Today’s Healing 101 is a conversation with Kate Oliver - chartered psychologist, executive coach, and co-author (with her brother, Toby) of the brilliant book Rise and Shine.

If, like me, mornings can feel wobbly because of that 4am worry spiral, this one’s for you. Kate has spent 35 years helping people show up better at work and in life, and she shares how a tough period of anxiety (and perimenopause) led her to rethink the very first minutes of the day.

We talk about simple, realistic shifts - like thinking about what you do before you touch your phone, how to set an alarm you don’t dread, and tiny practices you can stack in five to ten minutes. No 5am club, no ice bath required. Kate’s SHINE approach is flexible, humane, and honestly… it works.

Find Kate:

Website: https://www.koconsulting.co/rise-and-shine

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Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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Today I’m joined by journalist Anna Wolfe - who’s funny, frank and gloriously unfiltered and we go deep on eating disorders and addiction. We talk about the binge–restrict cycle, the shame that keeps you stuck, sobriety, and the messy, non-linear reality of recovery. So much of what Anna shared resonated with me personally, which is why I found this conversation so interesting - and, honestly, hopeful.

Anna’s also just launched her brilliantly titled podcast, How to Get Wet When You’re Dry, and you’ll hear exactly why her voice cuts through. Quick heads-up: we discuss eating disorders, addiction and related struggles. Please listen in whatever way feels safe for you, and please contact Shout if you’re in need of support.

Find Anna:

Website: https://www.annawolfewriting.com/

Podcast: https://www.howtogetwetwhenyouredry.com/

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Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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Today we’re talking about everyday anxiety, overwhelm, and that loud inner critic that tells you you’re not doing enough. I’m joined by psychotherapist and author Anna Mathur, who’s brilliant at making mental health feel doable in real life. Anna shares simple ways to steady your nervous system (think a 60-second reset), how to swap “shoulds” for choices, set kinder boundaries without guilt, and build tiny pockets of rest into busy days. We also touch on the difference between normal worry and anxiety, what “good enough” really looks like, and when it’s time to reach out for help.

Find Anna:

Instagram: @annamathur

Website: https://www.annamathur.com/

Buy her book: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/462726/the-good-decision-diary-by-mathur-anna/9780241707227

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Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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Today I’m joined by consultant psychiatrist and author Alastair Santhouse to ask a big question: what counts as “normal” mental health? We explore the difference between everyday ups and downs and problems that really stop you living your life, and how labels can both open doors to support and stick in unhelpful ways. We talk about why ADHD and autism diagnoses seem to be rising, how Alastair assesses people by looking at their whole life (not just checklists), and the simple difference between psychiatrists and psychologists. We also touch on the growth in antidepressant use and the risk of turning social pain - like loneliness or money stress - into medical illness. Finally, we unpack how words like “trauma,” “OCD,” and “narcissist” get thrown around online, and why precision matters. This isn’t personal medical advice - please speak to your GP if you’re concerned.

Find Alastair:

Website: https://www.alastairsanthouse.com/

Books: https://www.alastairsanthouse.com/author

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Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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On today’s Healing 101 we’re talking about something that can hide in plain sight: exercise addiction. We’re taught that “more is better”, but when movement slides from choice to compulsion, the thing that helps us can start to hurt us - physically, mentally, and socially. To unpack that paradox, I’m joined by Dr. Martin Turner, Reader in Psychology at Manchester Metropolitan University. Martin looks at the beliefs that drive our behaviour - why “I have to train” feels so powerful - and he shares a simple way to test those thoughts, plus how REBT (Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy) can help us move from rigid rules to real flexibility. In a few minutes you’ll learn how to spot the line between healthy training and over-reliance, and a small step you can try tomorrow. If this brings anything up for you or you feel like you might need some help, please reach out to someone you trust or your GP.

Find Martin:

https://www.mmu.ac.uk/staff/profile/dr-martin-james-turner

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Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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Today I’m joined by the brilliant journalist Harriet Walker. You may know her work from The Times newspaper, and perhaps you read her article about attending a psilocybin retreat. In this conversation, Harriet opens up about what drew her there - the low hum of anxiety, the mental load of motherhood, and that constant striving so many of us feel but rarely admit.

We explore her experience on the retreat, the moments of deep release and revelation, and the shift that followed - softer relationships, a gentler inner voice, and the realisation that ‘all I want is what I’ve got.’ Harriet speaks with such honesty about matrescence, boundaries, and what healing now means to her.

