The Dynamics Of Everyday Life

Today I’m delighted to welcome another guest to the show, Vicky Quinn Fraser.  Vicky is the MicroBook Magician. She knows the ideas hiding in your head deserve their own space between their own covers on their very own bookshelf — and she understands how to drag, coax, and tweezer those ideas out and into the story only you could tell.  She’s the creator of MicroBook Magic, author o...

We often find inspiration when we are away from our desks and this week’s episode is no exception.  I’ve taken up a new hobby to help with my confidence and, in the words of Julie Andrews, “start at the very beginning, it’s a very good place to start”.  And it was during a practice session that my teacher said something that stopped me in my tracks. We all have belief patterns...

“Lovely weather we are having”.  We love to point out to other people what we are all experiencing.  It isn’t just the weather that we state the obvious about.  Anything is up for grabs in our bid to communicate. Why do we state the obvious?  Are we even aware that we are doing this?  In this episode I explore what might be happening for us when we...

Procrastination.  It’s something we all find ourselves up against.  But what if it’s more than being lazy or wanting to avoid something?  In this episode I explore what might be going on for us when we drag our feet. Don’t be put off by the title.  I do talk about my tax return, but to help us understand why we might be tripping ourselves up, not in a way th...

Do we always know what makes us happy?  Sometimes we do, and sometimes we don’t.  And sometimes our defence mechanisms can cause us to cut our noses off to spite our faces. If you’ve ever dug your heels in when a friend or relative has given you an opinion that you know is probably true, but you don’t want to think about, then this episode is for you. Here are the highlights of...

How many times have you been annoyed by other passengers getting in your way?  Possibly more than you would like to admit?  It happens to all of us and can have an impact on how we move forward, both literally and metaphorically.  In this episode I explore what’s going on for us in these situations and how we can get some control back. You’ll be pleased to know that w...

What is it like to be a parent of a child with autism?  Whilst there is a lot more information out there than there used to be, it still can be quite a lonely place for parents.  In this episode I’m talking to fellow SEN parent, Del Parsons, about what we have learnt along the way and why we are best placed to advocate for our children. Del is ‘The No-Nonsense Business Coach an...

I’m delighted to be welcoming another guest to the show today, fellow coach Kate Adey.  We discuss what it means to be in control, how much control we do have and what role anxiety plays for us.  Join us as we explore the narratives we construct for ourselves and how we can reframe our stories.  Kate works with leaders in professional services navigating the challenges of...

I’m delighted to be bringing another guest to the show today, Penny Hopkinson.  Penny is an Operations Manual specialist and author of Manual Magic.  Join us as we delve into the world of learning and discover why it’s changed so much over the generations. Here’s how you can get in touch with Penny: LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/pennyhopkinson Everything under one...

Today I’m welcoming another guest to the show, Simon Bennett.  Simon is a friend of mine, a fellow coach and is keen to bring the concept of kindness to our attention.   Simon’s coaching practice builds on his experience of leading teams in high pressure organisations. He is passionate about working with leaders to best navigate the challenges and opportunities of the modern wo...

This week’s episode marks a special occasion—both my birthday and the podcast’s one-year anniversary! We’re exploring the dynamics of birthdays: what they mean to us, the expectations we place on them, and how they reveal our deeper unconscious patterns. Freud wasn’t a fan of birthdays (except for the gifts!), and that got me thinking; how do we truly feel about getting older? Plus, I share some r...

Why does silence make us uncomfortable? We’ve all been in those moments where the quiet stretches just a little too long, and we feel the need to fill it. But what if silence isn’t empty at all? What if it’s one of the most powerful tools we have? In this episode, we explore the impact of silence, when it serves us, when it doesn’t, and how to use it to our advantage. We’ll also learn what Freud t...

In this episode, I’m sharing a personal story about how my confidence took a hit, how I unknowingly held myself back, and what ultimately helped me rebuild my sense of self. Spoiler alert: it involves pole dancing, platform boots, and a whole lot of fun! We’ll have a look at how our defence mechanisms get in our way and how they can subtly keep us stuck. Plus, I’ll invite you to reflect on where y...

How often have you found yourself mid-story, only to realise you’ve completely lost track of the point you were trying to make? You’re not alone. Sometimes, our words take on a life of their own, and there’s usually something deeper going on beneath the surface. In this episode, I take a look at why I (and maybe you, too) sometimes talk in circles, what this has to do with defence mechanisms, and...

Today I’m delighted to welcome Gwenne Dickson, spiritual empowerment coach, to the show.  Gwenne and I are tackling a subject that all of us will experience and yet so many of us find difficult; and that’s grief.  Join us as we talk about what we find surprising about the grieving process and how we can support each other during these times. You can contact Gwenne at: Facebook:...

Why do we wear shoes that hurt our feet?  We’ve all been in the situation where we’ve known that our choice of footwear isn’t ideal, but we love how our shoes make us look and feel, so put up with the pain.  Is this the only area of our lives that we do this, or can we see this elsewhere?   In this episode we explore what might be going on for us when we put on shoes...

It’s been famously said by Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix, that Netflix is not a family.  And work is not a family - unless of course you are the Carringtons in Dynasty or the Ewings in Dallas.  However, are there some elements of family dynamics that get played out in our work environments? In this episode we explore the phenomena of being drawn into work scenarios that remind...

Life isn’t a fairy tale, yet we might have some fairy tale moments throughout our lives.  What happens when we reach the conclusion of the fairy tale?  Are we skipping off into the sunset or are we left with a mixed bag of conflicting  and complex feelings not knowing what might be going on for us? In this episode we explore some of the less talked about emotions that...

Most of us will have had the post break up haircut, or equivalent.  That response to an event that has made us decide that something needs to change as we are no longer that person anymore.  But why do we do this?  Are we avoiding thinking about something that could actually help us move forward? In this episode we explore what might be going on for us as we reach for...

It’s tempting to think that we should always be moving forward, that we must forever be making progress, no matter how slowly.  And there is a lot of truth in that.  Our defence mechanisms can tempt us to avoid looking at our behaviour with the promise that by continuing to move forward we will get to the promised land – whatever that might look like for us. In this episode I’l...

Why do we feel alive around some people and like we’ve been through the wringer when we are around others?  What’s going on for us when some people lift us up and with others we can feel as if it’s they have dropped us from a great height?  In this episode I’m exploring what’s going on from a psychodynamic perspective when we take on the energy of other people and consider ways...

How do we feel when someone makes a comment about us?  There are probably times when we can brush it off and not think about it again, and there are others where we end up ruminating over it for days afterwards.  But what’s going on in the making of these comments?  Are they just as innocuous as the person who made them (possibly) believes?  Or is there some...

It’s an easy trap to fall into, thinking we should be brilliant at everything the minute we try it, and then berating ourselves when we aren’t.  What’s happening for us when we set ourselves up in this way?  What stories are we telling ourselves about where we think we should be? In this episode I explore the psychodynamics behind the ‘comparisonitis’ and why we can create fals...

How do we make sense of our worlds?  How do we understand what seems incomprehensible?  It’s no surprise to discover that we will create stories and meanings for what happens to us, in order for us to make sense of our worlds.  But why do we do this?  And is it any good for us? Find out what Freud has to do with a cotton wheel, learn why you might want to sw...

There’s a million and one different things that distract us in our day to day lives.  Just putting this episode together I had to ensure that my phone was away and I had done everything that I needed to before I sat down to work.  Why do we do this?  Is it just that we live in a very busy world, or could there be some psychodynamic concepts playing into all this? Join me as I take a...