Helen and Steph Muddle Through

Thanks for listening to this long-awaited episode! This topic was really important to us, so we hope you find it useful. We chat all about how to manage and navigate difficult emotions - identifying early warning signs, how societal pressures influence our feelings and responses, and finding healthy coping strategies. We also look at the art of identifying specific emotions in order to deal with them whilst feeling safe and in cont...

Happy New Year! 2022 is here and we're tackling taking the pressure off in January! If you're joining us for the first time, thank you for dropping by and if you've listened before, thank you for joining us again! Sorry there's been a bit of a break since you heard from us, Christmas life took over! Our sitting with difficult emotions episode will be coming soon. After recapping on Christmas and New Year celebra...

We're back! It's so lovely to be back recording the podcast again. If you're joining us for the first time, thank you for dropping by and if you've listened before, thank you for coming back! In this episode we have a little recap on life, Helen has produced a baby and Steph has been DJing at a cricket tournament! The topic this week is coming back, whether it's to a social life, working in the office or go...

This will be our last episode in the first series, as we're taking a little break until the Autumn while one of our hosts Helen has some time off to have a baby.

And on that note, this episode covers the topic of being pregnant during the pandemic. We chat about how the pandemic has added an extra layer of anxiety at an already stressful time, and how it has impacted the pregnancy journey, from work challenges to atte...

To tie in with April being Stress Awareness Month, this episode is all about how to address your stress.  Jam-packed with tips, advice and coping strategies to help you identify and manage your stress levels, and look after your own personal stress bucket! There's also a bit of science in relation to our sympathetic nervous systems and how this affects our bodies in a physical sense. Of course we make up a couple of new words,...

In this episode we tackle another subject that sometimes feels a bit taboo - friendships in adulthood. We talk navigating changing friendships, the challenges of making new friends and why we need more in common at a certain age than just having the same pencil case!  We also chat about some of the issues we might experience when re-emerging socially from lockdown and the need for compassion, understanding, and boundaries. 

As it's International Women's Day on 8th March, this episode focuses on the mental health and wellbeing of women, girls, and those who identify as female, in today's world.  We delve into how the pandemic has disproportionately impacted women, and the potential risks around setting back the equality clock, particularly in the workplace.  We also have an honest and open chat about hormones and their impact on our ment...

Inspired by valentines day, this episode is all about the most important type of love - self-love! Travel through the various stops on board the self-love train (yes, we know it's cheesy!), through body and self-acceptance, embracing uniqueness, being your genuine self, and getting comfortable spending time in your own company.  We also chat about the importance of recognising toxic relationships, both romantic and in friendsh...

In this episode we tackle the issues around our use of language in relation to mental health, and the important role this plays in reducing stigma and increasing our understanding. We chat about some of the colloquial language that is embedded in our everyday speech, and how we should be aware that our flippant use of phrases can cause offense. We also share our advice about the most helpful and supportive responses when somebody r...

Happy new year listeners! Our first episode of 2021 will help you put your best foot forward in January - we focus on the Blue Monday 'formula' to help you through some of the practical and emotional challenges that January brings, with a bit of lockdown advice thrown in. We talk the importance of connection, letting go of things out of our control, and discuss some of the reasons why your New Years resolutions may not be...

'Tis the season to be jolly........or, stressed, burnt out and anxious! In this episode we look at ways to reduce your stress over the Christmas period, in particular in the midst of the ongoing pandemic. We talk boundaries, compassion, perfectionism and pressure, and the importance of continuing to look after yourself during the festive season.  We also share some top Christmas trivia, and think about what it might be like to...

To coincide with Movember and International Men's Day, for this episode we talk about the vitally important topic of male mental health. We discuss some of the barriers that men, and those who identify as male, face when it comes to their mental health, and tackle topics such as traditional stereotypes, stigma and societal pressures which all may impact on men's ability and willingness to reach out. We also highlight the ...

Dark evenings, dreary weather, the prospect of another lockdown.....experiencing a dip in mood in winter is very common. In this episode we discuss some practical strategies to combat the blues, including the importance of  fresh air, minimising sleep disruption, finding joy, and looking after your body through diet, exercise and Vitamin D.  And from all-day dressing gown wearing, to pumpkin latte's - find out how we take care...

Our 10th episode tied in nicely with World Mental Health Day on 10th October - we chat about the importance of campaigns to raise awareness for mental health, and how mental health and wellbeing is everybody's business. We explore Mind's 'Do One Thing' campaign - what one thing will you do each day to support your own wellbeing?
Music: Outdoors In Summer by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

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Negative thoughts and thinking patterns are very common, and can be extremely life-limiting, as well as impact on self-esteem and relationships. In this episode we talk about some of the most common 'thinking errors', why these don't match up with reality, and strategies to manage them, including some of our own honest experiences with these. Listen in for the "four P's" - practical steps to break the ...

Sleep is a favourite topic of ours, so of course we were always going to dedicate a whole podcast to it! In this episode we share lots of thoughts and tips about improving sleep hygiene, establishing a nighttime routine and getting good quality shut-eye. Throw in a bit of science, a quiz game, and a debate about how to pronounce 'ambience' and episode 8 is complete.

Music: Outdoors In Summer by Shane Ivers - http...

This episode was so much fun to record! Episode 7 is all about the importance of self-care - recognising when you need it, prioritising it, and understanding that it's more than just having a soak in the bath! We talk hamster wheels, healthy boundaries, saying no, belly laughs, 3 day-long phone calls, finding solace in housework, and doing your life admin on the toilet. And find out Helen and Steph's top 3 self-care activ...

This week we chat about all things gratitude - from the big things to the tiny things and everything in between that brings us joy and happiness. We also think about how the pandemic has changed our perception of what is important. Giving you some inspiration to start small gratitude practices to improve your wellbeing, and discover the endless list of benefits. And of course we share the things we're most grateful for - cake ...