Therapy Works

We're starting off Season 6 of Therapy Works with a wonderful talk with Jake Humphrey. Join us as we explore Jake's varied career as a sports presenter, businessman, and podcaster. Through this enriching conversation, Jake shares insights on balancing success with personal life, family values, and his mental health journey. We dive into the beauty of ordinary life, the importance of vulnerability, and finding joy in simple moments. Discover how sharing our deepest fears can lead to healing and connection, and learn from Jake's experiences of resilience amidst life's pressures.ResourcesIf you found this conversation interesting, you can find Jake Humphrey’s work in many places, including:Twitter/X - https://x.com/mrjakehumphreyHigh Performance Podcast - https://podfollow.com/highperformanceInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/jakehumphrey/Otherwise, if you’d like to connect, I post regularly on Instagram, with more thoughts and some Monday Top Tips - http://instagram.com/juliasamuelmbe/And for more info, check out my website - https://juliasamuel.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week’s episode of Agony Aunties, we’re addressing a listener's question about the fear of their child, particularly during the teenage years.  We’ll discuss the power dynamics between parents and children, the emotional challenges of parenting, and strategies for maintaining calm and establishing boundaries. We’ll also dig into how personal childhood experiences can influence parental fears, as well as the importance of repair and trust in parent-child relationships.  Tune in for an insightful discussion on the complexities of parenting and overcoming fear.As well, we’re only sharing what’s top of mind for us in these answers, and we’d love to keep the conversation going.  Do you have any frameworks you use, perhaps similar to Sophie’s, in how you show up for your children?  I’d love to know.  And if you have any questions you’d like us to tackle for the next Agony Aunties, do share!Otherwise, if you’d like to connect, I post regularly on Instagram, with more thoughts and some Monday Top Tips - http://instagram.com/juliasamuelmbe/And for more info, check out my website - https://juliasamuel.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For this week’s bonus episode of the Therapy Works Podcast, we’re featuring psychotherapist and founder of Brown Girl Therapy, Sahaj Kaur Kohli. In this episode, Sahaj delves into her journey as a daughter of Indian immigrants in the United States, her professional and personal challenges, and the cultural straddling that influences her work with clients. She shares insights on navigating mental health, identity, and transgenerational trauma while discussing her new book, 'But What Will People Say?' and the importance of healing through cultural sensitivity and curiosity. Discover how Sahaj blends her bicultural experience in her therapeutic practice and offers invaluable advice for children of immigrants and their families. Dive into the conversation and explore Sahaj's story and expertise, filled with relatable experiences and professional wisdomResourcesYou can learn more about Sahaj Kaur Kohli, and get her book, on her website - https://sahajkaurkohli.com/bookFor those of you on Instagram, check out her profile over at - https://www.instagram.com/browngirltherapy/Otherwise, if you’d like to connect, I post regularly on Instagram, with more thoughts and some Monday Top Tips - http://instagram.com/juliasamuelmbe/And for more info, check out my website - https://juliasamuel.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week's episode of Agony Aunties, we're addressing a listener's question about not feeling anything. We'll discuss the potential link between numbness and depression, recommend ways to explore and understand this emotional state, and emphasize the importance of professional help. We'll also talk about holistic lifestyle changes and the value of communicating your feelings to those close to you.Resources:I mentioned that I’ll be sharing an online test, for those of you who are interested in their emotional wellbeing.  You can find it here - https://checkwellbeing.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk/Otherwise, if you have any questions, send me a message on my Instagram - http://instagram.com/juliasamuelmbe/For more info, check out my website - https://juliasamuel.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Professor Jonathan Haidt discusses the impact of digital devices on the younger generation, urging collective action to restore a play-based childhood. He highlights the negative effects of social media on mental health and emphasizes the need for healthier media habits and supportive environments for children.

