Therapy Works

Elizabeth Gilbert became a worldwide phenomenon with Eat, Pray, Love, a memoir about finding herself after heartbreak, but in this interview she tells Julia Samuel her story didn't end on the final page.

Despite years of talking therapy, extraordinary success and profound self-awareness, she continued to find herself caught in destructive relationships, searching for someone who could finally make her feel safe.

In her new memoir, All the Way to the River, Elizabeth Gilbert writes about her relationship with Rayya Elias, the great love of her life, whose addiction and eventual death brought them both to devastating places. She speaks openly about identifying as a sex and love addict, the difference between understanding our behaviour and actually changing it, and how her desperate need for love and connection led her to abandon herself.

Together, Elizabeth Gilbert and Julia explore the childhood experiences that shape our relationships, why we can become addicted to emotional intensity, and the difference between feeling good and genuinely being well. Elizabeth also shares the painful reality of grieving Rayya, the shame surrounding love addiction and how recovery has taught her to set boundaries, stop people-pleasing and begin caring for the younger parts of herself.

This is a powerful conversation about love, obsession, grief and recovery, and what it really takes to stop looking to other people for the safety and belonging we need to find within ourselves.

–

Join Julia, Emily and Sophie for a special live Therapy Works event in London on 7th December, exploring how to navigate the challenges of Christmas. Book your tickets here.

Looking for therapy? Julia runs the Samuel Therapy Practice alongside her daughters, Emily and Sophie. If you're looking for support or help finding the right therapist, visitwww.samueltherapypractice.com.

Support resources:

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

03:21 Elizabeth Gilbert on sex and love addiction

07:13 Why understanding your behaviour isn't enough to change it

11:20 How do you recognise addiction?

16:14 Childhood wounds and the fear of abandonment

20:26 Elizabeth's relationship with Raya and the dangers of addiction

25:06 When love becomes destructive

29:45 Why sex and love addiction remains a taboo

33:05 Recovery, honesty and learning to see yourself

34:47 The difference between feeling good and being well

42:01 Grieving Raya and questioning how we grieve

48:00 Learning to put yourself first in recovery

55:30 Spirituality, surrender and finding peace

1:02:38 Mother/Daughter Reflection: Love, addiction and emotional sobriety

1:08:36 Why self-awareness alone isn't enough

1:13:33 Why healthy relationships can feel boring

If you found this conversation helpful:

You may also enjoy Julia's conversation with Rosanna Brown, exploring profound grief, the impact of bereavement on family life and finding a way forward after tragedy.

Listen to the episode here.

Never miss an episode: follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Watch Therapy Works onJulia's YouTube channel and subscribe toTherapy Works on Substack for weekly insights into emotional wellbeing.

Subscribehere to The Times and The Sunday Times to enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism.

Guest: Elizabeth Gilbert

Producer: Georgie Rutherford

Executive Producer: Emily Leahy

Video Producer: Darren Michael

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With frightening headlines, global uncertainty and growing conversations about disaster prepping, more of us are wondering whether we should be stocking up on emergency supplies, putting together survival kits or preparing for the worst. But when does sensible preparation become a source of anxiety? And how do we make sure that prepping for a potential disaster doesn't leave us living in constant fear?

In this special bonus episode of Therapy Works, Julia Samuel is joined by Professor Lucy Easthope, one of the UK's leading experts in disaster preparedness and recovery, who has spent more than 20 years advising governments and supporting communities through crises. Drawing on her experience responding to disasters, and her books When the Dust Settles and Come What May, Lucy explores the psychology of prepping, why uncertainty can feel so overwhelming and how we can prepare for emergencies without allowing fear to take over.

Together, Julia and Lucy discuss everything from prepping emergency survival kits and priming for power cuts to the psychological impact of living through the pandemic and why we often avoid thinking about worst-case scenarios. They explore the difference between practical preparedness and doomsday thinking, how constant exposure to frightening headlines and doomscrolling can fuel anxiety, and why having a simple emergency plan can actually help us feel more in control.

They also reflect on the importance of community and looking out for one another during a crisis, the sudden death of Lucy's father and what it taught her about living in the present, and why true resilience isn't about preparing for every possible disaster, but knowing when to put the survival kit away, stop worrying about what might happen and find joy in everyday life.

Books mentioned:

When the Dust Settles by Professor Lucy Easthope

Come What May by Professor Lucy Easthope

Chapters:

00:00 – Introducing Professor Lucy Easthope

02:20 – Why preparing for disasters can increase anxiety

04:35 – Is the world really becoming more dangerous?

06:15 – Why we avoid thinking about the worst

09:57 – The psychological impact of the pandemic

13:40 – How to prepare without living in fear

16:06 – Practical ways to manage anxiety and doomscrolling

21:51 – What the death of Lucy's father taught her about life

23:28 – Why community and connection build resilience

31:09 – Lucy's top tips for feeling prepared and staying calm

Join Julia, Emily and Sophie for a special live Therapy Works event in London on 7th December, exploring how to navigate the challenges of Christmas. Book your tickets here.

Looking for therapy? Julia runs the Samuel Therapy Practice alongside her daughters, Emily and Sophie. If you're looking for support or help finding the right therapist, visitwww.samueltherapypractice.com.

Please do send in your Agony Aunties questions to: jsamuelpod@gmail.com

Never miss an episode: follow the show onApple Podcasts orSpotify.

You can also watch episodes of Therapy Works on Julia'sYouTube page.

Subscribe here to Therapy Works on Substack for weekly insights into emotional wellbeing.

Subscribe here to The Times and The Sunday Times to enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism.

Guest: Lucy Easthope

Producer: Georgie Rutherford

Executive Producer: Emily Leahy

Video Producer: Darren Michael

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can we ever stop trying to earn our parents' approval? Gyles Brandrethjoins psychotherapist Julia Samuelto discuss grief, being “too much” and happiness.

Broadcaster, author, former MP and much-loved television personality, Gyles Brandreth, joins Juliafor a revealing conversation about childhood, grief, the need for approval and what it really takes to live a happy life.

Known for his extraordinary energy, colourful jumpers and endless stories, Gyles Brandreth has spent a lifetime entertaining people. But beneath his public persona, he reveals something he has only come to understand in recent years: how much of his life has been shaped by his desire to fulfil his father's ambitions. From his time at the University of Oxford to his political career, Gyles reflects on the childhood expectations that continued to influence his decisions long into adulthood.

Gyles Brandreth also opens up about the deaths of his parents, the impact of his sister's mental illness and his realisation that his mother may have experienced depression. He discusses the painful experience of losing his parliamentary seat in 1997, the failures he rarely speaks about and how a friendship with psychiatrist Dr Anthony Clare helped him develop his Seven Secrets of Happiness.

In a particularly revealing exchange, Julia challenges Gyles to consider why he feels the need to fill every silence, whether his constant talking might be connected to a deeper need for love and approval, and what happens when he allows himself to stop performing. Gyles reflects on his desire for applause, his fear of being too much for other people and the surprising difficulty of simply being himself.

Together, Gyles Brandreth and Julia Samuel explore how childhood experiences shape our adult identities, the relationship between achievement and self-worth, and why happiness may have more to do with connection, curiosity and learning to listen than we realise.

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction to Gyles Brandreth

03:11 – The impact of political rejection, grief and finding happiness

08:11 – How childhood shapes our ambitions

10:32 – Living out his father's dreams and expectations

13:47 – Why Gyles feels the need to keep talking

17:07 – Are we lovable without achievement or approval?

23:51 – Dealing with failure, disappointment and regret

28:13 – Grieving his parents and learning to accept setbacks

31:44 – Why silence can feel uncomfortable

34:13 – Growing up around mental illness and understanding therapy

37:09 – The childhood experiences behind his optimism

39:50 – The seven secrets of happiness

43:09 – Being yourself versus being present with others

46:18 – Gyles asks Julia for another therapy session

47:35 – Mother/Daughter Reflection: Can we change our personalities?

53:22 – How parental expectations shape our adult lives

01:00:27 – The difference between optimism and forced positivity

Join Julia, Emily and Sophie for a special live Therapy Works event in London on 7th December, exploring how to navigate the challenges of Christmas. Book your tickets here.

Looking for therapy? Julia runs the Samuel Therapy Practice alongside her daughters, Emily and Sophie. If you're looking for support or help finding the right therapist, visitwww.samueltherapypractice.com.

If you found this conversation helpful:

You may also enjoy Mark Foster on hiding his sexuality and learning to be himself, a conversation about achievement, self-worth and why even extraordinary success doesn't always bring the happiness or acceptance we're searching for.

Never miss an episode: follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Watch Therapy Works onJulia's YouTube channel and subscribe toTherapy Works on Substack for weekly insights into emotional wellbeing.

Subscribehere to The Times and The Sunday Times to enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism.

Guest: Jess Mills

Producer: Georgie Rutherford

Executive Producer: Emily Leahy

Video Producer: Darren Michael

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s listener is struggling with overwhelming guilt, anger and fear after her 27-year-old daughter survived a devastating fall from a balcony. Psychotherapist Julia Samuel and her daughters Sophie and Emily explore the emotional toll of parenting an adult child with longstanding mental health difficulties, how to manage conflicting feelings during a family crisis and why loving your child doesn't mean you can control what happens to them.

After years of supporting her daughter through mental health challenges, including self-harm, eating disorders and substance misuse, the listener’s daughter is now facing the uncertainty of a long rehabilitation. Although deeply grateful that her daughter survived, she also feels exhausted and angry about what has happened, and guilty for having those feelings.

Alongside her daughters Sophie and Emily, Julia explores why gratitude and anger can coexist, how parents can separate their sense of worth from their children's struggles, and why self-compassion is essential when a family is living through trauma.

The Agony Aunties also discuss practical ways to manage anxiety about an uncertain future, the importance of seeking support, like talking therapy, outside the family and how to protect the wellbeing of siblings whose needs can become overlooked during a crisis.

Support and further reading:

If you are supporting a loved one through a mental health crisis, or if this conversation has brought up difficult feelings, the following organisations and resources may be helpful:

Please do send in your Agony Aunties questions to: jsamuelpod@gmail.com

Never miss an episode: follow the show onApple Podcasts orSpotify.

You can also watch episodes of Therapy Works on Julia’sYouTube page.

Subscribehere to Therapy Works on Substack for weekly insights into emotional well-being.

Subscribehere to The Times and The Sunday Times to enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism.

Hosts: Julia Samuel, Emily Samuel, Sophie Samuel

Producer: Georgie Rutherford

Executive Producer: Emily Leahy

Video Producer: Darren Michael

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you process grief and find your way forward after the death of the person who made you feel most at home in the world?

Musician, author, and CEO of the Tessa Jowell Foundation, Jess Mills, joins psychotherapist Julia Samuel to discuss the loss of her mother, former Labour MP and cabinet minister Dame Tessa Jowell. Together, they explore how profound grief reshapes our understanding of motherhood, family, and identity.

Just ten weeks after giving birth to her first daughter, Jess learned her mother had terminal brain cancer. Already navigating anxiety following a traumatic birth, she found herself balancing the intense joy of new motherhood with caring for her dying mother. In this episode, she reflects on the overwhelming grief that followed, the complexities of family mourning, and the difficult decision to sell their family home.

Eight years on, Jess shares how her processing of grief has evolved, why writing her book We Are Each Other helped her make sense of the tragedy, and how she is learning to embrace a new chapter in life.

Join Jess and Julia as they delve into how grief transforms us, why feeling loved is essential, and how our ongoing relationships with those who have died continue to shape our emotional growth. Jess also shares the extraordinary comfort of knowing there was nothing left unsaid between her and her mother, whose final words were simply: “love forever.”

Please note: This episode contains discussions of terminal illness, traumatic childbirth, anxiety, and bereavement.

Support resources:

Mentioned in this episode:

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction: Jess Mills on grief, motherhood and love

01:03 Writing We Are Each Other

03:15 Finding permission to move forward after grief

06:31 Becoming a mother while her own mother was dying

10:39 How grief and joy can coexist

12:42 Why love builds resilience

17:26 Why grief isn't linear

19:01 Learning to live alongside grief

21:20 How families grieve differently

43:22 Mother & Daughter Reflection: Julia, Sophie and Emily

48:04 Finding meaning and purpose after grief

51:43 When birth and death happen together

55:43 How love and trauma pass through generations

If you found this conversation helpful:

You may also enjoy Julia's conversation with Rosanna Brown, exploring profound grief, the impact of bereavement on family life and finding a way forward after tragedy.

Listen to the episode here.

Never miss an episode: follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Watch Therapy Works onJulia's YouTube channel and subscribe toTherapy Works on Substack for weekly insights into emotional wellbeing.

Subscribehere to The Times and The Sunday Times to enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism.

Guest: Jess Mills

Producer: Georgie Rutherford

Executive Producer: Emily Leahy

Video Producer: Darren Michael

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s listener is struggling with the death of her father, who sexually abused her as a child and never acknowledged what he had done. Psychotherapist Julia Samuel and her daughters Sophie and Emily explore the lasting impact of childhood sexual abuse, the complicated grief that can follow the death of an abusive parent and how to find healing from childhood trauma.

After confronting her father thirty years ago, the listener was met with denial so cut off contact. While she believed she had moved forward, his recent death has resurfaced unresolved childhood trauma, leaving her processing grief for not receiving justice or validation.

Alongside her daughters Sophie and Emily, Julia explores why the death of an estranged parent can reignite childhood trauma, the complicated shame carried by survivors of abuse, and how to find validation when an apology will never arrive.

The Agony Aunties discuss the pathway to trauma recovery, how to navigate contradictory emotions like anger and relief, and why emotional healing does not depend on forgiveness, but can start with self-compassion.

Warning: This episode contains discussion of childhood sexual abuse and trauma.

Support and further reading:

If you have experienced childhood sexual abuse, or if this conversation has brought up difficult feelings, the following organisations and resources may be helpful:

Please do send in your Agony Aunties questions to: jsamuelpod@gmail.com

Never miss an episode: follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

You can also watch episodes of Therapy Works on Julia’sYouTube page.

Subscribehere to Therapy Works on Substack for weekly insights into emotional well-being.

Subscribehere to The Times and The Sunday Times to enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism.

Hosts: Julia Samuel, Emily Samuel, Sophie Samuel

Producer: Georgie Rutherford

Executive Producer: Emily Leahy

Video Producer: Darren Michael

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How does childhood trauma fuel adult addiction?

Broadcaster, actor and former Strictly Come Dancing champion Ore Oduba joins psychotherapist Julia Samuel to discuss his 30-year struggle with pornography addiction, childhood trauma, shame and the journey towards mental health recovery.

Growing up in a strict Nigerian household, Ore learnt that achievement and obedience were closely tied to acceptance. After being exposed to pornography at just nine years old, he developed a dependency that followed him into adulthood. What began as a secret source of comfort became a cycle of addiction, shame and self-loathing that affected his mental health, relationships and sense of identity.

Ore opens up about the breakdown of relationships, reaching a point where he questioned whether he wanted to carry on living, and how therapy helped him understand the connection between childhood experiences and addictive behaviour. He also reflects on his complicated relationship with his father, whose death in 2023 brought an unexpected sense of relief, and the realisation that so many of his decisions had been driven by fear.

In a deeply moving part of the conversation, Ore discusses losing his younger sister to suicide in 2025, the grief he continues to carry and how her death gave him the courage to speak publicly about his addiction.

Together, Ore Oduba and Julia Samuel explore the psychological roots of addiction, the lasting impact of childhood trauma, and why self-compassion is essential to breaking patterns of shame and secrecy. They also discuss the risks of childhood exposure to pornography, breaking generational cycles and what it means to rebuild a life on your own terms.

Warning:this conversation contains some discussion of suicide and suicidal thoughts.

Support resources mentioned:

Sources discussed:

Naked Truth Impact Report 2021-22

Children's Commissioner paper on pornography 2023

If you found this conversation helpful:

Listen to Julia's conversation withCharles Spencer, exploring childhood trauma, shame and the lasting impact of abuse on relationships and self-worth.

You may also enjoyAgony Aunties: Why Do I Keep Sabotaging Myself?, on how childhood experiences shape our adult behaviour, why we develop destructive coping mechanisms and the importance of self-compassion in breaking old patterns.

Never miss an episode: follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Subscribe here to Therapy Works on Substack for weekly insights into emotional wellbeing.

Subscribehere to The Times and The Sunday Times to enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism.

Guest: Ore Oduba

Producer: Georgie Rutherford

Executive Producer: Emily Leahy

Video Producer: Darren Michael

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s listener is heartbroken by sibling estrangement. Psychotherapist Julia Samuel and her daughters Sophie and Emily explore the pain it causes, why family conflicts can be so difficult to repair and the challenges of parenting adult children when you can no longer influence their decisions.

The listener’s two adult sons, once incredibly close, have stopped speaking to each other following a family fallout. What began as unresolved tensions from their younger years escalated when their partners fell out, leaving the brothers locked in sibling estrangement for over a year. Although she still has a loving relationship with both sons, she is processing grief for the family they once were and wonders whether she should step in to help them reconcile or leave them to work things out themselves.

The Agony Aunties discuss the risks of taking sides, the necessity of creating healthy boundaries, the importance of allowing time for reconciliation, and how parents can support their children’s emotional healing without becoming caught in the middle.

They also reflect on the guilt parents can feel when their adult children fall out, why sibling estrangement doesn't always last forever and how families can hold on to hope even when reconciliation feels impossible.

Please do send in your Agony Aunties questions to: jsamuelpod@gmail.com

Never miss an episode: follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

You can also watch episodes of Therapy Works on Julia’s YouTube page.

Subscribehere to Therapy Works on Substack for weekly insights into emotional well-being.

Subscribehere to The Times and The Sunday Times to enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism.

Hosts: Julia Samuel, Emily Samuel, Sophie Samuel

Producer: Georgie Rutherford

Executive Producer: Emily Leahy

Video Producer: Darren Michael

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To mark Baby Loss Awareness Week, author and former teacher Rosanna Brown joins Julia Samuel to share the story of her son William and her experience of termination for medical reasons (TFMR).

Rosanna was approaching 24 weeks pregnant when she and her husband learnt that William had a condition incompatible with life. She speaks candidly about the trauma of ending a much-wanted pregnancy, the medical procedure itself and the words from a midwife that helped her begin to reframe what had happened: “You didn't choose, you consented to medical advice.”

Rosanna and Julia explore the often hidden grief surrounding TFMR and baby loss, the difference between grief and trauma, and why Rosanna struggled to feel entitled to mourn her son. They also discuss how couples can grieve differently, the role talking therapy played in her recovery and how she and her husband found ways to remember William together.

Rosanna also reflects on pregnancy after loss, becoming a mother again and why another baby can bring enormous joy without replacing the child who died.

Now an advocate for greater awareness of TFMR, Rosanna shares why she wants other parents facing termination for medical reasons to feel less alone, ashamed and silenced.

Warning:This episode contains detailed discussion of termination for medical reasons (TFMR), baby loss and pregnancy loss.

If you found this conversation helpful:

Listen to Julia's conversation with Geraint John, on losing his wife, navigating grief as a family and learning to rebuild life after loss: Listen here.

You may also enjoy Agony Aunties: How Do You Handle the "Death Admin" While You're Still Grieving?, exploring the emotional and practical challenges of bereavement, and why we need to give ourselves time and support after losing someone we love: Listen here.

Never miss an episode: follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Subscribe here to Therapy Works on Substack for weekly insights into emotional well-being.

Subscribe here to The Times and The Sunday Times to enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism.

Guest: Rosanna Brown

Producer: Georgie Rutherford

Executive Producer: Emily Leahy

Video Producer: Darren Michael

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s listener has recently been diagnosed with ADHD after a lifetime of struggling with strong emotions and impulsivity. While the diagnosis has brought her and her husband a huge sense of relief, understanding and emotional healing, her mother and sisters refuse to accept it, believing her successful career and relationship mean she couldn’t possibly have ADHD.

Julia, Sophie and Emily explore what happens when a new diagnosis challenges long-held family roles, why we can so quickly revert to childhood dynamics and how reparenting supports personal growth. They discuss setting boundaries when family members see things differently, learning to tolerate different versions of the same family story, navigating family expectations, and protecting your mental health when old childhood wounds are reopened.

Please do send in your Agony Aunties questions to: jsamuelpod@gmail.com

Never miss an episode: follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

You can also watch episodes of Therapy Works on Julia’s YouTube page.

Subscribehere to Therapy Works on Substack for weekly insights into emotional well-being.

Subscribehere to The Times and The Sunday Times to enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism.

Hosts: Julia Samuel, Emily Samuel, Sophie Samuel

Producer: Georgie Rutherford

Executive Producer: Emily Leahy

Video Producer: Darren Michael

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when a parent is absent from your childhood, and how does that shape the person you become?

Bestselling author Elif Shafak joins Julia Samuel to explore her relationship with her father, the loneliness she experienced growing up and how storytelling became a tool for personal growth and mental health recovery by helping her find connection and belonging. Raised largely by her grandmother and mother in Turkey, Elif grew up surrounded by strong women but with very little contact with her father. She opens up about the pain of discovering that he had been a present and loving parent to her half-brothers, the anger that followed and how those early experiences influenced her personal growth and instinct to write about people whose voices have been forgotten or silenced.

They also explore the emotional cost of Elif Shafak's prosecution in Turkey following the publication of her novel, The Bastard of Istanbul, her complicated relationship with her homeland and the sense of grief that can accompany living between cultures. Elif speaks candidly about her mental health and experiencing postnatal depression, losing her ability to write during that period and the challenges of navigating motherhood alongside her creative identity, experiences she later explored in her memoir Black Milk.

Elif Shafak reflects on the family patterns we inherit, why literature helps personal growth by helping us understand ourselves and others, and the importance of human connection in an increasingly anxious and divided world.

Elif Shafak’s new novel is In One Brief Moment All Eternity (published on 15 Oct).

If you enjoyed this conversation:

Listen to Julia’s conversation with Mary Berry, on family, grief and learning to live alongside loss: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/therapy-works/id1646616622?i=1000791219769

You may also enjoy Sathnam Sanghera on bridging conflicting cultures, exploring family, identity, heritage and the search for belonging: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/therapy-works/id1646616622?i=1000674940873

Never miss an episode: follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Subscribe here to Therapy Works on Substack for weekly insights into emotional well-being.

Subscribe here to The Times and The Sunday Times to enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism.

Guest: Elif Shafak

Producer: Georgie Rutherford

Executive Producer: Emily Leahy

Video Producer: Darren Michael

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s listener is struggling with the growing responsibility of caring for her elderly father. Although increasingly frail, he refuses offers of help and becomes angry when she tries to intervene, leaving her constantly worried about the next crisis. Julia, Sophie and Emily explore how to care for an ageing parent while protecting your own wellbeing, and what happens when old parent-child dynamics continue long into adulthood.

Please do send in your Agony Aunties questions to: jsamuelpod@gmail.com

Never miss an episode: follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

You can also watch episodes of Therapy Works on Julia’s YouTube page.

Subscribe here to Therapy Works on Substack for weekly insights into emotional well-being (hyperlink 'subscribe here' with the link)

Subscribe here to The Times and The Sunday Times to enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism.

Hosts:Julia Samuel, Emily Samuel, Sophie Samuel

Producer: Georgie Rutherford

Video Producer: Darren Michael

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when the person the world sees doesn’t quite match who you are behind closed doors? In this open conversation with five-time Olympian and former world champion swimmer Mark Foster, we explore the double life he lived for much of his extraordinary sporting career.

For 20 years, Mark was one of the fastest swimmers in the world, breaking world records and competing at five Olympic Games. But while his public identity was defined by success in the pool, privately he kept his sexuality hidden from teammates, coaches and much of the world around him. He opens up about why he felt unable to share that part of himself, and the fears that kept his public and private lives separate.

Mark Foster also shares his relentless pursuit of improvement at the highest level of sport, why even becoming the fastest swimmer in the world never felt like an endpoint, and what years of competition taught him about failure, resilience and separating what you achieve from who you are.

We talk about his childhood, his relationship with his parents and the importance of finding people who give us a sense of belonging. Mark also reflects on why he eventually decided to speak publicly about his sexuality at 47, the importance of visibility and what he discovered when he allowed himself to be more vulnerable in therapy.

From Olympic success to self-acceptance, this is a conversation about identity, happiness and what can happen when we feel able to show other people who we really are.

