The Optimized Mind

Mission Matters Network
  • 4.9 (75)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Hosted by Dr. Kate Lund, The Optimized Mind explores how we can define our own unique context, build resilience and maximize potential through engaging with today's top thought leaders in the business and personal development space. Learn more at: https://missionmatters.com/author/kate-lund/

  1. 5D AGO

    Futures Thinking and Resilience with Donna Dupont

    In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate is joined by Donna Dupont, an award-winning designer, futurist, and the Founder of Purple Compass. The discussion focuses on her unique journey from healthcare to futures and foresight. Donna shares how her early work as a respiratory therapist, especially during the SARS crisis, shaped her interest in large-scale health system planning, public policy, and emergency management. She highlights the importance of anticipating long-term change and system vulnerabilities rather than just responding to emergencies. Donna Dupont, is an award-winning designer, futurist, and the Founder of Purple Compass. With over 25 years of experience collaborating with leaders in healthcare, public safety, defense, and security, she helps organizations develop future literacy skills to navigate uncertainty and lead change in today’s complex world. Donna integrates theory and practice to enhance anticipatory and adaptive capabilities, strategic intelligence, and agility, driving impactful future policy and strategic planning. A former healthcare professional, provincial policy advisor, and emergency manager, Donna is deeply passionate about applying foresight to strengthen decision-making, mitigate future risks, and enhance preparedness and adaptive capacity. Her work empowers organizations to seize opportunities for innovation, transformation, and resilience. Donna’s unique approach combines systems thinking and strategic foresight, leveraging both quantitative and qualitative insights to identify patterns and anticipate change over time. Her extensive portfolio includes advancing insights on climate-risk, international development, environmental and civil security, health and human security, and national defense.Recognized for her exceptional achievements, Donna has received seven government awards for excellence in policy, strategy, and partner relations. Her acclaimed futures research, Anticipation in Emergency Management (2020), earned awards from the Canadian Defence and Security Network and the Association of Professional Futurists. Donna holds a Master of Design in Strategic Foresight & Innovation from OCAD University. To learn more about Donna, please visit: www.purplecompass.ca To Learn More, visit: www.katelundspeaks.com Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters: https://missionmatters.com/author/kate-lund

    30 min

  2. MAY 27

    Technology, Impact, and Real-Life Change with Dr. Jennifer Gentile

    In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate is joined by Dr. Jennifer Gentile for a conversation exploring the evolution of mental health care, innovations in digital health technology, and the challenges of balancing a purposeful career with family life. Dr. Gentile shares her career journey from clinical psychologist at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School to her groundbreaking work in digital mental health. Dr. Jennifer Gentile is a thought leader and mental healthcare innovator with more than 10 years of experience in telehealth and digital health and is committed to improving access and quality in mental healthcare. In her most recent role as SVP, Clinical Innovation at ieso, a digital mental healthcare company, she collaborated with clinical and academic researchers to improve access, outcomes, and engagement in mental healthcare. As a practicing clinical psychologist since 2008 at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Jennifer maintains a deep understanding of the urgent needs for effective mental healthcare. Jennifer led the clinical efforts to found Amwell’s 50 state teletherapy offering. Her focus areas are translating data insights into actionable interventions to improve care, using AI and machine learning to improve the quality of therapy, scaling digital and human lead mental health intervention, and oversight of large clinical networks. Jennifer has a frequent guest speaker at national and international industry and academic conferences organized by the Tufts School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, the American Psychological Association, NODE.Health, the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, World Medical Innovation Forum, and others. To learn more about Jennifer, please visit: www.thynk.com To Learn More, visit: www.katelundspeaks.com Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters: https://missionmatters.com/author/kate-lund

