Today I’m chatting to Ro Mitchell, who so many of you will know from TikTok for speaking really openly about anorexia, ADHD and recovery and doing it in a way that actually makes you feel less mad and less alone.

Ro talks about developing an eating disorder at 14, getting really good at hiding it, going into CAMHS and then hospital, and what it actually took to choose recovery for herself - not for her parents, not for school, not to avoid being sectioned. We get into body checking, covering mirrors, exercise addiction, the pressure of being “the girl with the eating disorder,” and the really messy bit of recovery where you hate your changing body but you still don’t want to go back.

It’s practical and I think it will be a lifeline for anyone stuck in that “one foot in, one foot out” stage.

Find Ro:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@romitchell?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RoMitchell

Instagram: @romitchell

Read her book, How to Talk to Yourself: https://amzn.eu/d/7jvtSKP

Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:

Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod

TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing

Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing

Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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

In this Healing 101 bonus episode I’m joined by Jonny Miller, nervous system educator and host of The Inner Frontier podcast. Jonny’s work was forged in something unbearably human: the loss of his fiancée, Sophie, to suicide in 2017. We talk about how grief completely dismantled the life he thought he was going to live, and how by actually letting the grief move through him instead of armouring up - he discovered a kind of raw aliveness and tenderness he’d never accessed before.

From there we get into what he now teaches: nervous system mastery. Jonny breaks down why so many of us are living slightly frozen, slightly overwhelmed, slightly braced and how building skills in interoception, self-regulation, and emotional fluidity can change the way we grieve, love, work and relate. It’s a really grounded, hopeful conversation about turning devastation into capacity.

Find Jonny:

Website: https://www.jonnymiller.co/

Nervous System Mastery: https://www.nsmastery.com/

Podcast: https://theinnerfrontier.com/

Stateshift App: https://www.stateshift.app/

Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:

Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod

TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing

Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing

Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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

Today I’m joined by Pearl Lowe - singer, designer and author, who’s just brought out her gorgeous new book, Faded Glamour in the City. Pearl’s story is incredible: from a dreamy but chaotic London childhood to teenage rebellion, addiction, undiagnosed ADHD, motherhood at 18, and then a total reinvention - getting sober, moving to Somerset, and finding peace in creativity and slower living.

We talk about the impulsiveness and perfectionism that come with ADHD, how self-medicating became a coping mechanism, and why getting a diagnosis later in life helped her finally make sense of it all.

Find Pearl:

Instagram: @pearllowe

Website: https://www.pearllowe.co.uk/

Buy Faded Glamour in the City: https://www.pearllowe.co.uk/products/faded-glamour-in-the-city

Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:

Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod

TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing

Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing

Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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

Today’s Healing 101 is a conversation with Kate Oliver - chartered psychologist, executive coach, and co-author (with her brother, Toby) of the brilliant book Rise and Shine.

If, like me, mornings can feel wobbly because of that 4am worry spiral, this one’s for you. Kate has spent 35 years helping people show up better at work and in life, and she shares how a tough period of anxiety (and perimenopause) led her to rethink the very first minutes of the day.

We talk about simple, realistic shifts - like thinking about what you do before you touch your phone, how to set an alarm you don’t dread, and tiny practices you can stack in five to ten minutes. No 5am club, no ice bath required. Kate’s SHINE approach is flexible, humane, and honestly… it works.

Find Kate:

Website: https://www.koconsulting.co/rise-and-shine

Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:

Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod

TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing

Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing

Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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

Today I’m joined by journalist Anna Wolfe - who’s funny, frank and gloriously unfiltered and we go deep on eating disorders and addiction. We talk about the binge–restrict cycle, the shame that keeps you stuck, sobriety, and the messy, non-linear reality of recovery. So much of what Anna shared resonated with me personally, which is why I found this conversation so interesting - and, honestly, hopeful.

Anna’s also just launched her brilliantly titled podcast, How to Get Wet When You’re Dry, and you’ll hear exactly why her voice cuts through. Quick heads-up: we discuss eating disorders, addiction and related struggles. Please listen in whatever way feels safe for you, and please contact Shout if you’re in need of support.

