Dr Verran Rose is a qualified psychiatrist, therapist and specialist in conscious breath work which allows her to help people identify and alleviate trauma in the body. Verran is neurodiverse and grew up in a painful set of family circumstances that led to alcohol and drug addiction. Her passion for helping others and her ability of insight are extraordinary. If leadership is your promise of a lived experience for those around you, what are the consequences if you take no time to understand what your needs are?This episode was recorded on location in Herceg Novi in Montenegro and if you can hear cars and leaf blowers, I hope it adds to the enjoyment of listening to someone who can help all of us understand the importance of stopping to really know ourselves and embrace vulnerability as a core part of the Human Centred Leader. Ask yourself one question: Do you actually matter to yourself right now? Verran explains that vulnerability is the ability to identify our own needs and to have the confidence to ask people for what we need. The challenge for many is that we don’t see or even know our own needs, or we see needs as a mental health issue or even a weakness. With a relentless focus on doing and being busy whilst searching for external validation we may feel good about ourselves but what are we ignoring? Vulnerability is a powerful ally which allows us to identify our needs that will allow us to perform at our best, yet disassociation get in the way. Disassociation is when we only see how we are doing by how people validate us externally as opposed to an ability to sit with ourselves and really know what we need. Many of us are frightened of being vulnerable and exposing our authentic self and masking who we really are to avoid rejection and disappointment emotionally and professionally. Did you know that by the age of 7 our personal identify is already fully formed from the narrative of our parents or those important and significant people in our lives. If you are also neurodiverse you simply accept this identity without challenge until crisis hits and you either rebel or just suffer. Quietness and stillness are difficult concepts for a high achiever, and many use being busy as an antidote to truly understanding what personal needs are. In fact, many of us will avoid the stillness because to be with ourselves is not enough.  Some of the simplest things such a breathing, joy, happiness, and gratitude are being overlooked but so many each and every day, but to what cost?  The issue of vulnerability is a global, human and connected issue for all of us. Pt 2 coming soon