Find Harriet:

Instagram: @_harrywalker1

Harriet's Articles: https://www.thetimes.com/profile/harriet-walker

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Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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Hi everyone, and welcome to this Healing 101 bonus episode with the wonderful Bryony Gordon.

If you’ve already listened to my longer conversation with Bryony earlier this week, you’ll know just how honest and generous she is when it comes to talking about mental health and especially her experience of living with OCD.

In this shorter episode, I wanted to go a little deeper into some of the practical sides of recovery - how naming your OCD can help you separate from it, why humour can be a surprisingly powerful tool, and what healthy rituals actually look like when you’re trying to break free from the ones that keep you stuck.

Bryony also shares her three daily tools for managing OCD.

If the first episode was the bigger picture, this is the gentle follow-up - a moment to pause, reflect, and remember that healing often starts with awareness.

Find support for OCD with OCD Action: https://ocdaction.org.uk/

Find Bryony:

Instagram: @bryonygordon

Books: https://www.headline.co.uk/contributor/bryony-gordon/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-life-of-bryony/id1763828544

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Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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Today’s episode is a really special one with the brilliant Bryony Gordon, who’s been such a powerful voice in changing how we understand OCD.

Bryony’s honesty about her experience - from intrusive thoughts to the shapeshifting ways OCD can attach itself to what we love most - has helped so many people feel seen. She’s written, spoken and lived her story with such courage and humour, and I was genuinely moved to sit down with her for this conversation.

As someone who also lives with OCD - I even named mine Penelope after this recording (which sounds far too polite for the chaos she causes) - I know how comforting it is to hear someone speak so openly about what it’s really like inside that spiral, and how recovery isn’t about silence, but about learning to live alongside the noise.

We talk about everything from perfectionism and self-acceptance to the sheer resilience it takes to keep showing up in the world.

Find support for OCD with OCD Action: https://ocdaction.org.uk/

Find Bryony:

Instagram: @bryonygordon

Books: https://www.headline.co.uk/contributor/bryony-gordon/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-life-of-bryony/id1763828544

Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:

Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod

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Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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If you found Tuesday’s main episode with Kimberley Nixon interesting, I wanted to share a bonus Healing 101 with her too.

This is a short, practical companion about what actually helps when a spike hits. We talk about moving from retreat to reach-out, turning the lights on shame, dropping the rope in that tug-of-war with your mind, and the tiny wins that count on the hardest days. Kimberley also shares what friends and family can do that supports recovery without feeding the OCD.

No jargon, no spoilers - just clear, doable ideas you can carry into your day. It was so refreshing to speak to someone who really gets it.

If you or someone you love is struggling, you can find help and community at ocdaction.org.uk or through their helpline.

Let’s start changing the conversation about OCD - one honest story at a time.

Find Kimberley:

Instagram: @realkimberleynixon

Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:

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Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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To mark OCD Awareness Week - something very close to my heart - I’m talking with actor Kimberley Nixon on today’s episode.

This isn’t the “tidy house” stereotype. We’re talking about the real OCD: the disorder of doubt. Intrusive thoughts you don’t choose. Compulsions people can’t see.

Kimberley shares her experience of peri- and postnatal OCD after her son was born - the fear, the shame, and what actually helps.

For me, it was so refreshing to speak to someone who just gets it. We cover why reassurance keeps you stuck, how ERP can help, and the tiny, doable steps that start to bring your life back.

If you’re in the thick of it - or love someone who is - I hope this makes you feel less alone and a lot more hopeful.

If you or someone you love is struggling, you can find help and community at ocdaction.org.uk or through their helpline.

Let’s start changing the conversation about OCD - one honest story at a time.

Find Kimberley:

Instagram: @realkimberleynixon

Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:

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Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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This coming week marks OCD Awareness Week, and I wanted to record something personal. I’ve lived with OCD since I was 12, and while I’m much further along in my recovery, it still shapes my everyday life.

In this solo episode, I talk honestly about what OCD really is - beyond the stereotypes of tidy desks and neat sock drawers. I share what it’s like to live with the intrusive thoughts, compulsions, and exhaustion that come with this misunderstood illness, as well as the long journey through therapy, medication, and finally finding hope through Exposure Response Prevention (ERP).

I’ve partnered with OCD Action to raise awareness and support others who might feel alone in their struggle. OCD is treatable — recovery might not mean silence, but it does mean freedom and learning to live alongside it.

