Stress & Anxiety Recovery Podcast

Maybe you're frustrated with yourself for not being able to stop eating? Or maybe you know your triggers are emotional? In this podcast  We explore the complexities of comfort eating and the various factors that contribute to the difficulty of stopping.  We discuss five reasons why managing binge or comfort eating has nothing to do with self-discipline.  We look at the chemical, ancestral, ge...

Today, I encourage you to reflect on self-appreciation for the year, rather than chastising yourself for not doing well enough. I also offer you a moving end of the year story. Warning: This one might make you cry. But it will leave you feeling comforted and warm inside. Another podcast episode for you: How Do I Stop Self-Criticism? Citations ' The Child's Story ' by Charles Dickens...

Today we have another heart-warming little story for the inner child in you, as well as a reminder to be kind to yourself at Christmas. Here's another podcast you will love: 10 Ways to Overcome Anxiety Citations ' The Elves and The Shoemaker ' by The Brothers Grimm - Read by Shelley Treacher. Send us Fan Mail Want to see if we're a good fit for working together? Let's book...

Sleep is something that's important to get control of. It can affect everything we are, feel and do. Today we cover: The importance of good sleep when combatting comfort eating.  I've been told I have a calming voice. So, here I read a beautiful little tale to lull you into a warm, happy sleep. The story starts around 7 minutes into the podcast. Here's your next podcast:  10 Ways to...

When talking about the reasons for comfort eating, one of the things that people ask me the most, is "Isn't it just a habit?" In today's episode I talk about how comfort eating is a deeply embedded habit, influenced by emotional experience, our history and the chemicals in our brains. This is the third in a quick tip series about comfort eating recovery. Your next podcast: How...

Identifying why you really want to stop comfort eating can be a powerful tool to help you take back control of a craving. What is your why? You’ve got to have an excellent, personally meaningful reason, to give up what comforts you. So, in this byte, I ask you: What’s really worth putting your comfort binge aside for? I offer suggestions and ways to answer this question. This is the second of a qu...

In every relationship, there will be times when you or your partner need space. But, what do you do if this becomes chronic and painful for either of you? Here, I'll explain how you can feel more comfortable, with practical strategies. You CAN work towards repair, and taking your individual power back. Listen to all of my Relationship Podcasts: https://www.bristolcounselling.co.uk/podcasts/re...

Today, I define what comfort eating is. Can you see yourself in this brief description? Here's another podcast for you: How Do I Stop Self-Criticism? Send us Fan Mail Want to see if we're a good fit for working together? Let's book a complimentary telephone call to talk. SCHEDULE A COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION – with no obligation .  If this podcast helped you, please leave a review o...

This podcast explains why it feels impossible to control any compulsion. If you have ever told yourself to stop, while still unable to put your compulsive habit down, you'll relate to this podcast. The information here is about the biochemistry you’re dealing with in any addiction. Knowing this will help you gain back power and control. Citations Gabor Maté - 'In The Realm Of Hungry Ghos...

If you've ever wondered why your partner (or date) seems to withdraw after you've got on so well, this might be why. In this podcast I talk about how the fear of being dependent on people can lead to a fear of commitment, ghosting,  an avoidance of intimacy, and possibly a reliance on substances. This podcast will help you to understand what's happening with avoidance, so that you c...

Today's podcast is about the relief that compulsion or addiction brings.  I also talk about the life that we may be attempting to block. This is the first of a three part series about addiction, based on Gabor Maté's book 'In The Realm Of Hungry Ghosts'. Citations Gabor Maté - 'In The Realm Of Hungry Ghosts' Here's another podcast for you:   Reset your Autonomic...

Gabor Maté says that we choose belonging 100% of the time, over authenticity. Our self-critic keeps us ‘in check’ and ‘likeable’. The part of us that feels criticised, ‘different’, or struggles to connect, is the part that turns to something outside ourselves, in order to cope. So, here, I talk about the road to becoming more authentic and empowered as a route to recovery of confidence, as well as...

