Mindful Poetic Stories Podcast

• My Fridge My Friend Part 1

  Podcast Series: Self Love to Self Sabotage   Episode Overview In Part 1 of this 2-part deep dive, Patricia shares a deeply personal journey of overcoming emotional eating, food addiction, and a once-toxic relationship with her fridge, which was not just an appliance, but an emotional crutch. From binging to self-awareness, from comfort food to self-love, this episode unpacks the psychological, societal, and biological reasons why we eat when we’re not hungry, and what finally helped Patricia break free. If you’ve ever turned to food for comfort, felt shame after eating, or battled diet culture, this one’s for you. ________________________________________ Key Quotes “You are not weak when you binge eat. You’re weary.” “My fridge wasn’t just an appliance — it was my emotional comfort blanket.” “Happier people make healthier choices.” “Self-love is a revolutionary act.” Abiola Abrahms “I don’t work on my body anymore, I work with my body.” Patricia Ahern There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in.” Desmond Tutu “And I said to my body, softly, ‘I want to be your friend.’ It took a long breath and replied, ‘I have been waiting my whole life for this.’” Nayyirah Waheed ________________________________________ Key Topics Emotional eating recovery Comfort eating triggers Treats & sugar dependency Slimming pills vs self-love Diet culture myths The obesity crisis and societal influence Self-love and body image Healing through emotional awareness What You'll Learn Why emotional eating isn’t just about willpower, it’s also about emotional suppression How childhood experiences may create lifelong associations between food and comfort The truth about diet culture, slimming drugs, and marketing manipulation How I shifted from food dependency to nutritional empowerment How I went from numbing to nourishment Why self-love is the foundation of sustainable health and helps us make healthier choices Actionable tips to begin your own healing journey with food and body image Listener Tips Write your WHY – Why do you want to feel better in your body? Connect with your why. Start small – One mini healthy shift a day is enough. Talk to your reflection – Build a positive, kind connection with your body. Use your fridge as motivation, not a crutch – Put reminders or photos that empower you. Remember: willpower is depleted by dependency and addiction. Healing refuels it. Final Thoughts This episode is more than a story about food, it’s about breaking cycles, reclaiming power, and learning how to love yourself from the inside out. If this resonated with you, share it with a friend who needs to hear they’re not alone. Let’s spread the message that healing is possible, and self-love is the real miracle cure. Mentioned in this Episode Mariana Cardore F* The Diet book and podcast - recommended Listen - https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/how-is-your-mental-fitness-interview-patricia-ahern/id1623052831?i=1000579711827 – Next Week To be continued….. Part 2 – My Fridge: The Bigger Picture – will zoom out and explore the wider landscape of slimming jabs, public health, convenience culture, and how we all got here. Plus: how to build resilience in a world that profits off your self-doubt. Don’t miss it. Call to Action 🎧 Enjoying the podcast? Here’s how you can support: ✨ Subscribe to the podcast for more soulful conversations on emotional well-being and personal transformation. 🌟 Leave a 5-star rating and a written review on Apple or Spotify ✨ Share this episode with someone who needs hope or healing today. 💌 Join the conversation: DM me on Instagram @pacoaching_foryou or email [email protected] 💻 Explore Coaching/Mental Fitness: www.pacoaching.co.uk      

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• Rise Like A Phoenix Part 2

  Host: Patricia Ahern Theme: Grief, Resilience, Mental Fitness, Self-Healing, Rebirth ________________________________________ 🔥 Episode Summary In this powerful and poetic Part 2 podcast episode, Patricia explores what it means to rise from the ashes of loss, trauma, and emotional pain — just like the mythical phoenix. This is an honest and compassionate reflection on grief, emotional healing, self-reconnection, and building resilience. Through personal stories, the transformative RAIN framework by Tara Brach, and the pain of losing a dear friend to suicide, Patricia takes us on a journey of radical acceptance, inner trust, and mental fitness. If you’ve ever felt the weight of grief, regret, or emotional disconnection — this episode is a heartfelt guide to rising stronger, wiser, and more compassionate. ________________________________________   💬 Memorable Quotes "Time alone doesn’t heal wounds — healing comes from being open to learning and feeling." Patricia Ahern "To heal, we must feel. To rise, we must trust that we can." Patrica Ahern "You can’t get enough of something that almost works." – Dr. Vincent Felitti "The biggest tears at a graveside aren’t for loss — they’re for regret." "Mental fitness is not self-improvement — it’s self-welcoming." Patricia Ahern ________________________________________ RAIN: A Path to Healing and Acceptance Tara Brach’s RAIN framework is a mindfulness tool for processing difficult emotions. Learn more: RAIN Practice by Tara Brach R – Recognize what’s happening A – Allow it to be there I – Investigate with kindness N – Nurture with self-compassion ________________________________________ Resources & Mentions 🔗 Tara Brach’s RAIN Practice 📘 Radical Acceptance & Radical Compassion – by Tara Brach o https://www.tarabrach.com/ 🎓 Amusing Ourselves to Death – by Neil Postman 🧘‍♀️ Brahma Kumaris Meditation & Teachings o https://www.brahmakumaris.com/ 🧠 Positive Intelligence & The Sage Perspective o https://www.positiveintelligence.com/ BACP Therapist Directory https://www.bacp.co.uk/about-us/home/ UKCP Register https://www.psychotherapy.org.uk/about-ukcp/our-register/ Counselling Directory UK https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/ Mental Health Ireland https://www.mentalhealthireland.ie/ MIND https://www.mind.org.uk/ ________________________________________ 📢 Call to Action ✨ Explore therapy or mental health support — your healing matters. 🎧 Enjoying the podcast? Here’s how you can support: ✨ Subscribe to the podcast for more soulful conversations on emotional well-being and personal transformation. 🌟 Leave a 5-star rating and a written review on Apple or Spotify ✨ Share this episode with someone who needs hope or healing today. 💌 Join the conversation: DM me on Instagram @pacoaching_foryou or email [email protected] 💻 Explore Coaching/Mental Fitness: www.pacoaching.co.uk   If you’re grieving, struggling with inner pain, or feeling stuck — know that you are not alone. Healing begins with self-awareness, compassion, and connection.   email [email protected] website www.pacoaching.co.uk    

