In this week’s episode, I sit down with psychotherapist Joshua Fletcher (known to many as "Anxiety Josh") to dismantle the modern "optimisation era." Josh explains why our obsession with instant fixes - from 5:00 AM ice baths to AI therapy bots - is actually fuelling our anxiety by eroding our ability to tolerate discomfort. He challenges us to stop "running away" from our feelings and instead build the emotional scaffolding needed to find peace in the stillness. Drawing from his book Same Time ...
May 12, 2026•47 min
In this Healing 101 episode, historian David Courtwright explains how modern companies have "hacked" our brains to turn everyday pleasures into hard-to-break habits. He introduces the idea of Limbic Capitalism, a global system where things like social media, fast food, and addictive drugs are specifically designed to hijack the brain’s reward centre. David explores why digital technology is the new frontier of addiction - making "hits" of dopamine cheaper and more accessible than ever - and offe...
May 07, 2026•16 min
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Paul Conti, a world-renowned psychiatrist and graduate of Stanford and Harvard, who is widely recognized as one of the most insightful voices in modern mental health. Dr. Conti joins us to challenge the way we pathologise our minds, moving the focus away from "what’s broken" and toward the "human birthright" of what is actually going right. He shares how we can shift from feeling disempowered by labels to feeling truly empowered through what he calls compassio...
May 05, 2026•42 min
In this Healing 101 episode, Dr. Sharon Bergquist explains how "micro-doses" of intentional stress can actually disease-proof your body. We dive into the science of hormesis - the biological "sweet spot" where deliberate discomfort activates ancient vitality genes to repair DNA and boost resilience. By balancing these stressors with strategic recovery, Dr. Bergquist reveals how we can "shape-shift" our biology to become more agile, mentally sharper, and physically robust. Stay Connected with Hur...
Apr 30, 2026•21 min
On today’s episode of Hurt to Healing, I’m joined by Gemma Styles. I recently read her book Why Am I Like This? and it resonated with me so much, so it felt really special to sit down and have this conversation with her. We talk about her experience of anxiety and depression, what it felt like navigating university and early adulthood, and the impact of being diagnosed with ADHD later in life. We also explore friendship, introversion, rejection sensitivity, social media and that constant inner v...
Apr 28, 2026•44 min
In this Healing 101 episode, I am joined by Oona Metz to explore the agonizing "slow fade" of a marriage and why it so rarely ends in a single moment. We discuss the physical toll of chronic disconnection - from autoimmune issues to nervous system burnout - and the "denial" that keeps many trapped in the hope of a better tomorrow. Oona offers vital insights on the difference between a marriage that needs repair and one that is defined by abuse, reminding us that you should never have to "light y...
Apr 23, 2026•14 min
On today’s episode, I’m joined by the brilliant Bryony Gordon, and it was such a joy to record this one together in person. We talk about her new novel People Pleaser, and the pressure so many women face to keep everyone happy, hold everything together and never let a single plate drop, even when we’re completely exhausted. Bryony shares so openly about people pleasing, perfectionism, addiction, OCD and motherhood, and what it really takes to start setting boundaries and live more truthfully. It...
Apr 21, 2026•44 min
In this episode of Healing 101, I’m joined by neuroscientist Marc Berman to explore how our environment shapes the way we think, feel and function. As the days get longer and we naturally start spending more time outside, this conversation feels especially timely. We unpack attention restoration theory and the difference between the kind of focus that gets depleted through modern life and the kind that is gently restored through “soft fascination” found in nature. Marc shares simple, practical w...
Apr 16, 2026•16 min
In this episode, I’m joined by neuroscientist, speaker and bestselling author TJ Power, whose work has helped so many people understand what modern life is doing to our brains. TJ is the author of DOSE, a book all about the four key brain chemicals that shape how we feel — dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins — and how our screens, habits and lifestyles can throw them completely out of balance. If you’ve ever felt wired but flat, hooked on your phone, constantly waiting for the next thin...
Apr 14, 2026•54 min
In today’s Healing 101, I’m joined by Dr Lalitaa Suglani, author of High Functioning Anxiety, to unpack a term so many of you have messaged me about. We talk about what high functioning anxiety actually is, the “swan” analogy of looking calm on the surface while paddling frantically underneath, and how it can hide behind productivity, perfectionism and people pleasing. Lalitaa explains the difference between high functioning anxiety and high functioning depression, why shame keeps these patterns...
Apr 09, 2026•19 min
Today’s episode is a really personal one with Melanie Lawson, founder of Bare Biology and a previous sponsor of the podcast. We talk honestly about living with OCD, how it can shape shift over time, and what intrusive thoughts and compulsions actually feel like in the body, especially when you’re tired, stressed, hormonal, or going through change. We also get into the overlap with ADHD and rejection sensitivity, how OCD shows up in motherhood and relationships, and the small, practical things th...
Apr 07, 2026•32 min
In this episode of Healing 101, I’m joined by Pupinder Ghatora, pharmacist and founder of Ingenious, to explore the powerful connection between physical recovery and long-term wellbeing. Pupinder shares the story of his own health crisis and spinal surgery, and how it led him to rethink how we support the body through healing, from the inside out. We talk about collagen, supplements, and the science behind repair, but also zoom out to the bigger picture: what it means to build a strong foundatio...
Apr 02, 2026•27 min
Today’s episode is one I’ve been so excited to share because we’re talking about addiction in a way that feels much more human and much less “labels and lectures”. I’m joined by David Courtwright, historian and author of The Age of Addiction, and we explore how addiction so often begins in pleasure, then quietly tips into something compulsive, shame-filled and costly not just for the person, but for everyone around them. What I really loved about this conversation is how it widens the lens. We t...
