Tardigrade Talks

In this episode, Mike Harnett, an international expert and award-winning keynote speaker on the science of fatigue who has consulted for numerous organizations including GM and NASA, talks to Dr. Joti Samra about growing up as a tomboy and working in a male-dominated field. She also shares her own family’s struggles with mental health and how that brought a passion for optimizing worker health, safety, and performance.
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In this episode, Karen Lee, entrepreneur, and co-founder of LEZÉ The Label, talks to Dr. Joti Samra about finding the courage to leave a salaried job to start a business and all the fights, fires, failures (and even typhoons) that came with entrepreneurship. She also shares how open communication, honesty, sustainability, and inclusion have formed the basis for her clothing brand.
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In this episode, the founder and director of The Wishing Star Lapointe Developmental Clinic and author of two best-selling parenting books, Vanessa Lapointe talks with Dr. Joti Samra about child mental health and parenting during the era of Covid-19. She explains the power of connection and the importance of “growing yourself up before you can grow your kids up.” She also breaks down a big source of parenting angst…discipline!
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In this episode, health and wellness advocate, athlete, entrepreneur, and media personality, Mandy Gill chats with Dr. Joti Samra about her work and mental health journey. She recalls her struggles with an eating disorder and the lessons she’s learned from her constantly evolving career. She shares how she deals with her own bad days and the pressures of a social media persona, and breaks down her habits for emotional and physical well-being.
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In this episode, award-winning surrealist artist and entrepreneur William Higginson speaks with Dr. Joti Samra about how early life challenges brought him to where he is today. He recalls that as a child dealing with serious health issues, art became a coping mechanism. Later, when he came to Canada and sold pieces in the park, it helped him survive. He shares how his passion and creativity have since become a therapy through many other struggles, which in turn have inspired the many layers and nuances of his work.
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In this episode, registered clinical counsellor Susi Bolender chats with Dr. Joti Samra about a career in counselling, the role of humour in therapy, her personal strategies for self-care, and her passionate involvement in the Deaf community. She shares her therapeutic approach to helping clients navigate their emotions, build resilience against the impacts of shame, and use their vulnerability.
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In this episode, Canadian radio and television personality Jonny Staub, talks about the good, bad, and ugly of coming out as a gay man in the world of media, and how he came to be the first person to come out on air doing their own show in a major market commercial radio station. Jonny talks about the powerful role of therapy in maintaining good mental health; and ways our workplaces can be supportive of LGBTQ+ employees.
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In this episode, writer, producer, owner-operator of Alien Kow Inc., and creator of Back Home Again, Michael Mankowski chats with Dr. Joti Samra about the beginning of his career in filmmaking and his many accomplishments and awards achieved due to his commitment to bettering his community and spreading messages through animated films. Michael shares his experience through the devastating Fort McMurray forest fires including the passion behind his incredible animated documentary, Back Home Again that highlights his involvement and support for everyone impacted by the fires.
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In this episode, Kevin Mooney, Canadian Registered Safety Professional and Vice President of Prevention & Employer Services Saskatchewan, talks to Dr. Joti Samra about why workplaces need to care about psychological health and safety, and the under-acknowledged impacts of workplace accidents and injuries on mental health. As a father and football coach, he also shares the unique challenges, particularly for men and teen boys, in talking about mental health.
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In this episode, psychology student, firefighter, member of the Canadian Armed Forces, and co-founder of Smileage Wing Tse talks to Dr. Joti Samra about the short and long-term impacts of childhood trauma and what he’s learned about resiliency along the way. He shares how his experiences with adversity cultivated a desire to give back to his community and explains the importance of staying fit and “wearing” a smile.
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In this episode, ICU nurse, motivational speaker, author of The Courage To Be True, and creator of the LiveWell Recipe Tina Ruysseveldt, chats with Dr. Joti Samra about childhood adversity and navigating stigma and stereotypes, a history of alcoholism and loss, surviving a rare form of heart cancer, navigating the everyday hurdles of choosing sobriety, and a passion for inspiring others to live well.
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In this episode, applications engineer manager at Siemens Dr. Aaron Genest, chats with Dr. Joti Samra about his experience with a small startup company, what it takes to successfully avoid high turnover rates, the many skills he has gained throughout his employment journey, and his viral tweet that appeared controversial but highlighted his approach to policy making and gender equality in the workplace.
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In this episode, the CEO of Creative Options Regina (COR), Michael Lavis, chats with Dr. Joti Samra about how his non-profit charitable organization focuses on supporting people with disabilities. He speaks to their organization’s values and the personalized strategies utilized to create an environment of safety, warmth, and equality, and how rooting themselves in the philosophy of Gentle Teaching has strengthened the fabric of companionship and community for all they serve. Michael shares how a caring and gentle organizational culture can dramatically lower turnover rates, contribute to organizational growth, and cultivate a multiple-award-winning organization.
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In this episode, 24-year-old Indigenous woman with a Master of Social Work Justine Kennedy, talks with Dr. Joti Samra about her experiences with racism, poverty and the child protection system, and explains her selfless choice to raise her seven younger siblings. She shares her strategies for managing and maintaining her anxiety and mental health in order to fight for the well-being of her family.