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• Rise Like A Phoenix PART 1

  In this deeply personal and reflective episode, Patricia shares the first part of a two-part series on rising after loss, with an emphasis on grief, suicide, and emotional healing. Through a vulnerable recounting of her own experience losing a close friend to suicide, Patricia explores how emotional pain, when faced and processed, can lead to profound personal transformation. This episode is a gentle yet powerful reminder that from our darkest moments, we can rise—stronger, wiser, and more compassionate. 💬 "Our darkest times can be our greatest teachers and motivators." ________________________________________ Trigger Warning This episode discusses grief, trauma, and suicide. Please listen only if you feel emotionally safe to do so. Resources for support are included below. ________________________________________ Key Takeaways We Can Rise From Pain Healing is a conscious process, not a passive one. Pain avoided becomes pain prolonged; pain processed becomes transformation. "We may fall or fail, but these experiences define a life—they do not define us." ________________________________________ Grief and Loss Are Unique Journeys Based on the Kübler-Ross 5 Stages of Grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance. These are not linear, nor the same for everyone. They are an emotional guide, not a rule. “The brain tries to protect us, but sometimes it traps us in past pain.” ________________________________________ The Power of Meditation and Reconnection Healing began through meditation at the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University. Introduced the concept of a “diamond within”—our inner light muddied by life’s burdens. Brahma Kumaris UK https://www.brahmakumaris.com/ ________________________________________ Positive Intelligence & Mental Fitness Positive Intelligence (PQ) teaches us to recognize Saboteur voices vs. the inner Sage (the diamond). The Saboteurs see everything as bad and it will never be good. The Sage sees challenges and even our darkest moments with a gift or opportunity within. “The question: Which is true? The answer: Whatever you believe is true—for you.” Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine https://www.positiveintelligence.com/ ________________________________________ Suicide Prevention & Awareness Honouring Patricia’s friend’s memory, she shares some charities she supports for suicide prevention: Charities Mentioned: 🇮🇪 HUGG Ireland – Support after suicide loss 🔗 https://hugg.ie/about-us/ 🇮🇪 Pieta House – Suicide and self-harm prevention 🔗 https://www.pieta.ie/about/ 🇬🇧 Silence of Suicide (SOS) – Breaking stigma around suicide 🔗 https://sossilenceofsuicide.org/about-us/ 🌻 The OLLIE Foundation – Youth suicide prevention 🔗 https://theolliefoundation.org/ ________________________________________ Mental Health Insight: Post-Traumatic Growth 2023 Collective Trauma Conference Patricia first heard the phrase Post Traumatic Growth The concept that growth can follow trauma—emotionally, spiritually, even socially. "Not just healing—but rising. That’s what post-traumatic growth means." ________________________________________ Quote Spotlight “Trauma is not what happens to us, but what happens inside us as a result of what happens to us.” – Dr. Gabor Maté “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.” – Robin Williams ________________________________________ Support Resources BACP Therapist Directory https://www.bacp.co.uk/about-us/home/ UKCP Register https://www.psychotherapy.org.uk/about-ukcp/our-register/ Counselling Directory UK https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/ Mental Health Ireland https://www.mentalhealthireland.ie/ MIND https://www.mind.org.uk/ ________________________________________ Closing Reflection This episode is a tribute to those lost too soon, we remember you and we rise in your name, and also a reminder to anyone struggling: you are not alone. You can heal. You can rise. ________________________________________ Next Episode Teaser: Part 2 In the next episode, we’ll dive into: Recognising self-sabotage patterns from pain The power of engaging and reconnecting with your Sage within Tara Brach’s RAIN Method for emotional healing   🎧 Enjoying the podcast? Here’s how you can support: ✅ Subscribe so you never miss an episode 🌟 Leave a 5-star rating and a written review on Apple or Spotify 📲 Share this episode with someone who might benefit 💌 Join the conversation: DM me on Instagram @pacoaching_foryou or email [email protected] 💻 Explore Coaching/Mental Fitness: www.pacoaching.co.uk      