If you or someone you love is struggling, you can find help and community at ocdaction.org.uk or through their helpline.

Let’s start changing the conversation about OCD - one honest story at a time.

Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:

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Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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October is a big month for OCD awareness and in today's HEALING 101 episode I speak with musician Jessica Sweetman. We talk about what OCD really feels like when it spikes and, most importantly, what actually helps. No magic fixes. Just small, doable things that steady you, keep you creating, and get you through the wobbly days. We don’t overcomplicate it so if you’re after calm, clarity, and a few ideas you can try today, this one’s for you.

Find Jessica:

Website: https://www.jessicasweetman.com/

Instagram: @itsjessikamusic

Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:

Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod

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Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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Few topics in mental health are as complex, charged, and deeply personal as gender dysphoria. For some, transitioning feels life-saving. For others, it leads to regret and the painful realisation that surgery or hormones didn’t solve the deeper struggles underneath.

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Az Hakeem - psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and author of Detrans: When Transition is Not the Solution. For over two decades, Az has worked with people questioning their gender, those pursuing transition, and those who later detransitioned. His work has given him unique insight into what lies beneath gender distress from autism and trauma to identity, shame, and societal influence.

This is not about ideology or taking sides. It’s about listening to lived experiences, asking difficult questions, and opening up compassionate space for conversations that too often get shut down.

Whether you’re a parent, a clinician, or simply someone wanting to better understand this issue, I hope this conversation helps you think more deeply about what it really means to heal.

Contact Az: https://www.nightingalehospital.co.uk/specialist/dr-az-hakeem/

Buy his book: https://amzn.eu/d/f3pGQ5m

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Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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Welcome to part two of my Healing 101 conversation with psychiatrist and researcher Joanna Moncrieff. If you haven’t yet listened to part one, I’d encourage you to go back - it lays the groundwork for this shorter bonus episode.

Here, Joanna answers some of the most pressing questions about antidepressants: what they’re really doing in the brain, why withdrawal can be so difficult, and how we might need to rethink depression altogether.

It’s a concise but powerful follow-on to our main discussion and one that might just change the way you think about medication and mental health.

Try Bettervits for yourself, head on over to bettervits.co.uk and get 15% off your 1st order with my code PANDORA15.

Find Joanna:

Website: https://joannamoncrieff.com/

Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:

Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod

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Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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What happens when, from the outside, it looks like you’ve got everything - opportunity, privilege, excitement - and yet on the inside, you’re running on empty? In this episode, I’m joined by Sam Branson - entrepreneur, adventurer, musician, and yes, the son of Richard Branson - for a deeply honest conversation about burnout, purpose, and the long road back to self-acceptance. Sam shares the unseen side of growing up in a famous family, the self-imposed pressure to prove himself, and the moment on stage when his body simply said “no more.” We talk about inner child work, the power of music and creativity in healing, and what it really means to live from a place of self-love rather than constant striving. This is a vulnerable and hopeful conversation about what happens when you stop running, start feeling, and finally give yourself permission to be enough.

Try Bettervits for yourself, head on over to bettervits.co.uk and get 15% off your 1st order with my code PANDORA15.

Find Sam:

Instagram: @bransonsam

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Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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For decades, we’ve been told that depression is caused by a “chemical imbalance” in the brain - something wrong with our serotonin that only a pill can fix. But what if that story was never actually backed by science?

In this Healing 101 episode - part one of a two-part conversation - I’m joined by psychiatrist and researcher Joanna Moncrieff, whose groundbreaking work has challenged one of the biggest myths in modern mental health. Together, we explore where the chemical imbalance theory came from, why it was so heavily promoted, and what antidepressants are really doing to our brains.

We also look at why so many of us still buy into this idea, the role of the placebo effect, and what it means for anyone currently taking or considering antidepressants.

This is an empowering, myth-busting conversation that will help you make more informed choices about your mental health.

Try Bettervits for yourself, head on over to bettervits.co.uk and get 15% off your 1st order with my code PANDORA15.

Find Joanna:

Website: https://joannamoncrieff.com/

Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:

Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod

TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod

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Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing

Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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So many of us make promises to ourselves out of shame - “From Monday, I’ll be better. I’ll drink more water, I’ll stop doing that thing, I’ll finally get it right.” And yet, by Tuesday, we’ve broken our own rules and slipped back into self-sabotage.

