An Evolving Man Podcast
An Evolving Man Podcast explores leadership, emotional intelligence, trauma, healing and peak performance.
Hosted by Piers Cross, the show features conversations with leading psychologists, psychiatrists, executive coaches, authors, researchers and high-performance leaders, alongside solo episodes on leadership, resilience, relationships and personal transformation.
Drawing on the latest research in psychology, neuroscience, attachment, trauma and human performance, the podcast helps leaders develop greater self-awareness, emotional intelligence and the capacity to lead with clarity, compassion and courage.
Whether you are a CEO, founder, entrepreneur or aspiring leader, each episode offers practical insights to help you thrive professionally while creating a more meaningful and connected life.
An Evolving Man Podcast
Kindness in Schools: Creating Emotional Safety for Children | Masha Kastner & David Moss | AEM #165
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In this deeply moving episode of An Evolving Man Podcast, I speak with Masha Castner and David Moss, founders and directors of Kind Waves.
Kind Waves is a UK charity created to help schools build deeper cultures of kindness, emotional safety and positive relationships. The charity was born from the heartbreaking death of Masha and David’s 13-year-old daughter, Helena, known as Heli, who took her own life.
Through their grief, Masha and David have become passionate advocates for changing the emotional culture around children, families, educators and school communities.
In this conversation, we explore how many children suffer silently, why school pressure can become overwhelming, and how kindness is not simply about being nice. It is about creating environments where children and adults feel safe, seen, heard, valued and supported.
We discuss:
• The story behind Kind Waves
• Heli’s life and the heartbreak of losing her
• Why many children suffer silently
• The pressures facing young people in schools
• Why kindness is different from niceness
• The importance of emotional safety in schools
• Why behaviour is often a nervous system response
• How shame and humiliation affect children
• Why teachers need support, not more pressure
• How schools can build cultures of kindness
• The importance of listening to children
• How safe adults can make a life-changing difference
• Social media, perfectionism and the pressure young people face
• Why children need challenge without fear
• How rest, creativity and connection support learning
This is a powerful conversation about grief, education, children’s mental health, school culture and the urgent need to create kinder environments for young people.
Kind Waves:
https://kindwaves.org.uk/
@kindwavesuk
Piers Cross:
https://www.piers-cross.com/
#AnEvolvingManPodcast #KindWaves #KindnessInSchools #ChildrensMentalHealth #EmotionalSafety #CompassionateLeadership #SchoolCulture #MentalHealthAwareness
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction to Masha Castner, David Moss and Kind Waves
02:05 The story behind Kind Waves
05:20 Heli’s life and what her parents learned through grief
09:10 Children suffering silently
12:45 School pressure and young people’s mental health
16:30 Behaviour as a nervous system response
20:15 Why punishment and shame can harm children
24:40 The importance of emotional safety in schools
29:05 How external voices become internal voices
34:10 Positive challenge rather than pressure
39:00 Social media, perfectionism and young people
44:15 Safe adults, open doors and early support
49:20 Rest, regulation and the school day
53:10 Kindness versus niceness
56:35 The vision for Kind Waves
58:20 Where to find Kind Waves
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Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who works mainly with trauma, boarding school issues, addictions and relationship problems.
He also runs online men's groups for ex-boarders, retreats and a podcast called An Evolving Man.
He is also the author of How to Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. To purchase Piers first book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1609869608&sr=8-1
For more videos please visit: http://youtube.com/pierscross
For FB: https://www.facebook.com/pierscrosspublic
For Piers' website and a free training How To Find Peace In Everyday Life: https://www.piers-cross.com/community
Many blessings,
Piers Cross
http://piers-cross.com/