Advertise on podcast: Hurt to Healing

Welcome back to Healing 101. Today I’m joined by Alexis Johnson, Nature & Wellbeing Officer at the RSPB, and we’re talking about something I found genuinely eye-opening: nature prescriptions - a simple, supportive way for healthcare professionals (and other trusted adults) to encourage people to use nature as part of their wellbeing toolkit, without it feeling like yet another thing to “get perfect.” We unpack what nature prescriptions actually look like in practice, how they’re different from being referred into a group or service, and why nature doesn’t have to mean a countryside walk - it can be as small as noticing light moving across your wall, listening to rain at night, or spotting weeds pushing through the pavement. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, time-poor, or not remotely a “nature person,” this episode is full of low-lift ways to reconnect, reset, and feel a little more grounded. Find out more about Nature Prescriptions: https://www.rspb.org.uk/helping-nature/what-we-do/nature-prescriptions Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing: Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing Website: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I’m speaking to broadcaster Ore Oduba about something many people struggle with silently: porn addiction. Ore opens up about his thirty-year journey with a honesty that is rare and incredibly powerful - how it began in childhood, how shame and secrecy kept it alive, and how it shaped his sense of self, relationships and mental health. We also talk about recovery: what it took to finally ask for help, the daily work of staying sober, and how life has opened up for him since. We touch on children’s exposure to explicit content online, why this addiction is so misunderstood, and what real change could look like. A quick note before we start - this episode includes discussion of pornography and suicidal thoughts, so please listen in whatever way feels right for you. Find Ore: Instagram: @oreodubaofficial Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing: Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing Website: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on Healing 101 I’m joined by writer and teacher Margo Steines for a conversation about something many people quietly struggle with: when movement stops being healthy and starts becoming consuming. Margo shares how what began as empowerment gradually tipped into something far more controlling, and we explore the emotional undercurrents that can sit beneath compulsive exercise - from perfectionism to trauma to the longing to feel “enough.” We also talk about how hard it can be to recognise the problem when the world applauds discipline and intensity, and what it looks like to rebuild a gentler relationship with your body after pushing it beyond its limits. A quick note before we begin: we do touch on eating disorders and injury, so please listen however feels safest for you. Thank you to Bare Biology for sponsoring this episode. Bare Biology is an independent, women-powered business creating high-quality supplements designed to support well-lived lives. They’re offering listeners 20% off with the code PANDORA20. Visit barebiology.com and use the code PANDORA20 at checkout. You won't regret it! Find Margo: Website: https://www.margosteines.com/ Instagram: @redstateblues Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing: Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing Website: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hi guys, welcome back to the Hurt to Healing podcast. In today’s episode I’m joined by Claudia Hammond - author and broadcaster - for a really grounding conversation about overwhelm: what it is, how it’s different from everyday stress, and why so many of us feel like we’re constantly carrying too much. We talk about perfectionism, decision fatigue, comparison, and the pressure to be “good at everything,” plus the small mindset shifts that can help you feel more steady when life starts tipping into too much. This one genuinely made me pause and reflect - I think you’ll get a lot from it. Thank you to Bare Biology for sponsoring this episode. Bare Biology is an independent, women-powered business creating high-quality supplements designed to support well-lived lives. They’re offering listeners 20% off with the code PANDORA20. Visit barebiology.com and use the code PANDORA20 at checkout. You won't regret it! Find Claudia: Website: https://claudiahammond.com/ Buy her new book 'Overwhelmed': https://amzn.eu/d/b9YY7DX Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing: Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing Website: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Ro Mitchell for a really honest and grounding conversation about the link between ADHD, anxiety and disordered eating and the role control often plays when your mind feels chaotic or overwhelming. We talk about learning to soften the inner critic, rebuilding trust with your body, and why recovery isn’t about giving up control entirely, but about finding safer, more compassionate ways to feel secure. Ro also shares practical tools around body checking, setbacks, and how to respond kindly to yourself when things wobble. This one is gentle, validating, and full of small but powerful takeaways. Thank you to Bare Biology for sponsoring this episode. Bare Biology is an independent, women-powered business creating high-quality supplements designed to support well-lived lives. They’re offering listeners 20% off with the code PANDORA20. Visit barebiology.com and use the code PANDORA20 at checkout. You won't regret it! Find Ro: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@romitchell?lang=en YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RoMitchell Instagram: @romitchell Read her book, How to Talk to Yourself: https://amzn.eu/d/7jvtSKP Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing: Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing Website: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hi guys, welcome back to Hurt to Healing. Today I’m joined by Dr Tommy Wood - neuroscientist, researcher and performance consultant based in Washington DC - and this conversation genuinely blew my mind. We talk about the real pillars of wellbeing - food, movement, sleep and connection - and why “more, more, more” isn’t always better. Tommy explains allostatic load (the total stress your body is carrying), why sleep tracking can sometimes increase anxiety, and how small, realistic habits - like habit stacking and planning for obstacles - can make the biggest difference. Thank you to Bare Biology for sponsoring this episode. Bare Biology is an independent, women-powered business creating high-quality supplements designed to support well-lived lives. They’re offering listeners 20% off with the code PANDORA20. Visit barebiology.com and use the code PANDORA20 at checkout. You won't regret it! Find Tommy: Website: https://www.drtommywood.com/ Instagram: @drtommywood Listen to his podcast: https://www.drtommywood.com/podcast Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing: Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing Website: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this Healing 101 episode, I wanted to focus on something that quietly underpins so much of our mental health, so I sat down with Annalie Howling to talk about guilt, shame, and why understanding the difference really matters. We break it down in a simple, relatable way - how guilt is about what we do, while shame becomes a painful belief about who we are - and why shame can be so corrosive to our self-worth, relationships, and recovery. Annalie explains how shame often sits underneath anxiety, addiction, perfectionism, and people-pleasing, and shares compassionate, practical ways to start loosening its grip and move towards self-compassion instead. Thank you to Bare Biology for sponsoring this episode. Bare Biology is an independent, women-powered business creating high-quality supplements designed to support well-lived lives. They’re offering listeners 20% off with the code PANDORA20. Visit barebiology.com and use the code PANDORA20 at checkout. You won't regret it! Find Annalie: Website: https://annaliehowling.com/ Book: https://annaliehowling.com/unapologetic/ Instagram: @annaliehowling Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing: Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing Website: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s episode of Hurt to Healing, I’m joined by Dr Alex George for a very honest and very relatable conversation about his brand new book Am I Normal? and what it’s like to grow up feeling different without knowing why. We talk about his ADHD diagnosis at 31, living with OCD, grief, emotional dysregulation and the painful “what if?” loops that can quietly run your life - and what finally starts to help once you understand your brain. What made this conversation so special is how much we recognised ourselves in each other’s experiences, from rejection sensitivity and rumination to needing structure just to feel safe. It’s a grounding, compassionate episode about reducing shame, learning to work with your brain rather than against it, and realising you’re not broken - you’re just human. Find Alex: Website: https://www.dralexgeorge.co.uk/ Instagram: @dralexgeorge Buy His New Book "Am I Normal?": https://amzn.eu/d/aoEqbLD Listen to Stompcast: https://www.dralexgeorge.co.uk/podcast Thank you to Bare Biology for sponsoring this episode. Bare Biology is an independent, women-powered business creating high-quality supplements designed to support well-lived lives. They’re offering listeners 20% off with the code PANDORA20. Visit barebiology.com and use the code PANDORA20 at checkout. You won't regret it! Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing: Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing Website: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I thought this would be the perfect Healing 101 episode for January, so I’m joined by Suzy Reading, psychologist and author of Self-Care for Winter. We talk about why winter can feel so heavy on our mood, energy and motivation, how cold and lack of light affect both mind and body, and why easing our expectations of ourselves really matters at this time of year. Suzy shares practical, down-to-earth ways to support yourself through the darker months - from gentle movement and rest, to staying connected without overwhelm, and finding comfort in simple, accessible rituals that actually help. Thank you to Bare Biology for sponsoring this episode. Bare Biology is an independent, women-powered business creating high-quality supplements designed to support well-lived lives. They’re offering listeners 20% off with the code PANDORA20. Visit barebiology.com and use the code PANDORA20 at checkout. You won't regret it! Find Suzy: Website: https://www.suzyreading.co.uk/ Instagram: @suzyreading Read Self-Care for Winter: https://amzn.eu/d/3BT9KDD Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing: Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing Website: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this first episode of the year, I’m joined by the brilliant Julia Bradbury for a really grounding, eye-opening chat about what “being healthy” actually means when you look beyond the surface. Julia talks me through how her breast cancer diagnosis in 2021 completely changed the way she thinks about her body and her life - not in a “perfect routine” kind of way, but in a very real, human I want to stay well and reduce my risk way. We get into the stuff so many of us ignore until something forces us to pay attention: sleep, stress and cortisol, sugar addiction, blood sugar and inflammation, why being slim doesn’t automatically mean you’re healthy, and how confusing the wellness world can feel when you’re constantly bombarded with advice. Julia also shares the practical things she actually does day to day - getting outside no matter what, morning light, breathwork, moving after meals, batch cooking, and keeping habits simple so you don’t spiral into obsession. We finish on something I really loved: Julia’s honesty about emotional health, and why therapy is now one of her non-negotiables - because physical health isn’t the full picture if you’re holding onto stress or old wounds. Thank you to Bare Biology for sponsoring this episode. Bare Biology is an independent, women-powered business creating high-quality supplements designed to support well-lived lives. They’re offering listeners 20% off with the code PANDORA20. Visit barebiology.com and use the code PANDORA20 at checkout. You won't regret it! Find Julia: Instagram: @juliabradbury Website: https://juliabradbury.com/ Hack Yourself Healthy Book: https://amzn.eu/d/3yZMlBo Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing: Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing Website: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s Healing 101, I’m chatting with Pearl Lowe, who was recently diagnosed with ADHD - something that finally helped so many pieces of her life fall into place. Pearl talks openly about the signs she’d been living with for years: the chronic scattiness, impulsive decisions, the “hundred tabs open” feeling, and the unfiltered honesty that sometimes got her into trouble long before she understood why. We dig into how ADHD can look completely different in women, how it played into her past addiction and impulsivity, and the huge shift that came with finally getting a diagnosis. Pearl shares the practical things she does daily to support her brain - from sleep and food to boundaries and gut instinct - and why she believes so many women deserve to be assessed sooner. Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing: Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing Website: hurttohealing.co.uk Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing: Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing Website: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s episode, I’m joined by psychotherapist and author Kathleen Saxton, whose new book My Parent the Peacock dives deep into one of the most confusing dynamics out there: narcissistic parents. We talk about what a narcissist actually is – beyond the buzzword – and the difference between someone with a few narcissistic traits and someone with a full clinical disorder. We explore how growing up with a narcissistic parent can shape your anxiety, confidence, relationships and sense of identity, and why so many people only realise the impact years or even decades later. Kathleen breaks down gaslighting, trauma bonds, why setting boundaries feels so hard, and how you can start reconnecting with your “true self” after years of confusion or self-doubt. If you’ve ever felt like you were walking on eggshells around a parent, or never quite knew where you stood, this episode is for you. Find Kathleen: Instagram: @clinicwithk Buy Kathleen's Book: https://amzn.eu/d/8ydnlw8 Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing: Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing Website: hurttohealing.co.uk Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing: Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing Website: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s Healing 101, I’m sitting down with psychiatrist and author Alastair Santhouse, and we’re diving into a surprisingly tricky question: what do we actually mean when we talk about “normal” mental health? It’s one of those phrases we all use, but when you look a little closer, it gets messy fast. Alastair and I chat about why “normal” can feel so loaded, how it shapes the way we think about ourselves, and why it matters when deciding whether someone genuinely needs help or is simply having a very human reaction to life. We also touch on diagnoses, the rise in labels, and how to make sense of your mental health without falling into the trap of self-pathologising. It’s a short, honest conversation that hopefully leaves you feeling a bit clearer - and a bit kinder toward yourself. Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing: Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing Website: hurttohealing.co.uk Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing: Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing Website: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Professor Marc Brackett, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and author of the newly published Dealing With Feeling, to untangle one of the big questions: what actually are emotions - and how are they different from feelings, moods, or just “being in a state”? We talk about why there’s no such thing as a “bad” emotion, how emotions act as data rather than problems to get rid of, and wh y so many of us - especially in places like the UK - were raised to “keep calm and carry on” instead of learning how to work with what we feel. Marc walks us through his simple RULER framework, why labelling your emotions properly can completely change how you cope, and the practical tools we can all use to regulate our moods without repressing or overindulging them. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re “too emotional,” “not emotional enough,” or just confused about what’s going on inside, this conversation will give you language, clarity and a far kinder way of understanding yourself. Find Professor Marc Brackett: Website: https://marcbrackett.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marc.brackett/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@marcbrackett Buy his book, Dealing with Feeling: https://marcbrackett.com/dealing-with-feeling/ Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing: Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing Website: hurttohealing.co.uk Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing: Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing Website: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Dr Chloe Saunders, a clinician and researcher specialising in functional somatic symptoms and the mind–body connection. We explore what it means when your body begins to talk and medicine doesn’t always find the answer - fatigue, pain, gut issues and other flare-ups that don’t quite show up on scans. Dr Saunders helps us understand why these symptoms are real, even when traditional tests are normal, how our stress response lives in the body long before our mind catches up, and why paying too much attention - or too little - to bodily signals can both perpetuate the problem. This is a conversation about finding that middle ground: rebuilding trust in your body, calming its alarm system, and discovering practical ways to bring physiological rest back into your life. If you’ve ever been told “everything looks fine” yet something still doesn’t feel right, this episode might help you hear what your body is trying to say and how to listen. Find Chloe: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloe-saunders-410a9b203/ Bodysymptoms: https://bodysymptoms.org/ Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing: Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing Website: hurttohealing.co.uk Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing: Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing Website: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.