Episode #12
Ep 12: The Psychologist Who Forgot How to Cope || Ben Jepsen
Everyone knows the coping strategies. Ben Jepsen spent 6 years studying them, then forgot every single one when he burnt out. He's an organisational psychologist who completed 6 years of psychology training, hit a wall he didn't see coming, and only realised he was burnt out a month later when someone told him. Out of that funk came Blue Friend, a mental health card deck that started as a shoebox of fidget toys and resilience cards he made for himself, and has since reached 250+ people through workshops. In this episode Ben (founder of Blue Friend) and I talk about why we forget the things that make us feel better right when we need them most, the science of labelling your emotions to calm your nervous system, why "impact over profit" kept him moving when charging for wellbeing felt wrong, and what it took to come back after quitting for two months. This one is for anyone sitting in the middle ground of languishing, struggling to put themselves out there, or holding an idea they're too burnt out or scared to start. This episode discusses burnout and mental health. If you're struggling, support is available - please reach out to someone you trust or a professional service in your area. WHAT WE COVER: Why we forget our coping strategies exactly when we need them most. The signs of burnout most people miss until it's too late. How labelling your emotions sends a calming signal to your brain. Box breathing and why the long exhale relaxes your nervous system. "Impact over profit" and the discomfort of charging for wellbeing. How to filter advice when everyone has an opinion (the Brené Brown Venn diagram). Why courage comes before confidence, not the other way around. Quitting for two months and what pulled him back. Building a "cookie jar of wins" so you don't forget your own progress. Why the smartest first step is self-compassion, not action. TIMESTAMPS [00:00] — Subscribe + welcome [00:37] — Who is Ben and what is Blue Friend [01:30] — Not realising he was burning out and the signs he missed [03:37] — Languishing: the word he learned in COVID for the middle ground [04:02] — What the people around him couldn't see [05:52] — The shoebox that became a mental health card deck [07:52] — Flicking through the deck and why reminders matter [09:58] — The science: why the brain deletes our coping strategies [10:47] — Normalising the struggle and labelling your emotions [14:09] — The unglamorous side of turning a passion project into a business [16:16] — Reframing money: people investing in themselves [19:18] — Quitting for two months and what brought him back [22:28] — Walking through the deck: affirmation, grounding and action cards [26:47] — Box breathing live, and the seven-second version [34:40] — Why psychology, and the 13-year-old who knew [37:38] — How to filter advice when everyone has an opinion [41:39] — Courage before confidence and putting yourself out there [44:45] — Building a founder toolkit and adapting from user feedback [49:47] — Grit, taking breaks, and why your baseline never resets [52:34] — What he'd say to anyone too burnt out or scared to start CONNECT WITH BEN JEPSEN INSTAGRAM — https://www.instagram.com/bluefriendben/ LINKEDIN — https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-jepsen/ INFORMATION ON BLUE FRIEND WEBSITE — https://www.bluefriend.com.au/ INSTAGRAM — https://www.instagram.com/bluefriendau/ LINKEDIN — https://www.linkedin.com/company/bluefriend/ CONNECT WITH MAHDIEH INSTAGRAM — https://www.instagram.com/mahdieh.rassafiani/ LINKEDIN — https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahdieh-rassafiani-97611a185/ FOLLOW YOUR NEXT STEP PODCAST INSTAGRAM — https://www.instagram.com/yournextstep.pod/ TIKTOK — https://www.tiktok.com/@yournextstep.pod YOUTUBE — https://www.youtube.com/@yournextsteppodcast