Mar 31, 2026•46 min
On today’s HEALING 101, I’m joined by Nadia and Katia Narain, for a gentle but powerful conversation about the beautiful concept at the heart of their new book: glimmers. We explore what glimmers really are - those small, often overlooked moments that signal safety and ease to the nervous system - and why they’re so different from gratitude. Together, we talk about how learning to notice these tiny experiences of calm, connection, and okay-ness can help regulate stress, soften anxiety, and slowl...
Mar 26, 2026•12 min
On this week’s episode of Hurt to Healing, I’m talking to nutritionist and hormone specialist Hannah Alderson about something so many of us hear about all the time, but don’t always fully understand - our hormones. From anxiety and low mood to brain fog, burnout, PMT, perimenopause and feeling completely unlike yourself, Hannah explains how hormones can shape so much of how we think, feel and function. We also get into her own journey with PCOS and endometriosis, the role of stress and blood sug...
Mar 24, 2026•52 min
In this episode of Healing 101 , Julia is joined by broadcaster and presenter Ore Oduba for a deeply honest conversation about addiction, shame and the coping mechanisms we develop to manage difficult emotions. Ore speaks openly about his relationship with pornography, the moment it stopped feeling like a harmless habit and began to feel like something more troubling, and the internal struggle that followed. Together they explore the emotional landscape beneath addictive behaviours — including a...
Mar 19, 2026•18 min
In today’s episode, I’m joined by preventive medicine physician and author Dr Sharon Bergquist, whose book The Stress Paradox challenges the idea that all stress is harmful and offers a far more hopeful, evidence-led way of thinking about what’s happening in our minds and bodies. Together, we explore the difference between chronic, depleting stress and the kinds of “good stress” that can build resilience at a cellular level. Sharon explains why recovery matters as much as challenge, how to recog...
Mar 17, 2026•56 min
On today’s Healing 101 episode, I’m joined by doctor, mental health advocate, and bestselling author Dr Alex George for a conversation about what it really means to be “normal.” Together, we explore why normality is often a misleading lens for understanding ourselves, the difference between impulsivity and compulsivity, and the many hidden ways OCD can show up beyond the stereotypes. Alex shares personal reflections from his own experience, alongside compassionate insights on intrusive thoughts,...
Mar 12, 2026•16 min
Today I’m joined by Dr Marc Berman, a leading researcher on how nature impacts the brain, attention, and mental health. Marc explains the difference between directed (voluntary) attention and involuntary attention, why so many of us feel depleted by modern life, and why time in nature can genuinely restore focus - even if you don’t “feel like it.” We talk depression, anxiety and ADHD-like symptoms, the surprising links between green space and behaviour (including stress and aggression), plus pra...
Mar 10, 2026•52 min
On today's Healing 101, I’m joined by broadcaster, author, and psychology expert Claudia Hammond, whose latest book, Overwhelmed, explores why so many of us feel like life has simply become too much. In this episode, we unpack what overwhelm actually is, when stress shifts from helpful to harmful, and the subtle signs that your mind and body may be under strain. Claudia shares practical, research-backed tools for managing information overload, protecting your attention, and building small daily ...
Mar 05, 2026•15 min
Today on Hurt to Healing, I’m joined by therapist and divorce expert Oona Metz, author of Unhitched: The Official Divorce Guide for Women. We talk about why divorce can still feel so loaded with shame, why women so often carry the guilt (especially with children), and the difference between ending a marriage legally and leaving it emotionally - which often happens long before the paperwork. Oona shares practical, steady guidance for the messy middle: how to talk to your children, handle friends ...
Mar 03, 2026•41 min
In this episode, I’m joined by Will Dobud, therapist, researcher, and author of Kids These Days, to explore why so many young people are struggling - and why more intervention doesn’t always mean better outcomes. We talk about his outdoor, solution-focused approach, the unintended harm of over-diagnosis and over-medicalisation, and why engagement, connection and doing more of what already works often matter more than labels or techniques. This conversation is grounding, challenging, and surprisi...
Feb 26, 2026•34 min
Today we’re talking about something that so many people silently live with: high-functioning anxiety - that feeling of looking like you’ve got it all together on the outside, while inside you’re paddling furiously just to keep afloat. I’m joined by Dr Lalitaa Suglani, psychologist and author, and we unpack why “high functioning” isn’t the same as “fine” - and how perfectionism, people-pleasing and constant doing can be a way of keeping ourselves safe, even when it’s slowly burning us out. In thi...
Feb 24, 2026•48 min
In today’s HEALING 101 episode, I’m joined by Jamie White, a life coach and business mentor who works closely with entrepreneurs navigating stress, burnout, and the hidden emotional costs of success. Jamie shares his own journey from early entrepreneurial success into severe burnout, and how chasing achievement to fill an internal void eventually caught up with him. We talk about why business and personal wellbeing are inseparable, the loneliness so many founders experience, and how slowing down...
Feb 19, 2026•29 min
In today’s episode, I’m joined by Jan Gerber, founder of Paracelsus Recovery in Zurich, for a deeply honest conversation about burnout, depression, and what those experiences can really feel like when they hit, often suddenly and without warning. Jan shares his own recent journey through depression, how it showed up for him, and what helped him begin to recover. We also explore Paracelsus Recovery’s highly personalised approach to mental health, why there’s rarely a single “fix,” and how healing...
Feb 17, 2026•42 min
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...
Feb 12, 2026•20 min
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,...
Feb 10, 2026•41 min
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 fr...
Feb 05, 2026•26 min
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 chi...
Feb 03, 2026•46 min
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 t...
Jan 29, 2026•29 min
