Therapy Works

In this deeply moving episode, Zoe opens up about her journey following the imprisonment of her ex-husband, sentenced to nine years. She candidly shares how this life-altering event has impacted her and her two children, as they navigate the emotional turbulence, grief, and stigma that accompany such a profound upheaval.

Zoe reflects on her children’s varied emotional responses, her personal challenges in setting boundaries, and the toll on her mental health. She also explores her complicated feelings towards her ex-husband and the difficulties of maintaining connections through the prison system.

Throughout the conversation, Zoe emphasises the crucial role of support systems—therapy, faith, and structured routines—in finding stability amidst chaos. Julia also highlights the importance of allowing space for joy and fun, even in the most stressful times, as part of the journey toward healing.

This conversation offers a deep exploration of multi-dimensional grief, the need to adapt to new ways of living, and the powerful resilience required to rebuild and move forward.

Support Resources:

Children Heard and Seen

Sesame Street - Little Kids, Big Challenges

Storybook Dads

Barnardo's

If you’d like to connect, follow me on Instagram @juliasamuelmbe. And for more info, check out my new website: juliasamuel.co.uk.

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In this episode, the Agony Aunties respond to a parent’s question on supporting their child through the grief of not having friendships and dealing with the discrepancy between parental expectations and reality. They discuss the emotional difficulties parents face when their children struggle socially, the importance of acknowledging and validating both the parent's and child's feelings, and practical strategies to help the child find social connections. They emphasise the significance of resilience, finding alternative environments for belonging, and role modelling healthy relationships within the family.

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In this heartwarming episode, Sophie Ellis-Bextor opens up about her diverse roles as a musician, songwriter, podcaster, and mother of five boys. She delves into how music has been a constant, deeply personal passion since childhood, likening its impact to a time portal connecting her with her past selves. The conversation explores her early career highs and lows, her pragmatic and resilient approach to life's challenges, and the importance she places on family and close relationships. Sophie also reflects on how motherhood has influenced her work and vice versa, her structured approach to juggling professional and personal life, and her recent experiences rejuvenating her music career. Sophie also discusses the importance of surrounding oneself with good people, and the wisdom she's gained along the way. Don't miss this candid conversation filled with honesty, joy, and inspiration.

00:35 The Power of Music

03:52 Facing Challenges and Overcoming Adversity

05:32 Early Career and Lessons Learned

07:46 Family Life and Parenting

12:04 Balancing Fame and Core Values

15:18 Navigating Work and Motherhood

21:19 Unexpected Success and Future Plans

23:45 Unpredictable Work and Family Life

24:27 School Closures and Bedroom Changes

25:15 Managing Parental Expectations

25:39 A Call from Elton John

26:45 Balancing Work and Family

27:53 The Joy of Performing

32:41 The Challenge of Engaging Crowds

36:17 Maintaining Perspective and Humility

39:46 The Importance of Friendships

41:02 Wisdom and Reflections

Find Sophie:

Instagram: @sophieellisbextor

Podcast: You can listen to her podcast, Spinning Plates, where she interviews inspiring women about balancing work and family on platforms like Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Music: Stream her music on Spotify and YouTube.

If you’d like to connect, follow me on Instagram @juliasamuelmbe. And for more info, check out my new website: juliasamuel.co.uk.

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A listener inquires about reclaiming their sexual self after dedicated years as a single parent of adopted children. The Agony Aunties provide reassuring advice, emphasising that it is never too late. They recommend starting with self-exploration, grieving past losses, and giving oneself permission to pursue sexual pleasure. Several resources are suggested, including the Savage Love cast and books like 'Come As You Are' by Dr. Emily Nogoski and 'Naked at Our Age' by Joan Price. They also suggest engaging in activities that stimulate erotic energy and emphasise self-worth.

Link to Maya Angelou's poem 'Phenomenal Woman’: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48985/phenomenal-woman

If you’d like to connect, I post regularly on Instagram, with more thoughts and some Monday Top Tips. Follow me on @juliasamuelmbe.And for more info, check out my new website: juliasamuel.co.uk.

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In this heartfelt episode, psychotherapist Jenny Gibbs shares her deeply personal story of a life-changing accident just months before her wedding. She recounts her experiences with pain, both physical and psychological, and describes the long journey towards accepting her new reality. Jenny talks about the support systems that helped her, including her work as a therapist, her family, and a significant therapeutic somatic experience. She also reflects on the impact of her accident on her personal relationships and career, ultimately finding meaning and acceptance in her changed circumstances.

01:19 The Life-Changing Accident

03:13 Coping with Disfigurement and Isolation

06:25 The Journey to Acceptance

08:36 The Role of Therapy and Support

10:13 Reflections on Relationships and Identity

13:34 The Healing Process and Moving Forward

20:24 Lessons Learned and Future Outlook

32:42 Embracing Imperfections and Finding Beauty

33:28 The Power of Connection and Loneliness

35:12 Navigating Trauma and Personal Growth

42:16 The Role of Therapy and Emotional Release

45:03 The Impact of Compliments and Praise

48:56 Coping with Public Spaces and Vulnerability

58:32 Reflections on Personal Change and Relationships

01:06:33 The Importance of Acceptance and Moving Forward

If you’d like to connect, I post regularly on Instagram, with more thoughts and some Monday Top Tips. Follow me on @juliasamuelmbe.And for more info, check out my new website: juliasamuel.co.uk.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at

betterhelp.com/therapyworks and get on your way to being your best self.

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A mother seeks advice from the Agony Aunties on whether to tell her 11-year-old daughter about the father's infidelity, which led to their separation. The Agony Aunties recommend that all children should know the same truth to avoid feelings of exclusion and stress. They suggest that the father might take responsibility for explaining his actions, which can be a healing opportunity. The response emphasises the importance of family transparency, co-parenting, and creating a unified, age-appropriate narrative to maintain healthy relationships and trust within the family.

Additional Resources:

"Parents Who Cheat: How Children and Adults are Affected When Their Parents Are Unfaithful" by Ana Nogales: https://amzn.eu/d/aUbg90h

This work extensively explores the impact of parental infidelity on children, including their future relationship dynamics.

"The Impact of Infidelity on Children's Psychological Development": https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373345867_The_Impact_of_Infidelity_on_Children's_Psychological_Development

Listen to Where Shall We Begin? with Esther Perel: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/where-should-we-begin-with-esther-perel/id1237931798

Follow me on @juliasamuelmbe.And for more info, check out my new website: juliasamuel.co.uk.

Wild Nutrition are offering an exclusive limited time offer to Therapy Works’ listeners: 50% off your first 3 months when you visit wildnutrition.com/therapy, that’s wildnutrition.com/therapy for 50% off your first 3 months. T&Cs apply.

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In this episode of Hurt to Healing, Julia welcomes author and journalist Sathnam Sanghera for an insightful discussion on mental health, cultural identity, and navigating personal success. Together, they confront the stigma surrounding severe mental illness, highlighting the importance of open conversation and emotional resilience. Sathnam shares his experience balancing the complexities of his cultural heritage with personal identity, offering a candid look at the psychological challenges of reconciling different parts of oneself, especially in high-achieving environments like Cambridge University.

They explore the intricate dance between cultural expectations, family dynamics, and the pressures of shifting social classes. With reflections on parental love, protection, and cultural loyalty, Sathnam and Julia delve into the nuanced journey of identity, belonging, and self-discovery. This compelling episode tackles the intersections of mental health, heritage, and the ever-evolving quest for a sense of home and purpose.

Find Sathnam:

Website: https://www.sathnam.com/

Instagram: @sathnamsanghera

Otherwise, if you’d like to connect, I post regularly on Instagram, with more thoughts and some Monday Top Tips. Follow me on @juliasamuelmbe.And for more info, check out my new website: juliasamuel.co.uk.

