Personal Growth & Healing Episodes

Understanding what gives you a sense of meaning and purpose in life is crucial to wellbeing, but we all have times where we feel lost or directionless. In today's ep, I'm sharing Michael Steger's Meaning Framework, and its three key elements of Coherence, Purpose, and Significance. These pillars help us make sense of our experiences and guide us towards living a more intentional and fulfilling life. I'll share practical insights on how to diagnose feelings of disconnection and suggestions for re...

Dermot Whelan was one of Ireland's most successful radio hosts and television presenters for over 20 years. When he had a panic attack on the way to performing at a comedy festival, he decided to put aside his scepticism and explore how meditation could help him manage the stress and anxiety that came along with working in such a fast-paced, high pressure career. Dermot now combines mindfulness with comedy in a way that allows him to pursue both of his passions while offering audiences a pathwa...

Anger is an emotion we often struggle to navigate. In this solo episode, I'm sharing the recent experience of one of my clients, who was grappling with intense feelings of anger. As a psychologist, I recognise that anger often masks deeper vulnerabilities like sadness and fear, but this episode isn't just about identifying what's underneath anger; it's about understanding the importance of expressing our anger in healthy ways. Many of us, particularly women, have been socialised to suppress ang...

Couples Therapist, Tarah Kerwin opens up about how her past trauma affected her relationship with her husband EJ, also a therapist. Despite their professional expertise, they both realised they needed to address their personal issues to save their marriage and build a thriving partnership. Cass and Tarah discuss the importance of self-awareness, emotional safety, understanding the impact of early attachment wounds and building compassionate communication skills. This episode will offer hope to a...

Today, we're diving into the ever-relevant topic of burnout, which has become a pervasive issue for many people. I want to unpack how personal traits such as perfectionism, people-pleasing tendencies, and unrealistic self-expectations, can inadvertently contribute to our own risk of burnout. Of course there are external pressures from our workplaces; but it’s important to look at how we interact with those pressures and the stories we're tell ourselves that are contributing to our chronic stress...

Feeling disconnected in relationships is a theme that's been surfacing a lot lately in my coaching sessions, and I think it’s something that many of us can relate to. In this episode, I dive into the common struggles women face in long-term partnerships, particularly the sense of not being heard or satisfied. We explore the importance of owning our part in relationship dynamics while also recognising when our emotional needs aren’t being met. I share insights on how to navigate those tough conv...

We're kicking off our brand new series for paid subscribers, "Mindfulness... and then what?", where we'll dive deep into how to truly incorporate mindfulness into your life for real benefits. I know, I know—mindfulness is one of those buzzwords that can make people roll their eyes, but stay with me! This month, we’re all about getting practical and relevant with mindfulness, addressing the stress, overwhelm, and uncertainty we face daily. Together, we'll explore what’s not working and set intent...

Today’s episode dives deep into a crucial question: who are you when you’re at your best? I’m inviting you to explore the qualities that make you shine and how to create the conditions in your life that allow you to be at your best more of the time. We discuss the importance of understanding both our best selves and our not-so-great moments, drawing connections between our moods, circumstances, and overall well-being. This episode is all about setting yourself up for success and identifying what...

Carli McConkey was a naive 21yr old seeking self-improvement when she was recruited into a new age cult where she spent over 13yrs trapped and enslaved. Carli bravely shares her experience of being manipulated, coerced, and abused, explaining the psychological tactics employed by cult leaders to maintain control. After finally escaping, Carli’s struggles continued when she fought and won a defamation lawsuit brought upon her by her former cult leader. She also shares her frustration that her cu...

Dr. Michelle McQuaid joins me in this episode to dive deep into the concept of "good girl conditioning" and how it impacts women's mental health and well-being. We explore the societal expectations that shape our beliefs from a young age, often leading to exhaustion and a sense of emptiness, despite achieving external markers of success. Dr. McQuaid shares her personal journey of discovering these patterns and the research that highlights how they manifest in our lives, particularly for women. ...

This week, we're diving into parts work, with an introduction to Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy and how you can apply it as a tool for self-healing. We'll explore how recognising and connecting with different parts of yourself - like your inner child or your inner perfectionist - can lead to greater self-awareness, self-compassion and personal growth. The episode highlights the importance of curiosity and kindness as you navigate your emotional landscape, encouraging you to accept all the...

In this final solo episode of 2024, Cass reflects on the importance of recognising personal achievements over the past year, emphasising the need to focus on gains rather than gaps. She shares plans for a new subscriber version of the podcast launching in 2025, aimed at fostering community and providing more exclusive content. Cass also shares her recent ADHD diagnosis, discussing the personal challenges associated with it, why you might question whether you have it or not, and concludes with a ...

This week, Cass talks with author and social researcher, Rebecca Huntley, who shares her experience of childhood trauma, traditional therapy, and how she ultimately found herself seeking MDMA therapy from an underground healer. The conversation delves into her experiences with MDMA therapy, the profound emotional shift she experienced and how as a result, for the first time, she felt safe in her body. Cass and Rebecca discuss the future of MDMA therapy in Australia as it is now an authorised tre...

In this episode, Cass discusses the challenges of people pleasing, especially during the holiday season. She explores the roots of this behaviour, including childhood experiences, personality traits, and societal expectations. Cass emphasises the importance of self-care, setting boundaries, and recognising when helping others compromises your own well-being. She encourages listeners to prioritise their needs and to be honest in their relationships, asserting that saying no is not selfish but rat...

This week, Cass is joined by Lisa Messenger and Sarah Megginson, two colleagues and friends whose lives were changed forever when Sarah offered to be a gestational surrogate for Lisa. In this episode, we discuss Lisa's gruelling six-years and 16 rounds of IVF, and the significant financial, physical, and emotional toll of infertility. The episode delves into the legal and emotional complexities of surrogacy in Australia, the vital role of hope and resilience, and the deepening of Lisa and Sarah'...

Imogen shares her experience of losing her mum in tragic circumstances, and the profound impact it had on her, and how co-creating the 'Good Mourning' podcast and community with her friend, Sally Douglas quite literally saved her life. In this conversation, Imogen shares what she has learned about grief from her own experience, including all the things no-one tells you, and how to support someone who has lost someone they love.Find out more about Imogen, Sal and Good Mourning:www.goodmourning.co...

Cass talks with Jessica McGuire, a physiotherapist and author of The Nervous System Reset, about the importance of the nervous system in physical and emotional health. Jessica explains the role of the vagus nerve in regulating our emotions, balancing our physical health, and facilitating social interactions. She explains the different states of the nervous system and provides strategies for regulating a dysregulated nervous system. Connect with Jessica:www.jessicamaguire.comwww.instagram.com/rep...

In this solo episode, Cass discusses the concept of upper limit problems as described in the book 'The Big Leap' by Gay Hendricks. Upper limit problems refer to self-imposed limitations that prevent individuals from achieving greater success, happiness, and fulfillment. Cass explores the four core beliefs that contribute to upper limit problems. She also highlights the importance of expanding one's capacity for feeling good and offers strategies for overcoming upper limit problems.Book: The Big ...

In this solo episode, Cass explores the concept of narrative identity theory and how the stories we tell ourselves about our lives shape our sense of self and well-being. She discusses the importance of personal agency, belonging, redemption, meaning-making, and coherence in our life stories.Cass emphasises the power of reframing our narratives to focus on growth, learning, and positive outcomes rather than solely on suffering and struggle. She encourages listeners to reflect on their own narrat...

In this episode, Cass recaps what she covered in her live online workshop, "How to Cultivate Unshakeable Self-Confidence".She outlines the key difference between self-doubt and the imposter experience, which runs much deeper, and the importance of having tools and strategies which address both. She shares her views on the limitations of 'mindset' strategies for cultivating confidence and why emotional work, somatic (body based) tools, and strategies to mine your unconscious beliefs are all neces...

In this solo episode, Cass shares one of the common reasons people struggle to make progress on the things they say that want to achieve. "Competing commitments", sometimes called competing desires or conflicting values, are the (often unconscious) desires that run counter to your stated goal, and cause you to spin your wheels or sabotage your progress.When you uncover your competing commitments, you're in a position to examine the truth of your assumptions and resolve the inner conflict that's ...

Cass talks with fellow psychologist, Ariane Beeston about Ariane's experience of severe postpartum depression and psychosis. They discuss the feelings of failure that can prevent new mothers from asking for help, the lack of support available for mums beyond their babys' infancy, and the added shame of being a mental health professional experiencing mental illness.Ariane speaks candidly about how she was able to fool people into believing she was fine even when she wasn't, what it was like being...

In this solo ep, Cass shares her decision to take an extended break from alcohol after quitting drinking for (almost) two years in 2020 and then taking it up again in 2022.She highlights all the best things she experienced during two years of being alcohol-free, as a way to remind herself of the benefits to be gained from staying sober, and as motivation to anyone else who might be toying with the idea of giving up their evening glass of wine, but is worried about how they'd cope without it. Con...

Johann Hari began taking Ozempic in 2023, and subsequently spent 12 months traveling the world talking to experts about every aspect of the obesity crisis and the new weight loss medications which offer a solution to the millions of people who struggle to lose weight on their own.In his book, "Magic Pill", he details the extraordinary benefits of these new medications, as well as outlining 12 disturbing risks which we, as individuals and as a society need to be aware of because, like it or not, ...