Our Expertise
Our team have a range of backgrounds, from occupational psychology, disability management, nursing, and lecturing, but what we all have in common is a strong passion to make a difference for the organisations we partner with. We do this through bringing the theory and evidence to life through practical, real life experience so that you can implement the tools and techniques straight away within your workplace. We go a step further than simply ‘awareness raising’ and help you to take positive action.
Lisa Whittleton, Founder
I’ve had an interest in psychology and how we think, feel and behave since long before University, quite possibly shaped by close family members and friends struggling with their mental health.
My first role after doing a master’s in occupational psychology (after a short stint in recruitment which was very much not for me) was working as a Vocational Rehabilitation Consultant with wounded, injured and sick service personnel to help them transition to a new career. This was totally inspiring and really opened my eyes to the stigmas that exist in workplaces around mental health and disability. I set up Illuminate in November 2013 as I was keen to influence this positively. At the time, we were not having the conversations we are now around mental health, so I recognise we have come a long way…but there is still a way to go to de-stigmatise completely and ensure we are being proactive around the topic so our teams can thrive at work.
I love building relationships with our clients to really get to understand their world and the challenges within it to help bring about positive change. Working in this field is a constant reminder of how easy it is to slip into unhelpful habits in terms of looking after my own mental wellbeing and achieving the right ‘work-life’ balance. I have 2 young children and so know all too well that it can be hard to put yourself first or practice self-care. I also know what happens when you don’t refill your cup and you run out of steam.
I do have to work hard to practice what I preach, and don’t always get it right. This is what makes my facilitation real and relatable for you.
I am a people person and tend to be the listener, the support and the new perspective for many of my friends. I am all about socialising, and love music festivals and gigs, alongside keeping active through running.
Training and Vocational Rehabilitation Team
Hannah Giles
Trainer specialising in resilience, Vocational Rehabilitation Consultant
Partners
Delivering psychology-led leadership and management training and development solutions.
Whether you are looking for; a Leadership and Management development programme, Executive Coaching, a review of your leadership capabilities and/or proposition or you are a Trainer looking to develop your skills in this arena, Revolve have a solution that can be fully tailored to your needs.
Why the partnership?
“As an organisation we work in partnership with our customers to develop their leaders and colleagues throughout their organisations. One area that we have seen an increasing need to support our customers and learners is in the understanding of mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. That being said we knew right away we were not the right people to do that.
“Illuminate were an easy choice because of their history and time spent in the corporate sector doing exactly what we needed, they hadn’t spotted an opportunity and pounced on it for financial gain, they had been proudly supporting their customers way before people and businesses even knew there was a “problem”.
“Added to that, just like us they have a focus on building great partnerships and delivering tailored content for their customers, which made it a perfect fit.” Luke Hall, Managing Director
Nishi Mehta is the Founder and Director of Embrace Inclusion, a DEI and inclusive leadership consultancy working across sectors to create more equitable, inclusive, and psychologically safe workplaces.
She brings over a decade of experience in diversity, equity, and wellbeing, and is known for her engaging delivery style, practical solutions, and ability to gently challenge thinking while building trust. Her work includes inclusive leadership programmes, cultural intelligence training, coaching for underrepresented talent, and organisational DEI strategy – all tailored to the needs of the business.
Nishi has worked with a wide range of clients including Square Enix, University of Warwick, and AEG Europe, and often collaborates with internal teams to strengthen inclusion from the inside out.
Why the partnership?
Lisa and Nishi have networked together for some years and share values around openness, authenticity and the desire to bring about long lasting change. DEI and mental health sit nicely together, both being high priorities for businesses in terms of ensuring their people are happy and productive and able to thrive.
Nishi and Lisa often refer to each others organisations to compliment their offerings and provide a fuller package of support.
Enthusiasm
- At Illuminate we love what we do and are passionate about making a real difference for the organisations who we support
- Our enthusiasm brings with it a positive ‘can do’ attitude, perseverance, a desire to achieve and a thirst for knowledge and learning
- Our enthusiasm keeps us energetic and is fun to be around.
Leading by example
- At Illuminate we believe it is a top priority for each of us to lead by example in terms of speaking openly about mental health, being transparent and showing our own vulnerabilities
- We also believe that demonstrating in our daily practices the techniques and strategies that we use to transform our clients workplaces makes them all the more powerful and real
- Working in a role where you have a strong desire to make a difference can mean neglecting your own wellbeing. This value is a reminder to us of the importance of self-care. When we are looking after ourselves we can then be in the best position to support our families, friends, colleagues and clients.
Empathy
- Empathy is a powerful value for Illuminate as we see how it brings stronger collaboration, reduces stress and increases morale
- When we are empathic, we listen without judgement, we see things from another’s perspective, and we respect others’ opinions
- Seeking to understand rather than being understood enables us to gain a full appreciation of what is going on for our clients in order to find the most effective solution for them.