or bittersweet. During this time, it’s common to forget to take care of ourselves. So, this month’s episode is a little different. Listen as some of the work-life and well-being experts with University of Kentucky HR Health and Wellness share how they have been practicing self-care lately. You’ll also be guided through a short 5-minute se...

Lindsey Mullis and Morgan Turner, program director and program education assistant for the Kentucky Inclusive Health Collaborative at the UK Human Development Institute, joined host Jakob Hester this month to talk about the intersection of well-being and disability. In addition to the knowledge they bring from their professional roles, Lindsey is a parent of a child experiencing disability, and Morgan experiences both cognitive and...

Alissa C. Briggs, PhD, an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and licensed psychologist with UK HealthCare Adolescent Medicine, joined host Jakob Hester this month to talk about resilience and mental health in children and teens. You'll learn about: what it means for children to be resilient; the protective factors and skills that enhance children’s resilience; current mental health trends in school-age children; and how to support r...

Kim Releford, LCSW, a mental health therapist with HR Health and Wellness, joins host Jakob Hester to discuss two of the most common mental health conditions: anxiety and depression. In this episode, you'll learn about: the relationship between anxiety and depression; the signs and symptoms of each and how we can recognize them in ourselves; how the stigma is lessening but still persists; and when to seek professional help and what...

Vanessa Oliver, a registered dietitian nutritionist with UK HR Health and Wellness, returns to the podcast to talk about diet culture. As a certified Intuitive Eating counselor, Vanessa shares this framework contributes to our resilience. Listen as she and host Jakob Hester discuss: what diet culture is and why it is problematic for our...

Dr. John Nash, an associate professor of Educational Leadership Studies in the UK College of Education and director of the Laboratory on Design Thinking (dLab), joins host Jakob Hester to talk about taking a human-centered approach to fostering belonging and de-risking innovation in the workplace. You'll learn about: our need to experience belongingness; what human-centered design is and how it can help bolster belonging; and how w...

In this episode, host Jakob Hester is joined by Dr. Erin Hester, an assistant professor in the College of Communication and Information who also happens to be his wife. They close out the second year of the podcast with a conversation on empathy and compassion. Listen as they discuss: the definitions and differences between the two; benefits of each, both in and out of the workplace; and ways we can get better at experiencing empat...

Amy Rodquist-Kodet returns to chat about flow for the final conversation in a three-part series on (re)discovering our spark and seeking more true fun. In this episode, she and host Jakob Hester discuss the benefits and subjective nature of flow, what inhibits flow, and some tools and tips for finding your flow at work, at home or with others. They also wrap up the conversation on true fun with ideas for how you can start feeling m...

Drs. Anthony Limperos and Scott Soltis join host Jakob Hester to chat about connection for the second conversation in a three-part series on (re)discovering our spark by seeking more true fun. In this episode, you’ll learn: what it means to feel and be connected; why connections matter; how modes of connection have changed in recent years; and how we can cultivate more connections in and out of the workplace. They also share some p...

Ann Bassoni, a mental health therapist with HR Work-Life, returns to kick off the first of a three-part series on (re)discovering our spark by seeking more true fun. In this episode, Ann and host Jakob Hester chat about playfulness, one of the three core elements of true fun. You’ll learn: what true fun is and is not; why focusing on true fun is a way forward for us; how playfulness and laughter are good for our minds, bodies and r...

On this episode, Audrey Bachman, a Training Specialist Senior with HR Training and Development, chats with host Jakob Hester about emotional intelligence (EQ). You’ll learn about the fundamental skills and benefits of EQ, how EQ shows up in our personal and professional lives, and how we can develop our EQs individually and collectively. Audrey and Jakob also share personal examples of lessons they’ve learned through their EQ journ...

Dr. Natalie Jones, an Extension Specialist for Family Health, joins host Jakob Hester on this episode to share what she has learned about physical, mental and emotional resilience through her experiences as an endurance athlete. Among her long list of athletic accomplishments are the completion of three Ironman races and a recent coast-to-coast cycling trip. Listen as Natalie shares how she got started, what keeps her going, and ho...

Dr. Kate Leger, Assistant Professor of Psychology from UK College of Arts and Sciences, joins host Jakob Hester to close out 2021. In this episode, you’ll hear them discuss how we experience and respond to daily stress, why we’re hardwired to cling to negative events, and ways we can cope with both by using principles of positive psychology. They also dive into the specific benefits of practicing gratitude and how you can cultivate...

Health coach Jackie Carroll recently joined host Jakob Hester on the show to talk about slowing down—what it is and how we can get better at it. To complement their interview, Jackie recorded this meditation to help you slow down.

Be sure to go back and listen to the full episode, titled "Episode 16: Slowing Down," to learn more about the importance of slowing down, plus hear other ways you can incorporate it into your everyday lif...

In this episode, health coach Jackie Carroll returns to the podcast to talk about slowing down. Listen as she and host Jakob Hester discuss what it really means to “slow down” and why it is an essential practice for your well-being. You’ll also hear why it is challenging to practice slowing down, as well as some examples of ways to slow down or support others who may need to slow down themselves.

You can find episode show notes and...

In this episode, Dean Jay Miller, PhD, from the College of Social Work joins host Jakob Hester to chat about self-care and cultivating workplace cultures of support. Listen as they discuss some common struggles of self-care and the importance of intentionality and personalization in self-care planning. You’ll also hear Dean Miller offer advice for approaching self-care at the administrative and employee levels, including examples f...