Welcome ,This is an intro for Mel’s Camper Van Adventures: my Wales tour, what I’ll cover (cities, coast, conversations), why novelty helps mental health, and simple, low-cost ways to start—especially for midlife solo travellers who feel anxious but curious.

Key themes covered

• Starting before you’re “ready”; tiny steps

• Anxiety → courage reframes; novelty & dopamine

• Midlife solo female safety & confidence

• Low-cost, practical travel habits

• Cities + coastline + conversations format

• Coaching/psychotherapy lens on wellbeing

Chapters (add timestamps after upload)

• What this series is about

• Wales tour plan & Day 0–3

• Midlife solo female vanlife (real talk)

• Novelty, dopamine & mood

• Micro-adventures on any budget

• A client’s micro-shifts → macro change

• How to follow & what’s nextWhat’s ONE tiny adventure you’ll take this week (new park, new café, new beach)? Tell me below and I’ll cheer you on.

• “Start Now”

• “Wales Vanlife Intro”

• “Small Steps → Big Joy”

Your brain is clinging to certainty, chemistry, and old stories. In this session I explain mental loops after toxic relationships—and how to unhook with grounding, grief work, boundaries, and a simple 30-day pattern interrupt.

This video forms part of a larger body of work on my YouTube channel on relationships

What’s inside

• Dating filters: attachment, communication, red flags• Loops & the brain: safety, uncertainty, chemistry

The Dot-Circle Thought Audit (1 minute)

Pattern interrupts: mantra/breath, focus swaps, novelty•

Grief, no-contact windows, self-compassion

• Prompts + affirmations to rebuild your story

Links
• 30-Day Reset: [link]
• If your mind keeps replaying the relationship—arguments, “what ifs,” fantasies, regrets—you’re not broken. You’re in a loop. In this bonus session I walk through why loops happen (brain safety, uncertainty, trauma bonds) and exact tools to unhook: grounding, grief work, boundaries, and a 30-day pattern interrupt. You’ll learn Early dating filters: attachment, communication, boundaries, red flags.

What mental loops are & why the brain clings to them .

How trauma bonds + dopamine/oxytocin keep you stuck

The Dot-Circle

Thought Audit (1-minute awareness practice)

Pattern interrupts: mantra reps, breath/grounding,

mindful resets

Grieve fully (no-contact windows) without spiraling Replacing loops with new focus (hobbies, movement, novelty)

Self-compassion, reframing, and building a healthier story

Try this now•

Dot-Circle Audit What thoughts/memories loop most—and how do they make me feel?

What feelings am I avoiding (grief, anger, shame, fear)?

Which 3 grounding practices will I use when a loop starts?

What new truth/story about myself am I choosing going forward?

AffirmationsI am safe and I release what no longer serves me.

Each day I grow stronger and more peaceful.

My mind is becoming calm and clear.

I am worthy of healthy, loving relationships.

Safety noteIf you’re in danger or experiencing abuse, seek specialist support. UK: Refuge 0808 2000 247 • US: National DV Hotline 1-800-799-7233 (or text START to 88788) • AU: 1800RESPECT 1800 737 732. Use local services if outside these regions.DONATIONS -to help me create content and run the page https://pay.sumup.com/b2c/QFJNK7PBhttps://paypal.me/melgabbi555?country...Connect with me to access a 3 session series to kick start your journey email me [email protected] or Book direct - https://calendly.com/melaniegabbi555/... (for 3 session Kickstarter )For the consultancy offer Gold Tier Retainer Service -please book throughhttps://calendly.com/melaniegabbi555/...

Tags: mental health, breakup recovery, narcissistic abuse, trauma bond, mindfulness, breathwork, journaling, attachment, boundaries

Changing Spaces – Through The Lens is where I explore campervan travel, heritage journeys, psychology, spirituality, and the freedom to create new stories at midlife. From 30-day transformation programs to travel reflections, this channel is about how changing spaces changes lives.