For this week’s Agony Aunties, we address a listener's concern about feeling numb after the recent death of their mother. We’ll talk about the stereotypes of what people think grief looks like, and then address the shock and emotional numbness that often follows sudden loss, along with the adaptation process during mourning, and when it might be necessary to seek professional help. We’ll also talk about the importance of proper support systems, the timing of therapeutic interventions, and accessible resources for those dealing with grief.Resources:I’ve created an app to help people navigate Grief, called Grief Works. I think it can be very useful in helping work through grief and its many stages. Please find a link to download it here - https://illumeapps.com/griefworks/Please follow me on Instagram - http://instagram.com/juliasamuelmbe/For more info, check out my website - https://juliasamuel.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While we’re preparing for Season 6 of Therapy Works, we have a special expert episode we wanted to share between Emily and Satya Doyle Byock, a psychotherapist from Portland and author of the book 'Quarter Life: The Search for Self in Early Adulthood.” Satya explains the concept of the 'quarter life' phase, identifying it as the first stage of adulthood between adolescence and midlife, and discusses the unique challenges faced during this period. She shares her motivation for writing the book, rooted in her personal struggles and professional experiences, which I’m sure many of us can relate to as well. The conversation delves into the societal expectations, psychological development, and family dynamics that impact individuals in their twenties and thirties, and also discusses how we usually talk about this stage of life, which - oftentime - isn’t met with a lot of compassion or patience. Emily and Satya also discuss the importance of ritual, and the role of therapy in navigating this critical life stage, and the importance of understanding and supporting this majorly transformative phase of our lives.00:00 Welcome and Introduction to Doyle Byock and His Book on Quarter Life00:39 Defining Quarter Life and Its Importance01:26 The Struggles of Quarter Lifers and the Lack of Societal Language03:20 Generational Perspectives and Misunderstandings05:05 The Four Pillars of Growth in Quarter Life12:05 The Meaning vs. Stability Framework20:03 The Role of Parents and Society in Navigating Quarter Life24:21 The Power of Therapy and Self-Exploration26:39 Closing Thoughts and the Impact of Supporting Quarter LifersResources: If this conversation resonated with you, and you’d like to find ways to understand the quarter-life experience from a different angle, check out Satya’s book “Quarter Life: The Search for Self in Early Adulthood” - https://satyabyock.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week’s episode of Agony Aunties, a listener is asking us for healthy ways to move forward after the early death of a brother, who died from addiction, and whose death caused major challenges for the entire family. Let’s begin by saying that there are no quick and easy ways to answer this in a video. This is a profound, life changing challenge, and we really encourage seeking individual therapy, and to explore how the addiction impacted everyone’s relationships, as well as discussing these difficult topics with children to help them understand and process their feelings. We’d also like to emphasise self-compassion here, to cope with shame and self-judgment, as there is a major stigma around dying early from addiction, and processing it is not going to be easy. We also go on to suggest that connecting with groups and others who have gone through similar losses can aid in the healing process. Thank you to whoever sent this question in. We’re so sorry to hear about the challenges you’re going through, and we’re really happy that you reached out to speak about it. We hope this helped, in some small way.Thank you for submitting your questions, and for giving us a chance to help provide some advice. If you have a question, please DM me at @juliasamuelmbe or email jsamuelpod@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For this week’s episode of Therapy Works, we’re having a special talk about Mental Health Awareness Week, which - this year - is focusing on the theme of movement and its significance in mental health. We have a lot to say on the subject, including some of the language we want to share around Mental Health awareness, and how people are identifying with different states of mental health. If describing the state of our mental health is difficult to verbalise, writing can reveal to us the parts that we keep hidden and unvocalised.On the theme of movement, we’ll talk about how it can unlock one of the most powerful medicines, as well as making sure we explore our relationship with movement overall. If we’re avoiding it, why is that? And if we’re exercising in order to avoid something else that we’re trying not to feel, that’s something to bring awareness to as well. Also we all find excuses to not do any movement, but it doesn’t have to be high intensity exercise, it can be as small as little walks to break up the day or as Sophie says a little boogie when doing the washing up!Resources:To learn more about Mental Health Awareness Week, check out - https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/public-engagement/mental-health-awareness-weekOtherwise, if you’re in London and want to dance, here’s Pineapple Studios - https://www.pineapple.uk.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For this week’s episode of Agony Aunties, we’re answering a question from someone struggling after a recent breakup and full of fear of relapsing into a previous nervous breakdown. If we go through a really challenging ordeal post breakup, it would make sense that we’d be afraid of how we will be in the future, if another breakup occurs. What’s important to note is that we’re all different people now than we were before. And so, how you’ll process a future challenge isn’t the same way you’ve handled a past challenge. With that being said, we’d also like to acknowledge grief as a natural process, which often involves the full spectrum of emotions. For future challenges, we recommend practicing self-care in many forms, such as seeking therapy, journaling, and spending time with loved ones who provide positive reflections of ourselves. We’ll talk about all of this and more in this week’s episode. Thank you for submitting your questions, and for giving us a chance to help provide some advice. If you have a question, please DM me at @juliasamuelmbe or email jsamuelpod@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices