Meet Michaela Thomas

Meet Michaela Thomas

Author: People Soup March 7, 2024 Duration: 27:41

Hi there and a very warm welcome to Season 5 Episode 44 of People Soup – it’s Ross McIntosh here. 

P Soupers - here's the first part of my chat with Michaela Thomas. Michaela is s senior clinical psychologist, CBT psychotherapist author and corporate speaker. Her first book is called "The Lasting Connection, Developing Love and Compassion for Yourself and for Your Partner". She's also the creator and host of an award winning podcast called Pause, Purpose, Play. Michaela offers support for individuals, couples, and groups on issues such as perfectionism, excessive worry, and low self esteem. One of her most recent initiatives is that she is facilitating and curating a group coaching program called Burn Bright. A transformational group coaching for the ambitious working woman who needs to be nicer to herself and calm the overwhelm. And if that sounds interesting - listen on - Michaela is open about her life experience and how she supports others - you'll find more details of the Burn Bright Programme in the shownotes.

You'll also here how she's making space to write her second book on the theme of perfectionism, how she is an embodied leader for her community and beyond, the impact of striving for perfection and her first training as a clinical pscychologist in Sweden where she was taught that "you don't speak about anything in your private life." For me - the clarity of Michaela's expression reflects her deep inner work.


People Soup is an award winning podcast where we share evidence based behavioural science, in a way that’s practical, accessible and fun. We're all about sharing the ingredients for a better work life from behavioural science and beyond.

There is a transcript for each episode. There is a caveat - this transcript is largely generated by Artificial Intelligence, I have corrected many errors but I won't have captured them all! You can also find the shownotes by clicking on notes then keep scrolling for all the useful links.

You can find all the details of my ACT in the Workplace Train the Trainer Program over on our partner's website, Contextual Consulting.

The discount code for 20% off the Program is PSOUP20

Visit Ross' Website.

Connect with Ross on LinkedIn

People Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian life

He's now also on Bluesky

The People Soup Website on CAPTIVATE


Ever wonder why we do the things we do, especially at work or when trying to lead others? People Soup digs into that question, but it doesn’t stop at theory. Each episode is built on a foundation of behavioural science, which means you’ll get more than just interesting stories-you’ll get a clearer understanding of the human ingredients that make up our daily interactions. The conversations here feel real and unscripted, often touching on the messy, rewarding, and sometimes frustrating experience of simply being human. You’ll find that this podcast operates at the intersection of our professional ambitions and our personal well-being, exploring how they influence each other in ways we might not immediately see. It’s for anyone who has left a meeting baffled by a colleague’s reaction, struggled to motivate a team, or just wanted to navigate their own goals with a bit more clarity and less friction. The ideas discussed are deliberately practical, designed to be used almost immediately, whether you’re looking to improve a process, a relationship, or your own mindset. Tune in for a blend of thoughtful analysis and actionable insight that aims to make the complex recipe of human behaviour a little easier to understand and work with.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

People Soup
Podcast Episodes
Quick Spoon: Speak to three people [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:29
What do you do when anxiety shows up… right when something matters?A networking event.A room full of strangers.A voice in your head saying:“Your Spanish isn’t good enough.”In this Quick Spoon, I share a very real moment…
Quick Spoon: If I was at my absolute best... [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:25
What do you do in those moments when emotions are running high?An awkward conversation.A difficult email.A family disagreement.A colleague who’s pushing your buttons.In this Quick Spoon from my conversation with Dr Eric…
Quick Spoon: Pain is part of being human [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:34
What if the goal was never to become stress-free?Or anxiety-free.Or grief-free.In this Quick Spoon from my conversation with Dr Eric Goodman, we challenge a myth that many of us still buy into:That difficult emotions are…
Quick Spoon: Get off autopilot [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:33
Ever noticed how pressure can shrink your options?A difficult conversation.An awkward email.A deadline.A piece of feedback you weren’t expecting.And suddenly… you’re reacting before you’ve even realised it.In this Quick…
Quick Spoon: Locked out of the controls [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30
Why do we sometimes react in ways that don’t feel like us?Why do we say things we later regret, shut down under pressure, or act against our values?In this Quick Spoon from my conversation with Dr Eric Goodman, we explor…
Quick Spoon: When the threat system takes over [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35
Why do good people sometimes say things they later regret?Why do we shut down, snap, or go into fight mode when pressure rises?In this Quick Spoon from my conversation with Dr Eric Goodman, we explore a powerful idea:Som…
Quick Spoon: We don't choose who we become [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18
Why do some people push our buttons so easily?And what if compassion wasn’t about excusing behaviour… but understanding how people are shaped?In this Quick Spoon from my conversation with Dr Eric Goodman, we explore a po…
Quick Spoon: The power of the pause, creating space to choose [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:23
When life and work feel busy, speed can become the default.We move quickly from one conversation to the next, reacting, deciding, replying, and solving without much space in between.In this final Quick Spoon from Ross’ c…
Quick Spoon: Why leadership feels so hard [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22
Leadership roles often come with more pressure than preparation.In this Quick Spoon, Ross reflects on why leadership can feel so difficult — especially when people step into bigger roles and suddenly face new expectation…