Expanding Inward

In this episode, Lilly sits down with Dr. Lauretta Greer, a trauma-informed Coaching Psychologist who specialises in personal development, transitions, and stress management. With a passion for stress prevention and resilience, Lauretta’s mission is to help people enhance their skills, improve mental and physical health, and take charge of their lives.

What you gain from this conversation:

• What a Coaching Psychologist actually does and how it differs from traditional coaching or therapy
• Two definitions of resilience Lauretta uses with her clients — and why they matter
• How to tell the difference between healthy stress and toxic stress
• The “Fight, Flight, Freeze & Fawn” stress responses (and how to move through them)
• PERMA: Positive Psychology in real life — a simple framework for everyday resilience
• Practical tools & reframing techniques for when you’re feeling overwhelmed
• When meditation and mindfulness can backfire and how to adjust your practice
• How Lauretta’s upcoming book The Grey Space explores the evolving space between therapy and coaching

Key Takeaways:

• Resilience isn’t just “bouncing back” — it’s learning to adapt, grow and integrate life’s challenges.
• Stress can be helpful or harmful; knowing the difference is the first step.
• Mindfulness works best when it leaves the cushion and enters everyday life.
• Coaches and mental-health professionals need support in the “grey space” between therapy and coaching.

Resources & Links: 

Dr. Lauretta Greer’s Website- https://drlaurettagreer.com/ 

Her upcoming book 'The Grey Space' is available for pre-order!  

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For (free!) meditations visit my substack.

Loving the podcast? Leaving a rating or review helps more than you know—it truly makes our day.

You can also find TMR on Instagram, TikTok, & Youtube.

The Morning Ritual is produced by The Space (London) with end to end video production by Charlene Huskinson.

Today’s practice is all about stillness. We find stillness in the body in an attempt to find more stillness in the mind. This is a meditation technique known as Kaya Sthairyam, ‘kaya' meaning body and 'sthairyam' meaning stillness.

While the mind will never be completely still, it can become more settled, more spacious, and less reactive. When the body is restless, the mind often mirrors that and when the body becomes steady, it’s like a signal to the mind to slow down.

Through this practice we release unnecessary muscular effort and allow the body to become grounded and unmoving. This stillness is not forced, it’s an allowing, a surrender, an undoing.

For more (free!) meditations visit my substack.

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Loving the podcast? Leaving a rating or review helps more than you know—it truly makes our day.

You can also find TMR on Instagram, TikTok, & Youtube.

The Morning Ritual is produced by The Space (London) with end to end video production by Charlene Huskinson.

I'm joined by friend and fellow podcaster, Courtney Plank, also known as Coco. Coco is the founder of Coco Plank Therapy, where she draws on Buddhist Psychology and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction to help clients break free from unhelpful patterns and create lives filled with purpose and connection.Through the lens of Buddhism and Yoga Philosophy, we reflect on how these traditions offer timeless ways of reconnecting to ourselves, our communities, and our true nature.

Some of the themes we cover include:

• The parallels between Buddhism’s Four Noble Truths & Eightfold Path and Yoga’s Eight Limbs
• How neuroscience supports the Buddhist practice of observing and fact-checking our thoughts
• The rituals and practices that keep us grounded and steady on the path
• Reclaiming forgotten wisdom traditions for modern life
• Balancing self-inquiry (through meditation, therapy, and reflection) with outward action
• The role of podcasting as both a practice and a pathway to deeper connection
• How nurturing creativity reminds us that every human is creative
• How to live more heart-centered and communicate in ways that foster real connection

Ultimately, this episode is about remembering our shared longing: to connect more deeply- with ourselves, with each other, and with the world around us.

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Loving the podcast? Leaving a rating or review helps more than you know, it truly makes our day.

You can also find TMR on Instagram, TikTok, & Youtube.

The Morning Ritual is produced by The Space (London) with end to end video production by Charlene Huskinson.

Have you ever noticed how your breath changes when you’re stressed, anxious, or rushing through life? The way you breathe directly shapes the way you live. In this episode, I sit down with breathwork facilitator Will Twigden to explore how repatterning your breath can restore calm, release long-held tension, and open the door to a more authentic, purposeful way of living.

Will spent a decade in the corporate world. He was always on, chasing results, yet feeling anxious and disconnected. Today, he helps high achievers build resilience and clarity through Facilitated Breath Repatterning (FBR), a powerful somatic method rooted in breath mechanics, stress physiology, and nervous system healing.

We discuss:

• Will’s journey from corporate burnout to becoming a breathwork teacher
• Why your breath mirrors your internal state (and how to change it)
• How modern stress shapes our breathing patterns
• What makes Facilitated Breath Repatterning different from other breathwork practices
• Practical ways to use your breath to reduce stress, improve focus, and unlock potential

Whether you’re curious about breathwork, navigating stress, or seeking tools for personal transformation, this conversation will inspire you to see your breath in a whole new way.

Connect with Will and learn more at https://www.willtwigden.com/

Subscribe to The Morning Ritual on Substack for our free guided practices

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Loving the podcast? Leaving a rating or review helps more than you know, it truly makes our day.

You can also find TMR on Instagram, TikTok, & Youtube.

The Morning Ritual is produced by The Space (London) with end to end video production by Charlene Huskinson.

