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Feeling the pressure to be cheerful this Christmas? You’re not alone. In this episode, Shelley takes a heartfelt look at the unspoken challenges of the festive season. 

Shelley offers practical tips on how to navigate the holiday stress, such as saying no without guilt, celebrating small wins, and focusing on genuine connections. 

Shelley’s anecdotes about her uninvited feline visitor, Henry, add a touch of humour and warmth to the discussion. While sharing a poignant story about finding peace in small moments, Shelley encourages you to embrace imperfection and be kind to yourself.

This episode is a gentle reminder that you don’t have to fake cheerfulness to meet others' expectations. Instead, it's about finding your own light amidst the chaos. So, if you're feeling overwhelmed this Christmas, this episode might just be the comforting companion you need.

🎧 Tune in now and let’s make this Christmas a little more real, together.

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Depression can affect your life, but it doesn't have to define it. With understanding, and the right strategies, it is possible to find joy and fulfilment again.

In today's episode:

• The top 3 causes of depression
• Can being rejected make you depressed?
• What happens in the body and brain in depression
• How to pull yourself out of depression

Citations
Some ideas here were inspired by a Nicabm training on working with shame. You can buy your full training programme here.
From Gen Alpha to boomers, we asked 6 therapists what each generation is talking about in therapy

Here's another podcast for you: How do you Heal SHAME?

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Shelley helps you to understand the causes of overthinking and how to relax your mind. This podcast explores signs of overthinking and offers strategies to deal with it.

In this podcast:

• Becoming aware of overthinking
• Mental, physical and emotional symptoms of overthinking. 
• Breaking the belief that overthinking is productive.
• 3 ways that you can challenge overthinking; taking a practical approach, a physiological approach, or an experiential approach.
• 2 exercises that shift your nervous system. 
• Underlying causes of overthinking.
• The role of the left and the right brain in overthinking.

Here’s another podcast for you: 10 Ways to Overcome Anxiety

Citations
2013 study published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology.2

Michl LC, McLaughlin KA, Shepherd K, Nolen-Hoeksema S. Rumination as a mechanism linking stressful life events to symptoms of depression and anxiety: longitudinal evidence in early adolescents and adults. J Abnorm Psychol. 2013;122(2):339-352. doi:10.1037/a0031994

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Today's episode is a deeply personal exploration of pet loss and its emotional toll. Join me as we navigate the intricate layers of grief, eating for comfort, and finding ways to feel better after losing a pet. Let's embark on this heartfelt exploration together.

Add your beloved pet to this post

To receive my blog post about how I took back control of my eating, get your Comfort Eating Recovery Starter Kit (below).

Here’s another podcast you will love:
Reset your Autonomic Nervous System - for Anxiety or Depression

Citations
‘Never Just a Cat’ - Gregory Richard Barden

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It's normal for most of us to struggle with procrastination. But if you started a diet or exercise regime in the New Year and now struggle to keep it going, it might be because you didn't understand what was going on for you.  There are reasons for procrastination and it can be stopped! In ​today's podcast​, I'm going to show you how 'failing' can help you.

We'll look at:

• Why you lose control and how to regain it
• The origins of self-control in your brain
• Recognising how stress, tiredness, and distraction stop you taking control
• Retraining your brain to take action
• I'll also share my experiences with impulse buying & how I stop myself

We'll discuss the small steps that add up to a big change.

Citations
Kelly McGonigal - The Willpower Instinct

Another podcast for you: 10 Ways to Overcome Anxiety

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Nurturing yourself through the pressures of Christmas. Part of the reason we eat so much at Christmas is that it's so easy to do it. Our whole culture makes it easy for us to do so. However, there are many traditions and habits associated with Christmas that can create pressure and obligations. One way to control your eating during Christmas is to politely decline food that you don't really want.

This is the second of my Christmas podcasts, where I talk about the pressures of Christmas, and guide you through the challenges of festive eating. I also share personal experiences and emphasise the importance of making conscious choices to take care of yourself during this time. 