A new series my on-the-road exploration of how places hold memory. I travel by campervan, film what I see, and reflect on the layers beneath the landscape—industry, migration, uprisings, class, and the quieter stories written into stone, coastlines, and communitiesLeg 1: Wales (August in parts) . Leg 2: Scotland (September in parts). Come along for scenes, stories, and the subtle shifts you can feel when you slow down and pay attention.Join me for Part 1 of my Epic Wales road trip—from Portishead and Clevedon to Newport—as I film coastal beauty and dig into the hidden histories shaping what we feel in a place: industry, migration, class, the Chartist uprising in Newport (1839), and the way landscapes seem to hold memory.I swim the Portishead Open Air Pool, cross the Prince of Wales Bridge, wander Clevedon and Clifton, and reflect on how architecture, street names, and coastlines whisper older stories—of work and wealth, protest and resilience.This episode weaves travel with reflection: why some towns feel light and others heavy, how industrial ports shaped communities, and how Newport’s Chartists left a mark on civic memory. If you love thoughtful travel, social history, and coast-hopping in a campervan—this is for you.Changing Spaces – Through The Lens is my ongoing series exploring how places hold memory. Leg 1: Wales. Leg 2: Scotland (coming soon).👇 Chapters, tags, and links below.👍 Like & Subscribe for the next leg (Cardiff, Barry, Llantwit Major, Ogmore-by-Sea, Bridgend… then Swansea).Books/thinkers briefly referenced: E.P. Thompson, Malcolm Chase (Chartists), Catherine Hall (empire & ownership), David Olusoga (Black and British), Margaret Humphreys (Empty Cradles), Yasmin Alibhai-Brown (The Colour of Love).#Chapters #WalesRoadTrip #Chartists #Newport #Portishead #Clevedon #CampervanLifeChapters / Timestamps00:00 Intro – what “Changing Spaces” is00:38 Portishead arrival & seaside vibe01:30 Portishead Open Air Pool swim02:20 Why I travel: noticing how places feel03:40 West Country wealth, estates & old economies04:45 Clevedon/Clifton—who owned the land & why it matters06:10 Class, inheritance & the built environment07:20 Coastline memories, hotels, manors & unspoken stories08:30 Reflection by the sea: memory, DNA, and place10:05 Crossing the Severn / Prince of Wales Bridge10:40 First impressions of Newport11:20 Newport history in brief (port, coal, industry)12:20 The Chartist Rising (1839) – Westgate Hotel13:15 What lingers in a city after protest & grief14:10 Industrial echoes vs. garden symbolism15:05 Why some places feel “dense” (personal & collective trauma)16:05 Sending good intentions; staying curious16:40 Closing thoughts & what’s next (Cardiff → Swansea)17:20 Outro & how to follow the series#Wales #WalesRoadTrip #CampervanLife #ChangingSpaces #ThroughTheLens #Portishead #Clevedon #Newport #Chartists #CoastalWalks #UKTravel #VanLifeUK #PlaceMemory #SocialHistorywant to work with me? [email protected] ✨ Patreon community (coming soon): behind-the-scenes, deeper reflections, live Q&A.#ChangingSpaces #CampervanTravel #MidlifeTransformation #ScotlandTravel #PsychologyAndSpirituality#mentalhealth #spirituality #wellbeing #love #relashionships #UK #campervan #solofemail #lovetotravel #tourism #photograpthy #digitalart

Lets unpack how mindful travel resets your brain: slow dopamine vs doomscrolling, the stretch zone (safety vs risk), and how to turn great moments into anchors you can use at your desk. Honest van-life bits included: gradients, cold showers, signal gaps—and the confidence that follows.

This video forms part of a series on YouTube under Mels Campervan adventures ,

What’s inside
• Novelty, nature & nervous system calm
• Practical stretch zone: tiny risks, real wins
• Beach yoga that actually works (no sand-in-everything version)
• Anchoring joy: a 3-step memory → calm method
• Heritage & identity: why trips spark bigger questions

Links
• Work with me (Kickstarter/Reset): [link]Calendly - M G• 30-Day Program: [link]-WHY A 30 DAY PROGRAMME ,WHAT TO EXPECT
• “Changing Spaces” / Patreon: [link] coming soon

travel psychology, mindfulness, breathwork, campervan, Wales, slow dopamine, resilience, women’s wellbeing, midlife

