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Running with OCD—not from it

feat. Pete Cooper, Co-founder & CCO of Coopah

In this episode...

Pete had always known he was different. He knew that obsessively touching objects and locking doors—fearing that someone would die otherwise—probably wasn’t healthy. But it was only after the passing of his mum and a close friend that anxious and depressive thoughts clouded his vision, until the day he almost took his own life.

It was time to get help. With the support of his partner and a therapist, he rediscovered his passion for running, something he’d always done with his loved ones before they’d passed away. Inspired by its uplifting impact, Pete co-founded Coopah, a running app using AI to build tailored training plans, making coaching more accessible.

You’ll hear more about Pete’s journey, how sharing his feelings with his team has helped them all open up, and how he’s still learning how best to approach his own mental health—at work and beyond.

About the guest

A self-confessed lad and Co-founder of Coopah, Pete knows all about the uplifting impact running can have on mental health. Before Coopah, he had a successful Sales career at Expedia and GoCardless—but we’re most impressed by the fact he ran a marathon in his house during lockdown.

About Oliva

Oliva is the employee mental wellbeing partner for companies that want to take decisive action to support & keep their best people.

By indexing & specialising in the top wellbeing challenges your people face—specific to your industry and your business—we help employees & managers respond to tough situations, foster sustainable company cultures, and ultimately slow staff turnover.