Ep 99: Ask Charlotte - Your Mental Health Questions
In this episode of Ask Charlotte, I'm diving into your questions about mental health. I answer: 1) What is PMDD? 2) How do I parent while struggling with my mental health? Including how to talk to kids about what's happening. 3) How do I support my partner while they're struggling with their mental health? These are such important conversations, and I hope you’ll find something here that gives you comfort, clarity, or just the sense that you’re not alone in what you’re going through.If you’d like to send in a question for a future episode, you’ll find the anonymous link in my Instagram bio or over at charlottecummings.nz.
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Ep 98: What I've Learnt Parenting Neurodiverse Kids
Parenting neurodivergent kids can be both incredibly challenging and deeply meaningful. In this episode of the Feel Better Podcast, I share openly from my own experience of raising children in a neurodiverse household.I talk about:Why the way you see neurodivergence matters — shifting from deficit to recognising gifts.The grief parents carry when life doesn’t look as expected, and how to process it.Practical lessons I’ve learnt: making peace with meltdowns, understanding behaviour as communication, advocating without guilt, and letting go of comparisons.Why self-care in micro-moments is essential, and how to nurture your relationship even when it feels impossible.This is a real, compassionate look at the hard stuff — but also the beauty, depth, and unexpected gifts that parenting neurodivergent children can bring.If you’re in the trenches right now, I want you to know you’re not alone.👉 Follow me on Instagram @charlottethecounsellor👉 Free resources: charlottecummings.nzAND... If your relationship is struggling under the pressure of parenting neurodivergent kids, don't forget to check out my programme - Give Me 10 Minutes. Six weeks of therapy input for busy couples who can't make it to therapy!
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Ep 97: How to feel good enough, accept yourself, and put yourself first
In this episode of Ask Charlotte, part of the Feel Better Podcast, I continue the theme of building a healthier relationship with yourself by answering three powerful listener questions:How do I make peace with my weaknesses, faults, and failures?I share ways to bring compassion to your past, capture the lessons you’ve learned, and balance your strengths and weaknesses so you can move forward with greater peace.How do I feel good enough?I talk about why self-worth isn’t fixed and how liking yourself is something you can actively build. I draw on narrative therapy, reflect on my own journey, and introduce my “make your own cake” analogy. How do I put myself first?I explore how to reconnect with your own desires and goals, strengthen negotiation skills, work through emotional barriers, and build routines that support you. I also challenge the idea that self-care is only about being better for others—it matters because you matter.This episode is packed with practical strategies, personal reflections, and compassionate reminders. My hope is that it encourages you to treat yourself with more kindness, and to believe that you are TOTALLY worthy of care and attention.
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Ep 96: Want more connection in your relationship? Try these things
Want more connection in your relationship? Do these things.Feeling distant from your partner? You’re not alone. Disconnection is one of the most common challenges couples face—but the good news is, there are simple, practical ways to restore closeness.In this episode of the Feel Better Podcast, I share research-backed strategies and everyday habits that can bring you and your partner closer. From understanding “bids” for connection, to creating meaningful daily rituals, ways to share deeper feelings, to putting away your phone and finding small, enjoyable moments together—this is your roadmap to feeling more connected in your relationship.You’ll learn:The Gottman Institute’s concept of bids and why they’re game-changing.Why little rituals like greetings, hugs, and check-ins matter more than you think.How to create rhythms of connection that work in real life (not just in theory).Ways to share feelings (not just facts) to deepen intimacy.How to smooth out conflict so it doesn’t erode your closeness.If you’re ready to feel more like a team again, this episode will give you practical reminders and encouragement to reset and reconnect.✨ Want to go further? Check out my couples’ program Give Me 10 Minutes—a simple, six-week reset for your relationship. Find it at charlottecummings.nz.
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Ep 95: Ask Charlotte - speaking kindly to yourself, recovering from purity culture, and what to do with 'you' time
🌿 How do I speak to myself in a kinder way?💭 How do I begin to heal from purity culture?⏳ And what do I do with my precious time away from kids and my spouse?These are the three big (and very real) questions I’m answering in today’s Ask Charlotte episode of the Feel Better podcast — all sent in through my recent question box on your relationship with yourself 💛Together we’ll explore:✨ How to break the habit of negative self‑talk and replace it with real, grounded reassurance✨ What recovery from purity culture can look like, including reclaiming your relationship with your body and your beliefs✨ Practical ideas for using your alone time without guilt — and how to rediscover what actually feels good for youThis episode is all about strengthening your relationship with yourself so that you can show up in life with more clarity, self‑compassion, and energy.🎧 Tune in now on the Feel Better podcast — let’s talk about what it really takes to feel better in your everyday life.
New Zealand