In this episode, Lilly sits down with psychic medium and healer Nikki Leader to talk about the power of intuition in our modern world. Nikki opens up about her personal journey through grief and awakening, how her psychic senses first came alive, and why she believes intuition is the superpower we all need, especially in an age of AI and information overload.

Together, we explore:

• How and when Nikki first discovered her psychic gifts
• Common myths about psychic readings (and what she truly hopes you take away from a session)
• The fascinating link between gut health and intuition
• The rise of spirituality in mainstream and corporate spaces
• Simple ways to begin strengthening and trusting your intuition in daily life
• The what and why of a Soul Plan Reading

This conversation is both grounding and expansive. It's an invitation to reconnect with your inner wisdom and see intuition as a guiding force in everyday life.

You can learn more about Nikki here. 

Nikki is coming to London! There are two opportunities to work with her:

August 29th- One-on-one tarot readings 

September 13th- The Intuitive Life Workshop 

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Loving the podcast? Leaving a rating or review helps more than you know—it truly makes our day.

You can also find TMR on Instagram, TikTok, & Youtube.

The Morning Ritual is produced by The Space (London) with end to end video production by Charlene Huskinson.

Today’s episode explores how mindfulness and authentic communication can improve our relationships. This applies to ALL relationships, from partners, friends, family, to (most importantly) ourselves.

Key takeaways: 

• How mindfulness creates space to respond rather than react.
• Why authenticity in relationships starts with self-awareness.
• A simple framework for expressing needs with compassion.
• Five practical tools to deepen connection

Enjoy this FREE loving kindness meditation.

Resources:

• Feelings & Needs List (NVC Academy)
• The Morning Ritual Substack

Relationships are messy, imperfect, and transformative. This conversation is an invitation to meet them with presence, honesty, and compassion.

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Loving the podcast? Leaving a rating or review helps more than you know—it truly makes our day.

You can also find TMR on Instagram, TikTok, & Youtube.

The Morning Ritual is produced by The Space (London).

Ally Bogard reminds us that meditation isn’t about chasing calm. It’s about meeting yourself exactly where you are. Sometimes that’s relaxed, and sometimes it’s deeply uncomfortable. In facing what arises, we come closer to our truth.

Ally shares insights from her book, The Quiet Teachers: Becoming a Student of Your Life, along with self-reflection tools designed to help you reconnect with who you truly are. Ally offers a refreshing and honest perspective on meditation, reminding us that the practice is not pleasure-seeking—it’s a powerful form of self-inquiry that can be deeply transformative.

Learn more about Ally here.

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Here for the meditations? They now live on my Substack, still completely free. You can think of The Morning Ritual Substack as your hub for daily practice. From guided meditations to audio/video practices and journal prompts to live gatherings. 

The Morning Ritual Substack- https://themorningritual.substack.com

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Join me on retreat August 28-31st in the English Countryside!

Learn more here: https://www.thespacelondon.co.uk/retreats

Loving the podcast? Leaving a rating or review helps more than you know—it truly makes our day.

You can also find TMR on Instagram, TikTok, & Youtube.

Welcome to the new season of The Morning Ritual! In this episode we explore: 

• What ritual means and why it matters
• The difference between the “Self” and the “self,” and why reconnecting with your capital-S Self is essential
• How my own journey with ritual began over a decade ago 
• The daily practices that support me now
• Why it’s not about perfection, but presence
• My #1 tip for building a ritual that stick 

Here for the meditations? They now live on my Substack, still completely free. You can think of The Morning Ritual Substack as your hub for daily practice. From guided meditations to audio/video practices and journal prompts to live gatherings. 

The Morning Ritual Substack- https://themorningritual.substack.com

-------------------------------

Join me on retreat August 28-31st in the English Countryside!

Learn more here: https://www.thespacelondon.co.uk/retreats

Loving the podcast? Leaving a rating or review helps more than you know—it truly makes our day.

You can also find TMR on Instagram, TikTok, & Youtube.

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Mentioned in this episode:

Tracee Stanley on The Morning Ritual- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-morning-ritual/id1503994111?i=1000663165069

The Luminous Self by Tracee Stanley- https://www.traceestanley.com/luminous-self

In this season finale, I take a few minutes to check in and share some exciting updates: I’m getting married next month (!), taking a short break from the podcast to fully savor the wedding and honeymoon, and lining up some truly special interviews for the next season, launching in August.

Before I step away, I wanted to leave you with one final meditation—a gentle and simple practice to help you slow down and reconnect with yourself.

This meditation is about stripping back the noise and remembering the essence of practice: being with yourself. No pressure to fix, improve, or do anything “right.” Just breath, stillness, and presence.

As always, thank you for being part of this community. Feel free to revisit past episodes in the meantime, and keep your morning ritual alive.

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Join me on retreat August 28-31st in the English Countryside!

Learn more here: https://www.thespacelondon.co.uk/retreats

Loving the podcast? Leaving a rating or review helps more than you know—it truly makes our day.

You can also find TMR on Instagram, TikTok, & Youtube.

Feeling out of balance? Recalibrate and align with what's important in today’s practice. This is more of a reflective exercise than anything else. Get comfortable, clear distractions and enjoy.

As a thank-you for being part of our community, enjoy a free class at The Space, our yoga and sound healing studio in London. Use code TMRSPACE when booking and come say hi! https://www.thespacelondon.co.uk/

Loving the podcast? Leaving a rating or review helps more than you know—it truly makes our day.

You can also find TMR on Instagram, TikTok, & Youtube.