))
Navigating Loneliness in Military Life and Beyond
Manage episode 480827945 series 3652082
Content provided by Mari Williams: Williams Thinks Ltd. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Mari Williams: Williams Thinks Ltd or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://ppacc.player.fm/legal.
In this powerful podcast episode, Mari Williams interviews Cara Cunniff, a former British military officer and endurance athlete, who shares her profound experience of feeling lonely while surrounded by other military spouses during her husband's deployment to Iraq.
The conversation explores the challenges of emotional connection, the importance of self-worth, and how small acts of kindness can transform personal isolation. Cara discusses her journey of finding strength in solitude, developing emotional intelligence, and ultimately creating meaningful connections in both personal and professional life.
About Cara:
Cara is a leadership and performance consultant and the founder of The Workplace Experience Project. She specialises in unlocking teamwork potential through the development of strong workplace emotional cultures—the powerful force that drives connection, collaboration, and sustainable performance.
Having lived and worked in international communities across Paris, Germany, Belgium, and the USA, Cara has developed a deep appreciation for how shared emotions and experiences transcend borders, foster understanding, and strengthen relationships.
Her global perspective, combined with her time as a British Army Officer specialising in Psychological Operations (PsyOps), gives her unique insight into how emotions influence behaviour and drive meaningful change—through hearts and minds.
As an endurance athlete—having competed in Ironman triathlons and multi-day Sahara Desert ultra-marathons—Cara understands first-hand how emotions shape performance: on the track, in leadership, and across organisations. She believes that when leaders harness organisational emotional culture as a strategic tool, they unlock trust, deepen connection, and create the conditions for teams to thrive.
Cara has partnered with organisations like Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, HMRC, and The Wellbeing Revolution to deliver transformative learning experiences that drive growth, resilience, and engagement.
You can connect with Cara on LinkedIn
You can help Mari with her research by taking the Alone and Rising questionnaire here
9 episodes
Share