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• Patience

  In this soulful episode, Patricia’s explore the transformative power of cultivating patience on your journey of self-love. Learning to trust the process of personal growth and healing. In a world obsessed with speed and instant results, this is your invitation to slow down, breathe, and trust your natural rhythm. Through storytelling, reflections, and poetry, she uncovers why patience is not just a virtue, but an essential ingredient for emotional resilience, habit change, and long-term success. Whether you’re facing setbacks, navigating illness, or feeling frustrated by slow progress, this episode will gently guide you back to a place of self-compassion, trust, and peace. Key Takeaways Growth takes time, just like a seed needs nurturing to bloom. Patience is active, not passive; it’s about keeping a good attitude while waiting. There are three types of patience: o Interpersonal (with others) o Hardship (during major life challenges) o Daily hassles (traffic, delays, etc.) Self-sabotage and perfectionism often block progress, patience helps dismantle them. Mindfulness, gratitude, and tiny consistent steps cultivate a patient mindset. Learn to trust your timing and honour your body and mind’s natural pace. Celebrate the small wins, they’re the seeds of long-term change. Line from the poetic story; "Know you won’t reap rewards from the seeds you never plant." Quotes "Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting." — Joyce Meyer "Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience." — Ralph Waldo Emerson “Patience is the calm ability to wait in the face of frustration or adversity” - Sarah Schnitker   Practical Tools Shared Mindfulness & Meditation – observe impulses, reduce reactivity. Gratitude Practice – recognise progress, practice delayed gratification. Micro-Goal Planning – break ambitions into daily manageable steps. Reframe Frustration – focus on what your body can do. Let Go of Control – adopt the pace of nature.   Call to Action If this message resonated with you, please share, subscribe, and leave a review. Come back to this episode whenever you need a reminder to trust your journey, nurture your inner self, and move with love, not pressure.   Contact me via my website www.pacoaching.co.uk email me on [email protected]  

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• CHANGE - PART 2

  From Change to Transformation: Reconnecting to Your True Self In this powerful continuation of our conversation on change, Patricia shares a transformative poem titled "The Light" by Helen Amery, from the groundbreaking book Poetry for Coaching – Transformation Through Verse. This episode explores how embracing transformation over superficial change leads to lasting growth, self-awareness, emotional resilience, and reconnection to your true self. Patricia dives into neuroscience, mindset, habit formation, and the power of the Reticular Activating System (RAS), and uncovers how mental fitness coaching offers a more sustainable, compassionate path to inner transformation.   Key Takeaways: The Power of the Brain: Learn how the RAS (Reticular Activating System) filters your reality and reinforces what you believe — both limiting and empowering. From Change to Transformation: Why change is external, but transformation is internal — a return to your authentic self. Mental Fitness & Positive Intelligence: How shifting from self-sabotage (saboteurs) to inner wisdom (Sage) creates sustainable mental wellbeing. Identity & Beliefs: Rethinking how you use the phrase “I AM” and breaking free from conditioned identities like people-pleaser, perfectionist, procrastinator. The Habit Myth: Busting the "21-day" myth - real habit formation takes on average 66 days, and up to 254, according to research. Resilience Metaphor: Trees thrive by bending with the wind. So can we, through learning flexibility, self-awareness, and inner connection, via mental fitness. Coaching Equation: “Performance = Potential – Interference” (Tim Gallwey) - it's not about becoming better, it's about removing the inner blocks that are interfering.   Science-Based Tools & Concepts: Neuroplasticity Confirmation Bias Reticular Activating System (RAS) Subconscious Conditioning Self-Sabotage vs. Inner Wisdom Positive Reinforcement & Growth Mindset Mentioned Tools & Frameworks: The R Coaching Framework: o Recognise your patterns o Realise which serves and what is interfering o Reconnect to your Sage true essence, and Release Mental Fitness Coaching: o Thrive through inner Sage o Shift out of survival mode o Build lasting transformation and resilience Quotes: "People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits, and their habits decide their futures." — F.M. Alexander “All that I know is that I know nothing”. Socrates   Resources Mentioned: Book; Poetry for Coaching: Transformation Through Verse (Creative Coaching Collective, Nov 2024) Research; Phillippa Lally's Habit Formation Study (2010) – Link to Study Book; The Inner Game of Tennis – Tim Gallwey Book a call via my www.pacoaching.co.uk or email [email protected]  

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