Therapy Works

In this episode, Emily and Julia tackle a heartfelt dilemma from a listener who relocated to the North of England to be closer to family, only to find themselves deeply unhappy. Together, they explore the hidden emotional impact of moving, from loss of familiarity and identity to questions of control, grief, and expectation. Emily and Julia share compassionate, practical reflections on adjusting to new places, allowing space for resentment and sadness, lowering the pressure to “love it,” and gently seeking out small moments of comfort and connection. A thoughtful, reassuring conversation for anyone struggling with change, homesickness, or the slow journey toward acceptance.

If Only If create beautifully made nightwear that feels thoughtful, timeless, and deeply comforting at the end of the day. Their pieces are designed to support women through every stage of life and are made from natural fabrics in small batches. If you’d like to explore their collection, you can visit ifonlyif.co.uk and use the code JULIA15 for 15% off. 

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@juliasamuelmbe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing — it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠⁠⁠

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In this episode of Therapy Works, I’m joined by Matthew Gulliford, who opens up about the loss of his beloved French bulldog, Mr. Carson. Matthew describes a kind of grief that completely blindsided him, visceral, physical, and all consuming, and we explore why pet loss can feel so intense when your animal is part of your daily rhythm, your home, and your sense of self.We talk about the parts people don’t always say out loud, like the guilt, the loneliness, and the heaviness of having to make end of life decisions, as well as what actually helped Matthew survive the worst moments. From personal rituals and writing “messages” to Carson, to planting a tree, carrying his ashes, and eventually expanding love again with new puppies, this is a conversation that gives real permission to grieve deeply and without comparison.

If Only If create beautifully made nightwear that feels thoughtful, timeless, and deeply comforting at the end of the day. Their pieces are designed to support women through every stage of life and are made from natural fabrics in small batches. If you’d like to explore their collection, you can visit ifonlyif.co.uk and use the code JULIA15 for 15% off. 

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@juliasamuelmbe⁠⁠⁠⁠ for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing — it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this Agony Aunties episode, Julia, Emily and Sophie respond to a listener’s thoughtful question about how to gently introduce the idea that movement can “move the mind” to the people who may resist it most: teenagers and elderly family members. They explore why forcing exercise can backfire (especially with teens), and instead recommend modelling movement, keeping encouragement low-key, and making activity feel incidental and social rather than a “lesson.” For older relatives, they discuss practical, confidence-building entry points like finding the right trainer, starting small with habit-stacking (tiny movements built into everyday routines), and using approachable online classes to reduce the barrier to entry. The takeaway is compassionate and relationship-led: focus on connection, meet people where they are, and when needed, share your concerns as care rather than control.

If Only If create beautifully made nightwear that feels thoughtful, timeless, and deeply comforting at the end of the day. Their pieces are designed to support women through every stage of life and are made from natural fabrics in small batches. If you’d like to explore their collection, you can visit ifonlyif.co.uk and use the code JULIA15 for 15% off. 

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@juliasamuelmbe⁠⁠⁠⁠ for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing — it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Therapy Works, I sit down with Cressida Bonas for a conversation that feels unusually intimate and quietly brave. We talk about the loss of her older sister Pandora and how saying the word “died” still lands with a kind of shock and finality. Cressida shares what she didn’t expect about grief, the fear that lives in her body, the numb days that feel lonelier than tears, and the strange push pull of wanting to hold on while also wanting the suffering to end. We explore what it was like watching Pandora die in hospital, how her family tried to “be strong” and hide their tears until Pandora asked them not to, and why that shift towards honesty became a lesson in love and connection for all of them.We also talk about the way Cressida processes through creativity, writing a letter to Pandora in those final days and then finding herself unable to stop writing afterwards, not as memoir but through characters that could hold what felt unbearable. She reflects on motherhood, self doubt, and finding more confidence since having children, alongside the frustration of being put in a box by other people’s assumptions. We end with what Pandora’s death has clarified for her, the preciousness of ordinary moments, the desire to waste less time, and the meaning behind her podcast Lessons From Our Mothers, which grew out of recording her own mother’s story and the wish to understand the women who made us.

Listen to Cressida’s Podcast, Lessons From Our Mothers: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/lessons-from-our-mothers/id1803569581

If Only If create beautifully made nightwear that feels thoughtful, timeless, and deeply comforting at the end of the day. Their pieces are designed to support women through every stage of life and are made from natural fabrics in small batches. If you’d like to explore their collection, you can visit ifonlyif.co.uk and use the code JULIA15 for 15% off. 

More from Therapy Works:

Subscribe to the Therapy Works Substack for guidance on everyday struggles and access to Julia’s monthly live webinar: ⁠⁠⁠https://juliasamuel.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠

Follow Julia on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@juliasamuelmbe⁠⁠⁠ for tips, tools, and conversations about navigating life’s challenges.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing — it makes a big difference and helps others discover these conversations.If you need help finding a therapist, visit: ⁠⁠⁠The Samuel Therapy Practice⁠⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this Agony Aunties episode, Emily and Sophie take the reins while Julia continues her recovery, diving into a thoughtful listener question about accepting children with SEN and learning difficulties as academic parents. Together they explore the often unspoken grief that can arise when parenting looks different from what we imagined, the importance of making space for complex emotions without guilt, and the delicate balance between acceptance and adjustment. The conversation gently unpacks parental expectations, fear of judgment, and how compassion for both yourself and your child can shift the experience, while highlighting the value of support networks, school partnerships, and recognising that a meaningful, fulfilling life is not defined by academic success alone.

• Email your questions: [email protected]

• DM Julia on Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe

If Only If create beautifully made nightwear that feels thoughtful, timeless, and deeply comforting at the end of the day. Their pieces are designed to support women through every stage of life and are made from natural fabrics in small batches. If you’d like to explore their collection, you can visit ifonlyif.co.uk and use the code JULIA15 for 15% off. 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices