Hurt to Healing

What’s the difference between everyday dissociation and DID, and can you heal from trauma without ever confronting the person who caused it? In this Seen Session, I’m joined again by therapist Sally Maslansky, author of A Brilliant Adaptation, for some quick true or false questions on dissociation, what helps us feel safe after trauma, and how to let go of coping mechanisms that no longer serve us...

What do all mental health conditions actually have in common? On this episode of Seen, I sit down with Dr Dan Siegel, the psychiatrist who named the field of interpersonal neurobiology. He was the training director in child psychiatry at UCLA, he created the Wheel of Awareness practice, and he is the person who came up with the phrase window of tolerance. He has spent more than thirty years on one...

Why does overthinking feel like it’s solving a problem, when all it really does is send you round in circles? I’ve lived with OCD my whole life, which makes me an expert overthinker. For four years I’ve had the privilege of talking to experts about it on this show, and in this solo episode I’m sharing three tools they’ve taught me that actually help. I also tell you about the night a lovely evenin...

How can you tell if you are coping or escaping? In this bonus episode of Seen, I’m back with Lauren McQuistin, author of How to Build a Life That You Don’t Want to Escape From. We pick up where the main episode left off. Lauren explains the difference between coping and escaping, and why shame keeps you stuck in a version of the past that no longer exists. She walks me through what recovery looks...

What is dissociative identity disorder, and what does it actually feel like to live with? On this episode of Seen, I sit down with psychotherapist Sally Maslansky, author of the memoir A Brilliant Adaptation. Sally was 37 when she was diagnosed with DID, which was still called multiple personality disorder back then. We also discussed the difference between everyday dissociation and DID, why so ma...

Have you ever had a setback in recovery and thought, “This is as good as it’s ever going to get”? Someone who loved me once said exactly that to me. Five years later, I’m still not fixed, and I’m freer than I’ve ever been. I’ve lived with OCD and an eating disorder for most of my life, and I’m still in the messy middle, so this is an honest one. Join the community: 💌 Substack: Subscribe to Pandor...

Do you ever get stuck overthinking, going round and round in circles and only feeling worse? In this Seen Session, I’m joined by clinical psychologist and bestselling author Dr Jessamy Hibberd to talk about why trying to think our way out of anxiety so often backfires, how healthy reflection differs from rumination, and why modern life is such a recipe for overthinking. Jessamy shares a simple too...

Why do we sabotage the things we want most? On this episode of Seen, I sit down with Lauren McQuistin, former Yale opera singer and author of How to Build a Life That You Don't Want to Escape From. Lauren has been sober for over eight years. She opens up about drinking before the auditions that mattered most, why she ruined her own chances on purpose, and what recovery really looks like. In th...

Do you ever get stuck in a spiral of intrusive thoughts and can’t step away from them, even when you know they aren’t true? In this solo episode of Seen, I’m sharing what more than 25 years of living with severe OCD has taught me about handling intrusive thoughts. I’m not a therapist, and I’m not claiming to be an expert. These are the tools that have helped me most, and I hope they help you too....

Where do you start when life feels like too much? On this bonus episode of Seen, I'm joined again by Toni Tone, author of Soft Life. We pick up where our main conversation left off, with the small, practical shifts that make life feel a little more gentle. Toni shares why she'd start with what you can control and what you can stop doing, not with something new. We talk about why rest doesn...

How do you actually stop overthinking? On this episode of Seen, I sit down with clinical psychologist Dr Jessamy Hibberd, author of The Overthinking Cure. Her book opened my eyes to so many tools I had never thought of. Jessamy calls overthinking the problem that disguises itself as the solution. It feels useful, but she says the research shows it does not solve problems, and it should come with a...

How can you tell the difference between a tough boss and a narcissistic one? In this clip, I'm joined by Kathleen Saxton to talk about narcissistic bosses, both men and women. We explore the one question that separates a tough boss from a toxic one, why female narcissists can be harder to spot at work, the exact phrases to use when your boss criticizes you, how to rebuild trust in your own jud...

