The Thrive Programme Podcast

• Ben’s Journey Through Depression, Anxiety & Body Image Struggles

  This week, Lucy chatted with Ben Howard to explore his personal journey with mental health — from struggling with low self-esteem in his teenage years to experiencing depression, social anxiety, and body dysmorphia that left him feeling like he didn’t want to be here anymore.Ben opens up about what it was like to feel constantly not good enough, to be trapped in critical self-talk, and to believe his worth depended on how he looked or how others treated him.But everything changed when he discovered The Thrive Programme.He began to realise that his emotions weren’t coming from his past, or his appearance, or what other people thought. They were coming from his beliefs — the way he viewed himself.This episode is full of insight, hope, and practical truth: Why self-esteem matters more than you think How changing your beliefs will transform your mental health What it actually means to take control of your thinkingIf you’ve ever felt stuck in low mood, body image struggles, or anxiety — this one’s for you.Ben’s story is proof that you’re never broken — that change is possible – and that it comes from the inside. 

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• Imposter syndrome: behind the mask

  In today’s powerful episode, Lucy sits down with Sally Measures — who spent 35 years in the corporate world silently battling imposter syndrome. From the outside, Sally looked confident and successful… but on the inside, she was constantly questioning her worth.Together, Lucy and Sally chat through:What imposter syndrome really isHow it shows up — through overworking, people pleasing, perfectionismThe core belief behind it all: "I'm not good enough"More importantly, they explain how to break free from this mindset and build genuine self-worth — not one based on external validation.You’ll learn how to:Challenge the “not good enough” belief at the rootDevelop a kinder, more helpful inner voiceStop measuring yourself by other people’s opinionsSet healthy boundaries that support your quality of lifeThis episode is a must-listen if you’ve ever felt like a fraud, downplayed your achievements, or pushed yourself to the edge trying to “prove” your worth.As ever, if you’d like some help and support to make this happen, just reach out to one of our coaches today.

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• Parenting an Anxious Child: Don’t Just Survive—Learn to Thrive

  Let’s be real, parenting an anxious child is tough. This episode is for you if you’re a parent who’s doing their best, feeling the pressure, and wondering how to help their child while staying afloat yourself. You’re not alone and trust us – you don’t have to simply survive this stage. In this episode, Lucy is joined by Chloe Tunnicliffe who has been there, lived it, learned from it. Chloe says she regularly listened to this episode from our Emetophobia Free podcast about how to help a child who’s panicking, but on reflection she also wanted some advice for herself and how best to look after her own mental health.  So, here it is! Four key things that you can do as the parent or carer that will shift you from surviving to thriving through this challenging time:Go through The Thrive Programme yourself – when you feel powerful and able to manage how you think and feel about things, it’s much easier for you to remain calm and in control, even (especially!) when your child is not.   Let’s talk pressure – pressure on you to fix things, pressure to be the perfect parent, pressure from school, work, other family members, friends and family, pressure your child is putting on themselves. It can feel a lot, but it isn’t happening ‘to’ you – it’s created by you, which means you can reduce it. Process things helpfully – learn the skills to process your experiences and help your child to view their experiences in a helpful, powerful way. This is HUGE. It’ll make you feel better, it’ll give you a better perspective, it’ll help your child to be able to focus on the good things, the learning, the opportunities rather than dwelling on the negatives. Dealing with ‘blips’ – how to handle yourself when your child is panicking or having a wobble. Learn how to hold steady when they’re struggling, without getting swept up in it.This episode is here to remind you that parenting can be hard, but you can do hard things. And if you adopt the skills and tips discussed here, you’ll find navigating this tricky time much easier. You got this! And as always, if you could do with a helping hand, please reach out to us – we’re here to help.  

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• School avoidance: helping your child get back to school

  In this episode, we’re diving into a topic many parents face: school avoidance. From the subtle warning signs to the emotional rollercoaster it brings, we discuss what it’s really like when a child starts refusing school—and how you can gently and effectively support them back.Claire Leahy joins Lucy to share her personal experience with her daughter—how the signs crept in before she realised what was happening, what it felt like when she simply couldn’t go, and how it affected every part of family life, including work, stress levels, and relationships.You’ll hear:The early warning signs that often go unnoticed—the drop in confidence, reluctance to go to events like sleepovers and parties, reluctance on mum, and language that sounds helpless and powerlessWhat school avoidance looked like in real time—and the impact it had on the familyWhat the school did to help, and how this was helpful but not enough to resolve the issueThe things we tried—yes, including bribery!—and what actually moved the dialHow we turned things around - the emotional and mindset shifts that made the biggest differenceWe’ll wrap up with 3 key takeaways for any parent navigating this:Listen to their language – it tells you everything about how they’re feeling on the inside. Help them to calm it down and use more helpful, powerful languageBuild their confidence elsewhere – it’s not really about school; it’s about how they feel about school. Grow their confidence in other areas and see this belief underpin the way they approach everything in life – including schoolCalm yourself first – your emotions, mindset and beliefs set the emotional tone for your child.If your mornings feel like a battlefield, or you’re lying awake wondering how to get your child through the school gates again, this one’s for you.As always, reach out if you need any help. We’re here for you. 

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• Thoughts are not facts: rewriting the story in your head

  The way you talk to yourself matters. In this episode, Lucy is joined by Philippa Simmonds to explore the language of your thoughts — how the words you use in your head shape how you feel, what you believe, and what you think you're capable of.So often, we assume the voice in our head is telling us the truth—but what if it’s not? What if the stories we repeat daily are actually holding us back? One of the most powerful shifts you can make is learning to challenge your own thoughts.Together, Lucy and Philippa explore:Why language matters more than we realiseHow to notice patterns in your thinking and spot unhelpful self-talkThe role of limiting beliefs in shaping emotions and behaviourHow to start choosing better-feeling thoughts—on purposeThe small but powerful ways you can rewrite the mental script you're living byYou’ll also hear some of Philippa’s favourite mindset-shifting phrases that she uses again and again with clients, including:“Thoughts are not facts.”“Where’s the evidence for that?”“What if it all works out?”“It doesn’t matter if [x] happens, I’ll cope.”“Is that helpful?”And how swapping ‘should’ for ‘could’ makes you feel a whole lot better about yourself! This is an empowering listen for anyone who’s ready to take a more active role in how they think, feel, and show up each day. Because when you change the story in your head, everything else starts to shift too.If you’d like some help in making these shifts, get in touch with one of the team today! 

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