In this episode of The Workplace Therapy Podcast by Unity & Company, host Scott Arrieta sits down with Lori Woodley Langendorff, thought leader, author, and co-founder of All It Takes, to explore how emotional literacy isn’t just for classrooms—it’s the missing ingredient in today’s workplaces.

Drawing from her book SEL Muscle Mastery, Lori shares a practical framework for developing six “emotional muscles” that strengthen collaboration, accountability, and resilience:

• Quit Taking It Personally (Resilience)

• Speak from “I” (Ownership)

• Ask vs. Tell (Collaboration)

• Authentic Connection

• Curiosity over Judgment (Agility)

• Walk the Talk (Integrity)

Together, Scott and Lori unpack why organizations continue to deprioritize emotional intelligence—even when the science proves its value—and how leaders can start integrating these skills to create cultures that heal, not harm. From distinguishing between serving and saving to mastering the Notice–Choose–Act framework, this episode offers tangible ways to build stronger, more human workplaces.

Whether you’re a CEO, manager, or educator, this conversation is a masterclass in leading with empathy, resilience, and integrity.

🎧 Listen now to learn how to flex your SEL muscles and create a workplace where people thrive—not just survive.

What does it really mean to be resilient at work—and why do so many high performers find themselves burning out?

In this episode of The Workplace Therapy Podcast by Unity and Company, Scott Arrieta sits down with Dr. Marie-Hélène (MH) Pelletier, psychologist, business strategist, and author of The Resilience Plan. Drawing from her rare combination of a PhD in psychology and an MBA, MH shares a practical, strategic approach to resilience—one that moves beyond “self-care tips” and empowers leaders to build sustainable performance cultures.

You’ll learn:

• Why resilience is not an innate trait but a skill to be built and maintained.

• How to apply business strategy tools like SWOT analysis to your own well-being.

• Practical ways leaders can model resilience and create healthier team cultures.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re running on empty or want to equip your team to thrive without burning out, this conversation is for you.

What if the best solutions in your organization are already happening—but you’re too focused on fixing problems to notice them?

In this episode of The Workplace Therapy Podcast by Unity & Company, host Scott Arrieta sits down with Dr. Ur Barzel, Vanderbilt faculty member and change management expert, to explore the practice of bright spot thinking. Together, they uncover how small, overlooked wins can be amplified into systemic change.

Through stories ranging from hospital safety to city planning to an unexpected moment at a hockey game, Scott and Ur reveal how curiosity, psychological safety, and non-traditional leadership create the conditions for people to thrive. You’ll also hear how to use the “miracle question” to uncover hidden wisdom in your team, and why courage and humility matter more than positional authority.

If you’re a leader looking for practical, human-centered ways to build resilience and unlock your culture, this conversation offers powerful tools and inspiring examples you can apply right away.

What if burnout isn’t the end of the road, but the beginning of a new one?

In this episode of The Workplace Therapy Podcast by Unity & Company, host Scott Arrieta sits down with Hayley Hatfield—career coach, culture strategist, and founder of HayleyHatfield.com—to explore the messy but transformative moment so many women leaders face: the career crossroads.

Drawing on her own journey through corporate burnout and reinvention, Hayley shares why burnout can actually be a breakthrough moment, and how women can use it to clarify values, reclaim agency, and step into leadership that is both strategic and soulful. Together, Scott and Hayley unpack the cultural and generational shifts shaping today’s workplace, from the growing demand for empathetic leadership to the silent scripts that keep women stuck in roles that no longer serve them.

Whether you’re questioning if you should stay, pivot, or build something entirely new, this conversation is a reminder that leadership doesn’t have to mean self-sacrifice—it can mean alignment, authenticity, and a new way forward.

In this episode of The Workplace Therapy Podcast by Unity & Company, Scott and Monica Arrieta sit down with Nadine Fakhoury, an executive coach and former Vice President at Cisco. Nadine shares her remarkable journey from engineer to executive, where she became the only female VP in her division, leading a global team of 350 people and managing billions in revenue.

Through powerful personal stories — from being mistaken for the admin in leadership meetings, to advocating for herself in salary negotiations, to creating the first-ever offsite for technical women at Cisco — Nadine reflects on what it means to lead authentically in environments where you don’t always feel you belong. She opens up about the responsibility leaders carry to use their authority, voice, and platform to create opportunities and foster belonging for others.

Nadine also discusses the personal cost of misalignment and burnout, the importance of values-driven leadership, and why her coaching practice is dedicated to helping leaders get unstuck and flourish in complex systems. This is a conversation for anyone who believes leadership is about more than personal success — it’s about building space where others can thrive.

What if the secret to advancing your leadership, team cohesion, and organizational culture wasn’t just about charisma or authority—but about influence? In this powerful episode of The Workplace Therapy Podcast, Scott Arrieta sits down with Ellin Sidell, CEO of The Sidell Method and co-author of The Influence Advantage, to break down the three overlooked relationship types every professional needs to thrive: partnership, mentorship, and sponsorship.With decades of experience at companies like Nestlé, Microsoft, and Costco, Ellin brings a science-backed yet deeply human perspective to ethical influence, neuroplasticity, and strengths-based leadership. From building Costco’s groundbreaking mentorship program to unlocking how reciprocity, likability, and visibility create exponential growth—for individuals and organizations alike—this is one conversation you won’t want to miss.

In this episode of The Workplace Therapy Podcast, host Scott Arrieta sits down with John Wichmann, CEO of Gather Sciences and architect of the Balanced Hybrid framework, to unpack what it really takes to make hybrid work work—not just for employees, but for the business.As more companies push for full-time return to office, John makes a compelling case for why an optimized hybrid model might actually be the strategic advantage most leaders are missing. Together, Scott and John explore the four pillars of a balanced hybrid strategy—People, Patterns, Place, and Purpose—and discuss why many hybrid implementations fail due to lack of intentionality, consistency, and accountability.John shares data-backed insights, real-world stories, and strategic takeaways for leaders who want to avoid arbitrary policies and instead build a hybrid culture that boosts productivity, supports onboarding and mentorship, and helps attract top talent in a shifting labor market. Whether you're hybrid, remote, or in-office, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone designing the future of work.

In this powerful episode of The Workplace Therapy Podcast, Scott Arrieta, CEO of Unity & Company is joined by Dr. Ur Barzel — a leading expert in organizational change, high reliability organizations (HROs), and systems thinking.

Together, they explore how organizations in high-risk industries like healthcare, aviation, and the military achieve low error rates not by eliminating human mistakes, but by building environments that promote psychological safety, systemic learning, and continuous improvement.

Through real-world examples — including the case of nurse RaDonda Vaught, tragic system failures in amusement parks, and the evolution of aviation safety protocols — Dr. Barzel illustrates why blame cultures fail and how leaders can cultivate just cultures that truly fix root causes.

Whether you’re leading a hospital, a startup, or a Fortune 500 company, the lessons in this conversation are clear:

• Blame doesn’t fix broken systems.

• Fear kills innovation and transparency.

• Leadership begins with creating environments where people can speak up safely — and learn together.

If you're ready to move beyond surface-level fixes and lead lasting change, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.