Pause Purpose Play

Do you worry that you don’t play enough with your child, or feel bad if playing with them bores you? Or do you play with your children until you’re exhausted, leaving little time for yourself?   In this episode, I talk to Susie Robbins about the importance of play for our wellbeing - both for adults and for children. You’ll get easy tips on how to play without putting pressure on yourself to make it Pinterest Perfect - it is about connection, not perfection, and quality over quantity.    Susie Robbins is an advocate for play. She believes in the power of play to help young children learn, to communicate and to make sense of the world around them. She has seen first hand how activity based learning can create a love for learning and deepen a connection between adult and child.    We cover:    Reengaging disruptive children with activities Self-worth and pride increasing with play Supporting learning through play Social media pressure to play ‘perfectly’ Parents feeling like ‘failures’ in play Making chores and everyday life into playful moments Reducing battles through playful games and challenges 5 minute play is enough - time limited play Connecting through play and shared activity Alleviating stress/anxiety for adults playing Play DNA - reignite playfulness from childhood  The pleasure of play protects our energy Unrealistic expectations on children’s attention span Sensory play tips Permission to be a parent, not childcare provider Facilitating independent play   Find Susie on Instagram at @resolvetoplay and on her website www.resolvetoplay.com   Order my book, The Lasting Connection, here To spend 90 days to develop love and compassion for yourself, join the online course, The Compassionate Couple, here Find me at www.thethomasconnection.co.uk Instagram: @the_thomas_connection Facebook: www.facebook.com/thethomasconnection Pause Purpose Play Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/pausepurposeplay    This episode was edited by Emily Crosby Media

Have you been hurt by your partner? Perhaps they have made a mistake which you struggle to forgive them for? Or you have messed up and struggle to forgive yourself? Blaming and shaming yourself, or your partner?    This brief solo episode of Pause Purpose Play is based on chapter 22 of my new book, The Lasting Connection, about developing love and compassion for yourself and your partner.    In this third to last episode in the couples series, I cover forgiveness as a way to let go and move forward.   Subscribe now to not miss the last few of the solo episodes focused on couples relationships, before we continue focusing on perfectionism, the inner critic, ambition, achievement, overwhelm, stress, productivity, self-compassion and much more.     Order my book, The Lasting Connection, here To spend 90 days to develop love and compassion for yourself, join the online course, The Compassionate Couple, here Find me at www.thethomasconnection.co.uk Instagram: @the_thomas_connection Facebook: www.facebook.com/thethomasconnection Pause Purpose Play Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/pausepurposeplay    This episode was edited by Emily Crosby Media

Have you experienced a difficult past? Perhaps you went through a challenging childhood, which has shaped who you are today, and the way you speak to yourself.  In this guest episode, I spoke to Dr Natalie Bodart about to develop compassion for our past, and how we can change the narrative, or story, we tell ourselves about what we’ve experienced.  Dr Natalie Bodart is a clinical psychologist and founder of The Bodart Practice; a holistic psychology practice in London, supporting people in creating a fulfilling life where they feel present and connected again, and to enable people to deal with the past, live in the present, and build the life they want. We cover:  Our unique story of the past What makes us human Challenges as opportunities Storytelling and narratives Disconnecting from our story creates conflict Retelling and healing a traumatic journey The meaning of our story Fear and avoidance of the past Compassion for ourselves   The reward of not repeating past patterns Validating our experience of shame Making it safe to talk Mind/body connection Self-acceptance and asking for help Hope as antidote to fear and sadness Re-parenting ourselves Find Natalie at The Bodart Practice Order my book, The Lasting Connection, here To spend 90 days to develop love and compassion for yourself, join the online course, The Compassionate Couple, here Find me at www.thethomasconnection.co.uk Instagram: @the_thomas_connection Facebook: www.facebook.com/thethomasconnection Pause Purpose Play Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/pausepurposeplay   

Are you or your partner going through challenges to do with your physical or mental health? Odds are that this will also put a strain on your relationship, perhaps altering the balance of giving and receiving care. If either of you is experiencing physical or mental health issues, your relationship is more likely to be distressed. This brief solo episode of Pause Purpose Play is based on chapter 21 of my new book, The Lasting Connection, about developing love and compassion for yourself and your partner.    In this episode, I cover the third of three threats to relationship connection; health issues.      Order my book, The Lasting Connection, here To spend 90 days to develop love and compassion for yourself, join the online course, The Compassionate Couple, here Find me at www.thethomasconnection.co.uk Instagram: @the_thomas_connection Facebook: www.facebook.com/thethomasconnection Pause Purpose Play Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/pausepurposeplay    This episode was edited by Emily Crosby Media

Have you lost someone you loved? Someone dear to you passed away, and you are dealing with the loss and grief afterwards? Or you are grieving things which never got to be, due to the pandemic? The loss you experienced can even be linked to something traumatic.  In this episode I speak to Dr Marianne Trent about grief, loss and trauma, and how to cope with it in a way which gives you the permission to move forward with your life again, towards joy. Dr Marianne Trent is a Clinical Psychologist and author of The Grief Collective: Stories of Life, Loss & Learning to Heal. She weaves a compassionate approach through all of her specialist trauma, grief and eating disorders work with clients We cover: What is grief? Grieving things that never got to be Traumatic loss Yearning for the absent Loss of self-referencing Grief and trauma combined Permission to feel joy again Not wanting to move forward Difference between grief and depression Bereavement counselling/grief therapy Processing transitions EMDR therapy Talking about our grief and not being okay Grief/loss in the pandemic Compassionate leave and kindness to self Crying as help seeking   www.goodthinkingpsychology.co.uk LinkedIn Youtube channel Instagram @goodthinkingpsychological Twitter @goodthinkingps1 The Grief Collective on Instagram   Order my book, The Lasting Connection, here Download the free 4 min audio meditation, Self-Compassionate Break, here To spend 90 days to develop love and compassion for yourself, join the online course, The Compassionate Couple, here Find me at www.thethomasconnection.co.uk Instagram: @the_thomas_connection Facebook: www.facebook.com/thethomasconnection Pause Purpose Play Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/pausepurposeplay    This episode was edited by Emily Crosby Media

