In this episode of the IT Works Health podcast, Kara Smart and I sat down with Helena Hartley – an incredibly well-known contractor in the North West, and now also a mindset coach working under her brand Hella Coach.
What really stood out in our chat wasn’t just Helena’s breadth of experience as a Business Analyst across dozens of NHS Trusts – it was her raw honesty about the emotional pressures that come with contracting. She spoke openly about the times when work dries up, when your confidence dips, or when you just feel like you’ve lost your direction. It’s something a lot of people don’t talk about enough in this industry.
Helena now uses her coaching skills – including NLP and mindset work – to help people regain clarity, reset their confidence, and move forward with purpose. One thing she shared that really stuck with me was her “Joy List” – a tool that helps you reconnect with small, daily things that lift your energy, especially during those quiet periods between contracts.
“The industry’s hard – but you don’t have to go through it burnt out or stressed. There are ways to look after your head and still show up as your best self.”
A few takeaways from the episode:
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Why protecting your mental wellbeing is just as important as your next contract
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Tools like TetraMap and NLP that support better self-awareness and team dynamics
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How to shift from a scarcity mindset to a more empowering outlook
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Advice for handling downtime between contracts productively and positively
This was a genuinely inspiring chat, and I think anyone in the NHS or HealthTech contracting world could take something useful away from it. Whether you’re mid-project, starting something new, or waiting for your next opportunity – give it a watch. You’ll get something from it.
🎥 Watch the full episode below
We’d love to hear what you think in the comments or messages.
