Hurt to Healing

Welcome to part two of my Healing 101 conversation with psychiatrist and researcher Joanna Moncrieff. If you haven’t yet listened to part one, I’d encourage you to go back - it lays the groundwork for this shorter bonus episode.Here, Joanna answers some of the most pressing questions about antidepressants: what they’re really doing in the brain, why withdrawal can be so difficult, and how we might need to rethink depression altogether.It’s a concise but powerful follow-on to our main discussion and one that might just change the way you think about medication and mental health.Try Bettervits for yourself, head on over to bettervits.co.uk and get 15% off your 1st order with my code PANDORA15.Find Joanna:Website: https://joannamoncrieff.com/Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpodTikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpodLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healingSubstack: substack.com/@hurttohealingWebsite: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when, from the outside, it looks like you’ve got everything - opportunity, privilege, excitement - and yet on the inside, you’re running on empty? In this episode, I’m joined by Sam Branson - entrepreneur, adventurer, musician, and yes, the son of Richard Branson - for a deeply honest conversation about burnout, purpose, and the long road back to self-acceptance. Sam shares the unseen side of growing up in a famous family, the self-imposed pressure to prove himself, and the moment on stage when his body simply said “no more.” We talk about inner child work, the power of music and creativity in healing, and what it really means to live from a place of self-love rather than constant striving. This is a vulnerable and hopeful conversation about what happens when you stop running, start feeling, and finally give yourself permission to be enough.Try Bettervits for yourself, head on over to bettervits.co.uk and get 15% off your 1st order with my code PANDORA15.Find Sam:Instagram: @bransonsamStay Connected with Hurt to Healing:Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpodTikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpodLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healingSubstack: substack.com/@hurttohealingWebsite: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For decades, we’ve been told that depression is caused by a “chemical imbalance” in the brain - something wrong with our serotonin that only a pill can fix. But what if that story was never actually backed by science?In this Healing 101 episode - part one of a two-part conversation - I’m joined by psychiatrist and researcher Joanna Moncrieff, whose groundbreaking work has challenged one of the biggest myths in modern mental health. Together, we explore where the chemical imbalance theory came from, why it was so heavily promoted, and what antidepressants are really doing to our brains.We also look at why so many of us still buy into this idea, the role of the placebo effect, and what it means for anyone currently taking or considering antidepressants.This is an empowering, myth-busting conversation that will help you make more informed choices about your mental health.Try Bettervits for yourself, head on over to bettervits.co.uk and get 15% off your 1st order with my code PANDORA15.Find Joanna:Website: https://joannamoncrieff.com/Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpodTikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpodLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healingSubstack: substack.com/@hurttohealingWebsite: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So many of us make promises to ourselves out of shame - “From Monday, I’ll be better. I’ll drink more water, I’ll stop doing that thing, I’ll finally get it right.” And yet, by Tuesday, we’ve broken our own rules and slipped back into self-sabotage.In this episode, I’m joined by psychotherapist and bestselling author Anna Mathur, whose new book The Good Decision Diary is an invitation to step away from that exhausting cycle of all-or-nothing thinking and instead learn how to make gentler, more sustainable choices.Anna shares her own journey of moving from self-criticism to self-compassion, why guilt and shame show up so powerfully in our lives, and how small, nurturing decisions - even the tiniest ones - can lead to real, lasting change.This is a conversation about loosening the grip of perfectionism, finding freedom in the “grey areas,” and discovering that we don’t need an inner bully to succeed.The Good Decision Diary by Anna Mathur is available now (Penguin Life, £16.99)Try Bettervits for yourself, head on over to bettervits.co.uk and get 15% off your 1st order with my code PANDORA15.Find Anna: Instagram: @annamathurWebsite: https://www.annamathur.com/Buy her book: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/462726/the-good-decision-diary-by-mathur-anna/9780241707227 Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpodTikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpodLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healingSubstack: substack.com/@hurttohealingWebsite: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

in today’s Healing 101 episode we’re focusing on a condition that is so often misunderstood and misrepresented - bipolar disorder.To help us unpack it, I’m joined by Rosie Viva - model, mental health advocate, and someone who has lived experience of bipolar 1. Rosie speaks with such honesty about what it really feels like to live with bipolar day-to-day, from the highs of mania to the lows of depression, and everything in between.This episode is all about breaking down stigma, recognising the early signs, and exploring the tools 0 from medication to lifestyle shifts - that can genuinely help people find balance. Whether you’ve experienced bipolar yourself, know someone who has, or just want to better understand mental health, this is an empowering conversation that shines a light on both the challenges and the possibilities of living with bipolar.Try Bettervits for yourself, head on over to bettervits.co.uk and get 15% off your 1st order with my code PANDORA15.Find Rosie:Instagram: @rosievivaRead her book: https://amzn.eu/d/7xvlGGAFind out more and get support for Bipolar at https://www.bipolaruk.org/Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpodTikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpodLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healingSubstack: substack.com/@hurttohealingWebsite: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we’re exploring a subject that’s so often misunderstood, oversimplified, or brushed aside - ADHD in adulthood, and particularly what it means for women.If you’ve ever found yourself wondering why you feel constantly overwhelmed, why you can be so capable in some areas but struggle so deeply in others, or why that inner critic of yours feels louder than anyone else’s voice — this conversation might just be a lightbulb moment.I’m joined by Professor James Brown, co-author of ADHD Unpacked, co-founder of the charity ADHD Adult UK, and the self-proclaimed least popular host of The ADHD Adults Podcast. James brings a mix of hard evidence, lived experience, and refreshing honesty to the topic of ADHD. He was himself only diagnosed as an adult, and his story of loathing, self-doubt, and eventual self-acceptance is one I think many of us - whether or not we have ADHD - will see parts of ourselves in.In this episode, James and I unpack the myths, the stigma, and the very real struggles of ADHD - especially how it shows up differently in women, and why so many of us have gone undiagnosed for far too long. This isn’t just about labels or medication - it’s about understanding ourselves with compassion, lifting the shame we carry, and finding ways to live with more ease and self-acceptance.Try Bettervits for yourself, head on over to bettervits.co.uk and get 15% off your 1st order with my code PANDORA15.Find Professor James Brown:Book: https://amzn.eu/d/6GqLojXInstagram: @adhdadult_jamesStay Connected with Hurt to Healing:Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpodTikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpodLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healingSubstack: substack.com/@hurttohealingWebsite: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’ve ever felt like talk therapy just wasn’t getting to the root — this episode might open something up for you.Today I’m joined by Mariko Bangerter, regression therapist and founder of Mindsetting, to talk about a form of therapy that honestly blew my mind. Regression therapy goes deeper than the conscious mind — guiding you into a relaxed, altered state to access the subconscious, where so many of our unhealed wounds and limiting beliefs live.We talk about how past trauma gets stored not just in the mind, but in the body… and how revisiting old memories — even ones we didn’t know were there — can release years of stuck emotion in just a single session. I even share a bit about my own experience working with Mariko, which felt almost psychedelic in how vividly I reconnected with forgotten parts of myself.If you’ve ever felt stuck, or like something in you is trying to heal but can’t quite reach the surface — this might be the missing piece.Try Bettervits for yourself, head on over to bettervits.co.uk and get 15% off your 1st order with my code PANDORA15.Find Mariko:Instagram: @mindsetting.by.marikoWebsite: https://www.mindsetting.co.uk/Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpodTikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpodLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healingSubstack: substack.com/@hurttohealingWebsite: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode might be one of the most confronting and important conversations I’ve ever had. I’m joined by psychoanalyst, parent coach and author Erica Komisar to talk about the emotional and neurological development of children in the earliest years of life – and why those first three years matter more than we’ve been led to believe.Erica doesn’t sugarcoat things. She talks openly about how modern parenting culture – especially the pressure on mothers to “do it all” – is clashing with what babies actually need to feel safe, regulated, and securely attached. We explore everything from daycare and maternal instinct to eating disorders, attachment trauma, and the long-term mental health effects of early separation.It’s a conversation that may stir discomfort, but that’s kind of the point. Because if we want to raise healthy, emotionally resilient children – or begin to heal from our own childhood wounds – we have to be willing to look at the hard truths.Find Erica:Instagram: @ericakomisarWebsite: https://www.ericakomisar.com/Try Bettervits for yourself, head on over to bettervits.co.uk and get 15% off your 1st order with my code PANDORA15.Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpodTikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpodLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healingSubstack: substack.com/@hurttohealingWebsite: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s HEALING 101 episode, I speak with broadcaster and host of This Was Always Me, Rich Clarke and we get really honest about shame, identity, and what it’s like growing up feeling like you have to hide who you are.Rich opens up about internalised homophobia, the impact of staying silent for years, and why “coming out” still feels like this weird performance — when really, it should just be… living.It’s moving, it’s raw, and it’s also full of hope. If you’ve ever struggled to accept a part of yourself then this one’s for you.Try Bettervits for yourself, head on over to bettervits.co.uk and get 15% off your 1st order with my code PANDORA15.Find Rich Clarke:Instagram: @therichclarkeListen to This Was Always Me Podcast: https://www.globalplayer.com/podcasts/42L3VY/Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpodTikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpodLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healingSubstack: substack.com/@hurttohealingWebsite: hurttohealing.co.ukIf you’re struggling, consider therapy with our paid partner. Visit https://betterhelp.com/hurttohealing for a discount on your first month of therapy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the person who seems to have it all together is actually struggling in silence?In this episode, I’m joined by the extraordinary Dr. Judith Joseph – psychiatrist, researcher, and author of High Functioning – to unpack a form of depression that so many people relate to but rarely talk about: high-functioning depression.We dive into why it’s often missed, how it hides behind achievement, and what it really means to live without joy – even while ticking every box of a “successful” life.Dr. Judith shares insights from her groundbreaking research and her own personal experience, with wisdom that’s as validating as it is actionable. We also explore the mind-body connection, the role of trauma, and the small but powerful “points of joy” we can reclaim in our everyday lives.Whether you're running on empty or supporting someone who is, this conversation will help you feel seen – and maybe even a little more hopeful.Try Bettervits for yourself, head on over to bettervits.co.uk and get 15% off your 1st order with my code PANDORA15.Find Dr Judith Joseph:Website: https://drjudithjoseph.com/Book: https://amzn.eu/d/bZZreAaInstagram: @drjudithjosephStay Connected with Hurt to Healing:Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpodTikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpodLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healingSubstack: substack.com/@hurttohealingWebsite: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.