Overwhelmed by advice but craving something doable? I walk through a 30-day framework that blends journaling, mindset shifts, and micro-practices you can actually maintain—plus how to reset without starting over.

this video forms part of a larger body of work on my YouTube page , called 30 Days to Change Grow and Transform

What’s inside
• Why we spiral (and how to interrupt it)
• A simple daily structure (5–10 minutes)
• Letting go: guilt, people-pleasing, perfectionism
• Energy & attention basics (movement, rest, hydration)
• The “Reset Rule” for missed days

Links
• Join the 30-Day Program: (2) INTRO TO THE NEW 30 DAY SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT AND PERSONAL POWER PROGRAMME -LEVEL 2 - YouTube
• 1:1 Kickstarter/Reset sessions: Calendly - M G
personal growth, habits, mindset, journaling, meditation, breathwork, nervous system, midlife reset, coaching

Obsessive thoughts after a toxic or emotionally abusive relationship are common—and changeable. I share clear, practical tools to calm your body, interrupt loops, and process grief safely. Includes a short guided visualization.

this podcast is part of a larger body of work on my YouTube page on Relationships

What’s inside
• Toxic vs stressful dynamics, gaslighting & self-doubt
• Why attachment + past trauma fuel rumination
• Grounding, breathwork, movement & task-based focus
• Mantras, journaling & 30-day micro-routines
• When to seek therapy or specialist DA support

Links
• Work with me: Calendly - M G
• 30-Day Calm Planner: link(1) INTRO TO THE NEW 30 DAY SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT AND PERSONAL POWER PROGRAMME -LEVEL 2 - YouTube
• YouTube version: [link]HOW TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS HIJACK YOUR MIND -AND HOW TO HEAL
mental health, toxic relationships, narcissistic abuse, trauma bond, mindfulness, breathwork, grief, breakup recovery, women’s wellbeing

Content Settings: Education/Health & Fitness • Clean

Over the past year I have been posting videos of my trip to various UK locations ,in my campervan . I recently did a trip to Wales and it affirmed for me to go back to my roots and do a trip to Scotland. Here I share why, Scotland and what it means to me. This journey is more than travel — it’s a return to family roots, ancestry, and the hidden stories of heritage, identity, and resilience. In this video I share why Scotland matters to me, and how changing spaces helps us reflect on who we are, and who we are becoming. In this video: How my family story in Scotland shaped my journey. Exploring ancestry, identity, culture, race & class. The influence of heritage on childhood & family life. How travel connects us to memory, resilience & belonging. Why Changing Spaces: Through the Lens is about more than tourism — it’s about listening to land and legacy.✨ Subscribe to my you tube page if you would like to see all the videos I create for my campervan adventures and new project Changing Spaces , born from my passion in exploring heritage and more Heritage + ancestry journeys. Campervan freedom + cultural travel. Reflections weaving psychology + spirituality.📩 Join my 7-Day Empowerment Challenge: You Tube💜 Patreon (coming soon): deeper reflections, Q&A, behind the scenes. timestamps 0:00 – Why Scotland? (not just a trip)0:43 – Family roots and ancestry story1:29 – Identity, race, class & culture questions2:12 – Changing Spaces thesis → now a living journey2:46 – Exploring Scotland through ancestry, architecture & resonance3:59 – Childhood memories of Scotland & family connections4:55 – Stories of heritage, identity & conditioning6:01 – Growing up with questions: Who are you? Where are you from?6:34 – Excitement & fear: returning to Scotland after decades7:01 – Changing Spaces: Through the Lens (multiple meanings)#mentalhealth #spirituality #wellbeing #love #relashionships #UK #campervan #solofemail #lovetotravel #tourism #photograpthy #digitalart #ScotlandTravel #AncestryJourney #HeritageTravel #ChangingSpaces #MidlifeTransformation #psychologyandspirituality

tags

why Scotland travel, Scotland ancestry journey, heritage travel Scotland, midlife travel vlog, campervan Scotland trip, changing spaces through the lens, ancestry and identity journey, Scottish family history. cultural psychology travel, resilience and heritage