• 11.24 - To end the episode, I tell a heart-warming Christmas story: 'What Happened Christmas Eve' by Oliver Herfold.

Another related podcast: How do I Stop Self-Criticism?

Get your Christmas Comfort Eating Recovery Checklist here

Citations
The Night Before Christmas

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Welcome to the first of three Christmas podcasts, where I talk about the different feelings we have during the holiday season. Today, I focus on how it can be hard to deal with loss during Christmas. It can be tough if someone you love isn't there, if you had a difficult relationship, or if you just feel sad during this time of year. I want to support you and give you permission to feel your grief.

I'll share stories, talk about love and grief, offer tips for taking care of yourself during the holidays, and I'll end with a moving and meaningful Dickensian Christmas story. So, get cosy, find a quiet place, and let's attend to how we can heal.

Citations

Coping with Memories of Grief and Loss at Christmas - Lyn Reed
https://welldoing.org/article/coping-with-memories-grief-loss-christmas
‘It’s Ok that you’re not OK” - Megan Devine
Charles Dickens ' What Christmas is as we Grow Older'
http://www.free-short-stories.org.uk/charles-dickens-what-christmas-is-as-we-grow-older.htm

Another podcast you may like: Whiskers & Tears - Healing From Pet Bereavement

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One of the biggest reasons people seek support from me is the fear of passing on their habits to their children.  According to statistics, children and young people are using food to cope with mental health issues, more than ever before. In this week's podcast, I talk about 5 ways you can help the young person in your care.

Your next podcast: How do I Stop Self-Criticism?

Citations

Office for Health and Disparities. Public Health Data. Obesity Profile: https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/national-child-measurement-programme

The Guardian. Young people overeating as they battle lockdown anxiety, says UK study: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jul/12/young-people-overeating-as-they-battle-lockdown-anxiety-says-uk-study

Mind: Facts and figures about young people and mental health: https://www.mind.org.uk/about-us/our-strategy/doing-more-for-young-people/facts-and-figures-about-young-people-and-mental-health/

NHS: https://www.england.nhs.uk/2022/03/nhs-treating-record-number-of-young-people-for-eating-disorders/

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“Today I talk about the biggest mistakes I made when trying to stop comfort eating and lose weight. I now advise against being too hard on yourself and going on strict diet. “

Shelley says it's really important to be kind to yourself and have self-compassion when trying to recover. She also thinks it's helpful to pay attention to your senses while eating, and be aware of how you feel when you’re choosing what to eat.

Shelley has created a 'Comfort Eating Recovery Starter Kit' with useful resources for people who want help. Get your starter kit here.

Your next podcast: How to Stop Procrastinating

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Do you worry too much about what others think of you? This can lead to overeating for comfort. Today, I talk about trying to be perfect and how it can have bad effects, like causing overeating, stress, and feeling really sad. I point out that perfectionists have unrealistic expectations for themselves and explain why. I suggest building up your own self-esteem and judging yourself in a reasonable way.

You might like this podcast next: How do I Stop Self-Criticism?

Citations

• What is eldest daughter syndrome? https://www.stylist.co.uk/relationships/family-friends/eldest-daughter-syndrome-perfectionist/834442
• Behav Ther. 2020 May;51(3):488-502.doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2019.09.002. Epub 2019 Sep 12. A Neuropsychological Investigation of Perfectionism Anthony Robinson  1 , Amitai Abramovitch  2  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32402263/
• Behaviour Research and Therapy Volume 40, Issue 7, July 2002, Pages 773-791 Clinical perfectionism: a cognitive–behavioural analysis. Author links open overlay panel Roz Shafran Christopher G. Fairburn https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0005796701000596
• Working with Perfectionism. Nicabm. https://www.nicabm.com/topic/perfectionism/ 

Support the show

Want to see if we're a good fit for working together?
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