Australian programme fosters resilience amid cost pressures

XVenture has launched MindZen(xv), a program to support individuals and organisations in Australia in developing resilience and emotional wellbeing amid ongoing economic and social challenges.

Rising cost of living pressures in Australia have remained a significant concern for many, with cost-of-living anxiety reported by Mental Health Australia and more than half of respondents noting a negative impact on their mental health over the past year.

Dr Mike Conway, a Behavioural and Social Scientist and founder of XVenture, said, "In this new world order, mental wellness isn't a luxury, and neither is ineffective performance—both are a necessity."

Dr Conway highlighted the broader implications of financial stress, stating, "These impact individual mental health, relationships and performance both personally and professionally."

Addressing the context in which MindZen(xv) has been developed, Dr Conway said, "Of course it's difficult to control external forces like rising costs or political shifts, but we can control how we respond. MindZen(xv) empowers people to develop a calm mind, adaptive thinking, and the resilience to face whatever comes next."

He further commented on the program's purpose, adding, "MindZen was developed specifically to meet today's modern challenges—building the internal resources people need to thrive, not just survive."

The program incorporates evidence-based psychology, emotional intelligence training, and immersive online activities to promote resilience, productivity, and better mental health in response to ongoing uncertainty. Research conducted by XVenture indicated a 10% improvement in overall productivity amongst participants of its mindset program.

MindZen(xv) offers a self-paced online structure consisting of eight hours of multimedia content delivered over five weeks. Features of the programme include a virtual kick-off session, seven transformative chapters, group coaching and reflection sessions, weekly emails with additional insights, and exclusive reflection and goal-setting tools.

The initiative targets busy professionals and aims to accommodate demanding schedules flexibly. Group coaching is provided through live virtual sessions, and technical support is available throughout the program.

Dr Conway discussed the psychological impact of negative news cycles and the value of proactive approaches to wellbeing, saying, "When we connect with the current news our default sees most of this as negative, and hence we build pessimistic tendencies in response. Yet there are so many things we can do to positively respond. Important to this is getting our own individual house in order, consistently applying simple solutions and habits to equip ourselves. By doing this, our productivity, our overall effectiveness in life and our mental health all improve."

XVenture's approach draws on experience delivering programmes for business, education, elite sport, and community groups. Its methodology integrates virtual reality and digital learning environments developed to build resilience, communication, and leadership skills in accessible and scalable formats.

MindZen(xv) is positioned to respond to modern pressures Australians face and aims to offer enduring strategies for managing personal and professional demands.

Several business and thought leaders are involved in upcoming events related to the launch, which will present the research behind the program, share experiences, and highlight practical applications for workplace and personal settings. Early uptake has seen interest from participants across sectors such as business, education, entertainment, and sport.