I didn’t take the campervan to Wales for Instagram shots. I went to explore life beyond burnout, rebuild confidence after a car accident, and test my tools—mindfulness, yoga, and small brave steps—outside the comfort zone. This episode shares the real story from 2016–2025: leaving “five days forever,” trying three, saying yes to festivals and creative work, and what South Wales taught me about safety vs risk.

this episode is part of a larger body of work on Mels Campervan Adventures on YouTube

You’ll hear
• Schools/CAMHS-style background & why the system wears us down
• Redundancy → experiments → slower work rhythm
• PTSD recovery practices that actually helped
• Van realities (steep bays, dead battery, no signal)
• Safety vs risk in midlife—and how to choose aliveness

Links
• Work with me (coaching/mentoring): Calendly - M G
• 30-Day Wellbeing Program: (1) INTRO TO THE NEW 30 DAY SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT AND PERSONAL POWER PROGRAMME -LEVEL 2 - YouTube
• Video version on YouTube: REFLECTIONS -From Exhausted to Exploratory: My 2016–2025 Reinvention + Campervan Lessons
• Patreon: [link]

mental health, burnout, resilience, midlife, women’s wellbeing, yoga, mindfulness, travel, Wales, campervan

This trailer introduces my YouTube AND Spotify channel new project called Changing Spaces: Through the Lens — where I explore campervan travel, heritage journeys, psychology, spirituality, and the freedom to create new stories at midlife. From 30-day transformation programs to travel reflections, this channel is about how changing spaces changes lives. In this video I share:How this channel began with podcasts, campervan journeys, and 30-day programs.Why I’m launching a new series: Changing Spaces: Through the Lens.Upcoming trips — including my Scotland journey (starting Sept 10).The 7-Day Empowerment Challenge (Aug 31–Sept 7) and how to join.🌱 Subscribe if you want:Campervan freedom + heritage travel.Reflections weaving psychology + spirituality.Tools for empowerment, resilience & joy.📩 Access the 7-Day workbook + affirmations ebook: by emailing me [email protected] and have ebook in subject bar ✨ Patreon community (coming soon): behind-the-scenes, deeper reflections, live Q&A.#ChangingSpaces #CampervanTravel #MidlifeTransformation #ScotlandTravel #PsychologyAndSpirituality #mentalhealth #spirituality #wellbeing #love #relashionships #UK #campervan #solofemail #lovetotravel #tourism #photograpthy #digitalart

I’m sharing the real story behind my shift from local authorities/NHS work to a mixed life of private practice, yoga & meditation teaching, and wellbeing festivals—plus what a solo South Wales campervan trip taught me about fear, resilience, and joy. Expect practical nervous-system tools, midlife pivots, and plenty of coastal honesty.

this video forms a larger body of work on my YouTube page , Mels Campervan Adventures

(4) MELS CAMPERVAN ADVENTURE & SCENIC JOURNEYS UK - YouTube

What’s inside
• 2016: the first nudge & tiny experiments
• 2019 accident → PTSD ripples & recovery practices
• 2023 festivals: courage, community, connection
• Campervan realities (signal, space, sleep, sand!)
• Wales highlights: Portishead, Carmarthen, St Davids, Fishguard
• Tools: breathwork, state shifting, gratitude & planning the next season

Links
• 30-Day Wellbeing Planner melanie gabbi you tube

INTRO TO THE NEW 30 DAY SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT AND PERSONAL POWER PROGRAMME -LEVEL 2• Work with me Calendly - M G mental health, anxiety, resilience, midlife, women’s wellbeing, travel, campervan, Wales, yoga, mindfulness, personal growth

Education/Health & Fitness

If you enjoyed this, follow the show, rate it, and share with a friend who’s stretching their comfort zone.

#resilience #anxiety #campervanlife #Wales #midlife #wellbeing #yoga #mentalhealth

anxiety, panic, resilience, midlife reinvention, women 45+, wellbeing festivals, yoga teacher life, nervous system regulation, breathwork, state shifting, PTSD recovery, campervan life UK, Wales road trip, South Wales coast, St Davids, Fishguard, Portishead, Carmarthen, dopamine novelty, personal growth, mindset, mental health tools, journaling, identity shift, career pivot, NHS to private practice