Personal Growth & Healing Episodes

This week Cass chats with Samantha Skelly, founder and CEO of Pause Breathwork about the power of the breath to reduce stress and anxiety, heal your body, create clarity in your mind and connect with your intuition. Samantha shares her own story of going from skeptic to devoted student of breathwork, to eventually realising her mission to bring breathwork to a wider community.She's achieving this via the Pause Breathwork App (available for iOS and Android) and the creation of her 6-month long Br...

This week Cass talks with Dr Ann Kelley, licensed psychologist and co-host of the Therapist Uncensored podcast, about the importance of updating our understanding of attachment styles and the limitations of categorising ourselves and others. Ann proposes a more helpful approach of thinking about attachment as a spectrum. She introduces the idea of secure relating (as opposed to secure attachment), which involves understanding our own nervous system and how it impacts our interactions with others...

Cass chats with Victoria Vanstone, host of the Sober Awkward Podcast and creator of the Drunk Mummy Sober Mummy blog and website, about her decision to leave behind her partying days in order to be a happier, less anxious, more present parent by giving up alcohol. Vic admits she didn't like sober people and that she feared no-one would want to be around her anymore if she stopped being the life of every party.Vic has recently published her first book, "A Thousand Wasted Sundays" and shares how s...

Cass answers a listener question about what to do when you feel disappointed by people in your life. She shares ideas about how to manage your expectations, how to take responsibility for your own part in the situation, and how to heal from painful feelings of disappointment. Our social connections are the single most important factor contributing to happiness and wellbeing so it's critical we have strategies for communicating our expectations and what to do when they aren't met.Connect with Cas...

Cass explains why 'mindset' approaches to overcoming self-doubt and imposter syndrome are limited and won't achieve a lasting transformation and what you need to do instead. She shares how imposter syndrome is an activation of your body's threat response triggered by a fear of judgement and rejection.She also explains that self-criticism can perpetuate imposter syndrome by keeping you stuck in a threat response, and the importance of self-acceptance and forgiveness, allowing you to return to a s...

Dr Sue Johnson is a psychologist, author, a pioneer in the psychology of relationships and the creator of Emotionally Focused therapy, which focuses on creating secure emotional bonds between partners. EFT is widely acknowledged as the gold standard in evidence-based couples therapy. Dr Sue emphasises the importance of vulnerability and emotional safety in relationships, and shares how EFT can help couples navigate their patterns of distress and create positive cycles of interaction.Sue also dis...

In this episode, Cass explores the topic of mindfulness meditation and when it might not have positive benefits. She delves into the adverse effects of mindfulness and the importance of trauma-informed meditation training. She highlights the need for research on adverse experiences and clarifying the definition of adverse experiences when it comes to mindfulness.Cass explores the difference between intensive meditation retreats and brief mindfulness interventions, emphasising the need for proper...

Dr. Scott Lyons discusses the concept of drama addiction and how it can negatively impact relationships, causing fights, jealousy, and destructive patterns. People addicted to drama often seek chaos and attention, creating a cycle of drama in their lives. Scott and Cass discuss strategies for dealing with drama addiction, whether you see it in someone else or recognise this pattern in yourself.Buy the bookCheck out The Embody Lab Connect with Cass:www.crappytohappypod.comhello@crappytohappypod....

In this solo episode, Cass shares the definition of Learned Helplessness, how it was first identified by psychologists and how it might be impacting you or someone you know. Tune in to hear the power of 'Learned Optimism' as an antidote to Learned Helplessness and other strategies that can help you regain a sense of power and agency when things feel hopeless.Connect with Cass:www.crappytohappypod.comhello@crappytohappypod.com www.instagram.com/crappytohappypodwww.tiktok.com/crappytohappypod Joi...

Cass talks to Yemi Penn about her experience growing up in London and Nigeria, and her decision to 'run away' to Sydney on the other side of the world.Yemi shares the moment she realised she was in danger of transferring her trauma to her own children and how that led to her making it her mission in life to clean her own trauma and help others to do the same. Connect with Yemi:www.yemipenn.com Connect with Cass:www.crappytohappypod.comhello@crappytohappypod.com www.instagram.com/crappytohappypo...

Cass talks with existential therapist, Dr Sara Kuburic aka "The Millennial Therapist" about what it means to lose your Self and why it's so important to do the work of re-connecting with your true Self.Cass and Sara discuss: What self-loss is and how it happens The difference between inauthenticity and self-loss How we lose ourselves in relationships and when NOT to compromise The role of habits in shaping our identity Why we need to take individual responsibility for the life we have creat...

Cass sits down with Amelia Nagoski, who co-authored (with her identical twin sister, Emily Nagoski) the NYT bestselling book, "Burnout: The Secret to Solving Your Stress Cycle".Amelia shares that it is not just being a woman trying to meet society's "unmeetable expectations" that is a primary cause of burnout, but falling anywhere outside of what the mainstream considers to be the 'norm' in terms of race, sex, gender, appearance or ability. Listen to hear about: Human Giver Syndrome and why it'...

