Hurt to Healing

Today I’m joined once again by the brilliant Shahroo Izadi for a conversation about dieting, binge eating, shame and why so many of us feel trapped in exhausting cycles with food.

We talk about her powerful new book, Why Diets Make Us Fat, and explore why restriction so often leads to overeating, why food becomes such an emotional coping mechanism, and how so many of us internalise the belief that our worth is tied to our body size.

What I love about Shahroo’s approach is that it’s incredibly compassionate, practical and free from judgment. This conversation is not about perfection or willpower. It’s about understanding behaviour, breaking shame cycles and learning how to make small sustainable changes that actually last.

Buy her book: https://amzn.eu/d/05FDoaqD

Find Shahroo:
Website: https://www.shahrooizadi.co.uk/
Instagram: @shahroo_izadi
Books: https://www.shahrooizadi.co.uk/books
Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:
Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod
TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing
Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing
Website: hurttohealing.co.uk
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Healing 101 bonus episode, I’m joined by psychologist and author Lucy Foulkes to explore how to tell the difference between normal emotional struggles and a diagnosable mental health condition. We discuss the rise in self-diagnosis, the overuse of terms like anxiety, OCD, and trauma, and why not every difficult feeling needs to be pathologised - alongside when it’s important to seek help and how to better understand what you’re really experiencing.

Find Lucy:
Website: https://www.lucyfoulkes.co.uk/
Read Lucy's books: https://www.lucyfoulkes.co.uk/books
Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:
Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod
TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing
Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing
Website: hurttohealing.co.uk
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I’m joined by writer and creator Ella Willis to talk about autism, masking, sensory overwhelm and what it feels like to move through the world feeling different from everybody else.

We discuss Ella’s brilliant new book, Literally, and have a really honest conversation about late diagnosis, friendships, relationships, people pleasing, routine and the exhaustion that can come from constantly trying to fit into environments that don’t feel built for you.

What I loved so much about this conversation is how relatable it is, whether you are neurodivergent yourself or simply someone who has ever felt misunderstood, overstimulated or emotionally overwhelmed.

Ella speaks with such honesty, humour and self awareness, and I think so many of you will take comfort from this episode.

Find Ella:
Instagram: @_ellawillis
Buy Ella’s book: https://amzn.eu/d/0cmX9SiQ
Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:
Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod
TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing
Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing
Website: hurttohealing.co.uk
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s Healing 101, I speak with psychotherapist Joshua Fletcher (Anxiety Josh) to bridge the gap between the mind and the body. Josh explains the 'bell curve' of a panic attack - reassuring us that it is physically impossible to stay stuck in that peak state and breaks down the 'threat mode' that can make us feel like we’re watching life through glass. We dive into practical tools for expanding a world shrunk by avoidance, from the 'non-anxious you' test to the 'Wise Mind' technique for silencing rumination. It’s a masterclass in reclaiming your agency and moving from a state of constant monitoring to one of authentic resilience and joy.
Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:
Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod
TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing
Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing
Website: hurttohealing.co.uk
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I’m joined by psychologist and bestselling author Dr Tara Porter for a conversation about parenting, perfectionism and what children really need from us emotionally.

We talk about why so many young people are struggling with anxiety, overwhelm and feelings of not being good enough, and how modern parenting can sometimes unintentionally fuel those pressures.

Tara shares such wise and compassionate insights about attachment, boundaries, overachievement, social media and the importance of being a good enough parent rather than a perfect one.

What I loved most about this conversation is that it feels deeply reassuring. It’s not about getting everything right. It’s about connection, curiosity and allowing children the space to become fully themselves.

I think every parent, and honestly every adult, will take something from this episode.

Find Dr Tara Porter:
Website: https://www.taraporterpsychologist.com/
Instagram: @drtaraporterpsychologist
Books: https://www.taraporterpsychologist.com/school-packages

Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:
Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod
TikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpod
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing
Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing
Website: hurttohealing.co.uk
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.