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In this episode, Sarah Liverance, partner at Sklar Wilton & Associates and the founder of Headway, chats with Dr. Joti Samra about an incredible movement to enhance awareness of mental health and the availability of resources in the workplace. She shares the personal story that drove her passion for Headway and developing leadership strategies involving expressing vulnerability, getting comfortable with having conversations about mental health, and embracing talking about the challenges we all face.
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In this episode, Vice President of the BC Firefighters Association and member of the BC First Responder Mental Health Steering Committee, Steve Farina, chats with Dr. Joti Samra about the impact of years of exposure to traumatic events. He explains the necessity of acknowledging and dealing with your trauma and the healing power of peer support, nature, social support, and self-care. He also touches on the challenges of navigating a plant-based lifestyle in a male-dominated field where eating meat means masculinity.
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In this episode, CTV and CBC meteorologist and climate change activist Zahra Alani talks with Dr. Joti Samra about her passion for the planet – from recycling as a child to educating people about the impacts of climate change. She recounts the challenges of being a minority in the public eye, and explains the importance of a good support system and a life defined by your values.
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In this episode, Canada’s mother of health and safety, Maureen Shaw talks with Dr. Joti about her involvement in and deep passion for health and safety in the workplace; her personal experience navigating the sexism and discrimination that accompanies being a female in leadership role; how a devastating workplace accident so close to home provided her with a personal reason for an already passionate commitment to making the world a kinder and better place; and, how invaluable the impact of social connections are for your mental health.
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In this episode, motivational speaker, author, and the passion behind Because We Are Girls, Jeeti Pooni talks with Dr. Joti about her heartwrenching story of childhood sexual abuse; the complexities of navigating and enduring cultural adversity, intense shame and guilt, trauma, and a lengthy legal trial; and how fighting for what you believe in, knowing your truth, and holding onto it can help you to channel resilience and begin the road to healing.
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In this episode, accomplished TV broadcaster and blogger, Krissy Vann, talks about perseverance and gratitude; happy accidents and the incredible experiences that come from them; what female empowerment can look like within a career in the media and as a motorcyclist; the worthwhile benefits of journaling as a form of self-reflection; and how impactful it can be to challenge yourself and your beliefs about what you think you are capable of.
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In this episode, award-winning keynote speaker and performing artist Victoria Maxwell, talks about mental illness and strategies to counter the stigma when receiving a diagnosis. What day to day self-care truly means and looks like. And how a desire to find someone to identify with, paved the way for an impactful keynote speaker and author to expose the realities of mental illness in a raw, authentic and relatable way.
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In this episode, award-winning CTV reporter, Michele Brunoro, shares how she spent her childhood listening to talk radio and daydreaming of becoming a reporter. The Emotional impact that comes with experiencing and sharing other people’s raw and heartfelt stories and the passion behind providing a voice through storytelling for others. The value in using exercise, movement, and nature to shift your focus. And the resilience that requires to endure and survive being diagnosed with an extremely aggressive form of breast cancer.
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In this episode, famous comedian Jessica Holmes chats with Dr. Joti Samra about a mother’s honest experience through depression and how impactful and essential little everyday steps and choices can be for recovery. How capturing and holding onto humour, especially during our darkest days, can provide perspective. And the power and strength in asking for help and setting boundaries in both life and career.
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In this episode, Carla Catherwood chats with Dr. Joti Samra about the impact of unexpected life experiences and how they can be traumatic and yet the start of something magical. How embodying confidence and femininity can be expressed through dance. And what it takes to devote your life to spreading love, confidence and acceptance to people through movement.
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In this episode, entrepreneur Ria Kitsch, talks about the value of communication and opportunity focused interactions, while navigating an entrepreneurial lifestyle intertwined with family. How balancing business and employee development with personal and family development is possible through shared goals. What it entails to begin sustainable wine production from the ground up and what it truly means to create memories on a bottle, that can be shared in celebration with food, family and friends.
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In our second episode, actor, producer and filmmaker Atish Ram, chats with Dr. Joti about his 54 day hospital stay in the ICU with COVID-19, the cruel acts of racism he faced as a young immigrant child, initiating a three year lawsuit against his employer due to the discrimination he faced and how his passion for philanthropy grew out of his own experiences with having a child with a chronic health condition.

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Hello and welcome to Tardigrade Talks!

I’m your host, Dr. Joti Samra, and this is a podcast for anyone interested in cultivating greater psychological health, wellness & resilience. In each episode, I’ll share authentic and thought-provoking conversations with inspiring guests along with evidence-based skills, strategies and approaches you can use to cope with the stresses of life and enhance your personal and workplace resilience.

Episodes guests will range from firefighters, to CEO’s, to retired individuals, media personalities, yoga instructors, cancer survivors, and individuals who have struggled with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, substance abuse challenges, racism, trauma, bipolar disorder and beyond.