Cass sits down with Dr Gwen Adshead, one of Britain's leading forensic psychiatrists who has spent 30 years providing therapy to violent criminals including killers, arsonists, stalkers, gang members and those who are normally labelled as 'monsters'.Gwen discusses the role of early childhood trauma in later violent crime, the devastating consequences of cutting funding to public mental health services, and she makes a compelling case that in the right circumstances, we all have within us the cap...

Steph Claire Smith is a model, a business owner, author, podcast host, and she is a wife and mum to two-year-old Harvey. Together with her best friend Laura Henshaw, Steph co-founded KIC (formerly known as Keep It Cleaner): a wellness app with a mission to kick toxic wellness rules out the window.Today, Steph joins Cass to talk unpack: where KIC all began why this mission matters so much to her the gender bias she experiences as a founder and also the primary breadwinner in her family and th...

Not all of us have experienced huge childhood trauma. We’ve not been neglected, or physically, emotionally, or sexually abused in our formative years, and even today, there may not be anything inherently wrong with our life. You likely have a roof over your heads, food in your belly, an incoming coming in; for which you feel like you should be grateful for... Yet there’s still a sense of not being entirely happy, feeling empty or anxious in some ways, and not feeling enough.If this is you, and e...

As promised, this week Cass gives us a little history lessons in modern psychology and the evolution of therapy over the last 30-40 years. We've certainly come a long way since the days of reward or punishment. But what are the modern approaches and how has therapy evolved throughout recent decades?Cass explains what Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), are and how these approaches fit within modern advances in neuroscience and nervous system regulation...

Cass gets a lot of questions about accessing psychology services within Australia. It's not the most linear or straightforward of processes, between Medicare rebates, GP visits, and mental health plans... it can be quite confusing accessing the mental health services we need. Let alone knowing how do you find someone who is a good fit for you?So in this solo episode Cass answers all of these questions and more. Connect with Cass:www.crappytohappypod.comhello@crappytohappypod.com www.instagram.c...

ADHD, especially in adult women, has been a hot topic on social media of late... with questions being raised around its diagnosis being a current trend. Even more so, since the BBC Panorama program, released an expose on private clinics in the UK, misdiagnosing ADHD.So what is all the fuss about? This week, after watching the documentary, Cass weighs in with her thoughts on why there's been an increase in ADHD diagnosis in recent years, and pulls apart the various holes in the BBC exposé (and th...

In this episode, Cass Dunn answers another listener question. This time around the links between unhealthy spending habits and childhood trauma.Why is it that sometimes when we find ourselves in times of stress, we hit the shops for a quick fix? Why do we do compulsively shop even though we know we shouldn't and we'll end up feeling guilt, shame or regret? And what are the links between your relationship with money, and self worth? Remember, Cass is not offering personal psychological advice and...

Debbie Haski-Leventhal grew up inside a religious cult. She escaped at 18 years old, after experiencing a life of abuse, poverty and servitude, and wondered if she’d ever experience a life of purpose and meaning.Debbie went on to become a Professor at Macquarie University, and a scholar of corporate social responsibility, responsible management education and volunteerism. Her latest book, Make it Meaningful, in which she shares her own, an other’s, stories exploring ideas of purpose, impact, val...

In this week’s episode Cass is joined by Lyndi Cohen - also known as the Nude Nutritionist. Lyndi is an anti diet dietitian, best selling author, and host of the ‘No Wellness Wankery’ podcast. Her latest book is Your Weight is Not The Problem… and that’s really the topic of our conversation today. In a world that places so much emphasis on, particularly women’s physical body and being thin and beautiful, how can we move away from a diet, and weight, obsessed culture and into a place where we are...

Have you heard about 'schemas' and 'schema therapy' but don't quite understand how it works? Responding to a listener voicemail, I explain schema therapy and walk through the 18 maladaptive schemas to help you understand them and recognise them within yourself. Connect with Cass: www.cassdunn.com www.instagram.com/cassdunn_xo Contact Crappy to Happy: Email: hello@crappytohappypod.com www.crappytohappypod.com www.instagram.com/crappytohappypod www.tiktok.com/@crappytohappypod Are you a coach...

Maria Thattil was propelled into the spotlight when she was crowned Miss. Universe Australia in 2020. She then went on to place in the Top 10 of the International Competition in 2021. She was the third woman of colour to represent Australia in the pageants history. Maria is a fierce activist for social causes and uses her platform to champion social justice issues like mental health and gender equality. Connect with Maria: https://www.instagram.com/mariathattil/?hl=en Connect with Cass:...

Are you curious about how different styles of attachment are ingrained in us from when we are infants? Understanding different attachment styles that may be affecting your day to day life can help you heal and become stronger. In this episode, Cass explains the various styles of attachment, including anxious and avoidant styles, and the characteristics and meanings behind each one. Connect with Cass: www.cassdunn.com www.instagram.com/cassdunn_xo Contact Crappy to Happy: Email: hello@cra...