Guest: Melissa Maloney
Melissa unpacks details of a childhood that was unpredictable, intense, and full of turmoil. She delved into what it was like to grow up in an alcoholic household that was very abusive, particularly after her mother’s death. She explained that her parents were divorced, and while living with her mother, at 8 years old, mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer suddenly and deteriorated quickly, this led Melissa to return to her father’s care. She spoke about the emotional abuse that she endured, the manipulation she had to take from her father, and though she was the youngest at home, she took a protective stance and wasn’t afraid to speak up, call the police, or handle the landlords at various times. At the young age of 12 she attempted suicide, having a tough time tolerating all the abuse, witnessing abuse and all the unpleasant facets of what took place inside the home, while masking it all in the public eye. At age 14, Melissa left home and charted her own path, continued to compartmentalize her feelings, experiences, and pain. Through her journey which encompassed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), she has relied heavily on therapy, and has worked on managing themes of overcompensating with independence, not letting people in, not being able to admit to being a victim of trauma until adulthood and processing all the trauma that she endured along the way. Her key message to the listeners is that: you can always figure out whatever is in front of you, it may not go as expected, but you can sort through it; only go where you are happy, do the things that make you happy; take ownership of your “stuff”; become aware of the power of labels and how you might unknowingly label and limit yourself in the process.
Guest Bio: Melissa has dedicated her career to supporting teams in driving a highly engaged and successful workforce. She knows what it takes to go from an idea in a leader’s mind to execution on the front line. Melissa has spent over 20 years as a sales and operations executive with a focus on health, wellness, and employee wellbeing. She is the founder of Happy Leader Enterprises and the co-founder of All Women L.E.A.D. Melissa developed a passion for helping others find happiness at a young age, and now helps leaders do the same.
With a focus on productivity, leading with emotional intelligence and creating a culture where “Everybody Wins” she will ensure you leave every engagement with actions you can implement tomorrow. Melissa is a sought-after speaker, and a best-selling author who was named one of the Top 20 under 40 in 2018 by London Inc magazine and named as a Top 50 Visionary for 2019 by Radical Business Magazine.
Passionate about:
Supports and resources available at these two hospitals:
Princess Margaret Hospital – https://thepmcf.ca/
Sick Kids Hospital – www.sickkidsfoundation.com
