Episode 184:
Petra Velzeboer is an international keynote speaker, psychotherapist, mental health consultant, executive coach, and podcast host who is dedicated to helping others through developing empathy in the workplace to create stronger connections with our teammates and improve the productivity of our organizations.
Petra’s own remarkable story is one of triumph in spite of the odds being stacked against her. Having been raised in a cult, Petra experienced a level of abuse and control that led her to develop addiction problems and ultimately consider suicide as her only way out. However, Petra was able to overcome these incredible challenges, conquer her addiction issues, and attain an education that was denied to her as a child growing up within a religious cult.
Petra shares her powerful and inspiring story in an effort to help lift others up and promote kindness and compassion. She believes greatly that empathy, authenticity and connection are the keys to making the world a better place and to allow us, both individually and as a society, to achieve our full potential.
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Inspiration, motivation and empathy can come from many sources. These sources can be uplifting stories of human love and compassion, or they can come from a darker place of overcoming the most difficult of life’s challenges. But, no matter the source, we can draw on these stories to lift ourselves up, inspire ourselves, and better understand ourselves and the world around us.
I want to introduce you to Petra Velzeboer. Petra is a psychotherapist and mental health consultant, and she also works as an internationally respected keynote speaker and executive coach, as well as hosting her own podcast, Adversity to Advantage. Petra’s story is a remarkable tale of falling all the way to rock bottom and then climbing back up again through perseverance, willpower and hope.
In this episode of the Absolute Advantage podcast, Petra shares her emotional story of growing up in a religious cult, being subjected to brainwashing and intense punishment, turning to substance abuse to deal with the internal hurt and turmoil, and eventually overcoming all of these obstacles to find true success and happiness. Petra’s story is deeply personal, powerful, and inspiring. Petra also discusses her role as a mental health professional and the vital importance of mental health and self-care as a leader.
Ways to contact Petra Velzeboer:
- Website: www.petravelzeboer.com
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer/