The Thrive Programme Podcast

• Perfectionism – when good enough never feels enough

  This week, Lucy is joined by Irene Diego Garcia – a Thrive Programme Coach originally from Spain, but now working and living in the UK. Irene explains how her perfectionism affected her for years. A very qualified, hard-working vet, yet she was in a constant state of not feeling good enough, feeling like an imposter and creating daily anxiety and overwhelm.   Perfectionism is a response to not feeling good enough. Not feeling good about yourself isn’t a nice feeling, so understandably people put their efforts into trying to feel enough – working harder, taking on more, wanting to please others to get them to like you, setting unrealistic expectations and standards for yourself, focussing on the things you don’t do ‘well enough’, playing down your achievements and successes. Not surprisingly, this has a huge effect on a person’s self-esteem.  Irene and Lucy discuss the intricacies of perfectionist thinking and how it affects people. Most importantly they talk through how you can overcome it: Educate yourself – gain the understanding into how your mind works, how and why you created the habit of perfectionism. Self-awareness is the first step. Practice self-acceptance and self-compassion – treat yourself with the same unconditional kindness and acceptance that you would offer to other people. Taming that inner voice and learning to see yourself in a kind and charitable light does wonders for your self-esteem.Stop equating your self-worth to your achievements. Re-define your evaluation of success. You are enough, you are worthy, you are lovable irrelevant of what job you do, how much money you earn, whether your house is clean, what size clothes you wear. Base your self-esteem on who you are on the inside and every day process your experiences and the role you’ve taken in making them happen. We’re here for you, so if you’d like some help, get in touch and we’ll be with you every step of the way. 

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• My past was ruining my future!

  Despite how it might feel, it's not the past event ‘making you’ feel the way you do. It's the way you're thinking about it in the present moment.  Changing the way you think about the past will have a massive impact on your future. In this episode, Lucy is joined by Jodi Stones – a Thrive Programme Coach based in Northern Ireland, who was told she might not survive when there were complications during her pregnancy. Not only did she survive, she learned to thrive and now looks back on her experience as her superpower!  What you'll hear in this podcast:Jodi’s real life past experienceHow it impacted not only her life but the whole familyHow Jodi’s unhelpful thinking styles created a really unhelpful and negative responseWhat Jodi learned that changed the way she thinksHow Jodi lives her life today Key takeaway: Life doesn't always go to plan, and it’s certainly not perfect. By accepting you can't change your past, but you can take responsibility for your future will be the most empowering thing you ever do.No matter what the experience, this is something anyone, any age can do. The more you learn and understand why you think the way you do and that it’s your underlying beliefs and thinking habits that are holding you back, not the situation itself, the easier and better your life will be.Don't let your past hold you back anymore, learn to think in a powerful way and live the life you want from today. 

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• Thriving & Parenting and the Importance of Resilience

  Parenting, in general, can feel like a daunting task! Every parent wants to raise happy, mentally fit, thriving children...but where do you start? There are many attributes that parents can foster in their children in order to ensure they are thriving. In this week’s episode, Thrive Programme Coach Dom Marcotte joins Lucy to share a little about her own parenting journey; how she supported her daughter in overcoming anxiety, and how she learned to become a more thriving parent by challenging some unhelpful thinking. Key discussion points in this podcast:The importance of resilience – how to build resilience in children How to support children in developing an internal self-esteem, so that they don’t rely on external validation to ‘make them’ feel goodThe importance of parents being positive, thriving role models for their children

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• Why panic attacks happen in all the places you wish they wouldn’t!

  This week, Lucy is joined by Matt Christofaro - a Thrive Programme Coach based in America, who previously struggled with frequent panic attacks—especially in important work meetings and interviews. In this episode, Matt explains the underlying thinking styles and beliefs that were causing him to create such big emotions and also how he overcame it – what he needed to know and then do to rid himself of panic for good. Despite how they feel, panic attacks don’t ‘happen to’ you. They are your response ‘to’ an event, situation, thought, feeling, urge, sensation. It is the work meeting, viewed through your own unique set of filters (your beliefs and thinking styles) that creates your experience of it — including whether or not you panic in certain situations. The key is understanding that panic isn’t some external force ‘attacking’ you (even though the name makes it sound that way)—you create it by how you respond ‘to’ the situation. What you'll year in this podcast:Why panic attacks feel random — but aren’t.Why some people stay calm under pressure while others spiral into panic.The common thinking styles and beliefs that create panic.Why trying to avoid the feelings actually keeps them alive.How your brain mistakes discomfort for danger.The simple mindset shift that stops panic from escalating.Top tips for the next time you’re panicking.Key takeaway:Panic isn’t something that happens ‘to’ you — it’s an emotional overreaction to a perceived threat. Whilst you may not be able to control the situation, you absolutely can control the way you think and feel about it. You don’t panic about making a cup of tea. Why? Because you feel powerful and skillful in that area of your life. You only create panic, stress and worry about situations you think in a powerless way about. It’s a thinking problem, rather than a work meeting problem. Panic attacks feel unpredictable, but they’re not. Once you understand what’s really happening, you can break the cycle and take back control just like Matt and all the other people who have overcome panic attacks for good.    

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• A fresh perspective on Vaginismus

  This episode is all about changing the narrative around vaginismus. No more outdated advice, ineffective quick fixes, or feeling like you're the only one struggling. Instead, you'll gain a fresh, empowering perspective, practical strategies, and real success stories—proving that effective help does exist.What is vaginismus?Vaginismus is a condition that makes sexual penetration painful or impossible. Women who experience it often struggle with distress, embarrassment, shame, and frustration. The severity of symptoms varies—some women can tolerate insertion, albeit painfully, while others cannot insert anything at all. For many, even the thought of penetration triggers anxiety.Meet Cara MasonCara Mason is a Vaginismus Coach, author and the creator of the Vaginismus-Free Programme. With over 25 years of experience, she fully understands the challenges women face and, more importantly, what’s required in order for women to achieve comfortable penetration. What You'll hear in this podcast• The main cause of Vaginismus – It’s not what you think, and it’s not scary or complicated! • Myth-Busting – Did you know that your vaginal muscles are not spasming? There’s no evidence for it. • Understanding the root cause – Vaginismus is often NOT caused by sexual trauma; Its nearly always something simpler and not sinister. • Why many common vaginismus treatments fail – Treatments that focus only on the physical symptom are ignoring the crucial role of the mind. • The first steps to take for comfortable penetration – Learn how to process positive penetration experiences so they truly count in your recovery. • How to make progress with insertion – it’s the small steps that lead to bigger wins• Is it harder to overcome vaginismus if you’ve had it for longer• Why vaginismus is actually a GOOD symptom to overcome!• Why many women believe it’s hard to overcome vaginismus The Vaginismus-Free ProgrammeThe Vaginismus-Free Programme is a step-by-step, life-changing programme that empowers women to reconnect with their bodies and regain control. Since vaginismus manifests physically but is driven by mindset, this programme takes a full mind-body approach to healing.You'll learn why your body responds as it does and have all the tools you need to achieve comfortable penetration. Followed correctly, this programme can help you overcome vaginismus in just 8-12 weeks. 

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