Never miss an episode: follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Subscribe here to Therapy Works on Substack for weekly insights into emotional well-being.

Subscribe here to The Times and The Sunday Times to enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism.

Guest:Mark Foster

Producer: Georgie Rutherford

Executive Producer:Emily Leahy

Video Producer: Darren Michael

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to this special Off Air X Therapy Works crossover episode, celebrating Therapy Works joining The Times podcast family.

Julia joins Jane Garvey and Fi Glover from Off Air for a wide-ranging conversation about therapy, relationships and mental health. They discuss how to find a good therapist, whether therapy should have an end date, the value of the stiff upper lip and what to do when you find yourself overthinking at 3am. Julia also answers some of Jane and Fi’s listeners’ questions along the way.

Off Air with Jane & Fi is available wherever you get your podcasts.

If you’d like to send a question to Therapy Works, please email: jsamuelpod@gmail.com

Off Air Producer: Eve Salusbury

Therapy Works Producer: Georgie Rutherford

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After some time away from her usual routine, this week’s listener found herself questioning parts of her work and relationships, only to feel those doubts fade once normal life resumed. Julia, Sophie and Emily explore how to tell the difference between a passing feeling and something that genuinely needs our attention, why busyness can sometimes stop us noticing what we really feel, and how looking for patterns can help.

Please do send in your Agony Aunties questions to: jsamuelpod@gmail.com

Never miss an episode: follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Subscribe here to Therapy Works on Substack for weekly insights into emotional well-being

Subscribe here to The Times and The Sunday Times to enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism.

You can also watch episodes of Therapy Works on my YouTube page.

Hosts:Julia Samuel, Emily Samuel, Sophie Samuel

Producer: Georgie Rutherford

Executive Producer:Emily Leahy

Video Producer: Darren Michael

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you move forward after the loss of a child? In this personal conversation with cooking legend Dame Mary Berry, we explore raw grief, building resilience and the most meaningful lessons she’s learnt in 91 years of life.

Behind the warmth so many know her for in her cooking shows and books, is a life shaped by profound loss. In this conversation Dame Mary Berry opens up about the devastating death of her son William, how her family approached processing grief, and how she found the strength to keep moving forward.

She also shares the traumatic experience of surviving polio as a teenager, how she’s developed resilience and her emotional healing capacity, and the power of talking therapy during challenging times.

Dame Mary Berry also reflects on the secrets of a 60 year marriage, why kindness matters above all else, as well as the comfort of cooking and food when life feels uncertain.

From navigating grief to finding joy, this is a profound conversation about connection, care, and family.

Never miss an episode: follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Subscribe here to Therapy Works on Substack for weekly insights into emotional well-being

Subscribe here to The Times and The Sunday Times to enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism.

You can also watch episodes of Therapy Works on my YouTube page.

Guests:Dame Mary Berry

Producer: Georgie Rutherford

Executive Producer:Emily Leahy

Video Producer: Darren Michael

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Social media has made it easier than ever to recognise ourselves in conversations about ADHD, trauma, anxiety and burnout. But what happens when every diagnosis feels familiar and you leave feeling more confused than before? This week, Julia, Emily and Sophie answer a listener's question about knowing the difference between the ordinary struggles of life and when it's time to seek help. They explore why labels can be useful but aren't always the starting point, how to notice the areas of life where you're feeling stuck, and why your own experience of distress is reason enough to ask for support. It's a compassionate conversation about self-understanding, diagnosis and learning to trust yourself before the noise around you.

Send us your Agony Aunties questions: jsamuelpod@gmail.com

Or message Julia on Instagram:@juliasamuelmbe

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠⁠

Grieving someone you love? Julia's Grief Works Support Programme offers structured, expert-led help, with 94% of people reporting feeling better after using it. As a podcast listener you can get 25% off plus a 30-day money-back guarantee here - ⁠⁠www.griefworks.com/therapy⁠⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠⁠@juliasamuelmbe⁠⁠ for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A listener shares the hidden reality of life after cancer. Three years after successful treatment for anal cancer, she is cancer-free but continues to live with chronic pain, changes to her body and the lasting physical and emotional effects of radiotherapy. While those around her assume she's "better", she feels forever changed. Julia, Emily and Sophie explore the loneliness of invisible illness, the grief of losing the body you once trusted, and how to help others understand what life is really like after treatment. They discuss living with chronic pain, finding support from people who truly understand, and why healing isn't always the same as being cured. It's a deeply compassionate conversation for anyone navigating life after serious illness or supporting someone who is.

Send us your Agony Aunties questions: jsamuelpod@gmail.com

Or message Julia on Instagram:@juliasamuelmbe

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠⁠

Grieving someone you love? Julia's Grief Works Support Programme offers structured, expert-led help, with 94% of people reporting feeling better after using it. As a podcast listener you can get 25% off plus a 30-day money-back guarantee here - ⁠⁠www.griefworks.com/therapy⁠⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠⁠@juliasamuelmbe⁠⁠ for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A listener shares a dilemma that will resonate with so many couples: after almost 20 years together and two young children, she and her husband have drifted into a relationship that works beautifully as a partnership but has lost its intimacy. Julia, Emily and Sophie explore why this happens, how the demands of parenting and everyday life can leave us feeling more like co-managers than lovers, and why rebuilding connection starts long before sex. They discuss rediscovering curiosity, nurturing your own sense of self, communicating openly without blame, and finding small ways to reconnect, offering compassionate, practical advice for anyone wondering how to move from surviving together to truly finding each other again.

Send us your Agony Aunties questions: jsamuelpod@gmail.com

Or message Julia on Instagram:@juliasamuelmbe

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠⁠

Grieving someone you love? Julia's Grief Works Support Programme offers structured, expert-led help, with 94% of people reporting feeling better after using it. As a podcast listener you can get 25% off plus a 30-day money-back guarantee here - ⁠⁠www.griefworks.com/therapy⁠⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠⁠@juliasamuelmbe⁠⁠ for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A listener asks one of the hardest questions imaginable: how do you visit a close friend who is nearing the end of their life? Julia, Emily and Sophie explore how to show up with love when there are no perfect words, why your presence matters far more than saying the "right" thing, and how to navigate the grief, fear and uncertainty of a final goodbye. They discuss letting go of the pressure to perform, meeting someone where they are, expressing what truly matters while you still can, and caring for yourself afterwards. It's a compassionate conversation about love, loss and the courage it takes to simply be there.

Send us your Agony Aunties questions: jsamuelpod@gmail.com

Or message Julia on Instagram:@juliasamuelmbe

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠⁠

Grieving someone you love? Julia's Grief Works Support Programme offers structured, expert-led help, with 94% of people reporting feeling better after using it. As a podcast listener you can get 25% off plus a 30-day money-back guarantee here - ⁠⁠www.griefworks.com/therapy⁠⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠⁠@juliasamuelmbe⁠⁠ for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode of Therapy Works, in partnership with Code8's Confidence Comes From Within campaign, Julia is joined by Royal Ballet Principal Yasmine Naghdi for a fascinating conversation about confidence, perfectionism and what it really takes to perform at the highest level. Together, they explore the difference between striving for excellence and chasing perfection, the psychology of self-belief, learning to trust your body, and how becoming a mother has transformed Yasmine's relationship with both her career and herself. They also discuss the power of rituals, the importance of identity beyond work, why rest can make us stronger, and how true confidence isn't about being flawless—it's about feeling secure enough to be fully yourself.

Visit Code8: ⁠https://codeeight.com/⁠

Follow Code8 on Instagram: ⁠@code8beauty⁠

Follow Manon: ⁠@manonlagreve⁠

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠

Grieving someone you love? Julia's Grief Works Support Programme offers structured, expert-led help, with 94% of people reporting feeling better after using it. As a podcast listener you can get 25% off plus a 30-day money-back guarantee here - ⁠www.griefworks.com/therapy⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠@juliasamuelmbe⁠ for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Family holidays are meant to be relaxing, so why do they so often leave us feeling exhausted? This week, Julia, Emily and Sophie answer a listener's question about navigating a passive-aggressive mother-in-law and the tension that can build when one person's mood begins to shape everyone else's experience. Together, they explore the power of radical acceptance, why we can't change other people's behaviour, how to protect your own peace without carrying someone else's emotions, and practical ways to set boundaries, repair relationships and enjoy your holiday - even when family dynamics are anything but simple.

Send us your Agony Aunties questions: jsamuelpod@gmail.com

Or message Julia on Instagram:@juliasamuelmbe

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠⁠

Grieving someone you love? Julia's Grief Works Support Programme offers structured, expert-led help, with 94% of people reporting feeling better after using it. As a podcast listener you can get 25% off plus a 30-day money-back guarantee here - ⁠⁠www.griefworks.com/therapy⁠⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠⁠@juliasamuelmbe⁠⁠ for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, the Agony Aunties answer a question that so many of us will recognise: why is it so hard to make the changes we desperately want to make? From skipping the exercise class you've already paid for to using food, smoking or spending as a way to cope, Julia, Sophie and Emily explore the hidden roots of self-sabotage, shame and the belief that we're incapable of change. Together, they discuss how our childhood experiences shape our sense of agency, why self-compassion is the key to breaking old patterns, and practical ways to begin building a kinder relationship with yourself—one small step at a time.

Resources mentioned:

••Find out more about Internal Family Systems (IFS): https://ifs-institute.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's Agony Aunties episode, Julia, Emily and Sophie answer a heartfelt question from a listener who feels deeply lonely despite appearing successful on the outside. Together, they explore why being truly known can feel so frightening, how fear of vulnerability keeps us disconnected, and why meaningful relationships begin with allowing ourselves to be seen. They discuss the difference between loneliness and connection, the stories we tell ourselves about being a burden, and share practical ways to build deeper, more authentic relationships. If you've ever worried you'll end up alone or struggled to let people in, this conversation is for you.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Julia is joined by cook, bestselling author and content creator Manon Lagrève for a heartfelt conversation about confidence, family and the values that truly sustain us. Together they explore imposter syndrome, social media comparison, motherhood and why genuine confidence comes not from perfection, but from staying connected to who we really are.

They also discuss the importance of everyday rituals, the joy of gathering around the table, and how caring for ourselves can strengthen our sense of self. This special bonus episode is supported by Code8, whose philosophy that confidence comes from authenticity rather than imitation provides a fitting backdrop to a conversation about self-worth, connection and living with intention.

Visit Code8: https://codeeight.com/

Follow Code8 on Instagram: @code8beauty

Follow Manon: @manonlagreve

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: https://juliasamuel.substack.com/

Grieving someone you love? Julia's Grief Works Support Programme offers structured, expert-led help, with 94% of people reporting feeling better after using it. As a podcast listener you can get 25% off plus a 30-day money-back guarantee here - www.griefworks.com/therapy

Follow Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Agony Aunties, they answer a listener's heartfelt question about what happens when a relationship begins to feel different. After two and a half years together, her boyfriend seems less affectionate, leaving her questioning whether this is simply the natural evolution of long-term love or a sign that something deeper has changed. The Agony Aunties explore why we so often create stories in our minds before having the conversation we most need to have, how old attachment patterns can shape our fears in relationships, and why vulnerability - not mind-reading - is the key to real intimacy. They also share practical tools from Esther Perel, the Gottmans and Terry Real on bids for connection, love languages, and how to have difficult conversations with warmth rather than blame. If you've ever found yourself analysing texts, worrying you've become 'too much', or wondering how to reconnect with your partner, this episode is for you.

Send us your Agony Aunties questions: jsamuelpod@gmail.com

Or message Julia on Instagram:@juliasamuelmbe

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠⁠

Grieving someone you love? Julia's Grief Works Support Programme offers structured, expert-led help, with 94% of people reporting feeling better after using it. As a podcast listener you can get 25% off plus a 30-day money-back guarantee here - ⁠⁠www.griefworks.com/therapy⁠⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠⁠@juliasamuelmbe⁠⁠ for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Agony Aunties, Julia, Emily and Sophie answer a heartfelt question from a listener who feels isolated after moving away from the city to start a family. Together they explore the unexpected loneliness of early motherhood, the lasting impact of childhood experiences on our sense of belonging, why we often protect the people we love by hiding our own struggles, and how small acts of vulnerability can help us rebuild connection. They share gentle reminders that meaningful friendships take time, asking for support is a strength, and feeling lonely doesn't mean you're alone.

Send us your Agony Aunties questions: jsamuelpod@gmail.com

Or message Julia on Instagram:@juliasamuelmbe

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠⁠

Grieving someone you love? Julia's Grief Works Support Programme offers structured, expert-led help, with 94% of people reporting feeling better after using it. As a podcast listener you can get 25% off plus a 30-day money-back guarantee here - ⁠⁠www.griefworks.com/therapy⁠⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠⁠@juliasamuelmbe⁠⁠ for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Agony Aunties tackles the emotional complexity of caring for an ageing parent when the relationship has always been difficult. Emily and Sophie respond to a listener whose 89-year-old mother’s declining health has reignited painful childhood wounds, sibling conflict, and feelings of duty, resentment, and guilt. Together, they explore how old family dynamics resurface during times of crisis, the importance of setting boundaries, slowing down reactive communication, and seeking support through therapy, community, or practical caregiving tools. Their compassionate conversation is a reminder that it's possible to care for someone while also protecting yourself and that navigating these difficult moments with kindness, both towards others and yourself, is enough.

Podcast mentioned in the episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/do-i-know-you-understanding-dementia/id1896564566

Follow the podcast:

@doiknowyoupodcast

Send us your Agony Aunties questions: jsamuelpod@gmail.com

Or message Julia on Instagram:@juliasamuelmbe

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠⁠

Grieving someone you love? Julia's Grief Works Support Programme offers structured, expert-led help, with 94% of people reporting feeling better after using it. As a podcast listener you can get 25% off plus a 30-day money-back guarantee here - ⁠⁠www.griefworks.com/therapy⁠⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠⁠@juliasamuelmbe⁠⁠ for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Agony Aunties are back, answering a listener's question about the pressures of parenting through the long summer holidays. Together, Sophie and Emily explore the guilt so many parents feel when they can't provide the picture-perfect summer they see elsewhere, why boredom may be far more valuable than we think, and how to help teenagers develop resilience, creativity and independence. They discuss the trap of comparison, the emotional challenge of watching your children struggle, and why being present and connected matters far more than keeping them constantly entertained.

Send us your Agony Aunties questions: jsamuelpod@gmail.com

Or message Julia on Instagram:@juliasamuelmbe

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠⁠

Grieving someone you love? Julia's Grief Works Support Programme offers structured, expert-led help, with 94% of people reporting feeling better after using it. As a podcast listener you can get 25% off plus a 30-day money-back guarantee here - ⁠⁠www.griefworks.com/therapy⁠⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠⁠@juliasamuelmbe⁠⁠ for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Agony Aunties, Julia, Emily and Sophie respond to a listener who has recently graduated but is struggling to feel proud of their achievement. Despite earning a good degree, comparisons with a high-achieving sibling and the pressure of perceived family expectations have left them feeling flat and unable to celebrate their success. Together, they explore the impact of comparison, perfectionism and internalised expectations, sharing practical tools for building self-worth, challenging critical inner voices and learning to recognise that being "good enough" is often more than enough.

Send us your Agony Aunties questions: jsamuelpod@gmail.com

Or message Julia on Instagram:@juliasamuelmbe

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠⁠

Grieving someone you love? Julia's Grief Works Support Programme offers structured, expert-led help, with 94% of people reporting feeling better after using it. As a podcast listener you can get 25% off plus a 30-day money-back guarantee here - ⁠⁠www.griefworks.com/therapy⁠⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠⁠@juliasamuelmbe⁠⁠ for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Agony Aunties, they respond to a listener who avoids difficult conversations until their feelings spill out in anger or tears. Together, they explore why conflict can feel so threatening, how our childhood experiences shape the way we handle disagreement, and why keeping the peace often comes at the cost of our own needs. From conflict-avoidant partners to family dynamics, boundaries and people-pleasing, Julia, Emily and Sophie share honest reflections on their own experiences and offer practical tools for expressing yourself before resentment takes hold. If you've ever struggled to speak up, worried about upsetting people, or found yourself bottling things up until you explode, this episode is for you.

Send us your Agony Aunties questions:jsamuelpod@gmail.com

Or message Julia on Instagram:@juliasamuelmbe

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠⁠

Grieving someone you love? Julia's Grief Works Support Programme offers structured, expert-led help, with 94% of people reporting feeling better after using it. As a podcast listener you can get 25% off plus a 30-day money-back guarantee here - ⁠⁠www.griefworks.com/therapy⁠⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠⁠@juliasamuelmbe⁠⁠ for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Agony Aunties, the girls tackle a listener dilemma that will feel familiar to many couples: what happens when you're sharing a sofa but no longer feeling emotionally connected? As one listener opens up about feeling lonely in her marriage while her husband spends most evenings on his phone, Sophie, Emily and Julia explore why technology can so easily replace meaningful connection, and how resentment can quietly build when our emotional needs go unmet.

Together, they discuss practical ways to reconnect, from changing how difficult conversations are approached to creating small rituals of connection, shared experiences and moments of laughter. They also explore the stories we tell ourselves when we feel ignored or rejected, and why understanding what's really happening beneath the surface can be the first step towards finding each other again.

Send us your Agony Aunties questions:jsamuelpod@gmail.com

Or message Julia on Instagram:@juliasamuelmbe

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠

Grieving someone you love? Julia's Grief Works Support Programme offers structured, expert-led help, with 94% of people reporting feeling better after using it. As a podcast listener you can get 25% off plus a 30-day money-back guarantee here - ⁠www.griefworks.com/therapy⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠@juliasamuelmbe⁠ for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s Agony Aunties episode, Julia and her daughters respond to a listener struggling with the overwhelming anxiety of living in a world shaped by climate crisis, political unrest, social media overload, and constant bad news. Together, they explore how to stay compassionate and informed without becoming emotionally consumed — discussing everything from nervous system regulation and information boundaries to collective hope, small acts of kindness, community, rest, joy, and the importance of staying grounded in the present moment. This is a conversation for anyone feeling the weight of the world right now.

Resources & References Mentioned

Send us your Agony Aunties questions:jsamuelpod@gmail.com

Or message Julia on Instagram:@juliasamuelmbe

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: https://juliasamuel.substack.com/

Grieving someone you love? Julia's Grief Works Support Programme offers structured, expert-led help, with 94% of people reporting feeling better after using it. As a podcast listener you can get 25% off plus a 30-day money-back guarantee here - www.griefworks.com/therapy

Follow Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I speak with England rugby captain Megan Jones about grief, pressure, identity and what it means to keep going when life changes completely. Megan shares the experience of losing both of her parents within six months, growing up alongside her mother’s addiction, and how rugby, journaling and the people around her have helped her carry both pain and love at the same time.

Ahead of Celebration Day on Monday 25th May, a day that invites us all to raise a glass and remember someone we love and miss, Megan reflects on the small everyday moments she still holds onto most: cups of tea with her dad, car journeys, stories, laughter and feeling fully accepted by her parents. We talk about vulnerability, belonging, leadership and why the people we lose continue to shape who we are long after they’re gone.
Join in the celebrations and celebrate someone this Monday 25th May: https://www.celebrationday.com/
Follow Meg on Instagram: @thanksmeg

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: https://juliasamuel.substack.com/

Grieving someone you love? Julia's Grief Works Support Programme offers structured, expert-led help, with 94% of people reporting feeling better after using it. As a podcast listener you can get 25% off plus a 30-day money-back guarantee here - www.griefworks.com/therapy

Follow Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Therapy Works, Julia is joined by Mark Williamson, co-founder and director of Action for Happiness and author of the number one bestselling book Make Life Happier. Together, they explore what happiness really means, not as a perfect destination, but as a direction of travel shaped by agency, relationships, kindness, purpose and the small actions we take each day.

Mark reflects on his own journey from outward success and inner struggle to discovering the deep connection between mental and physical health. He and Julia discuss why self-care and care for others must go hand in hand, how old patterns shape our relationships, why kindness benefits both giver and receiver, and how slowing down can help us notice the ordinary moments that make life meaningful.
Buy his book: https://amzn.eu/d/03sTolwL

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: https://juliasamuel.substack.com/

Grieving someone you love? Julia's Grief Works Support Programme offers structured, expert-led help, with 94% of people reporting feeling better after using it. As a podcast listener you can get 25% off plus a 30-day money-back guarantee here - www.griefworks.com/therapy

Follow Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, our Agony Aunties tackle a dilemma that is becoming the "new normal" for many: the 30-something child who simply won’t fly the nest. When a listener writes in feeling a mix of deep love and growing resentment toward her 33-year-old son, the team explores how to transition from a parent-child dynamic to a boundary-led adult relationship. From discussing the "maturation crisis" among young men to the financial realities of modern housing, they offer a toolkit for having the "big talk" without it sounding like a rejection. It’s a thoughtful look at why multigenerational living doesn't have to be a failure - it just needs a serious reorientation of expectations and a naming of the "silent things" in the room.

Send in your question to jsamuelpod@gmail.com

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: https://juliasamuel.substack.com/

Grieving someone you love? Julia's Grief Works Support Programme offers structured, expert-led help, with 94% of people reporting feeling better after using it. As a podcast listener you can get 25% off plus a 30-day money-back guarantee here - www.griefworks.com/therapy

Follow Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Therapy Works, I’m joined by garden designer, writer and Gardeners’ World presenter Arit Anderson to talk about the deeply personal story behind her Chelsea Flower Show garden for Parkinson’s UK. Arit shares how her sister’s Parkinson’s diagnosis inspired the garden, and how she hopes it will raise awareness, understanding and support for those living with the condition.

We also explore the healing power of gardens, nature and colour, and how planting, movement and simply being outside can offer hope, grounding and renewal. This is a moving conversation about family, resilience, creativity, and how even in the face of illness, a garden can become a place of beauty, connection and possibility.
Find out more about Parkinson’s UK: https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: https://juliasamuel.substack.com/

Grieving someone you love? Julia's Grief Works Support Programme offers structured, expert-led help, with 94% of people reporting feeling better after using it. As a podcast listener you can get 25% off plus a 30-day money-back guarantee here - www.griefworks.com/therapy

Follow Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Agony Aunties episode, Emily, Sophie and Julia respond to a moving question from a listener navigating grief after the loss of her husband, and the added pain of feeling let down by her siblings. Together, they explore the loneliness that can follow bereavement, why family members often struggle to show up in the way we need, and how unspoken expectations, old family dynamics and fear around grief can create distance. They reflect on how to communicate needs more clearly, make sense of disappointment, and gently find support beyond your immediate family when it’s not available in the way you hoped.

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: https://juliasamuel.substack.com/

Grieving someone you love? Julia's Grief Works Support Programme offers structured, expert-led help, with 94% of people reporting feeling better after using it. As a podcast listener you can get 25% off plus a 30-day money-back guarantee here - www.griefworks.com/therapy

Follow Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special bonus episode of Therapy Works, recorded live, I’m joined by the wonderful Helen Fielding - journalist, novelist, and creator of the iconic Bridget Jones. Together we explore the challenge of writing about grief, the death of Mark Darcy, and the tender, complicated reality of supporting children through loss, while still allowing space for laughter, mess, and life.
Helen speaks with such honesty, wit and wisdom about creativity, motherhood, humour, and the very human gap between who we feel we should be and who we really are. It is a moving and funny conversation about being loved “just as you are”, and about how stories can help us feel less alone.
Find Helen:

Instagram: @helenfielding

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: https://juliasamuel.substack.com/

Grieving someone you love? Julia's Grief Works Support Programme offers structured, expert-led help, with 94% of people reporting feeling better after using it. As a podcast listener you can get 25% off plus a 30-day money-back guarantee here - www.griefworks.com/therapy

Follow Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, the Agony Aunties respond to a parent struggling to support their son through GCSE exam stress, offering a compassionate reminder that while exams can feel overwhelming, the most powerful thing a parent can provide is connection—not solutions. The Agony Aunties explore how to open supportive, pressure-free conversations, encourage collaboration rather than control, and gently help teenagers manage anxiety by breaking things into smaller, more manageable chunks. They also highlight the importance of honesty around parental expectations, the value of rest and self-care (balanced with realism about teenage habits), and reassuring both parent and child that even worst-case scenarios are not the end of the road. Above all, the Agony Aunties emphasise that feeling understood and not alone is often the greatest stabiliser during stressful times—and that, ultimately, exams will pass.

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: https://juliasamuel.substack.com/

Grieving someone you love? Julia's Grief Works Support Programme offers structured, expert-led help, with 94% of people reporting feeling better after using it. As a podcast listener you can get 25% off plus a 30-day money-back guarantee here - www.griefworks.com/therapy

Follow Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I speak with psychiatrist, neuroscientist and author Amir Levine about his new book Secure, and how we can move towards more secure attachment in our relationships. Amir explains why attachment is not a fixed label, but something far more flexible and alive, shaped by the people and environments around us. We explore the biology of connection, why exclusion can feel like physical pain, and how our ancient need for safety and belonging still drives so much of our behaviour today.
We also talk about how change happens through the small, everyday interactions that either deepen insecurity or help us build trust. Amir shares his CARRP framework, consistency, availability, responsiveness, reliability and predictability, and how these qualities can create a more secure life. Together we reflect on anxious and avoidant patterns, the protest-regret cycle, dating, loneliness, friendship, secure villages and how, especially in an uncertain world, our relationships can become the shield that helps us endure.

Buy his book 'Secure: Rewire Your Attachment Style and Transform Your Relationships, Health and Happiness': https://amzn.eu/d/05fucNjI

Find Amir: https://amirlevinemd.com/

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: https://juliasamuel.substack.com/

Grieving someone you love? Julia's Grief Works Support Programme offers structured, expert-led help, with 94% of people reporting feeling better after using it. As a podcast listener you can get 25% off plus a 30-day money-back guarantee here - www.griefworks.com/therapy

Follow Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Agony Aunties respond to a heartfelt question from a listener struggling with ongoing financial stress following COVID and the rising cost of living. They explore how money anxiety taps into deep feelings of uncertainty, lack of control, and shame, and why these pressures can ripple into sleep, relationships, and family dynamics. The Agony Aunties gently reframe the experience, encouraging self-compassion over self-blame, and highlighting how external factors - like global instability and economic shifts - play a significant role. Alongside emotional support, they offer practical guidance: balancing worry with moments of gratitude, having open and honest conversations to reduce shame, seeking connection and shared experiences, and taking small, manageable financial steps to regain a sense of agency. This episode is a compassionate reminder that you’re not alone, that this is hard, and that support - both emotional and practical - is available.

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: https://juliasamuel.substack.com/

Download the Grief Works app here: https://www.griefworks.com/ 

Follow Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I’m joined by the wonderful Liz Earle, entrepreneur, author and passionate advocate for women’s wellbeing, to talk about her powerful new book, How To Age. Together we explore what it really means to age well, and how midlife can become a time not of decline, but of renewal. Liz shares her own experience of turning 60, navigating divorce, loneliness and hormonal change, and how she found her way to feeling stronger, fitter and happier than she did in her forties and fifties.
We also talk about the science behind ageing in a way that feels accessible and hopeful, from hormones and mitochondria to sunlight, movement, purpose and connection. At the heart of this conversation is Liz’s rallying cry that it is never too late to make meaningful changes, and my own belief that we need to give ourselves far more permission to prioritise our health, our joy and our sense of self. It is a conversation full of wisdom, encouragement and practical hope.

Buy Liz’s book (out 23rd April): https://amzn.eu/d/0h4HNpXT

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: https://juliasamuel.substack.com/

Download the Grief Works app here: https://www.griefworks.com/ 

Follow Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, the Agony Aunties respond to a listener facing multiple bereavements, a late ADHD diagnosis, and ongoing anxiety, leaving her unsure how to understand what she’s feeling or what support she needs. They explore how grief, trauma, and ADHD symptoms often overlap, suggesting it’s more helpful to focus on regulating the nervous system than trying to separate causes. They discuss the importance of connection, updating coping strategies when they stop working, and creating gentle daily structure to ease overwhelm. Above all, they encourage allowing the messiness of grief and embracing this uncertain “in-between” space with compassion and patience.

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: https://juliasamuel.substack.com/

Download the Grief Works app here: https://www.griefworks.com/ 

Follow Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I sit down with Michael Morpurgo to talk about loss, memory and the quiet, often unspoken truths that shape a life. He speaks so movingly about growing older and the particular pain of outliving those you love, and how grief doesn’t disappear but changes form over time. We explore the hidden fractures of his childhood, the silence around family secrets, and the lasting imprint of war, alongside the threads of loneliness, love and belonging that run through both his life and his writing.

What stayed with me most is Michael’s profound belief in the power of story to help us make sense of ourselves and the generations that came before us. We talk about the enduring strength of his marriage to Clare, the emotional roots of his work, and his deep connection to people, animals and the natural world. It’s a gentle, wise and very human conversation about resilience, repair and what it really means to be remembered well.

Buy his book ‘Funny Thing About Getting Older’: https://amzn.eu/d/00DwvcXB 

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: https://juliasamuel.substack.com/

Download the Grief Works app here: https://www.griefworks.com/ 

Follow Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s Agony Aunties episode, we’re diving into a heartbreakingly relatable question: how do you manage the mountain of "Death Admin" - wills, probate, and paperwork - when you’re still in the fog of bereavement? Julia and Sophie explore the "two-track" reality of loss. They share why we need to stop rushing, how to "scaffold" your brain with the right support, and how to silence the "shitty committee" that tells you you’re failing at a time when you have the least capacity. It’s a gentle reminder that while grief is a slow work, you don't have to navigate the practical demands of it alone.

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: https://juliasamuel.substack.com/

Download the Grief Works app here: https://www.griefworks.com/ 

Follow Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I’m joined by psychologist Joanna King for a moving conversation about what it means to care for a parent with young onset Alzheimer’s while also raising young children of your own. Joanna speaks with extraordinary honesty about the death of her father, the slow and painful loss of the mother she knew, and the emotional complexity of being caught in that in-between space of loving, grieving, resenting, protecting and carrying on. We talk about anticipatory grief, sibling dynamics, guilt, anger, boundaries, and the particular loneliness of feeling that life has split into before and after.

What stayed with me most was Joanna’s openness about the reality of “sandwich caring” and how disorientating it can be when the person who once anchored you no longer knows who you are. This is a conversation about dementia, but it is also about love, identity, duty, and the cost of holding too much for too long. Joanna also shares the thinking behind her forthcoming podcast, Do I Know You?, which aims to help people feel less alone in the experience of dementia, and to offer more understanding, information and support.

Helpful UK resources:
If you are going through something similar, these may be useful places to start:
Dementia UK offers specialist dementia support through its Admiral Nurses, including a free helpline on 0800 888 6678 and young onset dementia information and support services.
Alzheimer’s Society has a Dementia Support Line on 0333 150 3456, information on young onset dementia, and a directory to find local support near you.
Alzheimer’s Research UK also has information and support for carers and a Dementia Research Infoline on 0300 111 5111.

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: https://juliasamuel.substack.com/

Download the Grief Works app here: https://www.griefworks.com/ 

Follow Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this moving conversation, I talk to Julia Bradbury about the emotional aftermath of cancer, the pressure to keep going, and the hidden ways busyness can stop us feeling. We explore her new book Hack Yourself Healthy, the difference between reacting and responding, and why true wellness has to include our emotional lives as much as our physical health.

Julia Bradbury also reflects on childhood bullying, family trauma, motherhood, and the resilience she has discovered through both illness and adventure. It’s a thoughtful, honest episode about slowing down, looking inward, and finding healthier ways to live, cope and heal.

Find Julia Bradbury:
Book: ⁠Hack Yourself Healthy
Instagram: ⁠@juliabradbury⁠

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: https://juliasamuel.substack.com/

Download the Grief Works app here: https://www.griefworks.com/ 

Follow Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Emily Samuel is joined by author, journalist and digital strategist Dolly Jones to talk about her brilliant new book Leaving the Ladder Down and the messy, moving, often unspoken reality of motherhood and work. We talk about what happens when you return to work after having children and feel as though you’re expected to carry on as if nothing has changed, the silence and awkwardness that can surround parenting in professional spaces, and the guilt, identity shifts and impossible standards so many women carry. It’s a conversation about ambition, care, friendship, asking for help, and why we need to make the workplace a more human place for parents.

Find Dolly:

Instagram: @dolly_jones

Buy her book: https://amzn.eu/d/0fCSUaR0

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, I am joined by Jon Fox for a deeply moving conversation about a love that was "robbed" of its time. After both surviving cancer, Jon and Katie found a profound connection online, only for Katie to tragically pass away at just 28 years old, mere months into their relationship. Jon opens up about the unique "injustice" of grieving a future that had barely begun and the complexity of navigating his own chronic health struggles alongside this heartbreak.

We explore the practical and psychological tools Jon uses to process his "acute" grief—from his private nightly rituals of talking to Katie to his intellectual approach as a "learner" of his own sorrow. It is a powerful testament to the idea that the depth of our pain is a direct reflection of the depth of our love, and that a bond does not end at death, but becomes a vital, internalised part of who we are.

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: https://juliasamuel.substack.com/

Follow Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit The Samuel Therapy Practice: https://www.thesamueltherapypractice.com/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Agony Aunties respond to a listener grappling with how to talk to their children about the deeply unsettling news of the current war involving Iran - something many families are hearing about daily, often in fragments through headlines, playground conversations, or social media. With reports of airstrikes, civilian casualties, and even children affected by the conflict, they explore how to strike that delicate balance between honesty and reassurance, helping children feel safe without shutting down their curiosity or empathy. The conversation unpacks how children’s questions about war are often really questions about their own safety, and offers practical, compassionate ways to respond - tailored to different ages and anxiety levels. They also reflect on how both children and adults can become overwhelmed by frightening news, sharing grounding tools, language, and resources to help families regulate together. Ultimately, it’s a thoughtful and timely guide to navigating big, scary global events in a way that keeps connection, safety, and empathy at the heart of family life.
Helpful Resources: The National Child Traumatic Stress Network - https://www.nctsn.org/
Unicef - https://www.unicef.org/iran/en
Books:
What is War? For younger children: https://amzn.eu/d/08A0FoL7
Help! I've Got an Alarm Bell Going Off in My Head!: How Panic, Anxiety and Stress Affect Your Body - https://amzn.eu/d/02Y5rEBL

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Therapy Works, I’m joined by chef, writer, restaurateur and MasterChef winner Thomasina Miers for a rich and honest conversation about mental health, food, family and finding your way back to yourself. Thomasina speaks openly about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder in her twenties, later exploring ADHD, and the long journey of moving from shame and feeling “broken” towards self-acceptance. We talk about how cooking became a lifeline for her, not just as a career but as a deeply grounding, creative and restorative practice that helped her feel more connected to herself and the world around her.

We also explore the profound link between food and wellbeing, from the gut-brain connection to the emotional power of cooking, feeding and gathering around a table. Thomasina shares why her charity Chefs in Schools matters so much to her, how food can transform children’s health and happiness, and why agency, friendship, movement and nature all play such an important role in staying mentally well. It’s a warm, wise and energising conversation about embracing imperfection, following instinct, and learning to build a life that genuinely nourishes you.

Find Thomasina:
Website: https://www.thomasinamiers.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thomasinamiers/ 

Visit Wahaca: https://www.wahaca.co.uk/

Chefs in Schools: https://chefsinschools.org.uk/ 

Supplement she recommended: Lithium Orate 

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: https://juliasamuel.substack.com/

Follow Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Agony Aunties episode, Julia and Emily respond to a deeply moving question from a mother whose son died suddenly at 12. Together, they explore the painful jealousy and grief that can arise when seeing other families, especially teenage boys, living out the future her son should have had. They talk about why these reactions are not something to be ashamed of, but an expression of love, loss and the life that should still be here.

They also reflect on the fear of a child disappearing from the shared family story, the loneliness of child loss, and the importance of memory, ritual and connection. This is a tender, thoughtful episode about grief in one of its most heartbreaking forms, and a reminder that even the feelings we struggle most to name can be met with understanding.

Support Links:

Grief Works App: https://www.griefworks.com/

Cruse Bereavement Support: https://www.cruse.org.uk/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Therapy Works, I’m joined by Rebecca Coxon — writer, journalist and documentary director, and author of the book Inconceivable. Rebecca speaks with extraordinary honesty about living with endometriosis, fertility struggles, and the many different forms abandonment can take. We talk about the shock of discovering in adulthood that the man who raised her is not her biological father, the burden of carrying a family secret, and the emotional fallout of trying to make sense of identity, shame and belonging.