    31 min

  3. MAY 20

    Understanding Grief with Martina Faulkner

    In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate is joined by cross-genre author Martina Faulkner. They delve into the complex and universal experience of grief. Martina shares the inspiration and process behind her new book, Understanding Grief, which is part of a larger series exploring foundational human experiences. The conversation highlights how grief is a universal emotion, yet always profoundly unique.  Martina E. Faulkner is a cross-genre author whose work focuses primarily on exploring what it means to be human—both the unique and the universal. She holds a trifecta in the mental health/healing world as a therapist, certified life coach, and Reiki Master Teacher. This distinctive background allows her to draw on her professional and personal experience in her writing, whether fiction, nonfiction, children’s, or poetry. To Learn More, visit: www.katelundspeaks.com Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters: https://missionmatters.com/author/kate-lund

    29 min

  4. MAY 13

    Embracing Authenticity with Sheila Buswell

    In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate talks with Sheila Buswell. The discussion focuses on Sheila's journey from the military to entrepreneurship, her creation of an upward mobility device, and the challenge of overcoming imposter syndrome. Central take-aways include the importance of not comparing oneself to others, recognizing and celebrating small wins, and trusting one's intuition. Sheila emphasizes how embracing her individuality and focusing on her strengths led her to solve real-world problems in innovative ways, despite the self-doubt and societal assumptions she faced along the way. Sheila Buswell is the CEO and Co-Founder of Buswell Biomedical, a group that focuses on achieving physical mobility through technology. In 1997, Sheila joined the army, and in 1998 a generator fell on her foot in Bosnia; 20 years later her Mom fell and broke her hip, and when she saw her mom battling the same problems she had it bothered her profusely. Her mom was in a rehabilitation hospital in Arizona for 3 weeks and went from 110 Pound to 99 pounds; she had to be accompanied for all the activities of daily living like toileting by a healthcare worker. She realized that it had been 20 years since her own accident, and nothing has changed in how people are treated in rehabilitation hospitals.   After receiving a medical discharge in 2001, Sheila moved to Missouri to continue her education, earning a BS in Mechanical Engineering in 2005 from Missouri University of Science and Technology (then UMR). Sheila also holds an MS in Biomedical Engineering from Saint Louis University. Sheila developed the concept for the Upward Mobility (UPMO) in 2018 to help improve quality of life at rehabilitation centers. Sheila’s goal today is for people to start thinking of AI as a way to solve problems and a tool at our disposal, instead of fearing it. Sheila is also the author of Is This Seat For Me? which shares the stories of a diverse group of accomplished individuals who struggled with self- doubt and found ways to overcome it. To Learn More, visit: www.katelundspeaks.com Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters: https://missionmatters.com/author/kate-lund

    32 min

  5. MAY 6

    Exploring Resilience and Strength with Professor MS Rao

    In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate speaks with Professor MS Rao about his compelling journey of perseverance and resilience. They delve into Professor Rao's forthcoming memoir, which reflects a slice of his life story, entwined with the challenges he faced, including a brain stroke and other health struggles. Despite these hurdles, Professor Rao has managed to write numerous books and hopes to inspire readers with his message of never giving up. Professor M.S. Rao, Ph.D. is the Father of “Soft Leadership” and the Founder of MSR Leadership Consultants, India. He is a 21th-century philosopher, an International Leadership Guru with forty-three years of experience, and the author of fifty-three books including the award-winning ‘See the Light in You’ URL: amazon.com/See-Light-You-Spiritual-Mindfulness Professor M.S. Rao, Ph.D. is a columnist and an author-at-large at Entrepreneur. He has published over 300 papers and articles in prestigious international publications including Leader to Leader, Thunderbird International Business Review, Strategic HR Review, Development and Learning in Organizations, Industrial and Commercial Training, On the Horizon, and Entrepreneur magazine. He is a soldier, entrepreneur, editor, educator, author, explorer, enlightener, thinker, writer, researcher, mentor, motivator, professor, reformer, traveler, blogger, storyteller, volunteer, activist, futurist,  analyst, strategist, and coach. He is a C-Suite advisor and global keynote speaker. He brings a strategic eye and long-range vision given his multifaceted professional experience including military, teaching, training, research, consultancy, and philosophy. He is passionate about serving and making a difference in the lives of others. He trains a new generation of leaders through leadership education and publications. He hopes to build one million students as global leaders by 2030 URL: professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com/2014/12/professor-m-s-raos-vision-2030 He volunteers peace activities, advocates gender equality (#HeForShe), and builds students globally. He invests his time in authoring books and blogging on executive education, learning, and leadership. Most of his work is free of charge on his four blogs including professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com. He is a prolific author and a dynamic, energetic, and inspirational leadership speaker. He can be reached at msrlctrg@gmail.com.    To Learn More, visit: www.katelundspeaks.com Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters: https://missionmatters.com/author/kate-lund