We are affected when disaster and terrible inequality happen in the World. Here, I talk about  illness,  storms,  doomscrolling,  and the war on Ukraine.  I suggest ways to cope with feeling anxious or helpless,  and I talk about our connection with each other. Try this podcast next: 10 Ways to Overcome Anxiety Citations GQ Article "How to detox from news anxiety after a day of doomscrolling&...

Most of us feel inadequate. We imagine others are better than us, think they have a perfect life, and feel we are frauds waiting to be discovered. Most of us think that someone else could do better. It's this feeling that can lead to binge-eating or addiction. Here, I talk about how this comes from a belief about not being good enough, whether from your past or from society.   I encourage you...

Typically, the binge-eaters I see have lost touch with what makes them happy.  Today, I talk about why and how to develop a practice of making your own happiness more of a focus. Here, I list 10 learnable things that can make us happy. We are more capable, more resilient, and at our best when we’re happy. So, we are more able to make better choices for ourselves.  This is the best kept secret to b...

To be able to give up comfort eating, overeating or binge-eating, you're going to need to learn how to be kinder to yourself.  This might be a whole new language for the comfort eater. So, here I give you some examples of what to say. Your next podcast: How Do I Stop Self-Criticism? Send us Fan Mail Want to see if we're a good fit for working together? Let's book a complimentary tel...

 Overwhelm can rapidly contribute to losing control of eating. So, here, I talk about what overwhelm really is, and how to take back control of feeling overwhelmed. One listener says:  “I want to learn how to recover for real, and for good. I can stay on a plan for a couple of months, and then my emotions overwhelm me and I cave to the comfort of overeating” Can you relate to this? If so, you migh...

Today, I share with you what it takes to regain control over any compulsion, without harsh dieting or 'all or nothing' thinking. As we enter what is traditionally known in the UK as the most depressing week of the year, I offer you an alternative to the new year 'fresh start' mentality. Today's podcast is intended to help you with accountability, but with compassion.  As m...

Today, I end the year with a round-up of some of the main themes I’ve talked about this year. I talk about how to understand your comfort eating, and how to recover from it, so that you are prepared for the post Christmas desire to get healthier. I get a lot of enquiries in January, so I know that many people will be facing how to deal with comfort eating. This summary will point you towards where...

One thing people ask me all the time is how to recognise their own needs. So, here I list some basic human needs. Which ones do you resonate with? Your next podcast: How Do I Stop Self-Criticism? Send us Fan Mail Want to see if we're a good fit for working together? Let's book a complimentary telephone call to talk. SCHEDULE A COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION – with no obligation .  If this po...

Productivity can be another addiction, that typically goes hand in hand with comfort eating. So, today, I talk about Christmas overeating and how to recognise and wind down from being over productive. Because so many of us feel we need to push through, when really we need to stop! Another podcast for you: 10 Ways to Overcome Anxiety Send us Fan Mail Want to see if we're a good fit for working...

Today, I'm asking you to think about what your boredom really signifies. One of the things I hear people say frequently, is that they eat because they're bored. This was particularly common during Covid-19 lockdowns. There's a lot more behind boredom than you might initially realise... Your next podcast: How to Stop Procrastinating Send us Fan Mail Want to see if we're a good f...

The way to recover from comfort eating is to treat the cause, rather than the symptom. The first step is to identify whether it is emotion causing you to eat. So, here are some ways to find out. It may be that you’ve tried every diet or technique on the planet and still can’t stop yourself from eating. You may have become so frustrated and sick of yourself that you’re desperate for another solutio...

Ten reasons why you might comfort eat, drink alcohol, text a lot, watch TV, or find yourself scrolling. None of these include a lack of willpower! Your next podcast: How Do I Stop Self-Criticism? Send us Fan Mail Want to see if we're a good fit for working together? Let's book a complimentary telephone call to talk. SCHEDULE A COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION – with no obligation .  If this po...

Today, I'm taking you back to the beginning. This is a revamp of my first podcast:  'Are you a Comfort Eater?' I share with you some questions that will help you to think about what binge-eating, overeating, comfort eating are for you. I also help you understand why it’s HARD to stop eating. It’s not just a matter of willpower, to be able to stop overeating. There’s A LOT more to it...