Together, we explore what really makes a family, how secrecy can isolate us, and what repair can look like when difficult truths finally come into the light. Rebecca also shares the devastating experience of being left by a partner during IVF, the hope that sustained her through rock bottom, and the unexpected path that eventually led her to motherhood. It’s a rich, moving conversation about survival, love, and the many different ways families are made.

Find Rebecca:

Website: https://www.rebeccacoxon.com/
Instagram: @rebeccacoxon
Pre-order her book: https://amzn.eu/d/0an4yGSs 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this expert episode, Sophie is joined by Lucy Kohli - a LiBDO-trained practitioner and yoga teacher - for a refreshingly honest chat about pelvic health, libido, and what it really means to feel alive in your body again. We talk about why so many women feel disconnected from their bodies after childbirth, illness, ageing (or just… life), and how pelvic floor strength isn’t only about “leaking” - it can impact confidence, core stability, pleasure, and the way you move through the world.

Lucy explains what LiBDO actually is (think: pelvis mobility, tailbone movement, deep core engagement, and a whole lot of joy), why doing it in community can be so powerful, and how rebuilding strength can sometimes unlock much more than just physical change. If you’ve ever assumed pelvic dysfunction is “just normal now,” this episode is a hopeful, practical starting point.

Lucy’s Instagram: @libdolondon
Lucy’s website: www.libdolondon.com
The global LiBDO organisation (Instagram): @libdo.Eurasia

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I am joined by Sarah Perry, award-winning author of The Essex Serpent, Melmoth and, most recently, The Death of an Ordinary Man. Sarah speaks with lyrical honesty about the aftermath of prolonged, severe pain and how terror can become encoded in the body, narrowing life into hypervigilance. She describes how therapy helped her reframe the mind not as an enemy, but as a protector, learning to turn towards fear and shame rather than flee from them.

We also talk about dying as a stage of living, not a full stop, and the ordinary, bewildering, sometimes even tender events of a natural death. Sarah reflects on why we need a shared language for death so families are not left alone with ignorance and dread. Threaded through our conversation is her sense of grace, those unearned gifts that soften us towards gratitude, goodness and love that persists, real as hunger, even when the person is no longer in the room.

Find Sarah:

Instagram: @sarah_grace_perry

Website: https://www.sarahperry.net/

Buy Death of an Ordinary Man: https://amzn.eu/d/04C3xmYt

More from Therapy Works:

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing — it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Emily and Julia tackle a heartfelt dilemma from a listener who relocated to the North of England to be closer to family, only to find themselves deeply unhappy. Together, they explore the hidden emotional impact of moving, from loss of familiarity and identity to questions of control, grief, and expectation. Emily and Julia share compassionate, practical reflections on adjusting to new places, allowing space for resentment and sadness, lowering the pressure to “love it,” and gently seeking out small moments of comfort and connection. A thoughtful, reassuring conversation for anyone struggling with change, homesickness, or the slow journey toward acceptance.

If Only If create beautifully made nightwear that feels thoughtful, timeless, and deeply comforting at the end of the day. Their pieces are designed to support women through every stage of life and are made from natural fabrics in small batches. If you’d like to explore their collection, you can visit ifonlyif.co.uk and use the code JULIA15 for 15% off. 

More from Therapy Works:

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing — it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Therapy Works, I’m joined by Matthew Gulliford, who opens up about the loss of his beloved French bulldog, Mr. Carson. Matthew describes a kind of grief that completely blindsided him, visceral, physical, and all consuming, and we explore why pet loss can feel so intense when your animal is part of your daily rhythm, your home, and your sense of self.
We talk about the parts people don’t always say out loud, like the guilt, the loneliness, and the heaviness of having to make end of life decisions, as well as what actually helped Matthew survive the worst moments. From personal rituals and writing “messages” to Carson, to planting a tree, carrying his ashes, and eventually expanding love again with new puppies, this is a conversation that gives real permission to grieve deeply and without comparison.

If Only If create beautifully made nightwear that feels thoughtful, timeless, and deeply comforting at the end of the day. Their pieces are designed to support women through every stage of life and are made from natural fabrics in small batches. If you’d like to explore their collection, you can visit ifonlyif.co.uk and use the code JULIA15 for 15% off. 

More from Therapy Works:

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing — it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Agony Aunties episode, Julia, Emily and Sophie respond to a listener’s thoughtful question about how to gently introduce the idea that movement can “move the mind” to the people who may resist it most: teenagers and elderly family members. They explore why forcing exercise can backfire (especially with teens), and instead recommend modelling movement, keeping encouragement low-key, and making activity feel incidental and social rather than a “lesson.” For older relatives, they discuss practical, confidence-building entry points like finding the right trainer, starting small with habit-stacking (tiny movements built into everyday routines), and using approachable online classes to reduce the barrier to entry. The takeaway is compassionate and relationship-led: focus on connection, meet people where they are, and when needed, share your concerns as care rather than control.

If Only If create beautifully made nightwear that feels thoughtful, timeless, and deeply comforting at the end of the day. Their pieces are designed to support women through every stage of life and are made from natural fabrics in small batches. If you’d like to explore their collection, you can visit ifonlyif.co.uk and use the code JULIA15 for 15% off. 

More from Therapy Works:

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing — it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Therapy Works, I sit down with Cressida Bonas for a conversation that feels unusually intimate and quietly brave. We talk about the loss of her older sister Pandora and how saying the word “died” still lands with a kind of shock and finality. Cressida shares what she didn’t expect about grief, the fear that lives in her body, the numb days that feel lonelier than tears, and the strange push pull of wanting to hold on while also wanting the suffering to end. We explore what it was like watching Pandora die in hospital, how her family tried to “be strong” and hide their tears until Pandora asked them not to, and why that shift towards honesty became a lesson in love and connection for all of them.
We also talk about the way Cressida processes through creativity, writing a letter to Pandora in those final days and then finding herself unable to stop writing afterwards, not as memoir but through characters that could hold what felt unbearable. She reflects on motherhood, self doubt, and finding more confidence since having children, alongside the frustration of being put in a box by other people’s assumptions. We end with what Pandora’s death has clarified for her, the preciousness of ordinary moments, the desire to waste less time, and the meaning behind her podcast Lessons From Our Mothers, which grew out of recording her own mother’s story and the wish to understand the women who made us.

Listen to Cressida’s Podcast, Lessons From Our Mothers: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/lessons-from-our-mothers/id1803569581

If Only If create beautifully made nightwear that feels thoughtful, timeless, and deeply comforting at the end of the day. Their pieces are designed to support women through every stage of life and are made from natural fabrics in small batches. If you’d like to explore their collection, you can visit ifonlyif.co.uk and use the code JULIA15 for 15% off. 

More from Therapy Works:

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing — it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Agony Aunties episode, Emily and Sophie take the reins while Julia continues her recovery, diving into a thoughtful listener question about accepting children with SEN and learning difficulties as academic parents. Together they explore the often unspoken grief that can arise when parenting looks different from what we imagined, the importance of making space for complex emotions without guilt, and the delicate balance between acceptance and adjustment. The conversation gently unpacks parental expectations, fear of judgment, and how compassion for both yourself and your child can shift the experience, while highlighting the value of support networks, school partnerships, and recognising that a meaningful, fulfilling life is not defined by academic success alone.

• Email your questions: jsamuelpod@gmail.com

• DM Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe

If Only If create beautifully made nightwear that feels thoughtful, timeless, and deeply comforting at the end of the day. Their pieces are designed to support women through every stage of life and are made from natural fabrics in small batches. If you’d like to explore their collection, you can visit ifonlyif.co.uk and use the code JULIA15 for 15% off. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s episode of Therapy Works, I’m joined by Charlotte Bellamy, who speaks with extraordinary openness about the death of her son Finn, who was stillborn at 28 weeks. Charlotte takes us through the shock of reduced movements, the devastating moment she was told “there’s no heartbeat”, and the surreal reality that even in loss, you still have to give birth. We talk about the grief of missing the baby you’d imagined, alongside the trauma of what happens medically and physically, and Charlotte shares how her sister, a midwife, supported her and her husband Milo through those first unbearable days and helped them create precious memories with Finn.

We also explore how Charlotte and Milo grieved differently, why therapy and understanding the body’s response to grief helped, and how fear can shape everything that comes after. Charlotte describes the marathon of pregnancy after loss and the practical ways she protected herself, from having someone with her at scans to telling staff upfront what she needed. At the end, Sophie and Emily join me to reflect on the importance of support, naming, and speaking about the baby who has died, because using Finn’s name and remembering him isn’t “bringing it up”, it’s honouring a life that mattered.
If Only If create beautifully made nightwear that feels thoughtful, timeless, and deeply comforting at the end of the day. Their pieces are designed to support women through every stage of life and are made from natural fabrics in small batches. If you’d like to explore their collection, you can visit ifonlyif.co.uk and use the code JULIA15 for 15% off. 

More from Therapy Works:

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing — it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Agony Aunties episode, Sophie and Emily return to answer a deeply thoughtful listener question about feeling second best to a partner’s late spouse. Together, they reflect on communication within relationships, the role of the inner critic, and how comparison often reveals the stories we tell ourselves rather than the truth of how we are seen. The conversation offers gentle reframes, practical ways to step out of self-punishing thought loops, and reassurance that entering a family touched by grief isn’t about replacement but about bringing your own, distinct presence into the system.

• Email your questions: jsamuelpod@gmail.com

• DM Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe

If Only If create beautifully made nightwear that feels thoughtful, timeless, and deeply comforting at the end of the day. Their pieces are designed to support women through every stage of life and are made from natural fabrics in small batches. If you’d like to explore their collection, you can visit ifonlyif.co.uk and use the code JULIA15 for 15% off. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the first episode of Season 10 of Therapy Works, host Julia Samuel is joined by Dr Alex George for an unusually candid conversation about what happens when your inner world starts to feel like friction you can’t push through. Alex shares that he’s currently being assessed for autism, and reflects on how recent ADHD and OCD diagnoses have helped him make sense of longstanding patterns, from rumination and sensitivity to masking and burnout. Together they explore the difference between “being different” and struggling, how grief and trauma can intensify symptoms, and why understanding yourself is often the first step towards acceptance and peace.

Julia and Alex also talk about the cost of becoming the “fixer” in a family after the sudden death of Alex’s brother, and the cumulative impact of public scrutiny and frontline NHS work during the pandemic. In the reflective discussion afterwards, Julia is joined by Sophie and Emily to unpack the debate around diagnosis, why it triggers such strong reactions, and how the most useful question is whether something is genuinely interfering with your life. It’s a moving, hopeful start to the season about naming what hurts, finding the right support, and building a kinder world by starting with compassion for yourself.

If Only If create beautifully made nightwear that feels thoughtful, timeless, and deeply comforting at the end of the day. Their pieces are designed to support women through every stage of life and are made from natural fabrics in small batches. If you’d like to explore their collection, you can visit ifonlyif.co.uk and use the code JULIA15 for 15% off. 