Find Anna:

Website: https://www.annawolfewriting.com/

Podcast: https://www.howtogetwetwhenyouredry.com/

Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:

Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod

TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing

Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing

Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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

Today we’re talking about everyday anxiety, overwhelm, and that loud inner critic that tells you you’re not doing enough. I’m joined by psychotherapist and author Anna Mathur, who’s brilliant at making mental health feel doable in real life. Anna shares simple ways to steady your nervous system (think a 60-second reset), how to swap “shoulds” for choices, set kinder boundaries without guilt, and build tiny pockets of rest into busy days. We also touch on the difference between normal worry and anxiety, what “good enough” really looks like, and when it’s time to reach out for help.

Find Anna:

Instagram: @annamathur

Website: https://www.annamathur.com/

Buy her book: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/462726/the-good-decision-diary-by-mathur-anna/9780241707227

Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:

Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod

TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing

Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing

Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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

Today I’m joined by consultant psychiatrist and author Alastair Santhouse to ask a big question: what counts as “normal” mental health? We explore the difference between everyday ups and downs and problems that really stop you living your life, and how labels can both open doors to support and stick in unhelpful ways. We talk about why ADHD and autism diagnoses seem to be rising, how Alastair assesses people by looking at their whole life (not just checklists), and the simple difference between psychiatrists and psychologists. We also touch on the growth in antidepressant use and the risk of turning social pain - like loneliness or money stress - into medical illness. Finally, we unpack how words like “trauma,” “OCD,” and “narcissist” get thrown around online, and why precision matters. This isn’t personal medical advice - please speak to your GP if you’re concerned.

Find Alastair:

Website: https://www.alastairsanthouse.com/

Books: https://www.alastairsanthouse.com/author

Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:

Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod

TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing

Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing

Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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

On today’s Healing 101 we’re talking about something that can hide in plain sight: exercise addiction. We’re taught that “more is better”, but when movement slides from choice to compulsion, the thing that helps us can start to hurt us - physically, mentally, and socially. To unpack that paradox, I’m joined by Dr. Martin Turner, Reader in Psychology at Manchester Metropolitan University. Martin looks at the beliefs that drive our behaviour - why “I have to train” feels so powerful - and he shares a simple way to test those thoughts, plus how REBT (Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy) can help us move from rigid rules to real flexibility. In a few minutes you’ll learn how to spot the line between healthy training and over-reliance, and a small step you can try tomorrow. If this brings anything up for you or you feel like you might need some help, please reach out to someone you trust or your GP.

Find Martin:

https://www.mmu.ac.uk/staff/profile/dr-martin-james-turner

Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:

Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod

TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing

Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing

Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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

Today I’m joined by the brilliant journalist Harriet Walker. You may know her work from The Times newspaper, and perhaps you read her article about attending a psilocybin retreat. In this conversation, Harriet opens up about what drew her there - the low hum of anxiety, the mental load of motherhood, and that constant striving so many of us feel but rarely admit.

We explore her experience on the retreat, the moments of deep release and revelation, and the shift that followed - softer relationships, a gentler inner voice, and the realisation that ‘all I want is what I’ve got.’ Harriet speaks with such honesty about matrescence, boundaries, and what healing now means to her.

Find Harriet:

Instagram: @_harrywalker1

Harriet's Articles: https://www.thetimes.com/profile/harriet-walker

Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:

Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod

TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing

Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing

Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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

Hi everyone, and welcome to this Healing 101 bonus episode with the wonderful Bryony Gordon.

If you’ve already listened to my longer conversation with Bryony earlier this week, you’ll know just how honest and generous she is when it comes to talking about mental health and especially her experience of living with OCD.

In this shorter episode, I wanted to go a little deeper into some of the practical sides of recovery - how naming your OCD can help you separate from it, why humour can be a surprisingly powerful tool, and what healthy rituals actually look like when you’re trying to break free from the ones that keep you stuck.

Bryony also shares her three daily tools for managing OCD.

If the first episode was the bigger picture, this is the gentle follow-up - a moment to pause, reflect, and remember that healing often starts with awareness.

Find support for OCD with OCD Action: https://ocdaction.org.uk/

Find Bryony:

Instagram: @bryonygordon

Books: https://www.headline.co.uk/contributor/bryony-gordon/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-life-of-bryony/id1763828544

Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:

Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod

TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing

Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing

Website: hurttohealing.co.uk

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