Ironically Christmas is often a time when many of us struggle with our mental health and with staying in a regulated enough place.

Cath addresses why this may happen, focuses on why an understanding of our nervous system is so helpful in de-shaming this experience and suggests some practical tips to help you if you are feeling like this.

Please know that you are not alone if you struggle at Christmas AND there is hope in terms of how you manage yourself and your experience. You can re-frame and re-focus to help yourself and Cath explains what actually helps with this.

If you're enjoying this podcast. Please leave a review and rate the podcast, this really helps others to find it.

To sign up for the journal prompts and Nurture.Heal.Grow (on Substack) please head to www.cathcounihan.com or @cathcounihan on Instagram. 

Follow Cath on social media here:

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In this episode Cath was joined by Stephen Terrell. Steve Terrell is a Healer, Teacher, and Author and sees clients at Austin Attachment and Counseling Center in Austin, Texas. He founded this center over 20 years ago for the treatment of Developmental Trauma and Adoption related issues. He has a Master’s Degree in Counseling from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and a Doctorate in Psychology California Coast University and sees his clients under his license as a professional counselor in Texas. 

Steve and Cath discuss Steve's path to fatherhood, what he learnt about parenting from his first son, healing work and the importance of turning up in the relationship. Steve shared about what has been most important in terms of supporting himself and how he breaks things down to make them manageable/achievable. There is so much wisdom in this episode, I hope you find this supportive ahead of the festive period.

It was his experience as a clinician and single parent of two adopted sons, along with his understanding of the ACEs that Steve came to the realization that there needed to be a way to reach non-verbal, or early developmental trauma, without spoken language. Out of this realization he developed Transforming Touch® and a training program designed for understanding and healing developmental trauma: “Transforming the Experience-Based Brain: A Regulation-Based Approach to Working Developmental Trauma” (which is offered internationally and offers an understanding of developmental trauma through a new lens). This new lens includes working with primitive reflexes, learning the language of early trauma, working with physiological regulation, understanding the neuro sequential development of the brain, working with survival parts, understanding attachment in the somatic relationship, and more.

If you're enjoying this podcast. Please leave a review and rate the podcast, this really helps others to find it.

To sign up for the journal prompts and Nurture.Heal.Grow (on Substack) please head to www.cathcounihan.com or @cathcounihan on Instagram. 

Follow Cath on social media here:

Instagram: @cathcounihan

Substack: Nurture.Heal.Grow

Facebook: Cath Counihan

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

In this episode Cath speaks to the general craziness that happens at this time of year and makes some actionable suggestions.

Assisting you in bringing more ease, joy and harmony to your life and your family life. 

If you're enjoying this podcast. Please leave a review and rate the podcast, this really helps others to find it.

To sign up for the journal prompts and Nurture.Heal.Grow (on Substack) please head to www.cathcounihan.com or @cathcounihan on Instagram. 

Follow Cath on social media here:

Instagram: @cathcounihan

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

In this episode Cath was answering questions on 'The Body Love Binge' podcast hosted by Victoria Kleinsman. We discussed a huge range of topics including developmental trauma, shame, childhood coping strategies, attachment styles, eating disorders, the role of control and much more. This episode is full of rich storytelling, hope you find it supportive.

If you're enjoying this podcast. Please leave a review and rate the podcast, this really helps others to find it.

To sign up for the journal prompts and Nurture.Heal.Grow (on Substack) please head to www.cathcounihan.com or @cathcounihan on Instagram. 

Follow Cath on social media here:

Instagram: @cathcounihan

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In this episode Cath was joined by Alita Blanchard. Alita Blanchard is an Australian based parent coach, holistic counsellor, and mother of four boys, committed to helping parents create safe, connected, and compassionate homes.

With training in nervous system care, Rites of Passage, and Women’s Circles, Alita guides mothers through the transformative journey of parenthood, offering tools to navigate overwhelm, anger, and anxiety without shame or fear. Rooted in her own experience raising sensitive, deeply feeling children, Alita’s work empowers parents to co-regulate, embrace vulnerability, and foster connection with their kids.

Cath and Alita talked about Alita's experience of mothering, how she came to her motherhood journey, mothering after grief, moving away from perfectionism and the growth path this set Alita on. Alita shares about her experience of rage, anger, raising boys, looking at her own attachment patterns and much, much more.

Alita's vulnerability and honesty will invite you to reflect on your own patterns with less shame.

You can connect with Alita to find grounded, growth-oriented support for your own journey, towards being the parent you aspire to be, below.

Instagram: @alitablanchard

Website: www.theawaremama.com.au

If you're enjoying this podcast. Please leave a review and rate the podcast, this really helps others to find it.

To sign up for the journal prompts and Nurture.Heal.Grow (on Substack) please head to www.cathcounihan.com or @cathcounihan on Instagram. 

Follow Cath on social media here:

Instagram: @cathcounihan

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Facebook: Cath Counihan

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In this episode Cath explains why on earth we bother with validating those pesky emotions. As parents, it can seem this is a NEVERENDING task, and it may be the exact opposite of what you learnt as a child. So why bother? What is the point? Cath explains this simply and clearly in this episode. If you have a partner who wants to shut you or your kids down this is a great listen. This is also ideal to listen to if you co-parent with someone who is on a different page to you about emotional holding/flow/space. 

Here is the booking link to buy a ticket for Triggers, Rage and Reparenting Workshop:

https://www.cathcounihan.com/triggers-rage-reparenting-workshop

The live Q&A for this workshop is on Weds 20 November so send in any questions you may have. The Q&A will also be recorded.

If you're enjoying this podcast. Please leave a review and rate the podcast, this really helps others to find it.

To sign up for the journal prompts and Nurture.Heal.Grow (on Substack) please head to www.cathcounihan.com or @cathcounihan on Instagram. 

Follow Cath on social media here:

Instagram: @cathcounihan

Substack: Nurture.Heal.Grow

Facebook: Cath Counihan

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

In this episode Cath was interviewed by Nikki McCahon for her 'Seasons of Matresence' podcast. We had a gentle, compassionate and open hearted conversation about the ways in which experiences of childhood trauma can shape and impact how we experience mothering and raising children.

We cover a lot of ground in this episode, the ways in which childhood trauma can impact and shape our experience of mothering and raising children. We talk about the nervous system and our window of tolerance and how trauma can travel through families and generations why playing with your children can feel overwhelming or dysregulating. The power of rupture and repair for our children and ourselves and how we can bring in more compassion in our mothering and our journey of healing from childhood trauma.

There is so much wisdom in this episode, and I know that it’s going to be really supportive for you.

If you're enjoying this podcast. Please leave a review and rate the podcast, this really helps others to find it.

To sign up for the journal prompts and Nurture.Heal.Grow (on Substack) please head to www.cathcounihan.com or @cathcounihan on Instagram. 

Follow Cath on social media here:

Instagram: @cathcounihan

Substack: Nurture.Heal.Grow

Facebook: Cath Counihan

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

In this episode Cath speaks to how hard it may be to just 'feel our feelings'.

Many of us have been taught the exact opposite and Cath speaks to some common psychological defence mechanisms to block emotions with examples and anecdotes. Cath talks about interoception and how essential this is and makes reference to Stephen Porges book 'The Polyvagal Theory'.

Emotional Flow is a process and improving this is step by step and Cath shares some tips around this and an example from her own life of helping her kids begin to process their emotions.

If you're enjoying this podcast. Please leave a review and rate the podcast, this really helps others to find it.

To sign up for the journal prompts and Nurture.Heal.Grow (on Substack) please head to www.cathcounihan.com or @cathcounihan on Instagram. 

Follow Cath on social media here:

Instagram: @cathcounihan

Substack: Nurture.Heal.Grow

Facebook: Cath Counihan

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

In this episode Cath speaks to self abandonment and how for many of us this feels absolutely necessary. She links it to childhood patterns and speaks to how unfamiliar it can be to start tending to needs, making some suggestions around prioritising your needs.

Please also find details about my forthcoming workshop I mention listed here here.

You can also read more on abandonment on substack (link to Nurture.Heal.Grow below).

If you're enjoying this podcast. Please leave a review and rate the podcast, this really helps others to find it.

To sign up for the journal prompts and Nurture.Heal.Grow (on Substack) please head to www.cathcounihan.com or @cathcounihan on Instagram. 

Follow Cath on social media here:

Instagram: @cathcounihan

Substack: Nurture.Heal.Grow

Facebook: Cath Counihan

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

In this episode Cath speaks to the desperation that can arise when we are cycle breaker and are working really hard to give our kids a different experience to the experience we had in childhood. It can feel like we have to get everything RIGHT (whatever that means) and when we overgive and abandon ourselves it is unhelpful (and damaging) for both us and our kids.

If you're enjoying this podcast. Please leave a review and rate the podcast, this really helps others to find it.

To sign up for the journal prompts and Nurture.Heal.Grow (on Substack) please head to www.cathcounihan.com or @cathcounihan on Instagram. 

Follow Cath on social media here:

Instagram: @cathcounihan

Substack: Nurture.Heal.Grow

Facebook: Cath Counihan

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