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

More from Therapy Works:

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing — it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While Julia recovers from shoulder surgery, Sophie and Emily step in to respond to a painful and familiar dilemma, wanting another child when your partner doesn’t. They explore the emotional deadlock that can arise when a decision feels completely binary, and how the absence of compromise can intensify grief, fear, and resentment on both sides of a relationship.
Together, they reflect on how meaningful listening, really hearing what having or not having a baby represents to each person, can soften polarisation and protect connection, even when there is no easy answer. They talk about guilt, longing, fear of resentment, and the importance of staying emotionally connected through difference. This episode offers compassionate guidance for navigating unbearable uncertainty, honouring grief, and finding ways to continue, with yourself and with each other, when life doesn’t unfold as hoped.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Agony Aunties episode, Julia, Sophie and Emily respond to a brave listener who admits she loves her two adult daughters deeply but often struggles to like them. With one daughter feeling unmotivated and the other frequently hurtful or unpredictable, she asks how to navigate disappointment, set boundaries, and understand what is reasonable to expect from adult children.
Together, they explore the unspoken guilt many parents feel, the shift from parent–child to adult–adult relationships, and how old hurts layer into current dynamics. They offer gentle guidance on letting go of control, maintaining connection, managing expectations and finding compassion for yourself as well as your children. A validating, honest conversation for anyone facing complicated family relationships.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special Agony Aunties episode, we pause our usual listener questions so Julia can share something personal as she prepares for a reverse shoulder replacement after years of complications from Ramsay Hunt syndrome and a serious injury. With Emily and Sophie beside her, she speaks openly about the dread of facing another major operation, the loss of trust in her body, the somatic shock that surfaced when she made the decision, and the uncomfortable confrontation with ageing, vulnerability, and past medical memories. They explore how coping strategies like denial and busyness can feel protective, how therapy can be both helpful and challenging, and how support from others makes an enormous difference even when some parts of the journey are inevitably solitary. It is an honest, tender conversation about fear, resilience, and the deeply human work of accepting help and allowing the body to heal.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this expert episode of the Therapy Works podcast, Julia speaks with psychotherapist Oona Metz, author of Unhitched, about her extensive experience supporting women through divorce. Drawing on over 30 years of clinical practice - including 15 years running divorce support groups - Oona also shares insights from her own personal experience of divorce.
Together, they explore the emotional stages of separation, the impact of divorce on children, and the importance of self-care, community and compassion during the process. While acknowledging how painful divorce can be, Oona emphasises that with the right support it can also become a powerful opportunity for growth, healing and new beginnings.
Buy her book: https://www.oonametz.com/book-unhitched
Resources mentioned:

Baroness Fiona Shackleton’s 10 questions to ask before embarking on a serious relationship: https://news-archive.exeter.ac.uk/featurednews/title_672700_en.html

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode of Therapy Works, I’m joined by Professor Marc Brackett, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and author of Permission to Feel and Dealing With Feeling. We talk about why so many of us grew up without an emotional ally, how fear stops us asking the people we love how they really feel, and why emotions aren’t something to suppress or fix. They are information we need to listen to.
Marc shares a clear, practical framework for emotional regulation, giving ourselves permission to feel, naming emotions, and calming the nervous system, alongside thoughtful ways to navigate family dynamics and become the support we may not have had growing up. It’s a hopeful, grounding conversation about learning emotional skills at any age, and passing them on.

You can buy Marc’s latest book Dealing With Feeling here: https://amzn.eu/d/80YxubS

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/therapyworks and get on your way to being your best self.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, the Agony Aunties respond to a deeply moving question from a widowed father facing his first Christmas after the death of his wife. Six months into grief, he is trying to support three adult children while barely holding himself together, worried he’s failing them and watching one daughter take on too much responsibility as the family adjusts to an unfillable absence. With compassion and clarity, Sophie and Emily explore why trying to replace the person who has died can leave everyone exhausted, how grief reshapes family roles, and why acknowledging the presence of absence can be more healing than trying to make things “normal.” They offer gentle, practical guidance on talking openly about grief, supporting adult children who are grieving in different ways, approaching Christmas with flexibility, creating or changing rituals, and drawing in support rather than doing it all alone 0 reminding us that grief isn’t something to solve, but something to be carried together.

Resources:

Grief Works App:https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/grief-works-self-care-love/id1558867513

Cruse: https://www.cruse.org.uk/

Child Bereavement UK:https://www.childbereavementuk.org/

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/therapyworks and get on your way to being your best self.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Agony Aunties episode of Therapy Works, Julia, Emily and Sophie respond to a deeply moving letter from a listener questioning whether her long, emotionally disconnected marriage can be saved. They explore the complex layers of love, duty, financial dependence, neurodivergence, resentment, and midlife awakening - offering thoughtful reflections on grief, desire, the cost of staying, and the cost of leaving. With compassion and clarity, they discuss how therapy, imagining possible futures, practical planning, and understanding neurodivergent dynamics can help illuminate a way forward. They also share book and podcast recommendations, discuss the emotional impact on both partners, and remind listeners that meaningful change - whatever form it takes - doesn’t have to be rushed.

Links & Resources Mentioned

• Email your questions: jsamuelpod@gmail.com

• DM Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe

• The Honesty Box by Lucy Brazier

• Therapy Works episode with Lucy Brazier

• The Four Minds by Miranda July (book referenced in the discussion) is called All Fours: https://mirandajuly.com/all-fours/

• Esther Perel x Miranda July conversation (podcast interview)

• Unhitched: The Essential Divorce Guide for Women by Oona Metz (guest mentioned as upcoming interview)

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠⁠⁠

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/therapyworks and get on your way to being your best self.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emily Samuel engages in a conversation with Dr. Anna Colton about her book, 'How to Talk to Children About Food'. They address common parental fears and misconceptions regarding children's eating habits and emphasise creating a positive, low-stress relationship with food.

Dr. Colton highlights the importance of neutral and intuitive eating, discusses the role of family dynamics, and gives practical advice for parents, especially those dealing with their own dietary issues or past eating disorders. They also cover strategies for handling food-related stress during holidays and how to provide a balanced, non-punitive approach to child nutrition. Overall, the episode revolves around fostering healthy attitudes towards food without anxiety, aiming for prevention over correction.

Find Anna:

Website: https://www.dranna.co.uk/about

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drannacolton

Book (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/How-Talk-Children-About-Food/dp/1785120557

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Agony Aunties episode, Emily, Sophie and Julia respond to a powerful letter from a listener in her fifties who is still grieving the sudden loss of her mother during COVID, while also supporting a teenage daughter who adored her grandmother and coping with a painful fallout with her sister. Together, they explore how trauma can fracture families, why unresolved love has nowhere to go, and how small, gentle rituals can help create meaning when goodbyes were denied. They offer compassionate guidance on rebuilding connection, supporting a grieving teen, and finding personal stability amidst multiple layers of loss - reminding us that healing often begins with tiny steps, openness, and shared humanity.

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠⁠⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@juliasamuelmbe⁠⁠⁠ for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠⁠

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/therapyworks and get on your way to being your best self.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s Agony Aunties episode, Julia, Sophie and Emily answer a painfully relatable listener question about being unable to stop checking an ex’s Instagram — even from a secret second account. They explore why scrolling an ex feels so addictive (spoiler: it’s part heartbreak, part habit, part magical thinking), how it keeps us stuck in the past, and the practical behavioural tools that genuinely help break the cycle. From deleting apps temporarily, to “just for today” thinking, to catching the urge and offering yourself compassion before acting, they unpack why this pattern is so common — and how to gently free yourself from it.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Therapy Works, Julia Samuel speaks with journalist Archie Bland - not in his role at The Guardian, but as Max’s dad. Archie describes the night his eight-week-old son stopped breathing, the frantic CPR, the ambulance to Great Ormond Street, and the brain injury that followed. He talks with raw honesty about naming it as a “catastrophe,” living with PTSD, the day-to-day realities of parenting a disabled child, and why he refuses the neat, “inspirational” narratives people often project onto families like his. He also shares the fierce love he feels for Max as he is now, the joy and grief of welcoming Max’s little brother Laurie, and the life-changing possibilities of communication technology like eye-gaze devices.
After the conversation, Julia, Sophie and Emily reflect on rage in grief, the loneliness of “catastrophe-land,” and what it really means to hold both love and fury at the same time. This episode may be especially resonant for parents, carers and anyone touched by disability, trauma or sudden life change. If you are a parent or carer of a disabled child in the UK and need support, you can find practical help and advice at Contact – the charity for families with disabled children: https://contact.org.uk

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠⁠⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@juliasamuelmbe⁠⁠⁠ for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Agony Aunties series, the aunties respond to a heartfelt question from a listener about how to rebuild a sense of connection and community in midlife after losing several close friends. They explore the importance of actively nurturing relationships, reaching out to old friends, and embracing vulnerability as a way to form deeper bonds. The aunties share practical ideas - from joining local groups or volunteering to simply saying yes to new invitations - and remind listeners that strong social connections are vital for both emotional and physical wellbeing. Their message is clear: be brave, take small steps, and keep showing up for friendship, even when it feels hard.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Therapy Works, Julia is joined by cook, writer and wellbeing advocate Melissa Hemsley for a heartfelt conversation about anxiety, self-compassion and finding steadiness in everyday life. Together, they explore how childhood experiences and family patterns can shape our emotional world, and how learning to live alongside anxiety - rather than fight it - can bring greater peace. Melissa speaks openly about motherhood, IVF and the challenge of slowing down, while Julia offers therapeutic insight into acceptance and emotional regulation.
The conversation moves gently between food, feelings and the small rituals that help us feel safe and grounded. From cooking nourishing meals to walking outside or simply pausing for breath, Melissa reflects on how ordinary moments can be acts of care. This honest episode is a reminder that good enough really is enough, and that small kindnesses - to ourselves and others - can make all the difference.
Find Melissa: Website: https://www.melissahemsley.com/
Instagram: @Melissa.hemsley
Books: https://www.melissahemsley.com/books
More from Therapy Works:
Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠⁠@juliasamuelmbe⁠⁠ for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/therapyworks and get on your way to being your best self.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s episode, the Agony Aunties respond to a listener who shares a heartfelt question about feeling invisible and struggling with self-acceptance while growing older.
Together, they explore how societal pressures around youth and beauty can erode our confidence and sense of self, and they offer compassionate, practical ways to rebuild a healthier relationship with ageing. They discuss how to reconnect with inner vibrancy and joy, reflect on cultural differences in how older generations are valued, and share thoughtful resources - including the book Wise Women: Myths and Stories for Midlife by Sharon Blackie and the Instagram account @thebirdspapaya which focuses on body positivity and self-acceptance.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Therapy Works, I speak with Tracey, a 55-year-old mother of three, whose story is one of heartbreak, courage, and ultimately, liberation.

Tracey describes the moment her marriage of 21 years ended in the most shocking and devastating way - a sudden revelation of her husband’s long-term infidelity. What followed was a period of deep grief, shame, and secrecy as she tried to protect her children while coming to terms with a truth that had completely upended her world.

What struck me most in our conversation was Tracy’s honesty about the years that followed once the crisis had passed. She shared how, despite managing the practicalities of divorce with great competence, she carried the emotional weight of what had happened for far longer than she expected. Through therapy, friendship, and self-reflection, she began to release the shame that wasn’t hers to hold and, in doing so, discovered new aspects of herself, including her sexuality.

Tracey’s story reminds us that even from the most painful experiences, something new and life-giving can emerge. When we stop pretending to be “fine,” when we tell the truth about what’s really happened, we make space for healing and, as Tracy beautifully puts it, for becoming “more you.”

More from Therapy Works:

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing — it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Agony Aunties episode, they respond to a listener’s question about managing social anxiety within a relationship. They explore how to communicate openly using “I” statements and metaphors, the importance of self-compassion, and taking small, manageable steps to expand comfort zones. The conversation touches on how exposure therapy can help reduce anxiety over time, and the delicate balance between seeking understanding from a partner and accepting that they may not fully experience your feelings.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s episode, I’m joined by the wonderful Lulu - a woman whose energy fills any room she walks into.From global fame at 15 to finding peace at 77, Lulu shares her remarkable journey of learning to let go of performance and finally come home to herself.

She talks honestly about the parts of her she left behind in Glasgow, the years she spent saying yes when she wanted to say no, and the deep work of reconnecting with who she really is.We explore the power of therapy, sobriety, and meditation, and what it truly means to accept yourself - not the version the world sees, but the one you’ve spent a lifetime running from.

This conversation is about forgiveness, authenticity, and the quiet strength that comes when you stop pretending and start becoming.
Find Lulu:
Instagram: @lulukc

More from Therapy Works:

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing — it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.If you need help finding a therapist, visit: The Samuel Therapy Practice

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/therapyworks and get on your way to being your best self.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, the Agony Aunties address a listener's question about the challenging nature of therapy. They discuss the misconception of therapy as a 'quick fix' and explain why the therapeutic process can sometimes feel more difficult as buried emotions resurface. The Agony Aunties emphasise the importance of pacing in therapy and the benefits of communicating feelings of overwhelm to one's therapist. They also acknowledge that while therapy can't change certain realities, it can help individuals process their experiences and foster healthier relationships with themselves and others.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Eve shares her deeply personal story of coming out of a 23-year relationship, including 10 years of marriage, which ended in divorce due to not having children. She reflects on the red flags she missed in her youth, the challenges of poor communication, and the emotionally abusive dynamics that developed over time.

Despite her loving family and strong support system, Eve grapples with feelings of grief and complexity regarding her ex-husband. She discusses the immense pressure she felt around having a child and how her identity and self-esteem were affected in the process. Ultimately, Eve seeks understanding and a way to move forward, emphasising the importance of being heard, valued, and having open communication in relationships.

