The WHOLEistic Psychology Podcast

Welcome back to The WHOLEistic Psychology Podcast 🤍
Today's episode is a little different for me (and definitely my most candid). It's a solo one, recorded from a place I truly never imagined I'd be speaking from. Very recently, I lost somebody very close to me, unexpectedly and far, far too soon. And in the weeks since, I have been so deeply held by the most incredible, intentional people in my life who have shown up for me in the most beautiful ways, who have inspired today’s podcast.
It has made me realise, both as a senior psychologist and as someone who is currently bereaved myself, how much we as a society really struggle with grief — and how many well-intentioned, beautiful people feel so unequipped to support someone they love through a loss.
So this episode is a practical toolkit for the supporters of those who are grieving. If somebody in your life has lost a parent, partner, sibling, child, or friend, and you want to know how to show up for them in the best way, this one is absolutely for you.
I explore:
Why we as a society struggle so much with grief, and what's really happening underneath all our well-intentioned avoidance
Why supporting the bereaved is, at its heart, a practice in staying (and not in fixing)
My six practical tools: saying their name, jumping in with your clothes on, helping carry the mundane, supporting the continuing bond, showing up long after everyone else stops, and holding space for whatever needs to be spoken
A few things I gently encourage you to be mindful of (including religious assumptions, big life changes, and changing the subject when their person comes up)
What the bereaved themselves want you to know, in their own words - verbatim from my beautiful Instagram community
✨ A gentle note from me: this episode discusses sudden bereavement. Please take care of yourself as you listen, and come back to it whenever you feel ready.
Books I reference throughout (all in the links below):
Resilient Grieving by Dr Lucy Hone
The Wild Edge of Sorrow by Francis Weller
Bearing the Unbearable by Joanne Cacciatore
With so much gratitude to the Instagram community members who so generously shared their words and lived experience. 
This one is dedicated to the beautiful humans in my own life who have shown up for me. If you are walking alongside someone who is grieving right now, thank you. It is one of the most sacred kinds of love there is. And if you are the one inside the grief yourself - I am walking alongside you. 
Want even more WHOLEistic Psychology? Here's where to find more support and resources:
Website & Client Enquiries Learn more about WHOLEistic Psychology and my fantastic team HERE.
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Blog Take a read of my thoughts and learnings I want to share with you. READ HERE.

Welcome back to The WHOLEistic Psychology Podcast 🤍
Today’s conversation is one that feels both deeply important and incredibly needed, and I feel so excited about sharing with you! 
I’m joined by the incredible Dr Miguel Toribio-Mateas — a clinical neuroscientist, nutrition and mental health researcher, and author of ADHD Body and Mind — whose work brings together neuroscience, nutrition, and lived experience in a way that is both deeply compassionate and profoundly insightful .
Together, we explore what ADHD actually looks like beyond the diagnostic criteria… not just as a condition of attention, but as a whole-body experience that shapes how we think, feel, eat, and move through the world.
We talk about the gut-brain connection, emotional regulation, disordered eating, and Dr Miguel’s PHOCUS framework - a beautifully holistic approach to supporting ADHD through food, flexibility and self-kindness.
In this episode, we explore:
✨ Dr Miguel’s personal journey with ADHD and autism, and how his late diagnosis reshaped his understanding of himself and his work
 ✨ What ADHD actually feels like day-to-day (from hyperfocus and creativity to overwhelm, paralysis, and emotional intensity)
✨ Why ADHD is not just a “brain disorder”, but a whole-body experience involving the nervous system, gut, and inflammation
✨ The often-overlooked emotional landscape of ADHD, including overwhelm, dysregulation, and rejection sensitivity
✨ Why food matters for ADHD
✨ The gut-brain connection and how microbiome health may influence mood, focus, and overall wellbeing
✨ Dr Miguel’s PHOCUS framework: a flexible, ADHD-friendly approach to nourishment that moves away from rigid rules
✨ The role of protein in supporting dopamine, energy, and emotional regulation throughout the day
✨ How healthy fats, herbs, and hydration support brain function, inflammation, and overall health
✨ Why carbohydrates are not the enemy, and how they support gut health and steady energy
✨ The importance of colourful, diverse plant foods for the microbiome and whole-body health
✨ The role of unprocessed, unique, and umami foods in creating satisfaction, pleasure, and sensory engagement with food
✨ Why self-kindness is the foundation of any sustainable approach to health, especially for ADHD
✨ The connection between ADHD and disordered eating, and how food can become both a source of comfort and control
✨ Why perfectionism and rigid food rules can be more harmful than helpful
✨ The importance of a truly holistic approach: food, movement, connection, environment, and psychology all working together
To see more of the incredible Dr Miguel Toribio-Mateas and his work, you can explore his book ADHD Body and Mind and his ongoing research in the field of nutrition and mental health, as well as by following him on Instagram @drmiguelmateas .
Want even more WHOLEistic Psychology? Here’s where to find more support and resources:
Website & Client Enquiries
Learn more about WHOLEistic Psychology and my fantastic team HERE.
Join the Newsletter
My monthly(ish!) newsletter curated for you to show you all about mind-body wellness, through psychological tools, recipes, research and more! JOIN HERE
Blog
Take a read of my thoughts and learnings I want to share with you. READ HERE.

