Welcome back to The WHOLEistic Psychology Podcast 🤍

Today’s conversation is one I feel so deeply passionate about, because it speaks to something I see every single day in my clinical work… women feeling confused, overwhelmed, and often disconnected from what is actually happening in their bodies.

I’m joined by the incredible Francesca Lyon, a degree-qualified and registered naturopath and Medical Herbalist specialising in women’s health, hormones, and fertility, and together we explore what it really means to understand your mental health through a hormonal and whole-body lens.

This is a conversation about burnout, about the pressure to “push through,” about the invisible role hormones play in how we feel, and most importantly, how we can begin to support ourselves in a way that is evidenced based, compassionate and practical. 

In this episode, we explore:

✨ Francesca’s journey from burnout in the corporate world to discovering the power of holistic, whole-body healing
 ✨ What hormones actually are
 ✨ The reality of modern life: overworking, under-eating, over-exercising, and how this creates a hormonal “perfect storm”
 ✨ The cortisol curve: from “wired and thriving” stress… to depleted, burnt-out, low cortisol states that can feel like depression
 ✨ Why chronic stress doesn’t always look like high cortisol
 ✨ The complex relationship between hormones and mental health and why testing (not guessing) matters
 ✨ Blood sugar as a foundational pillar of both hormone health and emotional stability, and how stress can destabilise it
✨ The bidirectional relationship between food, stress, and self-talk and how guilt and anxiety around food can impact your physiology
✨ Why “perfect eating” isn’t always the answer
✨ The role of progesterone as a deeply calming, protective hormone for mental health
✨ The nuanced (and often misunderstood) relationship between hormones and conditions like PMS and PMDD
✨ How hormonal shifts across the menstrual cycle can influence mood, focus, anxiety, and energy
✨ The importance of sleep for hormone regulation and overall wellbeing
✨ The power of a truly holistic approach: nutrition, lifestyle, psychology, and medical insight working together, not in isolation

To see more of the fabulous Francesca Lyon, follow her on Instagram @your_hormone_naturopath - there she shares so many wise, insightful posts! 

Want even more WHOLEistic Psychology? Here’s where to find more support and resources:

Website & Client Enquiries
Learn more about WHOLEistic Psychology and my fantastic team HERE.

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Blog
Take a read of my thoughts and learnings I want to share with you. READ HERE. 

In this jam-packed episode, I sit down with the incredibly insightful Dr. Brad to unpack one of the most powerful (yet often overlooked) relationships in the body: the gut-brain connection.

Together, we explore how what we eat, and how we live, can deeply influence our mental health, mood, and emotional resilience.

We explore:

• The gut-brain axis: what it is, how it works, and why it matters
• How stress affects the gut (yes, leaky gut is a thing, and it’s more common than you think!)
• The key role of dietary diversity in supporting your microbiome
• How protein intake supports neurotransmitter production and mood regulation
• Why gluten isn’t the villain it’s made out to be (and what to know before cutting it out)
• The hidden dangers of artificial sweeteners for gut and brain health
• Why the Mediterranean Diet continues to shine in both research and real life
• Simple, science-backed tips to improve your digestion and mental wellbeing today

This conversation is a must-listen for anyone wanting to feel better from the inside out - whether you're navigating anxiety, brain fog, low energy or just want to learn how to nourish your mind and body more intentionally.

I cannot wait for you to listen to this one my friends! ✨

Want even more WHOLEistic Psychology? Here’s where to find more support and resources:

Website & Client Enquiries
Learn more about WHOLEistic Psychology and my fantastic team HERE.

Join the Newsletter
My monthly(ish!) newsletter curated for you to show you all about mind-body wellness, through psychological tools, recipes, research and more! JOIN HERE

Blog
Take a read of my thoughts and learnings I want to share with you. READ HERE. 

We've been taught that happiness is the goal. But what if that idea is the very thing that’s making us feel stuck, anxious, or like we’re constantly falling short?

If you’ve ever wondered why you’re still not happy, even when you're ‘ticking the boxes’... this one’s for you my guys!

This episode is here to shake up the belief that we should always be chasing happiness… and offers a far more meaningful alternative (I promise, take a listen and you’ll see!).

Join me, Senior Psychologist Sophia Dawson as I explore:

• Why the pressure to “feel happy” is keeping you stuck
• Why fulfillment comes from values, not vibes
• The unhelpful ways we try to “control” feelings (and how they boomerang back)
• How to stop waiting for happiness to start living
• The role of your future self in guiding your decisions today

This episode is going to leave you feeling inspired to live a life that is guided by what matters to you, whether happiness is present or not. Cheers to a new measure of success, my friends ✨

Want even more WHOLEistic Psychology? Here’s where to find more support and resources:

Website & Client Enquiries
Learn more about WHOLEistic Psychology and my fantastic team HERE.

Join the Newsletter
My monthly(ish!) newsletter curated for you to show you all about mind-body wellness, through psychological tools, recipes, research and more! JOIN HERE

Blog
Take a read of my thoughts and learnings I want to share with you. READ HERE. 

Welcome back to The WHOLEistic Psychology Podcast !Today’s conversation is an absolute gem, and I can’t wait for you all to tune in. I’m joined by the incredible Steph Pearson, a qualified naturopath and nutritionist, and together we take a deep dive into anxiety - not just as a psychological phenomenon, but as a whole-body experience.

We unpack what it really means to nourish the nervous system from the inside out, how blood sugar and B12 can be just as important as breathwork, and why restriction culture might be silently feeding your anxiety. Whether you’re navigating anxiety personally or supporting someone who is, this episode is packed with grounded insights, lived experience, and practical tools that integrate mind, body, and soul.

Inside the episode, we explore:

• How anxiety is a whole-body experience
• The link between nutritional deficiencies (like B12, iron & magnesium) and mental health
• Why blood sugar regulation is crucial for anxiety
• “Naked carbs” and their surprising effect on your nervous systemThe evolution from food restriction to food freedom
• Lifestyle practices that actually move the needle on anxiety (hello, nature walks!)
• Why your health practices need to be flexible, compassionate and personalized
• The underrated power of consistent meals for emotional regulation
• Rethinking dairy for women’s health and bone support
• And most importantly, reconnecting with your body as your ally

Want even more WHOLEistic Psychology? Here’s where to find more support and resources:

Website & Client Enquiries
Learn more about WHOLEistic Psychology and my fantastic team HERE.

Join the Newsletter
My monthly(ish!) newsletter curated for you to show you all about mind-body wellness, through psychological tools, recipes, research and more! JOIN HERE

Blog
Take a read of my thoughts and learnings I want to share with you. READ HERE. 

In this solo episode, I take a deep dive into the sneaky world of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) - what they are, how they impact our mind and body, and why it’s not about fear or shame, but rather about awareness.

I explore:

• What ultra-processed foods actually are (hint: they’re not just lollies and chips)
• The link between UPFs and our mental health - especially symptoms like anxiety and low mood
• How these foods can influence our physical health and metabolic function
• Practical tips for spotting UPFs on supermarket shelves and decoding ingredient labels
• Why finding balance is key (hint: we’re not about perfection here, we’re about being informed and empowered!)

This episode is perfect for anyone who’s ever felt confused or overwhelmed by the term “ultra-processed food” and wants to understand how our everyday choices might be impacting how we feel.

✨ Resource spotlight:
I chat about the book Ultra-Processed People by Dr. Chris Van Tulleken, such a powerful (and at times, mind-blowing) read if you're curious about food systems, health, and the science behind it all.

And heads up… we’ll be unpacking some of the specific ingredients in UPFs in an upcoming episode, so stay tuned for that one!

Want even more WHOLEistic Psychology? Here’s where to find more support and resources:

Website & Client Enquiries
Learn more about WHOLEistic Psychology and my fantastic team HERE.

Join the Newsletter
My monthly(ish!) newsletter curated for you to show you all about mind-body wellness, through psychological tools, recipes, research and more! JOIN HERE

Blog
Take a read of my thoughts and learnings I want to share with you. READ HERE. 

In this episode, I sit down with the wonderful Emma Wylie, Nutritionist and Founder of Elo Wellbeing, and all-round gem of a human.

Emma shares her deeply personal story of navigating a challenging relationship with food, and how that experience became the spark that lit the fire for her work in the nutrition world. That same journey eventually led to the creation of Eating with Ease - our collaborative course designed to support people in finding balance and freedom with food.

We chat about:

• Emma’s journey to becoming a nutritionist, and what she felt paved the way for her to become an absolute girl-boss
• How Emma’s own experiences shaped her work with clients today
• Our friendship, and how our mutual passion for nutrition and psychology shaped the creation of our course Eating with Ease
• The most common patterns we see in tricky food relationships
• A couple small shifts that can make a big difference in how we relate to food and our bodies
• Some rapid-fire questions so you get to know Emma!

We explore the heart of Eating with Ease - what it is, who it’s for, and how it can support anyone who’s ever felt like food was complicated, overwhelming, or loaded with guilt. We even introduce a few simple tools that listeners can start using today to feel more grounded and intentional in their food choices.

If you’re ready to move toward a gentler, more empowered relationship with food, this episode is for you.

You can learn more about Eating with Ease (and jump in right now) over at:

Join Eating with Ease NOW!

Want even more WHOLEistic Psychology? Here’s where to find more support and resources:

• Join the Newsletter - My monthly(ish!) newsletter curated for you to show you all about mind-body wellness, through psychological tools, recipes, research and more! Join HERE
• Website & Client Enquiries - Learn more about WHOLEistic Psychology and my fantastic team HERE
• Blog - Take a read of my thoughts and learnings I want to share with you HERE

I can’t wait for you to join me again soon on The WHOLEistic Psychology Podcast 💌

In this candid solo episode, I share the story behind WHOLEistic Psychology starting you from where it all began - what made me want to become a psychologist, university lecture halls, prison cells (yes, really), and significant gut health issues... right through to building my business to where it is today.

This one’s for anyone who’s curious about my journey, psychology students and psychologists, and to anyone who’s wanting to listen to their intuition to guide their path! 

I open up about:

✨ That teenage spark that lit the fire for psychology
 ✨ How my own experiences with anxiety shaped my curiosity (and my compassion)
 ✨ Why I loved my time in forensic psych, and what it taught me about humanity
 ✨ The gut health crisis that changed my entire path
 ✨ Why nutrition is non-negotiable in how I support mental health
 ✨ My pivot from public systems to working with teens in private practice
 ✨ What it really took to start WHOLEistic Psychology and follow the vision
 ✨ My next chapter: building something bigger (and doing a PhD while I’m at it!)

This episode is a wee peek behind the curtain into why I do what I do, and why WHOLEistic Psychology will always embody the values and evidence I live by in my own life and the power of the mind body connection.

Want even more WHOLEistic Psychology? Here’s where to find more support and resources:

Website & Client Enquiries
Learn more about WHOLEistic Psychology and my fantastic team HERE.

Join the Newsletter
My monthly(ish!) newsletter curated for you to show you all about mind-body wellness, through psychological tools, recipes, research and more! JOIN HERE

Blog
Take a read of my thoughts and learnings I want to share with you. READ HERE. 

Join Senior Psychologist Sophia Dawson on the WHOLEistic Psychology podcast, where evidence-based psychology meets the science of nutrition and lifestyle medicine.

Discover how our minds and bodies are inextricably linked and learn from leading experts, nutritionists, and psychologists. Whether you're here to learn, feel inspired, or understand yourself on a deeper level, this podcast is your go-to space for true wellness from the inside out. Let's step into true health together.

Want even more WHOLEistic Psychology? Here’s where to find more support and resources:

Website & Client Enquiries
Learn more about WHOLEistic Psychology and my fantastic team HERE.

Join the Newsletter
My monthly(ish!) newsletter curated for you to show you all about mind-body wellness, through psychological tools, recipes, research and more! JOIN HERE

Blog
Take a read of my thoughts and learnings I want to share with you. READ HERE.