An "Emotional Alchemist" Helps Drone Pilots Reconnect With Their Human Side

By Namibia Flying Labs

We often forget that behind the tech-savvy drone pilot that spends hundreds of hours in the field collecting data and responding to society's needs is a person who also needs holistic wellness to keep serving their community.  

Since 2020, Barbs has provided her services through her Art and Play Therapy series, including exercises such as "Meeting Your Dino" and "Knowing Your Animal," where participants focus on self-care and awareness. For example, "Meeting Your Dino" is designed to help one understand their strengths, identify their weaknesses, and empower one to transform those weaknesses into opportunities for growth. "Knowing Your Animal," on the other hand, helps one better interact and relate with team members. Understanding oneself also improves how we interact with others in the network at large. Understanding your team members' characteristics and traits is vital to building a healthier relationship.  

At Namibia Flying Labs, these sessions helped us identify what we lacked as part of our human performance measures in our Safety Management System (SMS). One of the big highlights was the shock and trauma one experiences at work but might be unaware of. This emanates from sensitive projects or sudden changes in the work environment, which need professional attention. A good example is how we all had to adapt to a new way of working during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic while coping with loss or isolation from family for extended periods. It also dawned on us that a psychologist might have valuable insight into our community engagement methods. 

Finally, one of the most impactful observations was through our 'Dare to Fly' YouthRobotics project, where learners in their final year of high school battle the pressures of getting good grades while selecting suitable career paths for their university applications. With this in mind, in the next phase of the 'Dare to Fly' initiative, we are considering having Barbs, the emotional alchemist, on board to help alleviate some of this pressure and help learners navigate this sensitive part of their lives. We are all just human, after all.  

We continue to do great work with Barbs on our side. She is an inspirational speaker, author, and psychologist, passionate about making bold choices, holistic well-being, and inspiring audiences to bravely rise above life challenges and boldly step into and embrace their purposes. 

She gives inspirational talks and masterclasses that impart actionable tools that help audiences find emotional contentment and stability, translating into high performance in all other areas of their lives. So, if you are ever feeling blue, know that Barbs is here for you!