Heartbreak, trauma, and unhealthy relationship patterns don’t have to control your life. Join me and psychotherapist Jax Beatty as we talk about healing from heartbreak, understanding attachment, and building healthier relationships. We discuss how to set boundaries, trust yourself again in love, and break repeating emotional cycles. In this episode, I sit down with Jax for an open and honest conversation about love, heartbreak, trauma, and the patterns that quietly shape the relationships we find ourselves in. Jax is an experienced psychotherapist with over 30 years working in mental health. She specialises in Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) and EMDR, and has worked in a wide range of settings including the NHS, addiction treatment services, and forensic environments supporting offenders within the criminal justice system. Alongside her private practice, she helps individuals and families navigate complex challenges such as trauma, addiction, emotional regulation, relationships, and personal growth. We talk about why breakups can feel so overwhelming and why people often find themselves chasing love even when it hurts. Jax shares insights from her therapeutic work, explaining how early life experiences shape attachment patterns in adult relationships. Many of the behaviours we carry today, from fear of abandonment to difficulties with trust, often come from these early patterns. We also discuss the ways people unknowingly repeat the same relationship dynamics, how anxious and avoidant attachment styles affect the way we relate to others, and why awareness is often the first step toward breaking these cycles. Jax explains how understanding your emotional triggers can help you respond to relationships more consciously. The conversation also covers love bombing, recognising when someone moves too fast emotionally, and the importance of taking time to truly get to know a partner. We talk about the emotional side of heartbreak, including how breakups can affect self-worth and identity, and why having supportive people around you makes a significant difference during recovery. Jax also shares insights on trauma and emotional regulation, explaining how difficult experiences can leave lasting patterns in adult relationships. We discuss the importance of self-awareness, self-compassion, and doing the inner work that allows people to form healthier, more secure connections. Finally, we touch on how tools like AI are appearing in therapeutic spaces, the support they can provide, and why human connection remains irreplaceable. This episode is about growth, healing, and learning to trust yourself so you can navigate love and relationships with confidence. If you’d like to learn more about Jax or her work, you can find her here: Website: https://www.jaxbeattypsychotherapy.co.uk/ Email: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psychotherapy_jax_beatty/

In this inspiring and high-impact episode, I sit down with Matt Young, peak performance mindset coach, global keynote speaker, former professional footballer, and ultra-endurance athlete, to explore what it really takes to unlock human potential, build emotional resilience, and develop an elite mindset. From overcoming anxiety and self-doubt to mastering discipline and purpose, Matt shares powerful insights and practical tools to help you perform at your best in life, sport, and business. (0:01 – 0:20) | Introduction Meet Matt Young, peak performance coach, global keynote speaker, former professional footballer, and ultra-marathon runner. Matt shares a snapshot of his journey, setting the tone for a powerful conversation about mindset, resilience, and personal growth. (0:22 – 1:54) | The Three Pillars of Peak Mindset Matt introduces his core philosophy and explains how movement, posture, breathing, and focus directly shape emotions and confidence. He explores how the body influences the mind, why most communication is body-led, and how intentional physical habits can dramatically improve performance in sport, business, and everyday life. (1:56 – 8:54) | Background & Purpose Matt shares his journey into coaching and personal development, including his years of study in psychology, behaviour, and anatomy. He explains his mission to empower others, help people break through emotional barriers, and why this episode is especially valuable for anyone feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or uncertain about their next step. (8:55 – 9:52) | Where the Drive Comes From A reflection on Matt’s upbringing and the influence of his parents. He discusses how early encouragement, strong values, and belief in possibility shaped his ambition, resilience, and long-term work ethic. (9:53 – 12:51) | From Football to Rock Bottom Matt opens up about life after professional sport, losing his identity, and experiencing emotional and mental struggles. He explains how discipline, consistency, and self-belief helped him rebuild his confidence and create a new sense of purpose beyond football. (12:51 – 15:27) | Leading from the Front Why lived experience matters more than theory. Matt explains his belief that “talk is cheap” and that true leadership comes from practising what you preach. He shares why he continually challenges himself so he can guide others with authenticity and credibility. (15:27 – 16:25) | Empathy Through Experience A discussion on how personal hardship, loss, and emotional pain develop deeper empathy. Matt explains how having “been there” allows him to connect more genuinely with clients and support them through anxiety, fear, and uncertainty. (16:38 – 20:17) | Coaching Philosophy & Qualifications Matt talks through his professional development, including NLP, hypnotherapy, life coaching, and CBT-based approaches. He explains how he blends theory with lived experience to create a holistic, results-driven coaching model that serves clients worldwide. This episode is packed with insight for anyone interested in: • Peak performance and elite mindset development • Overcoming anxiety and emotional blocks • Building resilience through adversity • High-performance habits and discipline • Leadership, impact, and personal growth If you’ve ever felt stuck, uncertain, or limited by your own thinking, this conversation offers both practical strategies and powerful mindset shifts. Learn more about Matt’s executive coaching and keynote speaking here: https://www.mattyounglc.com/executivecoachingspeaking See more mindset and performance content on his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@mattyounglc If you’re ready to strengthen your mindset, build mental toughness, and unlock peak performance, this episode is for you, offering practical tools to boost confidence, manage stress, overcome limiting beliefs, and build resilience, self-discipline, and high-performance habits for long-term success.

In this inspiring and high-impact episode, I sit down with Matt Young, peak performance mindset coach, global keynote speaker, former professional footballer, and ultra-endurance athlete, to explore what it really takes to unlock human potential and build an elite mindset. (0:01–0:20) Who is Matt Young? Matt is introduced as a former professional footballer who has completed 18 marathons and 17 ultra-marathons, including five 100-mile races. But beyond the physical achievements lies something deeper: a relentless pursuit of growth, mental resilience, and emotional mastery. (0:22–1:54) The Three Pillars of a Peak Mindset Matt shares his philosophy: Move. Shape. Create. He explains that 80% of communication and emotional processing starts in the body (body-to-mind), not the other way around. Your posture, breathing, and physiology directly influence your mental state. If you can shift your body, you can shift your focus — and ultimately, your reality. On race day or in life, what you focus on expands. Problems are always available, but so are solutions. The difference lies in emotional intensity and intentional thinking. (1:56–8:54) From Elite Sport to Emotional Breakthroughs With over 15 years studying psychology, behaviour, anatomy, and peak performance, Matt now works with athletes, executives, entrepreneurs, students, and everyday individuals struggling with anxiety, fear, stress, doubt, OCD, and depression. His mission is simple: to serve, inspire, and empower people to break through mental and emotional barriers and create lasting change. He reveals that his ultra-marathons were never about ego or medals. They were about impact. At a time when he was transitioning out of professional football, a period that left him emotionally at rock bottom, endurance challenges became a vehicle for growth and a message to others: you are capable of more than you think. Even more surprising? He admits he never liked running. For Matt, the challenge isn’t about enjoyment, it’s about uncovering new layers of himself. His next mission? Training to swim the English Channel. (8:55–12:51) Where Drive Comes From Matt reflects on his upbringing and the role his parents played in shaping his mindset. Raised by hardworking, driven parents who consistently told him, “You can be anything you want, it’s all in your head,” he developed a powerful internal belief system. That belief carried him into professional football, and later carried him through the emotional pain of leaving it behind. When identity stripped away and life felt uncertain, discipline and work ethic were the foundations he rebuilt from. (12:51–15:27) Leading From the Front A powerful theme in this episode is authenticity. Matt believes “talk is cheap.” Anyone can give advice, but real leadership comes from lived experience. If you want to help someone through anxiety, fear, or emotional struggle, you must understand it first-hand. True influence comes from embodiment, not theory. That’s why Matt pushes himself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, so he can guide others with integrity. This episode is packed with insight for anyone interested in: • Peak performance and elite mindset development • Overcoming anxiety and emotional blocks • Building resilience through adversity • High-performance habits and discipline • Leadership, impact, and personal growth If you’ve ever felt stuck, uncertain, or limited by your own thinking, this conversation offers both practical strategies and powerful mindset shifts. Learn more about Matt’s executive coaching and keynote speaking here: https://www.mattyounglc.com/executivecoachingspeaking Explore more mindset and performance content on his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@mattyounglc If you’re ready to shift your focus, lead from the front, and uncover what you’re truly capable of, this episode is your starting point.

Have you ever woken up feeling like you're carrying an invisible backpack full of rocks? Maybe you flinch at sudden noises, feel unsafe even when everything looks fine, or get super snappy over tiny things. That’s what trauma can feel like for so many people, and it’s not always the big, dramatic movie-style event we imagine. In this really open and gentle episode of A Path To Self-Healing, I sit down again with my lovely friend Becky Sorby, an incredible hypnotherapist, NLP practitioner and Mnemodynamic Therapist (This therapy helps people access, process, and re-encode emotional memories so they no longer control the present in unhealthy ways) she has this amazing way of sitting with people right in the middle of their mess, no judgment, just quiet belief that things really can get better. We talk about: How trauma isn’t always one huge thing, sometimes it’s lots of smaller, quiet wounds that slowly change how you see yourself, trust people, love, and even just get through the day. The fight, flight, freeze (and sneaky people-pleasing “fawn”) responses your body does to try to keep you safe. Why your body remembers everything (hello tight shoulders, racing heart, or shutting down completely) Everyday examples that can leave marks like breakups, losing someone you love, unstable childhood moments, even moving schools a lot. How triggers work and why sometimes we react in ways that don’t even feel like “us”. The biggest hope is healing isn’t just surviving, it’s about getting your life and nervous system back. Becky shares what she’s learned from her deep trauma training, busts common myths, and explains why your body isn’t broken, it’s just trying (sometimes too hard) to protect you. Whether you’re wondering “Will I ever feel okay again?”, you want to understand someone you care about, or you’re just curious how the mind and body actually hold onto tough stuff, this episode is for you. It’s honest, kind, full of real hope, and packed with simple things you can start doing right now to feel a little lighter. Guest: Becky Sorby – Gold Status Hypnotherapist, Licenced Practitioner of NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) Mnemodynamic therapist (Practitioner who helps people heal emotional patterns and trauma by working directly with memory, body responses, and subconscious emotional storage). Find her: beckysorby.co.uk | Instagram @beckysorbyhypnotherapy | Hypnotherapy Directory If any of this resonates, grab a cuppa, press play, and know you’re not alone. Healing really is possible, one gentle step at a time. If this episode resonated with you, maybe it helped you make sense of something you've been carrying, or gave you a little spark of hope, I'd love to hear from you. Drop a comment below and let me know what stood out, or if there's anything you'd like us to dive deeper into next time. And if you enjoy these honest, heartfelt conversations on the path to self-healing, please hit that follow/subscribe button so you never miss an episode. Your support means the world and helps us keep bringing these important topics to more people who might need them. Thanks for being here with us today. Take care of yourself, be kind to your nervous system, and remember: healing is possible, one gentle step at a time. See you in the next one.

Modern Men: Real Talk for a Changing! This episode dives deep into the heart of men’s mental health, the struggles, the silence, and the strength it takes to grow. Hosted by three friends having honest conversations, we talk through what it truly means to be a man today. From tackling anxiety, depression, and burnout to learning how to protect your mental, emotional, and physical health, each episode offers real insights, stories, and practical solutions. We also navigate the messy side of modern life, dating in the digital age, the constant comparison on social media, and how to stay grounded in a world that’s always evolving. No filters. No bravado. Just honest talk, real growth, and the reminder that you’re not alone in figuring it all out. Detail about discussion in the podcast: After a 10-month chase on business goals, host Chris Leather returns with a gripping episode on men's mental health, featuring business partner Charles (27, Dorset entrepreneur and digital marketer) and mate James (45, West Yorkshire tiler and ex-artist). Like old friends sharing pints, they dissect modern manhood's chaos. They challenge stereotypes, stoic providers, unbreakable grinders—against social media's warped algorithms. Chris reveals 2024 Google spikes: anxiety, depression, stress, insomnia, loneliness (millions affected UK-wide), and burnout. Old-school stigma bottled pain pre-internet; now, info floods but help-seeking taboos linger. Raw stories hit home: Charles's Bristol university anxiety in a suicide hotspot, battling isolation via bonds; James's first-year despair in a mismatched course, freed by dropping out; Chris's grief drinking post-dad's COVID death and 14-hour burnout collapse. Solutions ignite action. Fitness shifts from vanity to vitality: James's whole-food fuel and home workouts; Charles's Goggin's-inspired cardio and ice baths; Chris's press-up routines and epic walks. Prioritise sleep, early nights, phone bans, to beat screen-induced insomnia. Dating apps? A men's mismatch nightmare (0.6% Tinder & Bumble success vs. women's experience), full of ghosts and fakes. Fix: Be authentic, embrace rejection, seek real-life sparks with patience. Social media? Dopamine traps and envy reels, delete apps, limit to work. Key advice for struggling men: Talk openly (James), chase joy and connections (Charles), start small for momentum (Chris). Health is foundation, build resilience, break toxic myths. Perfect for runs, commutes, or soul-searching, this candid chat delivers laughs, truths, and tools for balanced strength. Tune in and heal! You are not alone and we are all on path to self-healing.

Join us on a profound journey as we delve into a deeply personal story, one of the most pivotal moments in my life. This story carries a beacon of hope for those grappling with grief. Picture a world where the pillars of your existence crumble unexpectedly. For me, that world-altering instant arrived with the loss of a cherished parent, my Dad, my unwavering source of guidance through life's tumultuous tides. Grief, a tumultuous emotional rollercoaster, inundates us with profound sensations. Waves of profound sorrow and anguish crash upon us, often shrouded in a fog of disbelief and numbness induced by the shock of loss. Anger may emerge, directed towards departed loved ones or inwardly, at ourselves for enduring. The haunting tendrils of guilt weave through our thoughts, questioning if more could have been done. My own journey unfolded amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, where anxiety, isolation, and loneliness intertwined with the throes of grief. These emotional burdens manifested physically, disrupting sleep, appetite, and even causing palpitations. Through sharing my story, I aim to bridge hearts with those burdened by loss, be it a friend, family member, guardian, or any cherished connection severed by fate. This tale is a testament to uncovering illumination in the darkest shadows, reminding us that even in the depths of despair, a glimmer of hope emerges on the horizon. In this podcast, I extend a heartfelt invitation to my mum—a retired end-of-life care nurse with profound insights from years of tending to individuals in their final chapters, including my father. You are not alone in your journey; together, we navigate the labyrinth of grief, finding solace in shared experiences and the enduring promise of hope.

Charles Down, an Entrepreneurial Digital Marketing Expert and the Owner of Forefront Digital, a renowned digital agency in the UK. Join Charles as he dives into the world of crafting exceptional online experiences through cutting-edge web design and development, complemented by expert SEO strategies. Through his entrepreneurial journey, Charles shares his first hand experiences of building a successful business and the power of goal setting in reaching your desired destination. Learn how Charles and his team at Forefront are dedicated to transforming and enhancing the online presence of a diverse clientele. Tune in for insightful discussions on entrepreneurship, business growth, and the importance of setting clear goals for success.

If you suffer from anxiety and would like to understand more, we dive into the statistics, symptoms, and strategies for coping with this prevalent mental health issue. Join myself and Sue Ashford (Therapist) as we explore the impact of anxiety on the brain, discussing the changes in the amygdala and hippocampus. We also provide insights into common strategies to manage anxiety, including tips for dealing with triggers, staying physically active, and engaging in relaxation techniques. Anxiety is a pressing issue that requires our focus, but it is not an illness. Pay attention to your thoughts, but don't let them consume you. Treat your thoughts with kindness, as you are your own toughest critic. The aim is to cultivate positive thoughts because anxiety serves a purpose—it reminds us to take action.

Welcome to this episode with Sue Ashford (The Mid-life Coach) "Understanding Friendships", a podcast all about building and maintaining friendships that matter. Join us as we discuss the ins and outs of making friends, handling conflicts, and recognising when friendships no longer align with our well-being. Learn practical tips on how to make friends in today's busy world, focusing on being yourself, showing genuine interest, and finding common ground to forge strong connections.

In this episode, join hypnotherapist Beckie Sorby on a journey of self-discovery as she navigates through life's challenges and helps others find their true identity. Uncover valuable insights on personal growth, overcoming obstacles, and embracing authenticity. We discuss how can you maintain your sense of self after becoming a mother, and what role does social media play in shaping our identity.