Have you and your partner argued more since you became parents? Is it hard to juggle it all, making you feel resentful about who does what in your home? Perhaps you are less satisfied with your relationship now that you are also managing the needs of a baby or several children? This brief solo episode of Pause Purpose Play is based on chapter 21 of my new book, The Lasting Connection, about developing love and compassion for yourself and your partner.    In this episode, I cover the second of three threats to relationship connection; parenting.    Subscribe now to not miss the final episode, on how health problems can cause stormy seas in your relationship.      Order my book, The Lasting Connection, here To spend 90 days to develop love and compassion for yourself, join the online course, The Compassionate Couple, here Find me at www.thethomasconnection.co.uk Instagram: @the_thomas_connection Facebook: www.facebook.com/thethomasconnection Pause Purpose Play Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/pausepurposeplay    This episode was edited by Emily Crosby Media

Do you feel anxious when you do new things, not feeling confident? Are you hard on yourself, thinking that you're not good enough if it isn't perfect? Perhaps old beliefs hold you back in life.   Then this episode of the Pause Purpose Play podcast is for you. Chloe Brotheridge is hypnotherapist, mentor and coach at www.calmer-you.com and the host of The Calmer You Podcast. She’s the author of The Anxiety Solution and The Confidence Solution. We cover: Meditation calms your brain and anxiety Anxiety tool kit Rebooting old beliefs Imposter syndrome not a sign of ‘not good enough’ Beating us up means we stop trying Three phases of moving from anxiety to confidence: - Limiting beliefs, - Clarity on what you want, - Taking action Being brave and being scared goes hand in hand Courage comes before confidence Socialisation of women to have low confidence Over-protection of girls = need to be perfect and put others first The different ways perfectionism shows up Embracing the mess Permission to be a beginner at things   Chloe’s books: The Anxiety Solution The Confidence Solution www.calmer-you.com   Download your free 4 min audio to give yourself a Self-compassionate break, here To spend 90 days to develop love and compassion for yourself, join the online course, The Compassionate Couple, here Find me at www.thethomasconnection.co.uk Instagram: @the_thomas_connection Facebook: www.facebook.com/thethomasconnection Pause Purpose Play Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/pausepurposeplay    This episode was edited by Emily Crosby Media

Have you been on the receiving end of an infidelity, having been cheated on by a current or previous partner? Perhaps you yourself have been unfaithful to someone you loved?   Then you know how the trust gets shattered and how it leaves you feeling a full range of emotions, from sadness, anger and anxiety, to guilt and shame.    If you haven’t experienced infidelity, tune into this episode to understand the risk factors for this happening in your own relationship.    This brief solo episode of Pause Purpose Play is based on chapter 21 of my new book, The Lasting Connection, about developing love and compassion for yourself and your partner.    In this episode, I cover the first of three threats to relationship connection; infidelity.    Subscribe now to not miss the following two episodes, on how parenting and health problems can cause stormy seas in your relationship.      Order my book, The Lasting Connection, here To spend 90 days to develop love and compassion for yourself, join the online course, The Compassionate Couple, here Find me at www.thethomasconnection.co.uk Instagram: @the_thomas_connection Facebook: www.facebook.com/thethomasconnection Pause Purpose Play Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/pausepurposeplay    This episode was edited by Emily Crosby Media

Why do we feel so bad at times? Why can’t we just be happy all the time?   Because we haven’t been taught how to understand ourselves, and what it means to be human, and instead chase constant happiness and think we have failed when things aren’t ‘perfect’.    In this podcast episode, Dr Soph, Clinical Psychologist and Author of ‘A Manual for Being Human’, talks about how we can understand ourselves and show compassionate curiosity for the full register of emotions we experience across our lifespan.   Struggling against our emotions Feeling safe and secure in childhood Identity forming in adolescence Internalising bullying to an inner critical voice Pressure from the media to be perfect Unhelpful coping strategies making emotions worse Taking control vs. accepting and surrendering Micro aggressions and prejudice Shame vs. guilt  Self-correction vs. self-criticism Tips for coping with emotions The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique   A Manual for Being Human by Dr. Sophie Mort @drsoph on Instagram   Order my book, The Lasting Connection, here To download the free 5 min audio of the guided meditation Self-Compassionate Break, go to www.thethomasconnection.co.uk/break Find me at www.thethomasconnection.co.uk Instagram: @the_thomas_connection Facebook: www.facebook.com/thethomasconnection Pause Purpose Play Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/pausepurposeplay    This episode was edited by Emily Crosby Media

Do you struggle to be in the present moment with your partner when it comes to sexual intimacy? Do you find it difficult to talk about your desires, fears or needs when it comes to sex?   In this episode, I explore the physical intimacy, not just through sex, and explain why quality not quantity is key to a lasting connection.   This episode of Pause Purpose Play is based on chapter 20 of my new book, The Lasting Connection, about developing love and compassion for yourself and your partner.    Order my book, The Lasting Connection, here To spend 90 days to develop love and compassion for yourself, join the online course, The Compassionate Couple, here Find me at www.thethomasconnection.co.uk Instagram: @the_thomas_connection Facebook: www.facebook.com/thethomasconnection Pause Purpose Play Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/pausepurposeplay    This episode was edited by Emily Crosby Media