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠⁠⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@juliasamuelmbe ⁠⁠⁠for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, the Agony Aunties return to address a listener's concern about potential infidelity, offering advice on distinguishing between anxiety and genuine red flags. The hosts suggest approaches for starting calm and honest conversations with partners, discussing the importance of addressing relationship anxiety, maintaining personal well-being, and considering couples therapy. The episode underscores the value of open communication and exploring underlying relationship issues before jumping to conclusions.

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠⁠@juliasamuelmbe ⁠⁠for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this powerful and tender conversation, I speak with Olia Hercules - author, chef, and activist - about her journey from Ukraine to the UK and the personal and collective challenges she has faced in recent years.

Olia reflects on living with Fragile X syndrome, both in her own life and with her son, and shares the deep psychological impact of the ongoing war in Ukraine. She speaks movingly about the importance of family, culture, and heritage, and how traditions of food, art, and gardening can offer strength and continuity even in times of great upheaval.

Her new book, Strong Roots, is both a celebration of family history and a testament to the power of creativity and nourishment as acts of therapy and resistance. Through our conversation, Olia shows how self-care, cultural memory, and connection to the land can sustain us through pain and uncertainty.

This is an episode about resilience, belonging, and the healing role of tradition in the most difficult times.

Find Olia:
Instagram: @oliahercules
Book: https://amzn.eu/d/htX5MKtWebsite: https://oliahercules.com/

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠⁠@juliasamuelmbe ⁠⁠for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Agony Aunties tackle a listener's question about managing the stress of a full-time job, parenting two young children, and caring for an ageing parent. They discuss the importance of self-compassion, prioritisation, and setting boundaries without feeling selfish. They suggest considering personal limits and adopting the concept of 'essential maintenance' instead of 'self-care'. Additionally, they emphasise the importance of repairing moments of irritability with children and collaborating with partners to manage household tasks.

The episode also references resources such as the 'Motherkind Podcast' and the 'Fair Play'book by Eve Rodsky for better task distribution.

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠⁠@juliasamuelmbe ⁠⁠for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this fascinating and candid conversation, I speak with Deepa Paul — a Filipino Indian author, mother, wife, and girlfriend about the complexities of love, identity, and open relationships.

Deepa shares her experience of a 17-year marriage alongside a 5-year relationship with her boyfriend, reflecting on the different needs these partnerships meet and the honesty required to sustain them. Her book, Ask Me How It Works: Love in an Open Marriage, answers the questions so many are curious about, while challenging misconceptions around polyamory and ethical non-monogamy.

We talk about the importance of self-reflection, the “emotional housekeeping” needed to maintain multiple relationships, and the courage it takes to live authentically in the face of cultural expectations and societal judgment. Deepa’s story is one of resilience, curiosity, and a deep commitment to love in its many forms.

This is a conversation about freedom, boundaries, and what it really means to build relationships with integrity and care.

Find Deepa:

Instagram: @storiesbydeepa

Book: https://amzn.eu/d/2xGUhRI

Website: https://www.storiesbydeepa.com/

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠@juliasamuelmbe ⁠for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Agony Aunties episode, we address a listener's question on how to talk to children about parental separation. Their answer covers the importance of having the initial conversation together as a family, being honest and age-appropriate, avoiding blame, and reassuring children about the changes and constants in their lives. Key points include practicing the conversation in advance, maintaining a unified narrative, and providing ongoing support. Resources like Cafcass, Gingerbread, and Family Livesare suggested for further support.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this deeply moving episode, I speak with Ben Goldsmith - financier, environmentalist, and father - about the devastating loss of his teenage daughter, Iris, in 2019.

Ben shares with great honesty the harrowing moments surrounding her death and the tidal wave of grief that followed. He describes how he turned to nature as a source of solace and strength, and how his connection to the natural world became a lifeline in the darkest times.
Our conversation explores the transformative power of grief - how it can break us open, teach us to surrender to life’s mysteries, and ultimately invite us to live with greater presence and meaning. Ben speaks about the enduring imprint Iris has left on his life and how her spirit continues to inspire his renewed passion for rewilding and environmental work.

This is an episode about love, loss, and the resilience of the human heart. Ben’s story is painful, yet hopeful, reminding us that from the depths of sorrow, it is possible to find connection, purpose, and even joy again.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at ⁠betterhelp.com/therapyworks⁠ and get on your way to being your best self.

Find Ben:
Instagram: @bengoldsmith
Substack: https://bengoldsmith.substack.com/
Book: https://amzn.eu/d/9IQTFpX

More from Therapy Works:
Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: https://juliasamuel.substack.com/
Follow Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbefor tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.
If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.
If you need help finding a therapist, visit: The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s Agony Aunties, we answer a listener’s question about social anxiety returning in midlife. We talk about why it can resurface — from life transitions to physical changes — and share gentle, practical ways to manage it, from planning ahead to leaning on allies. Above all, it’s about self-compassion and staying connected.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I talk with Lucy Gossage — oncologist, former professional triathlete, ultra-runner, and co-founder of the Move Against Cancer charity. From winning Ironman races to conquering Britain’s gruelling Spine Race, Lucy has built her life around challenge and growth.
She speaks candidly about facing fear and failure, the heartbreak of betrayal, and the process of finding closure. We explore how adventure, deep friendships, and joy can help us recover and move forward.
Drawing on her work in oncology, Lucy also shares profound lessons from her patients about resilience, connection, and what truly matters in life.
This conversation is about courage, adversity, and the choice to live fully — with all the risks and rewards that entails.
Find Lucy:
Instagram: @lucygossage

More from Therapy Works:
Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: https://juliasamuel.substack.com/
Follow Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.
If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.
If you need help finding a therapist, visit: The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, the Agony Aunties return to address a listener's question about the often confusing advice regarding feeling emotions versus avoiding negative self-talk. They explain that emotions should be acknowledged and processed, whereas negative self-talk should be identified, challenged, and dialled down.

They discuss mindfulness techniques, the importance of self-awareness, and how our body and mind interact in this process.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Therapy Works, I’m delighted to welcome back my friend Elizabeth Day. Elizabeth has done so much to change the way we talk about vulnerability, self-acceptance, and failure - through her writing, her speaking, and of course her brilliant podcast How to Fail.

In our conversation, Elizabeth opens up about her personal journey through childlessness and fertility struggles, and how she has found both peace and purpose through her creative life. We talk about her new book, One of Us, and the powerful themes it explores: what it means to belong, how failure shapes us, and why honest connection is essential for our wellbeing.

Elizabeth shares with great warmth and insight how writing and her conversations on How to Fail have helped her understand herself and others more deeply. This is a conversation about resilience, creativity, and finding meaning in the places we least expect.

I so loved this conversation, and I hope you do too.

 If you’d like to try BetterVits, you can get 15% off sitewide with my code JULIA15 at⁠ ⁠⁠bettervits.co.uk/discount/Julia15⁠. I’m keen to hear your thoughts!

Find Elizabeth:

More from Therapy Works:

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Agony Aunties episode, we answer a listener asking how to co-parent after a breakdown of trust. We focus on steadying yourself to steady your child, keeping them out of adult conflict while keeping communication open and age-appropriate, and putting clear, written boundaries in place - a simple parenting plan, predictable handovers, and one co-parenting app for all logistics. We suggest shared reading to build a common language, leaning on a small support team (friend, therapist, mediator), and simple self-care so you can be consistent. The aim is a workable, child-centred plan that protects secure relationships with both parents.

If safety is a concern, please seek professional and legal support.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Therapy Works, I have the privilege of speaking with Grace Spence Green - a junior doctor and wheelchair user whose life changed dramatically after a spinal cord injury caused by a traumatic accident.

Grace shares with such honesty the physical and psychological challenges she faced during her rehabilitation, and how she has learned to navigate the daily realities of life in an able-bodied world. What shines through is her remarkable courage, her ability to redefine her own story, and her deep commitment to disability justice movements.

We talk about the importance of community support, the role of radical acceptance in finding peace, and how she continues to build a fulfilling life and career as a doctor. Grace also speaks about her relationships, her writing, and her advocacy for better understanding and treatment of disabled individuals.

I hope you find Grace’s story as moving and inspiring as I did.

 If you’d like to try BetterVits, you can get 15% off sitewide with my code JULIA15 at⁠ ⁠⁠bettervits.co.uk/discount/Julia15⁠. I’m keen to hear your thoughts!

Find Grace:

Instagram: @gracesg

Buy Her Book: To Exist As I Am by Grace Spence Green | Waterstones

To Exist As I Am a book by Grace Spence Green - Bookshop.org UK

TO EXIST AS I AM by Grace spence Green is published by Profile, £16.99 hardback.

Support Links:

More from Therapy Works:

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing — it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.If you need help finding a therapist, visit: The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Agony Aunties, the Aunties tackle a listener’s heartfelt question: “How do I cope with the anxiety I feel around my adult children?”

Together, they explore:

Why anxiety often has roots in our earliest relationships

Practical self-soothing tools you can try straight away — from breath work to grounding exercises

How to find balance with a partner when worries spill over

Ways to set healthy boundaries around communication with your children

The power of separating facts from anxious thoughts

The conversation blends insight with compassion, reminding us that while worry is natural, it doesn’t have to run our lives.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/therapyworks and get on your way to being your best self.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first episode of the new season of Therapy Works, I sit down with historian and broadcaster Dan Snow to explore the powerful forces that have shaped his life: his family’s legacy of high achievement, his insatiable drive for professional fulfilment, and the challenges of finding joy in the present moment.

Dan speaks candidly about how closely his work and personal identity are entwined and how this sometimes makes it difficult to savour life’s simplest pleasures, like a beach holiday with his children.

We also discuss the influence of history not only on nations, but on individuals: how the personal lives of historical figures informed their decisions, and how curiosity and context can deepen our understanding of both the past and the present.

Dan shares movingly about loss, reflecting on his experience of a late-term miscarriage and the importance of family and community in helping us survive grief.Our conversation closes with reflections on what history can teach us about resilience, the power of storytelling, and why curiosity remains one of the most vital tools for personal growth.

 If you’d like to try BetterVits, you can get 15% off sitewide with my code JULIA15 atbettervits.co.uk/discount/Julia15. I’m keen to hear your thoughts!

Find Dan:

More from Therapy Works:

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing - it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.

If you need help finding a therapist, visit: The Samuel Therapy Practice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this powerful mini recap, Therapy Works revisits my moving conversation with Nadiya Hussain.

Nadiya reflects on growing up surrounded by women who seemed exhausted and unfulfilled, and how that shaped her determination to carve a different future. She opens up about the moment her parents forbade her from going to university at 18, threatening to change the locks if she left home and the fury, grief, and powerlessness that followed.

Instead of giving up, Nadiya turned her anger into relentless hard work, taking on multiple jobs and forging her independence. Later in life, she reclaimed her dream, studying at university while raising three children, with the unwavering support of her husband Abdul - the same man who signed her up for Bake Off.

This is just a glimpse of our conversation. Nadiya’s honesty and courage were deeply inspiring, and I’d highly recommend listening to the whole episode - it’s a story of defiance, determination, and the power of finding your own path.

Listen to Nadiya's full episode here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/nadiya-hussain-on-defying-expectations-fighting-self/id1646616622?i=1000698819007

Find Nadiya:

Website: https://www.nadiyahussain.com/Instagram: @nadiyajhussain

Buy Nadiya's new book 'Rooza': https://www.nadiyahussain.com/book/rooza/

Please subscribe and leave a review—it truly makes all the difference! Follow Julia at @juliasamuelmbe for more insights, tips, and conversations on life's challenges and how to improve your mental well-being.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this mini recap from our season-opening conversation with Dr. Julie Smith, we revisit her reflections on imposter syndrome, success, and the lessons she discovered while writing her bestselling book. Julie shares how the process of writing became as much about her own growth as it was about guiding others, and why cultivating metacognition — the ability to notice and direct our thoughts — is key to making choices that shape our lives.

She also opens up about facing fear during her cancer diagnosis, rewriting her chapter on fear in real time, and finding courage through small, daily decisions. It’s a powerful reminder that transformation often happens step by step. If you enjoyed this recap, be sure to listen to the full conversation with Julie for even more insight and inspiration here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dr-julie-smith-on-cancer-career-and-parenthood/id1646616622?i=1000691252914

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.