In this episode, I’m joined by psychotherapist and bestselling author Anna Mathur, whose new book The Good Decision Diary is an invitation to step away from that exhausting cycle of all-or-nothing thinking and instead learn how to make gentler, more sustainable choices.

Anna shares her own journey of moving from self-criticism to self-compassion, why guilt and shame show up so powerfully in our lives, and how small, nurturing decisions - even the tiniest ones - can lead to real, lasting change.

This is a conversation about loosening the grip of perfectionism, finding freedom in the “grey areas,” and discovering that we don’t need an inner bully to succeed.

The Good Decision Diary by Anna Mathur is available now (Penguin Life, £16.99)

Try Bettervits for yourself, head on over to bettervits.co.uk and get 15% off your 1st order with my code PANDORA15.

Find Anna:

Instagram: @annamathur

Website: https://www.annamathur.com/

Buy her book: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/462726/the-good-decision-diary-by-mathur-anna/9780241707227

Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:

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Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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in today’s Healing 101 episode we’re focusing on a condition that is so often misunderstood and misrepresented - bipolar disorder.

To help us unpack it, I’m joined by Rosie Viva - model, mental health advocate, and someone who has lived experience of bipolar 1. Rosie speaks with such honesty about what it really feels like to live with bipolar day-to-day, from the highs of mania to the lows of depression, and everything in between.

This episode is all about breaking down stigma, recognising the early signs, and exploring the tools 0 from medication to lifestyle shifts - that can genuinely help people find balance. Whether you’ve experienced bipolar yourself, know someone who has, or just want to better understand mental health, this is an empowering conversation that shines a light on both the challenges and the possibilities of living with bipolar.

Try Bettervits for yourself, head on over to bettervits.co.uk and get 15% off your 1st order with my code PANDORA15.

Find Rosie:

Instagram: @rosieviva

Read her book: https://amzn.eu/d/7xvlGGA

Find out more and get support for Bipolar at https://www.bipolaruk.org/

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Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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Today we’re exploring a subject that’s so often misunderstood, oversimplified, or brushed aside - ADHD in adulthood, and particularly what it means for women.

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering why you feel constantly overwhelmed, why you can be so capable in some areas but struggle so deeply in others, or why that inner critic of yours feels louder than anyone else’s voice — this conversation might just be a lightbulb moment.

I’m joined by Professor James Brown, co-author of ADHD Unpacked, co-founder of the charity ADHD Adult UK, and the self-proclaimed least popular host of The ADHD Adults Podcast. James brings a mix of hard evidence, lived experience, and refreshing honesty to the topic of ADHD. He was himself only diagnosed as an adult, and his story of loathing, self-doubt, and eventual self-acceptance is one I think many of us - whether or not we have ADHD - will see parts of ourselves in.

In this episode, James and I unpack the myths, the stigma, and the very real struggles of ADHD - especially how it shows up differently in women, and why so many of us have gone undiagnosed for far too long. This isn’t just about labels or medication - it’s about understanding ourselves with compassion, lifting the shame we carry, and finding ways to live with more ease and self-acceptance.

Try Bettervits for yourself, head on over to bettervits.co.uk and get 15% off your 1st order with my code PANDORA15.

Find Professor James Brown:

Book: https://amzn.eu/d/6GqLojX

Instagram: @adhdadult_james

Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:

Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod

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Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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If you’ve ever felt like talk therapy just wasn’t getting to the root — this episode might open something up for you.

Today I’m joined by Mariko Bangerter, regression therapist and founder of Mindsetting, to talk about a form of therapy that honestly blew my mind. Regression therapy goes deeper than the conscious mind — guiding you into a relaxed, altered state to access the subconscious, where so many of our unhealed wounds and limiting beliefs live.

We talk about how past trauma gets stored not just in the mind, but in the body… and how revisiting old memories — even ones we didn’t know were there — can release years of stuck emotion in just a single session. I even share a bit about my own experience working with Mariko, which felt almost psychedelic in how vividly I reconnected with forgotten parts of myself.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, or like something in you is trying to heal but can’t quite reach the surface — this might be the missing piece.

Try Bettervits for yourself, head on over to bettervits.co.uk and get 15% off your 1st order with my code PANDORA15.

Find Mariko:

Instagram: @mindsetting.by.mariko

Website: https://www.mindsetting.co.uk/

Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:

Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod

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Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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