Hurt to Healing

In this week’s episode, I sit down with psychotherapist Joshua Fletcher (known to many as "Anxiety Josh") to dismantle the modern "optimisation era." Josh explains why our obsession with instant fixes - from 5:00 AM ice baths to AI therapy bots - is actually fuelling our anxiety by eroding our ability to tolerate discomfort. He challenges us to stop "running away" from our feelings and instead build the emotional scaffolding needed to find peace in the stillness.

Drawing from his book Same Time Next Week, Josh pulls back the curtain on the therapy room, sharing his own experiences with imposter syndrome and the "round table" of internal voices that shape our reality. We explore the "death of curiosity," the power of being truly seen, and why the most compassionate thing you can do for a racing mind is often the one thing we fear most: absolutely nothing.

Find Josh:
Buy his new book 'Same Time Next Week': https://amzn.eu/d/0gBZKClA
Website: School of Anxiety
Instagram: @anxietyjosh
LinkedIn: Joshua Fletcher
Linktree: All Resources & Contact
Podcast: Disordered
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Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing
Website: hurttohealing.co.uk
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In this Healing 101 episode, historian David Courtwright explains how modern companies have "hacked" our brains to turn everyday pleasures into hard-to-break habits. He introduces the idea of Limbic Capitalism, a global system where things like social media, fast food, and addictive drugs are specifically designed to hijack the brain’s reward centre. David explores why digital technology is the new frontier of addiction - making "hits" of dopamine cheaper and more accessible than ever - and offers a hopeful perspective on recovery, reminding us that it often takes multiple attempts to finally reclaim our focus and freedom.

Find David:
Website: https://davidcourtwright.domains.unf.edu/
Buy his book 'The Age of Addiction': https://amzn.eu/d/01vG1z76
Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:
Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpod
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LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healing
Substack: substack.com/@hurttohealing
Website: hurttohealing.co.uk
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In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Paul Conti, a world-renowned psychiatrist and graduate of Stanford and Harvard, who is widely recognized as one of the most insightful voices in modern mental health. Dr. Conti joins us to challenge the way we pathologise our minds, moving the focus away from "what’s broken" and toward the "human birthright" of what is actually going right. He shares how we can shift from feeling disempowered by labels to feeling truly empowered through what he calls compassionate curiosity.

We also dive into his highly anticipated upcoming book, The Architecture of Self, which provides a definitive map of the structure and function of the human mind. Dr. Conti explains how balancing our internal drives - assertion, pleasure, and the all-important generative drive - allows us to change our internal narratives and physically transform our reality. It’s a masterclass in reclaiming your identity and building a life grounded in agency and health.

Pre order Paul's book: https://amzn.eu/d/06VI4hKa
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
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In this Healing 101 episode, Dr. Sharon Bergquist explains how "micro-doses" of intentional stress can actually disease-proof your body. We dive into the science of hormesis - the biological "sweet spot" where deliberate discomfort activates ancient vitality genes to repair DNA and boost resilience.

By balancing these stressors with strategic recovery, Dr. Bergquist reveals how we can "shape-shift" our biology to become more agile, mentally sharper, and physically robust.
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
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On today’s episode of Hurt to Healing, I’m joined by Gemma Styles. I recently read her book Why Am I Like This? and it resonated with me so much, so it felt really special to sit down and have this conversation with her.

We talk about her experience of anxiety and depression, what it felt like navigating university and early adulthood, and the impact of being diagnosed with ADHD later in life. We also explore friendship, introversion, rejection sensitivity, social media and that constant inner voice that tells you you’re not quite enough. It’s a really honest, grounding conversation about understanding yourself more clearly and learning to meet yourself with more compassion.

Find Gemma:
Instagram: @gemmastyles
Buy Gemma's book: https://amzn.eu/d/01bZzYEI

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.