Agony Aunties on Talking to Children About a Terminal Diagnosis
In this episode, the Agony Aunties address a heart-wrenching question from a listener facing a terminal diagnosis. They offer invaluable advice on how to communicate this devastating news to teenage children without causing unnecessary fear or resorting to dishonesty. They emphasise the importance of honesty and ongoing dialogue, suggest starting the conversation by asking the children what they already understand about the illness, and provide strategies to help manage the emotional burden for both the parent and the children. They also discuss the benefits of using supportive resources from organisations like Child Bereavement UK and Macmillan, and the option of preparing messages and videos for future milestones in the child's life. The discussion concludes with advice on engaging schools and other family members for additional support.
Support links:
Macmillan Cancer Support: https://www.macmillan.org.uk/
Child Bereavement UK: https://www.childbereavementuk.org/
Please subscribe and leave a review—it truly makes all the difference! Follow Julia at @juliasamuelmbe for more insights, tips, and conversations on life's challenges and how to improve your mental well-being.
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18:44
Live from Curious Minds Festival: Unpacking Family, Conflict & Connection
In this special live-recorded episode of Therapy Works, we explore the often unspoken patterns that shape our families — and ourselves.
Whether you're navigating sibling tensions, generational expectations, or a long-standing rupture with a parent, this conversation offers powerful insight into how family systems operate, why we fall into certain roles, and how healing truly begins.
Note: As this was recorded live, the audio isn’t perfect — but the rawness adds to the realness!
You’ll hear real-life therapy sessions unfold in real time — including a moving segment on estrangement — revealing just how much our early environments impact our adult relationships, self-worth, and sense of belonging.
What we explore in this episode:
Why understanding the family system matters more than focusing on one person’s behaviour
How unresolved trauma can silently pass through generations
What happens when a family faces unexpected change
The difference between rupture and repair — and why both are inevitable
Why communication breaks down, and how to rebuild it with clarity and compassion
How to navigate the tension between love, resentment, and loyalty
With stories, therapeutic insight, and deeply human moments, this episode is for anyone trying to make sense of where they come from — and how to break free from cycles that no longer serve them.
Highlights:
01:57 – How families react to change
03:58 – Parenting under pressure
05:33 – Tools for breaking family patterns
21:31 – Live therapy: Joe’s estrangement story
36:17 – How revelations shape identity
43:15 – Compassion vs. resentment: finding the balance
48:32 – Q&A and closing reflections
Find out more about Curious Minds Festival: https://www.batharts.co.uk/curious-minds
This is a paid advertisement by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/therapyworks and get on your way to being your best self.
Please subscribe and leave a review—it truly makes all the difference! Follow Julia at @juliasamuelmbe for more insights, tips, and conversations on life's challenges and how to improve your mental well-being.
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1:19:49
Agony Aunties on the Pressure to "Have It All Figured Out"
In this episode, the Agony Aunties address a common concern among individuals in their mid-thirties who feel overwhelmed by life's big decisions, especially regarding having children. The discussion dismantles the false narrative of a linear path to success, emphasises the importance of self-awareness, and offers insights into managing societal pressures and personal expectations. The episode also touches on the significance of recognising real time boundaries for biological factors, broadening one's concept of family, cultivating curiosity about one's true desires, and the benefit of therapy in understanding personal choices.Please subscribe and leave a review—it truly makes all the difference!
Follow Julia at @juliasamuelmbe for more insights, tips, and conversations on life's challenges and how to improve your mental well-being.
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15:57
Amanda Wakeley on Fashion, Family, and Healing Through Grief
In this episode of the Therapy Works podcast, Amanda Wakeley, OBE, designer, creative director, and multiple award-winner, delves into the profound challenges she faced following the loss of her brother and the end of her eponymous fashion brand. Amanda shares the emotional impact of these significant losses, her process of grieving, and how a new chapter unfolded in her life. She talks about the therapeutic value of her new dog, the importance of nature, and the power of listening to one's gut instinct. Through introspection and resilience, Amanda navigated through her 'fertile void' and rediscovered her purpose, culminating in the launch of her own podcast and a forthcoming style DNA book. The conversation emphasizes the importance of vulnerability, courage, and the joy found in new beginnings.
00:38 Amanda's Career and Personal Losses
01:39 The Challenge of Sibling Loss
05:50 Fashion and Personal Identity
10:49 The Healing Power of Nature and Pets
22:48 The Emotional Toll of Business Closure
27:26 Cosy Work from Home and Meeting Luna
27:52 The Comfort of Cashmere
28:46 Defining Personal Style
30:15 Navigating Major Life Transitions
32:16 Starting a New Chapter with a Podcast
33:28 Dealing with Anxiety and Finding Control
34:01 The Healing Power of Nature and Movement
36:58 Hypnotherapy and Overcoming Fears
38:51 Grieving and Emotional Healing
46:07 Embracing New Beginnings and Wisdom
49:16 Final Reflections and Tribute to Charlie
Find Amanda:
Instagram: @amandawakeley
Website: amandawakeley.com
Podcast: Listen here
Links referenced in episode:
Eugene Gendlin on Focusing: https://focusing.org/sixsteps
Sibling Support: https://www.siblingsupport.co.uk/
Please subscribe and leave a review—it truly makes all the difference! Follow Julia at @juliasamuelmbe for more insights, tips, and conversations on life's challenges and how to improve your mental well-being.
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1:15:18
Agony Aunties on Finding Confidence in Your Fifties
In this episode, the Agony Aunties address a listener's concern about feeling invisible in their mid-fifties due to ageism in both work and social spaces. Reflecting on their own experiences, the Agony Aunties discuss the psychological challenges and societal biases that come with aging, particularly for women. They emphasise the importance of valuing oneself, embracing inner strengths, and finding liberation in this new phase of life. They also touch upon the cultural obsession with anti-aging and all the benefits of reaching one's fifties. Please subscribe and leave a review—it truly makes all the difference!
Follow Julia at @juliasamuelmbe for more insights, tips, and conversations on life's challenges and how to improve your mental well-being.
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Bestselling author and psychotherapist, Julia Samuel, invites us into her therapy room as she talks to both known and unknown voices about some of life’s biggest challenges.
Therapy Works is full of therapeutic conversations which may contain difficult emotions but those that can paradoxically bring light, in all its form.
Listeners will hear what the guests have learnt, failed to learn and how they have grown through their experience. At the end of each episode, Julia reflects on her session with her two psychotherapist daughters who will share their thoughts on the conversation. You’ll quickly discover that not all therapists agree on everything!
Follow @juliasamuelmbe
New Zealand