Hurt to Healing

In today’s Healing 101 episode, I’m joined by Julia Bradbury for a deeply grounding conversation about what mental wellbeing really means - beyond diagnoses, labels, or the absence of anxiety and depression.We talk about balance, self-awareness, and why understanding your triggers, values and support network is just as important as managing symptoms. Julia shares powerful reflections on connection, nature, preventative health, and the mind–body link, alongside gentle, realistic ways to care for your mental and emotional health before you reach breaking point. This episode is calm, compassionate, and a reminder that wellbeing isn’t about perfection - it’s about learning how to look after yourself, consistently and kindly.Find Julia:Instagram: @juliabradburyWebsite: https://juliabradbury.com/Hack Yourself Healthy Book: https://amzn.eu/d/3yZMlBo

For this special Valentine’s Day episode of Hurt to Healing, I’m joined by psychologist and relationship researcher Harry Reis, co-author of How to Feel Loved, to talk about something we don’t often stop to ask: what does it actually mean to feel loved, not just by other people, but inside ourselves. Why is it that even when we’re cared for, chosen, or wanted, so many of us still struggle to believe we’re truly lovable?We get into how early experiences shape the way we show up in relationships, why being admired isn’t the same as feeling loved, and how things like vulnerability, curiosity, and everyday conversations really build connection over time. It’s an honest chat about love without the clichés - perfect for Valentine’s Day, whether you’re partnered, dating, or very much figuring it out.Buy How to Feel Loved: https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/311060/harry-reis

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

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

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

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

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: @drtommywoodListen to his podcast: https://www.drtommywood.com/podcast

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