Wild Nutrition are offering an exclusive limited time offer to Therapy Works’ listeners: 50% off your first 3 months when you visit wildnutrition.com/therapy, that’s wildnutrition.com/therapy for 50% off your first 3 months. T&Cs apply.

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A concerned parent expresses guilt and regret over their parenting impact on their teenagers and seeks advice on repairing damaged relationships. The discussion covers the importance of acknowledging past mistakes, seeking forgiveness, and making meaningful changes. It emphasises the significance of personal therapy for self-awareness, validating children's experiences, and maintaining ongoing, honest conversations. A key point is distinguishing between seeking forgiveness from children and forgiving oneself to heal. The conversation highlights the potential for positive transformation and the importance of supportive frameworks like therapy.

Follow me on @juliasamuelmbe.And for more info, check out my new website: juliasamuel.co.uk.

Wild Nutrition are offering an exclusive limited time offer to Therapy Works’ listeners: 50% off your first 3 months when you visit wildnutrition.com/therapy, that’s wildnutrition.com/therapy for 50% off your first 3 months. T&Cs apply.

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In this moving episode of the Therapy Works podcast, Lotte Bowser shares her heart-wrenching journey of losing her partner Ben to cancer and COVID-19 complications. She discusses the profound challenges of grief, the impact of his illness and death on her life, and the arduous process of rebuilding her life anew. Lottie reflects on various therapeutic practices, including writing and journalling, which helped her process pain and find a semblance of resolution. The conversation delves into the physical nature of grief, radical self-compassion, and the complexities of starting a new relationship while mourning. Lottie opens up about societal pressures surrounding grief, the duality of life balancing grief and joy, and reentering the dating world. She emphasises the importance of community support, the interplay of sex and death, and the need for sensitivity and understanding from others. This episode offers listeners insights into the enduring nature of grief and the resilience required to embrace new beginnings.

00:35 Facing the Greatest Challenge: Loss of a Partner

03:39 Coping with Grief and Finding Joy

06:22 Rebuilding Life After Loss

11:16 Navigating New Relationships

21:44 Seeking Support and Connection

23:10 Finding Strength in Numbers

24:32 Choosing Life Amidst Grief

24:59 Radical Compassion and Self-Permission

25:30 The Unfixable Nature of Death

27:02 Holding Grief and Joy Simultaneously

27:40 The Taboo of Sex and Grief

31:12 Writing as a Therapeutic Outlet

33:42 Physical Manifestations of Grief

34:46 The Universal Experience of Grief

36:41 The Duality of Bittersweet

38:19 Living Fully After Loss

48:32 The Creative Endeavour of Relationships

50:21 Complexity in Different Types of Bereavement

Find Lotte Bowser:

Instagram: @lottebowser

Read her book, Bittersweet: https://amzn.eu/d/4TMzEmV

Listen to her podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4VffRbs0rN3U2BC3qJ8wW1?si=b04773d8c32a4622

Otherwise, if you’d like to connect, I post regularly on Instagram, with more thoughts and some Monday Top Tips. Follow me on @juliasamuelmbe.And for more info, check out my new website: juliasamuel.co.uk.

Wild Nutrition are offering an exclusive limited time offer to Therapy Works’ listeners: 50% off your first 3 months when you visit wildnutrition.com/therapy, that’s wildnutrition.com/therapy for 50% off your first 3 months. T&Cs apply.

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The Agony Aunties offer advice to a mother concerned about her six-year-old daughter's intense emotions and anger. They recommend techniques such as calm discussions, using books, and physical methods like hitting a pillow to help children manage their feelings. They stress the importance of parents modelling emotional regulation and self-compassion. Additionally, they introduce a daily practice called 'rose, bud, and thorn' to enhance emotional intelligence and gratitude.

Wild Nutrition are offering an exclusive limited time offer to Therapy Works’ listeners: 50% off your first 3 months when you visit wildnutrition.com/therapy, that’s wildnutrition.com/therapy for 50% off your first 3 months. T&Cs apply.

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