    21 min

  6. APR 29

    Building Resilient Leaders with Marie Deveaux

    In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate is joined by Marie Deveaux, an accomplished leadership coach and founder of High Tides Consulting. Marie shares her journey from working in the education sector to focusing on leadership development and facilitating dialogues in the workplace. She emphasizes the importance of communication in leadership and how her practice aims to instill inclusive leadership in organizations through learning experiences. Marie Deveaux is a 3rd generation entrepreneur, a life-long wealth builder and perpetual dream-chaser. From creative real estate to social work, Marie has dabbled in a little bit of everything in her own path to self-discovery. She has worked in training, personal development and education for over 10 years. Marie’s passion is helping others find their wave and then exceed even their own expectations. To learn more about Marie, please visit: Website: www.hightidesconsulting.co Leadership Assessment: hightidesconsulting.co/podcasts/optimized-mind To Learn More, visit: www.katelundspeaks.com Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters: https://missionmatters.com/author/kate-lund

    28 min

  7. APR 22

    The Power of Adaptability in Business with Jarid Beck

    In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate sits down with Jarid Beck, co-founder of Risk Management Advisors. They dive into Jarid's journey from aspiring stockbroker to entrepreneur in the niche field of captive insurance. Jarid shares the trials and triumphs of building a successful business alongside maintaining a balanced personal life. The conversation highlights the importance of flexibility, resilience, and adapting to unexpected challenges. Additionally, Jarid imparts insights about the evolving nature of success and happiness in business and life, emphasizing continuous growth, purpose, and the significance of meaningful connections. As director & co-founder of Risk Management Advisors, Jarid specializes in alternative risk management strategies like self-insured plans and captive insurance companies. With expertise spanning industries such as construction, real estate, and finance, he holds the ACI and CRIS designations. A recognized authority on using captives to reduce group medical benefit costs, Jarid's insights are essential for business leaders, CFOs, and HR professionals looking to optimize insurance solutions. To learn more about Jarid, please visit: www.riskmanagementadvisors.com To Learn More, visit: www.katelundspeaks.com Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters: https://missionmatters.com/author/kate-lund

    32 min

  8. APR 15

    Understanding Karma with Martina Faulkner

    In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate is joined by a cross-genre author whose work focuses primarily on what it means to be human. They delve into the topic of karma, discussing its role as a universal law. Martina emphasizes that karma isn't about good or bad, but rather about understanding the consequences of actions and the accountability that comes with them. She shares insightful tools for healing karma and stresses the empowering potential of perspective shifts, which can drive personal growth and resilience. Martina E. Faulkner is a cross-genre author whose work focuses primarily on exploring what it means to be human—both the unique and the universal. She holds a trifecta in the mental health/healing world as a therapist, certified life coach, and Reiki Master Teacher. This distinctive background allows her to draw on her professional and personal experience in her writing, whether fiction, nonfiction, children’s, or poetry. A self-proclaimed Anglophile, Martina drinks tea daily, loves walks in nature, and enjoys looking at beautiful images from the British Isles while dreaming up her next book. You can read her regular column Unique and Universal on Substack, follow her on Instagram and Facebook @martinaefaulkner or visit martinaefaulkner.com to learn more. To Learn More, visit: www.katelundspeaks.com Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters: https://missionmatters.com/author/kate-lund

    32 min
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    4.9
    out of 5
    75 Ratings

    About

    Hosted by Dr. Kate Lund, The Optimized Mind explores how we can define our own unique context, build resilience and maximize potential through engaging with today's top thought leaders in the business and personal development space. Learn more at: https://missionmatters.com/author/kate-lund/

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