Welcome back to The WHOLEistic Psychology Podcast 🤍
Today’s conversation is one I feel so deeply passionate about, because it speaks to something I see every single day in my clinical work… women feeling confused, overwhelmed, and often disconnected from what is actually happening in their bodies.
I’m joined by the incredible Francesca Lyon, a degree-qualified and registered naturopath and Medical Herbalist specialising in women’s health, hormones, and fertility, and together we explore what it really means to understand your mental health through a hormonal and whole-body lens.
This is a conversation about burnout, about the pressure to “push through,” about the invisible role hormones play in how we feel, and most importantly, how we can begin to support ourselves in a way that is evidenced based, compassionate and practical. 
In this episode, we explore:
✨ Francesca’s journey from burnout in the corporate world to discovering the power of holistic, whole-body healing
 ✨ What hormones actually are
 ✨ The reality of modern life: overworking, under-eating, over-exercising, and how this creates a hormonal “perfect storm”
 ✨ The cortisol curve: from “wired and thriving” stress… to depleted, burnt-out, low cortisol states that can feel like depression
 ✨ Why chronic stress doesn’t always look like high cortisol
 ✨ The complex relationship between hormones and mental health and why testing (not guessing) matters
 ✨ Blood sugar as a foundational pillar of both hormone health and emotional stability, and how stress can destabilise it
✨ The bidirectional relationship between food, stress, and self-talk and how guilt and anxiety around food can impact your physiology
✨ Why “perfect eating” isn’t always the answer
✨ The role of progesterone as a deeply calming, protective hormone for mental health
✨ The nuanced (and often misunderstood) relationship between hormones and conditions like PMS and PMDD
✨ How hormonal shifts across the menstrual cycle can influence mood, focus, anxiety, and energy
✨ The importance of sleep for hormone regulation and overall wellbeing
✨ The power of a truly holistic approach: nutrition, lifestyle, psychology, and medical insight working together, not in isolation
To see more of the fabulous Francesca Lyon, follow her on Instagram @your_hormone_naturopath - there she shares so many wise, insightful posts! 
Want even more WHOLEistic Psychology? Here’s where to find more support and resources:
Website & Client Enquiries
Learn more about WHOLEistic Psychology and my fantastic team HERE.
Join the Newsletter
My monthly(ish!) newsletter curated for you to show you all about mind-body wellness, through psychological tools, recipes, research and more! JOIN HERE
Blog
Take a read of my thoughts and learnings I want to share with you. READ HERE.

In this jam-packed episode, I sit down with the incredibly insightful Dr. Brad to unpack one of the most powerful (yet often overlooked) relationships in the body: the gut-brain connection.
Together, we explore how what we eat, and how we live, can deeply influence our mental health, mood, and emotional resilience.
We explore:
The gut-brain axis: what it is, how it works, and why it matters
How stress affects the gut (yes, leaky gut is a thing, and it’s more common than you think!)
The key role of dietary diversity in supporting your microbiome
How protein intake supports neurotransmitter production and mood regulation
Why gluten isn’t the villain it’s made out to be (and what to know before cutting it out)
The hidden dangers of artificial sweeteners for gut and brain health
Why the Mediterranean Diet continues to shine in both research and real life
Simple, science-backed tips to improve your digestion and mental wellbeing today
This conversation is a must-listen for anyone wanting to feel better from the inside out - whether you're navigating anxiety, brain fog, low energy or just want to learn how to nourish your mind and body more intentionally.
I cannot wait for you to listen to this one my friends! ✨
Want even more WHOLEistic Psychology? Here’s where to find more support and resources:
Website & Client Enquiries
Learn more about WHOLEistic Psychology and my fantastic team HERE.
Join the Newsletter
My monthly(ish!) newsletter curated for you to show you all about mind-body wellness, through psychological tools, recipes, research and more! JOIN HERE
Blog
Take a read of my thoughts and learnings I want to share with you. READ HERE.

We've been taught that happiness is the goal. But what if that idea is the very thing that’s making us feel stuck, anxious, or like we’re constantly falling short?
If you’ve ever wondered why you’re still not happy, even when you're ‘ticking the boxes’... this one’s for you my guys!
This episode is here to shake up the belief that we should always be chasing happiness… and offers a far more meaningful alternative (I promise, take a listen and you’ll see!).
Join me, Senior Psychologist Sophia Dawson as I explore:
Why the pressure to “feel happy” is keeping you stuck
Why fulfillment comes from values, not vibes
The unhelpful ways we try to “control” feelings (and how they boomerang back)
How to stop waiting for happiness to start living
The role of your future self in guiding your decisions today
This episode is going to leave you feeling inspired to live a life that is guided by what matters to you, whether happiness is present or not. Cheers to a new measure of success, my friends ✨
Want even more WHOLEistic Psychology? Here’s where to find more support and resources:
Website & Client Enquiries
Learn more about WHOLEistic Psychology and my fantastic team HERE.
Join the Newsletter
My monthly(ish!) newsletter curated for you to show you all about mind-body wellness, through psychological tools, recipes, research and more! JOIN HERE
Blog
Take a read of my thoughts and learnings I want to share with you. READ HERE.