What if the independent, ambitious life you've built is the very thing you've started to blame for keeping love at arm's length? On this episode of Seen, I'm joined by Toni Tone, the writer, podcaster and big-sister voice so many women turn to when love, work and self-worth get tangled. She is the Sunday Times bestselling author of I Wish I Knew This Earlier and her new book, Soft...

In this Seen Session, I’m joined by Emma Louise Boynton to explore why we can feel disconnected from our bodies, how shame and self-criticism get in the way of pleasure, and the small everyday shifts that can help us feel more like ourselves again.

How do you know if your boss is a narcissist? On this episode of Seen, I sit down with psychotherapist and corporate mediator Kathleen Saxton, author of Sly & Mighty. Kathleen came on the show before to talk about narcissistic parents in My Parent the Peacock, and this time we turn to the person many of us spend even more hours with. She explains what narcissistic leadership actually means cli...

Is self-compassion just being soft on yourself? Not at all. In this conversation, psychologist Sarah Ann Macklin explains what self-compassion really is, why self-esteem is a poor measure of your worth, and how self-pity keeps you stuck. She also shares simple tools you can start using today, including the selfie test and the friend filter.

How do you find pleasure in a body you've spent years at war with? This week I'm joined by Emma Louise Boynton, writer, founder of Sex Talks and author of Pleasure . Emma spent her adolescence in the grip of an eating disorder and her twenties convinced she was broken, certain everyone else had an ease with intimacy she'd been left out of. What shifted it wasn't years of unpicking...

Where do you start when you realise you're struggling with your mental health? In this bonus episode of Seen, author Gemma Styles joins me again for a few more questions after our main conversation. Gemma's advice for a first step is simple: speak to someone. It doesn't have to be the perfect person, or the perfect way. If saying it out loud feels too hard, write it down or send a text. She also s...

Why does being healthy feel so hard, when we have more health information than ever?  On this episode of Seen, I sit down with nutritionist Sarah Ann Macklin, author of the bestselling book Healthy Shouldn't Be This Hard. I devoured her book, and I loved this conversation. Sarah has worked in wellbeing for over a decade. She says we don't have an information problem. We've lost ourselves in the mi...

In this personal solo episode, Pandora looks back on four years of Hurt to Healing and the extraordinary journey that has brought her here. She shares how learning to trust herself, embrace uncertainty and choose the things that make life bigger has transformed her recovery, before revealing the exciting new name and vision for the podcast as it enters its next chapter. Seen with Pandora Morris is...

Today I'm joined by OCD advocate and content creator Zachary Tucker for a conversation about one of the most misunderstood aspects of OCD: intrusive thoughts. We explore what intrusive thoughts really are, why reassurance can actually keep OCD going, some of the lesser-known forms of the condition, and where to find support if you think you might be struggling yourself. Stay Connected with Hurt to...

Today I'm joined by the brilliant Katriona O'Sullivan - psychologist, bestselling author, and one of the most insightful voices on trauma, self-worth and our relationship with our bodies. We talk about her powerful new book, Hungry, and explore how our earliest experiences shape the way we see ourselves, why so many of us feel we're never enough, and what it really takes to heal. This is an honest...

Today I'm joined by resilience coach and breathwork facilitator Josh Connolly for a conversation about somatic healing, breathwork and the powerful connection between our minds and bodies. We explore how emotions can become trapped in the body, why practices like breathwork and movement can help us process difficult experiences, and some simple tools you can use to feel more grounded, present and...

This week I'm joined by writer, broadcaster and mental health campaigner Natasha Devon. Natasha has spent nearly two decades working in schools, speaking to thousands of young people about everything from anxiety and perfectionism to social media, body image and friendship. In this episode, we get into what's really happening to the next generation, from the impact of smartphones and AI to why gen...

Today I'm joined by content creator and autism advocate Ella Willis for a conversation all about autism spectrum disorder, diagnosis, sensory overwhelm and what it's really like to navigate the world as an autistic person. We explore some of the biggest misconceptions about autism, how autism can present differently in women, the diagnosis process, and practical ways to better understand and suppo...